• Skip to main content
  • Skip to primary sidebar
  • Skip to footer
  • Home
  • About
    • First Time Here?
    • Archive
    • London Blogs
  • Blog
  • Travel
    • London Theater Tickets
    • Shopping
    • Tips
    • Tours
    • Transport
    • Maps
    • Parks
    • Resources
    • Restaurants
    • Top 10 London
  • Culture
    • Art
    • Buildings
    • Food
    • London Books
    • Movies
    • Museums
    • Music
    • Pubs
  • Londonism
    • Reviews
    • Fun London
    • Iconic London
    • Life in London
    • London Realities
    • Moving to London
    • Politics
  • The Tube
  • London History
    • Great London Buildings
    • Great Londoners
  • Contact
  • Guidebooks
    • 101 London Travel Tips – Guidebook
    • 101 Free Things to do in London

Londontopia

The Website for People Who Love London

You are here: Home / News Features / Travelling from New York to London for the First Time (Advice & Tips)

Travelling from New York to London for the First Time (Advice & Tips)

Dec 24, 2021 By Jonathan

fotofan1 / Pixabay

Traveling from New York to London for the first time and unsure where to start? Planning a trip to the U.K. can be overwhelming, especially during an ongoing battle with COVID-19.

What are the coronavirus travel guidelines? How long should/can I spend in London? Where to visit? How to save money and time?

To assist in planning your first trip from New York to London, we’ve highlighted some of the most valuable tips. Our sensible guide will help you plan your London trip and improve the methods that make the best of your visit, time, budget, and restriction knowledge.

Requirements to Enter London from the New York 

U.S. citizens planning a trip to the U.K. cannot enter the country if they’ve visited a red list country within the ten days before arriving in the U.K. New restrictions were instated on Dec.7 that required passengers aged 12 and over to provide a negative PCR or lateral flow test before traveling to the U.K. The test must be taken two days prior to travel.

Vaccinated U.S. travelers must book a PCR test before travel and take the test on or before the second day of your trip. Self-isolation is required until your results are available, and you’ll need to complete a passenger locator form two days before you travel.

Unvaccinated U.S. travelers need a PCR test three days before their arrival into the U.K. and must also take additional PCR tests on day two and day 8. Completing a passenger locator form is also required.

Unlike vaccinated travelers, unvaccinated ones will need to quarantine for ten days on arrival.

Book Your Trip & Activities in Advanced  

One of the most frequent mistakes made by New Yorkers traveling to London is the failure not to plan their visit in advance.

Flights, accommodation, attractions, and activities booked in advance will result in a wider choice, lower prices, and time saved in queues.

Tickets for the main attractions are almost always cheaper when booked online and ordered in advance.

Visit London’s Free Attractions   

If you haven’t noticed already, visiting London isn’t a cheap experience. However, there are countless things to see and do completely free of charge.

Museums – There are a plethora of London museums with free entry: Science Museum, Museum of London, Natural History Museum, National Gallery, Tate Modern, Victoria and Albert Museum, plus many more.

London Gardens & Parks – London has plenty of gardens, parks, and playgrounds that don’t require entry fees. For those looking to escape the city, relaxation can be found without spending money.

London Markets – London markets are positioned all over the city. The quirkiness of places such as Camden Town can sometimes take an entire day to explore.

London Shops – Shopping in London isn’t a cheap activity by any means. But visiting the shops can be an attraction itself that’s absolutely free.

London Casinos & Sportsbooks – Gambling isn’t a free activity; however, most casinos in London are free to enter. Some will even provide complimentary drinks when you become a member.

Unlike DraftKings New York and other reputable sportsbooks, London has physical bookmakers on every corner. If you’re missing home and want to engage in a familiar activity, entry into London’s sportsbooks is also free – until, of course, you want to place a wager.

Stay in Central London    

The temptation of choosing cheaper accommodation outside of the city is very present, but this is a decision where we wouldn’t suggest taking the more affordable option. Commuting into the city every day will cost you money and time in the long run.

Residing in Central London will help travelers see much more in less time whilst saving a considerable amount of money on transportation.

Avoid Bank Holidays and Busy Periods of the Year    

Avoiding peak periods will assist your time-saving needs. July and August are usually the busiest times of the year, but also try to avoid bank holiday weekends and school breaks. If you’re planning a Christmas visit, avoid the main high streets on the weekends and those days leading up to Christmas Day.

Spring school holidays arrive earlier in New York, making London an ideal trip during spring break. June is another idealistic period as most European countries are still in school term-time.

Share this:

  • Print
  • Email
  • Facebook
  • Twitter
  • Pinterest
  • Reddit
  • Pocket

Filed Under: News Features

About jonathan

Jonathan is a consummate Anglophile who launched Anglotopia.net in 2007 to channel his passion for Britain. Londontopia is its sister publication dedicated to everything London.

Primary Sidebar

Subscribe to Our Free London Updates

Free London News

Get the latest news on London history, culture, travel, exhibitions, and more right in your inbox!

Check your inbox or spam folder to confirm your subscription.

Get the Anglotopia/Londontopia App

Our Advertisers

If you are a mobile gamer, you may want to take a look at UK’s new mobile casinos and slots reviewed by NewCasinoUK.

Join the London Forum

  • Mudlarking
  • MY FAVOURITE PLACE IN LONDON
  • What's Your Favorite Place in London?
  • Paddington Station

London Guide

  • Ten Cheap Things You Can Do in London on a Budget
  • Ten London Exhibitions to Look Forward to in 2023
  • London’s Non-Free Museums: Your Guide to London’s Museums That Charge Admission
  • Trip Planning: Top 10 Exhibitions To Plan Your 2018 Trips to London Around
  • London Guide: Our Favorite Restaurants in London – London Restaurant Recommendations for Americans – What’s Your Favorite?

Connect With Us

  • Facebook
  • RSS Feed
  • Instagram
  • Pinterest
  • Twitter

Support Londontopia

Search our Extensive Archive

Top 10 London

  • Ten Unusual Exhibits to See in London
  • London Pubs: Ten Thameside Pubs for a Pint and a View
  • Top 10 London: Ten More Things to Do Along the River Thames
  • Top 10 London: Top Ten Shopping Centers in London
  • Museums of London: Ten Overlooked London Museums
  • Top 10 London: Top Ten Things to See and Do in Haggerston
  • Top 10 London: Top Ten Things to See and Do in Haringey
  • Top 10 London: Top Ten Things to See and Do in Redbridge
  • Top 10 London: Top Ten Things to See and Do in Hillingdon
  • Top 10 London: Top Ten Things to Do in Canonbury

Recent Posts

  • V&A set to open first major UK exhibition on Renaissance sculptor Donatello
  • Ten National Trust Properties in London
  • What’s On in London Events for February 2023
  • Only Fools And Horses musical to close in West End after four years
  • Artist Ai Weiwei to launch first design-focused exhibition at London’s Design Museum
  • London Travel Alert: Staff at British Museum to walk out during half-term break
  • Poet Lemn Sissay ‘over the moon’ to receive Freedom of the City of London
  • English Heritage has unveiled six new blue plaques for London
  • National Portrait Gallery to reopen in June with two special exhibitions
  • Exploring The Cosmic House in London

Best Posts on Londontopia

  • 101 London Travel Tips
  • Top 100 London Attractions
  • How to Find the Cheapest Airfares to London
  • 10 Things NOT to do in London
  • Best London Guidebooks
  • 101 Free Things to do in London
  • London Lingo – A London Word Dictionary
  • Top 7 Tips for Doing London on the Cheap
  • Top 11 Myths American Believe about London
  • Guide to Eating in London
  • Best Times of Year to Travel to London
  • London Packing Tips
  • Top 11 Movies Set in London
  • Top Attractions off the Tourist Track
  • Top 5 Most Amazing London Hotels
  • Top 10 Hostels in London
  • Best Views in London Restuarants
  • London Taxi Ettiquette
  • Top 12 London Views
  • Great Fire of London
  • A Guide to Five of London’s Bridges
  • 10 Random Facts and Figures about Trafalgar Square
  • Top 100 British Slang Words

London Places to Explore

Bloomsbury Buckingham Palace Canary Wharf City of London Covent Garden Cutty Sark Greenwich Hampstead Hampton Court Palace Heathrow Houses of Parliament Hyde Park Imperial War Museum Islington Kensington Kensington Palace Leicester Square London London Eye London Transport Museum Museum of London National Gallery Notting Hill Piccadilly Circus Putney Queen Elizabeth Olympic Park Regent's Street Royal Academy Selfridges Somerset House Southbank Southwark St Pancras St Paul's Cathedral Tate Britain Tate Modern The City Tower Bridge Tower of London Trafalgar Square V&A Wandsworth West End Westminster Westminster Abbey

SIGN-UP FOR FREE LONDON WEEKLY UPDATES!

Please enter a valid email address
That address is already in use
The security code entered was incorrect
Thanks for signing up

Recent Videos

Walk Around London Virtually Right Now – Watched Walker is the YouTube Channel We All Need Right Now

Jason Hawkes Shares a Beautiful Video of London From Above That We All Need Right now

London Tube: You’ve Got to Watch This Amazing Mesmerizing Animation That Shows the Real Geography of the London Underground

Video: The Basics of Crossrail – London’s New Underground Line

London History: The Place Where Old London Double Decker Buses Went to Die

London Video: A Look at the Great Smog of London

Tube and London bus fares to rise by nearly 6% from March

What is Crossrail 2 and What is Its Current Status?

London Alert: Strike by London Underground workers to go ahead after last-minute talks fail

London Mayor hails Elizabeth line as direct routes and Sunday services begin

Elizabeth line fully opens and offers more direct journeys

Tube poet encourages writers to ‘bring who they are to the field’

Footer

About Londontopia

Londontopia is simply the website for people who love London. It was founded by Jonathan & Jackie Thomas from Anglotopia.net as a place to post articles solely focused on London and its environs. Keep up with all the latest London news at Londontopia! This site is geared towards people who love to visit London and our primary audience is North American but everyone is welcome!

When We’re in London Next

We don’t currently have any travel plans to London but hope to visit at some point in 2021.

  • SEO Backlinks
  • Travel Blog

SIGN-UP FOR FREE LONDON WEEKLY UPDATES!

Please enter a valid email address
That address is already in use
The security code entered was incorrect
Thanks for signing up

Copyright © 2023 Anglotopia, LLC · Website Developed by Anglotopia, LLC · Log in