London is filled with pleasures that won't cost you a farthing.
One example: The Speaker's Corner in Hyde Park is a place where you'll hear a wide range of rantings and opinions, and the experience is free. Other pleasures will cost you, but if you do your homework with us before you go, those costs can be cut dramatically.
What a Night for the Theatre!
Any night in London is prime for a play. You can see Broadway-quality productions here for a fraction of what they're paying in New York. If you've read much about London, that probably doesn't come as a startling revelation.
But here is more news on the theatre front: ThisIsTheatre.com offers reduced-price tickets. Buying online saves you from wasting precious vacation time standing in a long line, too.
Check out London Event Guide to see what's playing during your visit.
Take a Walk
There are enough sights to keep you touring London for weeks. I will not list them all here. To do so would take many pages and simply replicate what About sites like United Kingdom for Visitors already have done beautifully.
There is value in some simple tour advice--take a walk.
London Walks offers a variety of tours priced at £8 ($13 USD). These are guided trips on foot that last roughly two hours. Most leave in the vicinity of an Underground stop. Look for a guide holding up the company's white sign.
London is a vast city, and the first-time visitor feels the need to see it from end to end. But you might see more by limiting your day to one section and going by foot.
Arthur Frommer suggests one such trip: a visit to Westminster and Whitehall that can be accomplished in roughly three hours and includes Parliament, the Abbey and 10 Downing Street (the Prime Minister's residence).
Sometimes the best things in life (and London) are free. There are at least 10 areas where you can enjoy free attractions in this expensive city. Look hard enough and you'll add to the list.
For the attractions that require an entry fee, consider passes could save money on longer stays. The London Pass allows entry into 55 admission-charging attractions, line jumping and a free guidebook. Passes good for 1-6 days can be purchased online starting at £43 ($70 USD) for adults and £28 ($46 USD) for children. A six-day pass at £94 ($154 USD) works out to about £16/day ($26 USD). Keep in mind that although these pass prices might seem high, just one adult admission to the Tower of London is nearly £20 ($33 USD).
Further Afield
London is a great jumping-off point to tours in other parts of Great Britain or Europe. London is Europe's unofficial capital of budget airlines. Check the great fares and plan accordingly.
Consider an overnight train ride to Scotland, too.
