by John Roberts
Last updated: 11:00 AM ET, Mon January 1, 2018
London is so fascinating and offers hundreds of must-see attractions and things to do, but don't let all the options stress you out.
Keep it simple: It's all about hitting the right mix of fun experiences to make your trip memorable, whether it's your first trip or you've been a few times before.
I'm not here to tell you about the traditional London attractions that you no doubt already have on your list. I know you will be stopping by the London Eye, Big Ben, Westminster Abbey, Buckingham Palace and a few other castles and a few bridges, to boot.
Let's instead fill in the gaps to have a well-balanced trip to London-filled with sights, sounds and flavors.
See a Show
The West End is London's thriving theater district, and we always like to grab a show whenever we are in town. The cool thing is that prices are not outrageous when compared with what you might plop down for a production in New York City.
Our strategy is to ask our London friends what is good, then pick one of their recommendations based on the availability and price. I head over to Leicester Square and see what deals I can find at the "cheap tickets" or "half-price tickets" broker booths.
We snagged tickets in the $50 to $70 range for shows such as "Book of Mormon," "Once," "The Curious Incident of the Dog in the Night-Time," "Young Frankenstein" and "Blithe Spirit," starring Angela Lansbury.
Visit the British Museum
The British Museum is a massive facility that you could revisit several times before seeing all the exhibits. The complex features 8 million items in 94 galleries and gets almost 7 million visitors each year.
And it's all free.
The museum is notable for its Ancient Egyptian and Nubian sections, with sculptures, mummies and coffins-holding the most Egyptian relics outside of Egypt. It is also home to the Rosetta Stone and features cool stuff like a gallery devoted to money. It is open every day except December 24 to 26 and January 1.
Soak Things Up at the Shard
The tallest building in the United Kingdom (and the European Union) is the impossible-to-miss 95-story centerpiece of the London Bridge neighborhood.
The Shard rises 1,016 feet and was completed in 2012, offering incredible views over the Thames River and all of London. Ride an elevator up to any of its six bars and restaurants to enjoy cocktails with the panoramic vistas (best seen at night when the city lights up).
Warning: The drinks are pricey. (Those views don't come cheap).
It's worth a stop for a couple hours to be able to take a couple epic pictures. If you fall in love with it all and have the coin, you can book one of the 202 rooms at the Shangri-La Hotel in the Shard.
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