31 London Tourist Mistakes & How To Avoid Them

One of travelers’ biggest fears is making mistakes as a tourist. I totally get it – you want to do your best to not look like a tourist in London.

Here’s a secret: we know you’re a tourist, and we don’t care. Our city is packed with visitors all the time!

But if you want to be a savvier London traveler, here are some London tourist mistakes I see everyday, and what to do instead.

These are mistakes tourists make in London that can waste money, waste time, and can make your trip more difficult and more expensive.

Here’s what not to do in London as a tourist to have a happier and cheaper trip.

Ps…don’t ever feel bad if you do these things – no judgement here! Just being aware of the alternatives can be helpful!

Cover image for a post about the biggest tourist mistakes in London. It features two cartoon-style red double-decker buses; the left bus has a red 'X' and the words 'CITY TOURS' indicating a mistake, while the right bus has a green check mark representing the correct choice. A shocked emoji face occupies the center space between the buses. The bold title 'THE BIGGEST London Tourist Mistakes & What To Do Instead' is displayed at the top,

Top 10 Biggest Mistakes Tourists Make in London

These are the top tourist mistakes London travelers make that can have the biggest impact on your trip.

1. Not Using Public Transport

Illustration presenting a mistake tourists make in London by not using public transport. It features a classic black taxi with a red cross over it, and a positive endorsement of alternatives with a London Underground sign, a group of pedestrians, and a red double-decker bus, all with green checkmarks. The message 'Not Using Public Transport' is prominently displayed at the top

London’s transport system is world-renowned for a reason. It might seem confusing at first, but you can totally do it!

Most every single time you’re out and about in London, using the tube or bus will be cheaper and faster than getting a taxi or an Uber. There’s a reason Londoners use it daily.

Use my handy, illustrated guides for navigating London’s transport:

2. Underestimating Accommodation Costs

London hotels are expensive. They just are. Don’t be surprised if a mid-range hotel room in Central London is £300+ per night.

Do your best to stick to your budget, but start out with a realistic budget for London using my calculator.

3. Buying a Visitor Oyster Card, or Mis-using Contactless Payment

Myth: you need to buy a Visitor Oyster Card to use London transport.

Fact: No you don’t! Just use any contactless payment method you already have (like a credit card with a chip, or Apple Pay). You’ve instantly saved money. Or just purchase a regular Oyster card so you’ll be covered if it’s lost or stolen.

You just need a different contactless payment method for each traveler over 11, and remember to tap in and out with the same one each time.

Read my easy guide here for how to pay for the tube.

Remember to tap in and out on the tube with the same card, and simply tap in (not out) on the bus.

4. Underestimating the Size of London

Educational graphic for tourists showing the vast size of London. It features a map of Greater London highlighting its 600+ square mile area, juxtaposed with a smaller scale representation showing a 4-mile distance between Tower Bridge and Big Ben, marked by location pins. The title 'Underestimating London’s Size' prompts visitors to be aware of the city's extensive area.

London is massive, and if you’re coming from a large city, you may think you understand how big it is.

You don’t.

Greater London is over 600 square miles. Central London – where you’ll likely stay as a tourist – is also massive, and attractions are not all grouped together in one place.

Lots of Central London is very walkable, but it doesn’t mean you can walk from Big Ben to Tower Bridge – that’s over 4 miles.

Always factor in travel time when you’re putting together your itinerary so you’re not scrambling to get anywhere in a big hurry.

5. Staying Way Too Far Outside Central London

Trying to save money by booking a hotel in Zone 6 or 7? You may regret it, and end up on a packed train full of grumpy commuters every time you want to get to Central London.

Sometimes it’s worth it to pay a bit more to be closer to the action.

6. Not Booking Ahead

The English – in general – are plan ahead kind of people. So it’s no surprise that most London attractions need to be booked ahead.

Many London tourists get disappointed when the attractions they were counting on seeing are sold out, or have very long queues.

The attractions that tend to sell out the fastest are the Tower of London, Buckingham Palace (when it’s open), and Harry Potter Warner Brothers Studios.

7. Not Grouping Attractions by Neighborhood

Group attractions by what’s nearby, and not what order you think you want to see things in. You’ll get more time at each place, and save on transport costs.

8. Only Visiting Touristy Areas

Image contrasting tourist habits in London, with a crowded Piccadilly Circus scene on the left, marked by a red cross to indicate a tourist trap. On the right, a tranquil row of pastel-colored houses, likely in Notting Hill, with a green checkmark, suggesting a more authentic local experience. The heading 'Only Seeing Touristy Areas' encourages exploring beyond well-known spots

You’ll miss half the charm of London if you only explore the touristy areas. Branch out and visit some less popular areas, instead! You’ll get a break from the crowds and see something totally unique.

And if you need to eat in a touristy area? Walk a few blocks away from the crowds. You’ll find smaller charming restaurants that aren’t chains on the side streets.

9. Not Bringing Comfortable Shoes

Do not come to London with a brand new pair of shoes. Instead, wear the ones you can walk all day in. Because you will be walking all day.

Walking to and through the tube station is more walking than I ever did in America (except, you know, on purpose for exercise).

10. Not Taking Advantage Of Free Museums

London has over 55 free museums, and they’re all incredible and unique. If you’re on a budget, this is a super easy way to experience the best of London without spending anything.

These are also easy, convenient places to use the restroom in London, as public toilets in the Capital can be hard to find!

London Tourist Fails: Navigation

Here’s what not to do in London as a tourist when you’re trying to navigate this massive city.

11. Getting A Car From The Airport

Informative graphic highlighting a tourist mistake of not using public airport transport in London. Features a crossed-out black taxi with a price tag of over £100, against a recommended modern train with 'From £13' indicating cost savings. A flying plane and a symbol of the London Underground with a checkmark reinforce the travel options. Text at the top reads 'Not Using Public Airport Transport'

Public transport is always the cheapest and fastest way to get anywhere in London, and that includes to and from the airports.

Don’t spend over £100 taking a car only to sit in traffic for twice as long as the train or tube would take.

And yes, the tube and trains from the airport have room for luggage, and many have lifts (elevators).

See my full guide here on the best transport options from each London airport.

12. Not Taking Advantage Of Train Travel & Day Trips

The UK has an incredible train network. If you have more than a few days in London, take a train to see some other breaktaking parts of the UK.

My favorite day trips from London are Bath – which is like stepping back in time – and Cambridge, which is like stepping into the Harry Potter films.

There are some day trips, however, that are just too far to successfully accomplish in one day (Paris is a common one people think they can do in 12 hours).

Read my full guide here on what day trips are doable, and which ones aren’t.

13. Thinking There’s One “Downtown” Area

Many Americans ask where they should stay in “downtown London.” There is no ‘downtown London.” Central London is massive and very spread out.

If you’re looking to get “downtown,” you need to be a bit more specific!

14. Renting A Car

Just don’t do it. Trains are always faster and cheaper, no matter where your next destination is.

And please – for the love of all that is good – never rent a car to get around London. It will be impossible.

15. Not Having Mobile Data

Illustrative comparison for tourists in London, showing a confused traveler with a paper map and a red cross, against a close-up of a hand holding a smartphone with a navigation map app and a green checkmark. The image emphasizes the convenience of having mobile data for navigation. The title 'Not Having Mobile Data' appears at the top,

If you don’t have mobile data, you will likely get lost. You need mapping apps to easily navigate this massive city.

You can purchase a prepaid UK Sim or E-Sim before you arrive, so you’re connected the moment you touch down. Often these are cheaper than your carrier’s roaming plans.

16. Always Taking The Tube Instead Of Walking

Pull out your mapping app and see how far your next destination is. It may take longer to take a tube or bus than to just walk, and you’ll spend money on transport unnecessarily.

London Tourist Mistakes: Attractions

When it comes to booking attractions and trying to plan your itinerary, it’s easy to get overwhelmed with the amount of things there are to see and do.

Here’s the biggest tourist mistakes London travelers make when booking attractions.

17. Booking The Wrong Attractions

Graphic illustrating common tourist mistake in London, contrasting booking the wrong attractions. Left side shows a silhouette of people observing a crossed-out image of a shark in an aquarium, indicating a non-recommended attraction. Right side depicts iconic red London double-decker buses inside a museum with a green checkmark, suggesting preferred sightseeing options. Text reads 'Booking the Wrong Attractions'

I always tell London visitors to book attractions you can only find in London. Not only will this save you money, but you’ll save time by seeing the very best of our city and not the tourist traps.

The biggest culprits here are the London Zoo, London Aquarium, Shrek’s Adventure, and those hop-on-hop-off buses (just get on a regular bus).

These cost a fortune, they’re not very good, and there’s nothing uniquely “London” about them.

If you’re visiting with kids, there are a ton of free things to do for family – save your money for Hamleys!

18. Only Going To Places On Your Tourist Pass

If you have purchased a London Pass or another city pass (see my guide here on whether they’re worth it), don’t limit yourself to only the attractions on the pass. You’ll miss half of what makes this city worth visiting.

19. Going Into “American Candy Stores” Or “Souvenir” Shops

You’ll see these tourist traps around Leicester Square and Oxford Circus. Not only are they literally scams and used for money laundering, they try to sell you a bottle of water for £7.

If you’re looking to buy some unique London souvenirs, I have a list right here to help you!

20. Only Shopping On Oxford Street

A side-by-side comparison of shopping locations in London. On the left, a bustling Oxford Street scene at night with vibrant street lights and storefronts, overlaid with a red cross, suggesting it's a tourist mistake to only shop there. On the right, the elegant Leadenhall Market interior with its Victorian architecture and a green checkmark, recommending it as a shopping destination. Above, the caption reads 'Only Shopping on Oxford Street'

London is full of unique markets and shopping centers that aren’t the high street shops of Oxford Street.

You don’t have to search hard to find these unique shopping centers, and they’re so much better! Try Borough Market, Leadenhall Market (pictured above), and Portobello Road, just to name a few.

21. Paying For A Good View

It seems like London is getting more free viewing platforms in our skyscrapers everyday. Instead of paying a ton for a view of the city (like The London Eye, or the View from the Shard), try the following free viewing areas:

What Not to Do in London as a Tourist: Etiquette

Here’s some common tourist mistakes London travelers make when being out and about amongst Londoners.

Just like any country that’s foreign to you, there’s some social quirks you’ll learn the hard way or the easy way!

22. Using The Wrong Words For Things

A humorous depiction of a common linguistic mix-up for tourists in London, showcasing two different garments labeled 'PANTS'. On the left, a pair of blue jeans with a red cross indicates the American term, which is incorrect in British English. On the right, a pair of pink underwear with a green checkmark correctly identifies 'pants' in British English. The title 'Using the Wrong Words' is displayed above

Avoid confusion by learning some simple words that the English use differently than foreigners.

The most common ones I hear are:

“Pants”: in the UK this means underwear
“Line”: we call it a queue
“Subway” or “Metro”: we call it “The Tube” or “The Underground”
“Bathroom”: say “toilets” or “loo”
“Chips”: In the UK, potato chips are “crisps,” and french fries are “chips”
“Soccer”: just say “football”

23. Blocking The Sidewalk

If you’re on a crowded sidewalk, don’t stop to take a photo in the middle of the pavement. Pull over out of the way.

Likewise, don’t walk in a group blocking the whole pavement.

24. Expecting Table Service

I see a lot of Americans confused that they don’t get table service at a pub. In most pubs, you order at the counter.

Likewise, customer service in the UK is very different than in other places, especially in restaurants. Servers won’t pop by a million times to check on you. This is normal.

25. Standing On The Left

A split image illustrating proper escalator etiquette in London. The left side shows two individuals incorrectly standing side by side on an escalator, with a red cross indicating 'Standing on the Left' as a faux pas. On the right side, a person correctly stands on the right side of the escalator, allowing space for others to pass, marked by a green checkmark. The title 'Standing on the Left' warns against this common tourist mistake.

When using escalators, stand on the right and walk on the left.

26. Ignoring Local Etiquette Like Queueing

Queues (lines) are very important to Brits. It’s polite and respectful to wait in a queue for everything. Do not jump the queue.

On public transport, don’t speak loudly, talk on your mobile, or play a video or music without headphones.

More Tourist Mistakes London Travelers Make

Here’s a few more tourist mistakes London travelers make, and what to do instead.

Don’t ever feel bad if you do these, just be aware that there’s easier alternatives!

27. Using Cash Or Exchanging Money

Split image displaying common financial mistakes by tourists in London. On the left, a hand holding various UK banknotes with a red cross indicating a mistake of using cash or exchanging currency. On the right, a hand making a payment with a smartphone at a card terminal with a green check, suggesting the use of digital payments. Text header reads 'Using Cash or Exchanging Currency'

London is mostly cashless. That’s not to say you can’t use cash – in most places you can. But you do not need cash.

Many travelers will want to exchange their local currency for pounds, which is not a great way to get the best exchange rate.

The best practice is to travel with a credit or debit card without foreign transaction fees.

28. Tipping

Part of why you don’t need cash in London is that tipping culture doesn’t really exist.

You can read my full guide on tipping in the UK here, but generally if you want to leave a tip, just round up (like leaving change at the pub, or rounding up a pound or two for the taxi).

29. Expecting AC

London summer travelers: beware. Air conditioning is not common here, or in many parts of Europe.

If you know you cannot be comfortable without it, make sure to book a hotel that has air con.

30. Safety: Not Minding Your Phone

A graphic contrasting safe practices for handling a phone in London. On the left, a hand sneakily removing a phone from a back pocket, marked by a red cross indicating risk. On the right, hands securely clutching a phone inside a round, woven crossbody bag, signified by a green checkmark for safety. Above the images, the text 'Not Minding Your Phone' advises against negligence

London is generally a very safe city – much safer than other metropolitan regions in the world. However, phone theft is common here.

Do not have your phone in your back pocket; keep it tucked away in a purse or zipped up in your jacket. Never put it on the table while dining at a restaurant.

Just use common sense and you’ll be fine!