No Small Wander

I know that Halloween hasn’t happened yet, but as a Londoner, Christmas season is already in full swing. Oxford Street has turned pedestrian-only, Selfridges has their Christmas windows out, and I’m already seeing twinkling lights everywhere. I’m also noticing a lot of tourists in the city right now! The number will only climb the colder the weather gets, and when the city Christmas lights are officially lit.

Avoiding crowds is not always possible; people love London! In fact, the first Christmas my partner and I spent in the city, we walked to Tower Bridge. We heard a rumour it would be deserted and we wanted to see it as empty as a zombie-movie set. When we got there, there were hundreds—if not thousands—of people there!

But there are some ways to avoid the crowds that tourism brings. My top tips are:

Get to touristy places early

I love being the first one at a place! Tourist places might have workers walking through them, but few tourists get up to see them at 7am.

If it’s an outdoor place, like Trafalgar Square, you can get there as early as the sun comes up. I once saw Piccadilly Square at 6am—it shocked me how deserted it felt. Just be sure to get a good night’s sleep the night before!

Get (early-in-the day) tickets

Speaking of arriving early: I like to get the earliest slot in the day that I can, for museum exhibits and tourist experiences. The later in the day you go, the higher the chances of people hanging around getting last-minute tickets. And when you buy an early ticket (say, 9am) the only people in the exhibit room will be those that bought tickets from that time slot. If you buy tickets later—say, 3pm—you’ll be among people who bought a ticket at 3pm, and 2pm, and 1pm, and perhaps 12pm, who are taking their time walking through the museum. The earlier it is, the fewer people there will be!

If you’re shopping, get clear on where you want to go

London has amazing shopping! But it’s also a huge reason people travel to the city, and the crowds can be exhausting. The pure amount of people on the streets in touristy areas, all travelling in different directions, is enough to tire me out—and when I’m tired, I don’t make good shopping decisions.

My recommendation? Figure out what you want to shop for at specific streets. Don’t just think, I want to go to Covent Garden! Think: OK, I need to buy something for my sister and nephew. He’d like a toy; let’s go to Hamley’s, and to Zara for my sister’s present. There will be time to discover things, of course! But getting necessities out of the way early will ensure you can leave the crowds if you feel overwhelmed.

Ask yourself: Does the crowd being indoors or outdoors make a difference?

This might seem silly if you’re not claustrophobic, but I can definitely get more nervous when I’m in a very busy shop rather than outside. The neon lights, the long lines, the loud music, the shoulder-to-shoulder people, the wait for a dressing room—it all makes me want to leave immediately. This is different to how I experience outdoor markets; they go a little slower, but being in the fresh air helps me.

If you’re okay with indoors, you can really shop anywhere; but if you’re like me, you might try the outdoor Christmas Markets in Southbank, Covent Garden, or Trafalgar Square.

Navigate public transit quickly

The tube gets very crowded in the mornings and evenings when people are commuting to work (so much so, you get charged less when you travel in other times). The tube gets hot, and not knowing the rules can cause problems. Basic rules for not slowing down traffic in the underground are:

• Let people off the train before boarding
• Take off backpacks and put large bags on the floor so more people can stand in the cars
• Grab a pole and hold on; don’t lean on others
• If there’s a seat, sit down so others can move where you’re standing. Offer the seat to those in need.

If you’re avoiding crowds, you might want to skip the tube altogether. Busses are a great alternative; there’s usually enough seating for everyone on the top deck, and they come so regularly that you won’t have to wait long. If you have to take the tube, try searching for less-busy stations nearby. For example, Oxford Circus station gets ridiculously busy every day, not just Christmas. But Bond Street is on many of the same lines, and is only a 5-minute walk away. There are a lot of stations close to each other in central London, and the closest tube might also be the busier one.

Reservations are your best friend

When I’m going to central London for a day out, I always get reservations for the meals I want. Is this a little type-A of me? Yes. But winging it with hundreds of tourists around guarantees to leave me hangry, waiting in line for a table. Being hangry leads to being grumpy and tired, which I can’t stand. So I make a booking with OpenTable, just to ensure that I’ll be fed and not stuck with crowds of people waiting for a table.

If you get overwhelmed, there are always places to hide

Maybe “hide” is a dramatic word, but stepping away from crowds is usually possible. If you’re on a main street (like Oxford Circus or Regent’s Street), going a block away from the main road will help. Use your phone to find a place to sit and regulate your nervous system if the crowds are overwhelming. My go-to searches on Google maps are:

• “Rooftop bars nearby” —they’re usually pretty empty in the winter
• “Independent coffee shop near me”—will be a lot less busy than a Blank Street Coffee or Starbucks
• “Local libraries”—I pretend to look at books in a place that’s quiet and spacious
• “Garden/common/courtyard near me”—usually is a little walk away from crowded spaces, and almost always has a bench to rest on!

Remember—London is for everybody, even those of us that get exhausted by crowds. I hope you’ll let me know how you avoid crowds below in the comments—happy travels!