Once again the pound strengthens against the US dollar making travel in the UK pricey.  Not to worry. There are several strategies to keep your costs in line. First, find a good fare to the UK. Subscribing to the Travel Zoo newsletter is a good start for great travel deals to anywhere. But, recently AA Vacations offered airfare and 3 nights lodging in London starting at only $278 from the East Coast. British Airways recently offered a great air only special. With some of these great package deals, it is hard to find a decent hotel combined with airfare that can beat these package deals, which are highly recommended. Search the internet or check with your travel agent to help you find one of these bargains.

If you get a great package deal, good for you. But if

you need to find a reasonable hotel, then you have some work to do. Remember that the price of a hotel is much more than it would be in the US, so don't be sticker shocked. There are some strategies for finding reasonably priced hotels. You should figure around $150 per night as the average rate at a reasonable hotel. Remember that European hotel rooms are in general much smaller than US rooms. One quite nice family run hotel that is conveniently located near Harrods is the Knightsbridge Green Hotel. Another group of hotels is the Radisson Edwardian, all in grand restored buildings. They frequently offer rooms with the rates in US dollars. Their rooms are traditionally small, but comfortable with the same excellent service that you will find at the Green Hotel. The prices of accommodations make it very worthwhile to check into a package air/hotel vacation.

Eating is another consideration, but fortunately it is relatively easy to save money on dining. Check the neighborhood pubs that often serve a nice meal at a reasonable price. In the Covent Garden area there is the historic Lamb and Flag pub that offers reasonably priced meals. There are also plenty of open-air restaurants in the area with menus posted so that you can make a decision about the menu and prices before sitting down. Keep your eyes peeled as you stroll along the avenues of the city.  There are quite a few simple restaurants with fixed-priced meals.

Scattered throughout the city is a chain of Japanese restaurants that offer excellent dishes at prices that won't break the bank. These are the very popular Wagamama restaurants, which offer a variety of noodle dishes. The waiters write down your order on the paper tablecloth and commit it to memory for the kitchen staff. Service is prompt and the food is great.

Another favorite low cost London restaurant also near Covent Gardens is Belgo. They offer a special deal Monday thru Friday with several dishes that include wine, beer or soft drink. The price depends on the time you order. This happens between 5:30 and 7:30, so if you order at 6pm, your dinner will cost you 6 pounds. They offer several beers and specialize in mussels, one of their most popular offerings.

Of course, you can find lots of small cafes along the road that offer special menus for lunch and dinner. Some places offer a combined dinner and theatre ticket. This is often a good value. Check online or read the local papers for these locations. The concierge or desk staff at your hotel are excellent references for suggestions.

Now, if you don't want to combine a certain restaurant meal with a theatre ticket, you need to head to the discount theatre ticket place. Here you will find reduced prices on tickets to a variety of shows throughout the town.

Not into theatre? Many of the museums throughout London are now free to the public. You could spend several days visiting the British Museum. The City of London museum, the Victoria and Albert and the Portrait Museum also offer special exhibits in addition to their permanent displays.  Be aware that some of the special exhibits may charge an admission fee.  More free entertainment can be found at Covent Garden watching the street buskers who actual need to audition before being allowed to perform on the streets. This can be very entertaining and costs nothing but your time. There are also free recitals by amateur, but talented musicians at the nearby concert hall.

Probably the cheapest and shortest flight that you will ever take on British Airways is at the London Eye. This giant Ferris wheel gives you a great overview of the town. From here you can plan out your adventures or look and see where you have been. Walking tours are another inexpensive way to pass the time. With many different themes, ranging from the Beatles to Jack the Ripper, to neighborhood tours, there is something likely to please any interest. London Walks is one very popular company, but there are others. There is always the option of walking on your own and enjoying the street culture and scenery. Strolling by the London Tower, Buckingham Palace or Big Ben costs nothing.  The underground tube system can take you to different areas of the city at a reasonable price, especially if you buy one of the tourist passes. If you plan on traveling to several

areas of town, this is definitely less costly than cab fare and will get you close to whatever sites you wish to see.

Yes, London can be pricey, but armed with a bit of knowledge you can spend your time and pounds wisely in this great city. Cheerio.

Happy Traveling.

London Tourist Board - www.londontouristboard.com/

Radisson Edwardian - www.radissonedwardian.com/

Knightsbridge Green Hotel - http://www.thekghotel.co.uk/

Wagamama restaurant - http://www.wagamama.com/

Belgo Restaurant - http://www.belgo-restaurants.com/

Discount theater tickets - http://www.whatsonstage.com/dl/page.php

London Eye - http://www.londoneye.com/default.asp

If you have questions you may e-mail me at:

Theresa@photoandtravel.com