Happy New Year! I’m wishing everyone’s 2026 is filled with hope and optimism. I, of course, am being a weirdo and dreaming of 2027.

I hate January in Michigan. It’s cold and gray. Every year I tell my husband that I want to get away, but we have a little person in school and never do anything about it. Not this time though. I am planning a trip to London.

I realize that technically I don’t have to wait a year to make this trip but…

1. I don’t want to go into extreme debt for a vacation so I need to plan a budget and set money aside.
2. I have to make sure my adult, autistic daughter is able to visit her dad in Florida or a sibling can stay with her, because a plane ride this long is out of the question.
3. We need to get passports

None of us have ever had passports before, so we need to go through the entire application process. Once all the paperwork is complete and the fees are paid, it should take 4-6 weeks to get our passports, but I prefer to have buffer time.

Then I need to book a flight. I’m figuring that we will travel light and just bring carryon bags, which will help with cost, but I think we have to pay to choose our seats in order to make sure the 3 of us are together on the plane. I also prefer a straight flight, rather than rushing to a connecting flight.

I was able to find a VRBO near Hyde Park for $144 a night. It’s super tiny, but it has a washing machine and kitchenette so that will keep packing and eating out down. And since we lived in a camper for 3 months in the winter, 7 days on vacation should be nothing.

Attractions/Itinerary

Hyde Park

This was not originally on my visit list, but if I’m going to bed staring right there, I really should check it out. Hopefully, they shovel the snow so we can safely walk the paths and take photos of Hannah in the snow. I know most people go to warm places to get away from winter, but I feel like London in the gray season will make it feel more like the Dickens descriptions I love.

Unfortunately I will probably miss the winter wonderland but that’s ok. A quick google search brought up 4 must see attractions for me.

• The Animals in War Memorial which has sculptures of mules and dogs along with a wall of information.
• The Diana Memorial Fountain should be open unless it’s ridiculously cold. According to the website, there are bridges to take you to the middle of the fountain, which I bet will create great photo opportunities. Spoiler Alert: My trip will include ridiculous amounts of photos.
• Achilles Statue
• Shopping at The Royal Parks Shop: They sell snacks and prints of Hyde Park. Great for souvenirs and stocking the kitchenette.

Jack the Ripper Museum

I love true crime, especially when the mystery is unsolved. The fact that you can visit the museum and do a walking tour is even better. This will be the only vacation enter I loose weight because all we do is walk. And of course I will need souvenirs, at least a magnet and the teddy bear.

Tower of London

This attraction looks relatively close to the Jack the Ripper Museum. Included with the ticket price is a tour with the Yeoman, a visit to the Crown Jewels and of course meeting the Tower Ravens. There is also something called the Armory in Action Experience that lets you try to shoot a long bow and lift a sword. Not sure if Hannah or Rob will enjoy that more. Of course we will need more souvenirs, maybe a stuffed Raven or a teapot.

The Gherkin

I’m going to let you in on a little secret: some days my husband has the brain of a 12 year old boy. Therefore having dinner in a building called the Gherkin will lead to a meal of inappropriate jokes. I’m used to it. 🤷‍♀️

I’m going to have to make an international call to make sure that Searcy’s is not an adult only venue, and then book a table. They have a set menu with 2-3 courses. I want each of us to choose something different and sample one another’s meals. My Instagram will be full of food porn. I can’t wait to see how beautiful the city looks from the top of a skyscraper.

Dennis Seaver’s House

I said at the beginning of this post that I am obsessed with the image of Victorian London. That’s why a tour of the Dennis Seaver House is on my list. I love the idea of viewing all the furniture and tapestry patterns preserved here. The online shop has an advent calendar shaped like the house which I would totally buy to use as a decoration for Christmas 2027.

Sir John Soane’s Museum

A knight with a sarcophagus in his house. I’m pretty sure if there is any chance of me meeting Doctor Who in London it will be in Sir John Soane’s museum. His treasures remain how he organized them 150 years ago and take up 3 buildings. Sounds like the perfect place to spend a winter day.

Trafalgar Square

Are you allowed to have days with no scheduled plans when to visit other countries or is that a waste of opportunity? It’s hard to plan a day to be outside exploring monuments when you don’t know what the weather will be like, but there are other things to do near Trafalgar Square. The National Portrait Gallery is over there so we could wander and look at art. We could try to get tickets for a show at the London Coliseum or Trafalgar Theatre. Heck we could just get tea at a cafe and people watch.

Double Decker Bus Tour

I cannot go to London and not get one of these double decker buses we see in all the movies. There is a kids tour that only lasts 45 minutes and guarantees you a seat at the top which sounds perfect for our little family. You get to see Big Ben, Piccadilly Circus and Downing Street, so YAY, more pictures.

Covent Garden

We are a family of foodies, so a day at the mall where we can pop in and out of restaurants sounds like a good time to me. We can also look for souvenirs and buy clothes we forgot to pack if necessary.

The V and A Museum of Childhood

I truly hope my daughter is able to hang on to her innocent wonder and urge to play for as long as possible. She loves to visit children’s museums here in Michigan. That’s why I added the V and A Museum to our itinerary. Admission is free. They have 3 galleries to explore, places to play, read and even an arts and crafts area.

Charles Dickens Museum

This is tied with the Jack the Ripper Museum for the top London location I want to visit. A part of my brain still expects the city to match the description in Dickens’ novels complete with oil lamps and ragamuffins on the street. The museum is set up in Charles Dickens actual home and consists of 5 floors. There is also a tea room, which I need to visit for a tea party. My daughter and I love tea parties. And we will spend a ton of money in the gift shop buying things that say “Bah Humbug!” and hedgehog toys.

The Monument to the Great Fire

My husband likes to tell people I could be a professional tourist if that was a real job. A visit to the Monument to the Great Fire would prove that. I know nothing about the Fire, but want to go so I can take panoramic pictures of the city. The step aerobics workout is just a bonus. Then to recover, I want to go to The Monument Pub across the street for fish and chips or steak and ale pie

Estimated Cost for London 2027 (Family of 3)

• Passports $500
• Airfare $3000
• VRBO $1200
• Souvenirs $725
• Jack the Ripper Museum $100
• Tower of London $100
• Dinner at the Gherkin $200
• Dennis Seaver’s House $60
• Bus Tour $75
• Covent Garden $300
• Charles Dickens Museum $110
• The Monument to the Great Fire & Pub $100
• Total $6470

I am not entirely crazy. I realize there may be new places I want to add to the list once we finally get to London, or places we decide to skip due to weather or time constraints. We will probably spend more money that what is in my estimate, but if I have saved up the $6500 in projected spending, adding a little bit to our credit card won’t be such a big deal.

So tell me, did I miss any attractions that we can’t miss even though we are traveling in January? Let me know in the comments.

Kristie