Cab drivers in London are the best! They are friendly and knowledgeable. For an inexpensive "tour" of the city and to get a sneak peek at all the things to see, ask a cab driver for a tour of the city and a look at some of London's best kept secrets. We had a cab driver take us to a fish-n-chips pub that was out of this world. We sat above a quiet little cobblestone street, peering out of 200 year old glass windows. Awesome.

- Melissa, WorldMark by Wyndham

As far as high-end restaurants:
you can't miss with any of gordon ramsay's restaurants. my personal favorite is maze grill. it's fairly new and it's a steakhouse. they bring out the cuts of meat for you to choose from and everything from starters to sides were fantastic.

For delicious italian i highly recommend daphne's - it's owned by the same restaurant group who owns the ivy in london. the decor is warm, request to sit near the fireplace. the food is great- especially the tiramisu.

On the cheaper side:
my favorite, reasonably priced restaurant is bedford and strand. its totally not touristy but it's also near the west end (theater district) so it's a great place to go before or after a show. its a dark, scene-y wine bar with fantastic food.

for a great pub with even better food, a beer garden and an all-weather awning go to admiral codrington. fantastic fish and very quintessential london.

for great thai go to busaba ethai. its a chain but it doesn't come across that way and it always has a young, fun crowd.

i'm a huge brunch person and a good brunch can be hard to come by in london. but after a lot of trial and error i recommend the following:

tom's kitchen in chelsea
brioche french toast and eggs benedict are great. its a fun atmosphere too, sort of a cafeteria-style.

my olde dutch pancake house. sooo good and so cheap. it has these humungous pancakes, the really thin kind, more like a crepe and you can order it a million different ways, both sweet and savory. they have a couple different locations.

if you're near oxford circus you should totally go to selfridges for shopping, but then eat in their food court as well. it's on the ground floor and they have literally everything. i worked near there so hit it up for lunch almost daily and definitely ate my fair share of the gelato and the square pie (which is an amazing shepherd's pie place. it's like a british mcdonalds. instead of burger and fries it's shepherd's pie and mashed potatoes).

also, the whole foods in kensington is worth a look. it was built right when we moved there and it is unbelievable. nothing like the whole foods here. its three stories with a food court, wine shop, a room that's just for fine cheeses and a ton of other things we don't have here.

as far as shopping, it's always fun to go to the markets like portobello and spitalfields. a great high street that's somewhat off the beaten path and not as touristy is marylebone high street. it's in between oxford circus and regents park. they have a lot of great shops and restaurants and it's more local.

we did a lot of touristy things while we were there, and i'm not a huge fan of that kind of thing but there were a couple things that were worth the time. the tower of london gives a great tour and they also have this special thing every night called the key ceremony. it's something not everyone knows about and it's pretty cool.

also, if you were to go to spitalfield's market one sunday that's in the area where the jack the ripper murders happened. they give tours there and that can be kind of fun, if you're into that kind of thing.

- Rachel S., London

Westfiled mall in west London is a neat place for your shopping spree and definitely check out the amazing foot court with a variety of international gourmet cuisines.

- Tiffany, Wyndham Hotel Group

There's no better way to get into the holiday spirit than shopping at Harrod's in London. The store is amazing and has everything you could imagine. It may be a little pricey but well worth the experience. Their decorations are wonderful and will certainly have you singing Christmas carols down the isles.

- Susan, RCI

Take off to London and enjoy the favorable exchange rate and truly magical holiday spirit of the city. The streetlights are aglow with live Christmas trees and the city sights are all decked out. The shop windows are in themselves an attraction, particularly on Regent Street. Harrods Knightsbridge is not just a world-famous store, it's also an attraction during the holiday season. Take a day trip to Bath and experience a Jane Austin Christmas or hop the train to Windsor for a royal holiday. Don't forget to get your ½ price theatre tickets in Leicester Square and be sure to buy a multi-day Tube (subway) pass. (Single ride tickets are super expensive.) It wouldn't be a trip to London without an afternoon tea experience at Fortnum & Mason, the Ritz or Claridge's. On a budget, have tea in the ice cream shop at Fortnum and Mason. Walk off the scones by visiting the Tate Art Museum then cross the Millennium Bridge over to St. Paul's, the best time of year to visit this magnificent cathedral. Don't forget your warm, water resistant coat and comfortable walking boots. Explore the local neighborhoods and try the most popular restaurants near your hotel. Pub fare like fish and chips and mushy peas are a must, as well as international cuisine like French, Indian and Thai. You'll be surprised by the variety of restaurants nearby your hotel. Discovering the city on foot is the best way to experience the Londoner's London. A holiday visit to London is sure to be one of your most memorable trips. Happy Holidays and Cheers!

- Jennifer, Extra Holidays

England has so much history and architecture it is hard to begin to tell the story. Growing up there brings a desire to know about the country, the history of the kings and queens and the design of the buildings. Everywhere you go there is something you need to learn. London is broken into many sections and many different types of people.

If you live in the City and born under the BOW BELLS you are considered a COCKNEY - as in Liza Doolittle. In this part of London you will always find the Pearly King and Queen a tradition of the cockneys to have their clothes covered with pearl buttons... Covent Garden is close by with the Covent Garden Opera House and Royal Ballet Theater.

Central London - Piccadilly Square, Leicester Square, home of all the theaters for great shows.

Knightsbridge & Kensington - home of Harrods and Kensington Palace where Princess Dianna lived.

The true way to see England would be to stay at Bed and Breakfasts throughout the countryside. You would meet and interact with the local community and be part of their family while you are there.

William Shakespeare - Stratford upon Avon - plus at the same visit you can see Oxford and Cambridge University's and the tradition of English Education. Visit Ann Hathaway's Cottage - William Shakespeare long time love.

Cheshire - still surrounded by the walls built by the Romans to protect their city.

• City of London - Fleet Street - where ALL the newspapers are printed.
• OLD BAILEY - highest court in the country, you can go and sit in on all the trials - fasinating
• City of London - corporate headquarters for Banks
• Houses of Parliament (House of Lords - no public entry) - House of Commons - public free to view daily political discussions
• Buckingham Palace - Home of Queen Elizabeth and Duke of Edinburgh
• Hampton Court - home of Henry the eighth, has the biggest maze on the grounds
• Tower of London - houses the Queens Jewels and where Henry the eighth put his wives heads when he chopped them off.
• Changing of the Guard at Buckingham Palace - an event that is amazing with the formation of the Guards.
• St. Pauls Cathedral - located in the City of London - has the largest diamond in the world in the Cross.
• Whispering towers at St. Pauls, you climb to the top and your voice echoes the entire cathedral.
• Regular Sunday Masses which are open to the public.

Liverpool - next to Cheshire the home of the infamous BEATLES - an area between Cheshire and Liverpool named No Mans Land which inspired the song on their album No where man in a No where land. The story is true that a family lived in no mans land and his wife would ask where her husband is going and he would say "No Where" thus No Where Man in a No Where Land". Cheshire and Liver

- Susan, Party Weekends by Wyndham