Are you stranded at Heathrow Airport with hours to spare? Same. But instead of becoming one with the airport floor, I took a spontaneous trip into London—and made a few rookie mistakes so you don’t have to.

While stranded in the airport for seven hours, I thought to myself: Do I stay in the airport and suffer, or do I make the most of these hours in one of the dopest cities in the world?

 After doing the math, I realized I had just enough time to hit Central London without risking missing my flight.

The last thing I wanted to do was drag all my bags around the city, so I paid to store my luggage at the airport. Please don’t do this! I wasted $80 overpaying for luggage storage. Right after I got to the city, I learned I could’ve paid a third of the price by storing my luggage in a hostel locker or the small business shops offering storage services.

Speaking of getting to the city, there are three ways to get into London. The bus, the train and private transport. I recommend taking the train and beware there is a hierarchy: The Elizabeth Line > Heathrow Express. 

Unlucky for me, on my trip I went with the Heathrow Express– which wasn’t the end of the world (you know I made it work). I just learned the hard way and overpaid for my train ticket. Plus I missed out on getting dropped off near some of the best sightseeing places. The Elizabeth line is the fastest, most cost effective, and takes you straight (or close) to the most iconic places in the city.

Clo Tip™: Buy your train tickets online to save coins and chaos. Don’t be like me and wait until the kiosk when you’re in a time crunch and have no idea what you’re doing.

Once you get to the city, if you want to hit the ground running make your first stop Paddington Station. Take a stroll around Hyde Park – Because nature + vibes.  If you’re into extravagant royal grounds and gardens you can buy a ticket to visit the Kensington Palace nestled in the back of the park. You might also want to see Little Venice and enjoy their Canals and gondola rides. Both of these stops are less than a 15 minute walk from the station.

You could also get off the train at Bond Street Station, the Heart of the West End. Go visit Oxford Street,  London’s most iconic shopping street. There are plenty of other places to shop in the area as well.

If you’re not interested in shopping, consider hopping off at Tottenham Court Road Station for a taste of London’s food, culture, or nightlife in Soho, Covent Gardens, or the British Museum. You’ll find lots to do by walking only 10 minutes from the station.

If you want an old-school London vibe with a modern touch, go to Farringdon Station and visit One of the oldest markets in London, Smithfield Market 

Last but definitely not least, if you’re artsy make sure you get off at Liverpool Street Station  to check out Spitalfields Market’s Food + fashion stalls, Brick Lane for Iconic for street art, vintage shops, and curry houses, and the Sky Garden which is free but book ahead!

All in all, my London Layover  was a super chill way to scratch the surface of London without overcommitting too much. I hope I gave you some good recs and prevented you from making some of the same mistakes I did!