Hyde Park Winter Wonderland

If you are in London around Christmas time, there is no way you can miss out on Winter Wonderland in Hyde Park.

Winter Wonderland is a magical event that gets put up in Hyde Park every year at the end of November. It brings the Christmas spirit to London and is such a fun place to go for a date! There are a variety of things you can do there: ice skating, go on rides, play games, drink beer or mulled wine, shop at all of the stalls, eat yummy food, listen to music, and more!

The Christmas Market stalls resemble a German Christmas market. They are always packed with interesting things to look at and shop for.

They even have a variety of shows you can book ahead to attend.

Winter Wonderland is not to be missed! It’s free to walk in, so head on over and enjoy! It’s a great opportunity for you and your partner to spend some sweet time together while on holiday!

When you are done at Winter Wonderland, be sure to head down Oxford Street and Harrods to see all of the lights and window displays!

Relationship Tip: When you are out on a date with your partner, allow yourselves time for good conversation. Dating is about spending quality time together and continuing to get to know each other.

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Spend a Day in Greenwich

When in London, make time in your schedule for a day in Greenwich! It’s where I went on my first date with my now husband. I thought it was the perfect date, so I decided to write about it!

There are loads of things you can do in Greenwich. There is a museum, an observatory, a ship, a market and more! Whatever your interests are, you will find something fun to do in Greenwich!

Before you even get to Greenwich, there are a couple of different ways to get there from London that are an experience in themselves. You could go on a Thames River Cruise on the Transport for London River Cruise or the Thames River Services from Parliament all of the way up the Thames to Greenwich. Or you can take the underground to the Island Gardens station and walk through the underground Greenwich Foot Tunnel! I’ve gotten to Greenwich both ways and both are great fun! If it’s your first time in London, I would suggest a river cruise so you can do a bit of touring on the way!

You could begin your day in Greenwich at the National Maritime Museum and then make your way up to the Royal Observatory and the Prime Meridian, where East meets West. Up on the hill is a perfect place to have an afternoon picnic with an incredible view of London! 

After a picnic in the park, you could make your way down to the Cutty Sark and tour a really cool old ship. And we can’t forget the Queen’s House! After all of this, head on down to the Greenwich Market which would be a great way to end the day beautiful and historic Greenwich!

So many of these activities are free and all are so fun! They appeal to all sorts of interests and are really the perfect way to spend a day together in London.

Relationship Tip: When you have a day out together, it’s important for you to plan out your day so you have fun things to do, but also be willing to be flexible and go with the flow. A good balance of planned activities and spontaneity make for the perfect day together!

All images are personal images.

A Meal in the Crypt

For an unusual and a once in a lifetime dining experience, head down to the crypt at St. Martin in the Fields.

Just across the street from Trafalgar Square, there is a nice cafe in the Crypt under the church that serves the most delicious classic British dishes and desserts! Don’t worry, the crypt is not creepy at all, it’s been beautifully re-done and provides a great space to have a meal!

Not only would you get the chance to enjoy a meal in a crypt, you could have dinner and a show as Wednesday nights are Jazz nights. As you sit back and relax in this unique setting, enjoy some live jazz! You could even get up and dance if you feel so inclined!

Dinner in the crypt at St. Martin in the Fields is not an experience to be missed. It’s the perfect date night!

If you’d rather just pop into the beautiful church, they often host free concerts. The Church itself is a wonder to behold and has incredible history!

Head over to St. Martin in the Fields with your significant other the next time in London, you will not regret it!

Relationship Tip: Do some research for your vacation date night and pick somewhere that will be memorable!

Image Source and personal image.

Shakespeare at the Globe

If you find yourself in London in the Summer, there is no better thing to do for a date than seeing a Shakespeare play at the Globe Theatre! This summer is the “Summer of Love” at the Globe.

They will be showing Romeo and Juliet, Twelfth Night, Tristan and Yseult, Much Ado About Nothing, King Lear and more! Check here for the Globe calendar to see what is playing when.

Going to the globe is such an incredible experience! You can buy seats ahead of time between 20 - 45 pounds ($26 - $58.50) or you can standing tickets for only 5 pounds ($6.50).

I’ve had the chance to go to a few shows at the Globe and it was an incredible experience! Although you have to stand the whole time if you get the cheaper tickets, you get to be much closer to the stage. You feel as though you are part of the story!

There are day shows as well as evening shows. You could go for lunch or dinner and then enjoy a show at Shakespeare’s Globe!

Relationship Tip: Experience culture and make a great memory together at Shakespeare’s Globe Theatre! Such sweet memories made together will never be forgotten.

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Cycle Through the London Parks!

When in London, pay two pounds for a day of fun cycling through all of the gorgeous parks of London with Santander Cycle Hire Bikes. You could enjoy Regent’s Park, St. James’ Park, Hyde Park, Kensington Gardens, Green Park, Hampstead Heath and more!

Cycling is a great way to see London, and if you go through the parks you will stay safe and just be able to enjoy the view! You could even stop to have a rest and enjoy a nice picnic together near Buckingham Palace or in front of the Prince Albert statue in Hyde Park!

All you have to do to rent the bikes is follow the instructions show on the video here and below:

Step 1: Hire

• Go to the nearest docking station terminal with your debit or credit card and touch the screen to begin
• Choose 'Hire a cycle', follow the on-screen instructions and take the printed release code
• You can hire up to four bikes at the same time (you'll need a separate release code for each bike)

Tip: Santander Cycles is for short trips so, once you have paid the £2 bike access fee for the day, the first 30 minutes of each journey is free. Longer journeys cost £2 for each extra 30 minutes.

Tip: Each bike release code is valid for 10 minutes and only at that docking station. Bikes are valuable so don't let anyone see your code before you use it.

Step 2: Ride

• Take a moment to read our tips for safer cycling at the terminal
• Choose your bike and check the tyres, brakes and bell
• Type your five-digit release code into the docking point's keypad and pull the bike out when the green light appears
• Adjust the saddle height and you're good to go!

Tip: The bikes have lights that come on automatically when you start pedalling.

Step 3: Return

• Push the bike firmly into any empty docking point
• You must wait for the green light, which will show that the bike is securely docked (otherwise we will continue to charge you for your journey). If you don't get a green light, call the Contact Centre immediately on 0343 222 6666 (TfL call charges)
• If the docking station is full, choose 'No docking point free' at the terminal and follow the on-screen directions to get an extra 15 minutes free
• To find a nearby space if the docking station is full, choose 'Status of nearest docking station' at the terminal.
• Remember, if you're not using the bike, dock it back!

Tip: If the bike is unsafe to ride, please let us know it needs repairing by pressing the 'Fault' button on the docking point within 10 seconds of docking it. Turn the saddle backwards to show others that it needs repairing.

Tip: You will need to wait five minutes before hiring another bike.

My husband and I love to go on bike rides, it's one of our favorite things to do together! It’s great exercise and great fun! It’s also the perfect way to see the city in a cheap and unique way! I have lots of my own memories cycling through London and they are certain to never be forgotten!

Relationship Tip: Doing exercise doesn’t always have to be boring or miserable. Make a date out of it! You will feel great and have great fun with your significant other!

Image Source for all images except for my personal images.

Cheeky Nando's

If you find yourselves on holiday in the UK, get yourselves what the locals call a "cheeky Nando’s" on date night!

Nando’s has some of the best chicken I have ever tasted! It is a Portuguese restaurant chain that serves Peri-Peri chicken in every type of way: by itself, in a pita wrap, on a bun, or on a shared platter. You can get chicken wings, chicken breast, a chicken leg, chicken thighs, chicken butterfly or an entire chicken if you are hungry enough! All of the delicious chicken comes drenched in a delicious mild, medium or hot sauce depending on your preference.

See the menu here to see all of the delicious mains, sides and desserts Nando’s offers.

Nando’s is the perfect place for a date while on vacation. It’s quick, it’s easy and it’s delicious! Even better, you can find Nando’s all over the UK! Enjoy yourselves a cheeky Nando’s!

Relationship Tip: When you are at the dinner table, put your phones away. This will allow you to have real conversations and focus on each other in the moment.

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Afternoon Tea at Fortnum & Mason

An experience in London would not be complete without taking the time to sit and enjoy afternoon tea at Fortnum and Mason in the Diamond Jubilee Tea Salon.

For a great date while touring London, take the time to stop in at one of the most famous food emporiums in London, Fortnum and Mason. Fortnum and Mason has been around, selling and sourcing tea for 300 years and is now one of London’s most famous and elegant shops.

Sit down, and enjoy a delicious afternoon tea, complete with the most extravagant finger sandwiches, scones, cakes and fancies.

Tea time at Fortnum and Mason is guaranteed to give you the full and quintessentially English experience, so don’t miss out!

Relationship Tip: Take time out of your busy schedules and plans to sit and enjoy quality time together.

Image Source and my own personal photos.

London Sky Garden

When in London, visit one of London’s best kept secrets!

The Sky Garden is known as “London’s Highest Public Garden”. It’s the perfect date location for a couple on vacation in London. Not only will you find some of the greatest views of London that can be found, you can enjoy dinner, brunch, drinks, live music, early morning yoga, or even more drinks, all with a view!

Take a seat and enjoy a romantic meal as you watch the sun set on the most gorgeous view of London. 

Or start your morning right and get a little yoga in before you both spend the day touring this enchanting city. After you’ve relaxed with yoga, take a seat and enjoy breakfast or brunch.

How about drinks and live music? Can you imagine a cooler atmosphere than the top of a skyscraper overlooking the city of London? You can dance the night away, on top of the world!

Whatever you do at the Sky Garden, you will have the time of your life and make great memories together from your time in London, my husband and I did!

One of the best things about this place is it is free to visit. All you have to do is book ahead!

The Sky Garden is open from 10am to 6am, Monday - Friday and 11am to 9pm on weekends. Go take your spouse on a great date and enjoy fantastic views like these:

*All photos were found on the Sky Garden website, except for my three that are my personal photos.

Relationship Tip: Don’t forget to go on dates, even when you are on vacation! If you spend all of your time touring in a city, you might as well spend some of that touring time strengthening your relationship.