Concert at the O2? Pilgrimage to a Shopping mecca? A Day Out in East London Awaits...

Things to do in East London - Emirates Cable Car

 

 

 

Going to a Concert at the O2? Why not make a day of it and add some sightseeing, shopping and possibly a 4/5 star hotel...

After a day shopping at the enormous new Westfield shopping centre in Stratford City (East London), and a trip on the cable car across the Thames to the Greenwich peninsula where the O2 is located, I was inspired by the possibility of combining these activities with a concert at the O2. (At this point I'm angling for a trip to see Maroon 5 but it depends how much money I can not spend this month)... It seems like the perfect day out in the City. Especially if you add in a night's stay at the beautiful and modern 4/5 star Grange City Hotel (beside Tower Gateway DLR station).

Shopping in East London - Westfield at Stratford


Things to do in East London - Westfield shopping centre
The Stratford Westfield is simply enormous, I can't explain it any simpler than that! The M&S is amazing, the biggest one I've seen. There was so much choice of Christmas decorations I was a bit dazed to be honest! The lunch in M&S was delicious. Enough about M&S - there's so much more... The Westfield is a sparkling, clean, pristine shopping centre with more choice and variety than you will know what to do with. Parking is also really reasonable - just £5.00 for a full day!

FYI To get to the Emirates Air Line Cable Car (below) from the Westfield shopping centre take the DLR tube from Stratford towards Custom House for ExCeL.
 

 

Emirates Air Line - Cable Car to the O2


The fantastic new 'Emirates Air Line' cable car over the Thames leaves from the North bank docklands area (the nearest tube station is Custom House on the DLR) and lands on the Greenwich peninsula where the O2 is.

Things to do in East London - Emirates Cable Car ThamesIt is a great new way to cross the Thames and have excellent views of East london including the O2, the docklands, and Canary Wharf. You can also see the other famous landmarks in the city centre in the distance, such as the London Eye and the newly built Shard.

You can use your Oyster card and if you have a travelcard (day pass for the tube and busses), you get a discount on the adult return price of £8.60 (making it £6.40).

Reccommended Hotels and Accommodation in East London


Grange City Hotel

Rooms at the Grange Hotels are extremely stylish and clean, and when I've stayed here before, the staff are really helpful. The Grange City Hotel is right near Tower Gateway tube station which also on the DLR - how easy is that! If you're staying over, it might also please you to know that this hotel is within easy reach of Tower Bridge (5 minute walk).

Fraser Apartments

If there is a group of you going to a concert or a trip to the Westfield, the Fraser Apartments in Canary Wharf are excellent for short affordable stays. Clean and stylish with great views of the docklands, they are also within easy walking distance of Jamie's Italian at Canary Wharf - and a whole host of other good bars and restaurants.

Andaz Hotel

The fantastic art-gallery-esque Andaz Hotel in East London (Liverpool Street) is a little closer to the centre of the city, and offers beautifully modern and artistic rooms and wide open spaces. The reception is excellent - not a traditional check-in desk but a load of suited and booted staff on laptops on a huge sort of open desk!

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