Tourist destination

A tourist destination is a city, town, or other area that is dependent to a significant extent on the revenues accruing from tourism. It may contain one or more tourist attractions and possibly some "tourist traps."

These tourist destinations are represented in the United States by Convention and Visitor Bureaus (CVB's), which are paid by bed taxes to market the destinations to travelers.

There is a reason that London continues to be one of the top tourist destinations in the world - with all of the history, culture, entertainment, shopping, royalty and just all-around ambiance, it is nearly impossible to top London.

A quick walk around London's West End on your first day, and you will fall in love instantly. Coming up out of the Underground (also known as The Tube) in Piccadilly Circus, you are dazzled by the flashing lights of the famous signs, and all the people bustling through with their bags and purchases from the surrounding shops. Walking east toward Leicester Square, you begin to see signs for the latest West End productions, as well as the cinemas where so many of the UK film premieres take place. Turning south, a quick walk gets you to Trafalgar Square - with Nelson's column stretching skyward and the National Gallery in the background, you feel as if you've reached the heart of London. Looking down Whitehall from Trafalgar Square, you can see Parliament and Big Ben. From here, you can continue toward Westminster and see the famous Abbey (where Elizabeth, Bloody Mary, Chaucer, and Issac Newton, among others, are buried), or turn down Pall Mall to see Buckingham Palace. Either way, it is all in walking distance.

If you want to explore more of Britain's history or the history of the Empire, you can check out many of London's famous - and free - museums. The British Museum is a must-see, containing Greek, Egyptian, and Roman antiquities, including the Rosetta Stone. The Victoria and Albert Museum (V&A) houses over 3000 years' worth of artifacts from across the globe, highlighting art and design. The Tate Museums house fantastic art collections, and the British Library has on display amazing examples of the written and printed word from the past 2000 years, including the Magna Carta and an early edition of the Canterbury tales.

For an amazing step back into British history, head over to the Tower of London. Guided tours by the Beefeaters (Yeoman Warders) explain the history of the Tower from its earliest Norman beginnings, up to present time. You can trace its history as a royal palace and prison, and see the place on Tower Green where two queeens - Anne Boleyn and Catherine Howard - were beheaded (no guillotine here, though - that was in France!). In the white tower, you can see displays of armor and weaponry along with an explanation of how the rooms would have been used in the 1100s. You can also see the Medieval Palace, built by Henry III and Edward I (Longshanks) in the Wakefield, Lanthorn, and St. Thomas's Towers.

From the Tower of London, you can cross Tower Bridge to the south bank of the Thames, for an enchanting walk along the river. If inclined, stop by the Tower Bridge experience, and you can ride an elevator up one of the towers and walk across the observation decks for a fabulous view of East London and the river. You can also see the old engine room and learn how the bridge works. Heading back west along the south bank you can stop and visit the re-built Globe Theatre, and get the opportunity to learn a bit about Shakespeare and how plays were put on in the early 1600s.

Near London Bridge, you can visit the London Dungeons - a combination of haunted house and historical tour of London's past. Learn about the plague first hand, visit a medieval torture chamber, survive the Great Fire of 1666, and take a walk through Whitechapel during the terror of Jack the Ripper.

As you continue your walk, make some time to stop for lunch or a snack along the way at one of the many restaurants and cafes that line the Thames; you won't be disappointed. Further along, you will arrive at the Tate Modern, a modern art museum in a former power station. You can continue on along the river toward Westminster, or take the newly-completed Millennium Bridge (just for pedestrians) across the Thames, which takes you directly to St. Paul's Cathedral.

Visiting St. Paul's is a neat stop to make while in London. This is the second largest church in the world (after St. Peter's in Rome), but what makes it amazing is the vastness of Christopher Wren's dome. You can actually climb up into the dome (if you have the stamina for the stairs), and look down. The cathedral also provides information about how they survived the Blitz during World War II, while the rest of the City of London burned around them. In the crypt, you can see the tombs of Britain's two most important military figures - Lord Nelson and the Duke of Wellington.

Even though there are so many amazing places to visit, a big part of London's charm cannot be measured by how many museums, palaces, or churches they have. The key to enjoying London is taking part in the PRESENT culture, as well as celebrating the past. The London of today has fabulous clubs, bars, and pubs; chic restaurants of all ethnicities, and some of the world's best chefs. If you can catch a football match at Arsenal, Chelsea, or Tottenham you will get to experience the passion that is English football - incomparable to anything in the United States - and actually be a part of it. There are concerts, plays, festivals, and shows. Take some time to enjoy London's markets (Notting Hill and Spitalfields are great) as well as some of its shopping districts (Kensington High Street, Covent Garden, Oxford Circus, and of course, Harrod's).