Top 10 Things To Do, Activities and Attractions in Spring Lake

"Westminster Abbey is often mistaken as one of the cathedrals of London. It’s an easy mistake to make, but it’s an Abbey which has served as the Coronation Church for Kings and Queens of England for almost a thousand years. Westminster Abbey is one of the big-ticket top three or four things to do in London, and it’s something we suggest you make time for, even if you only have a 1-day London itinerary."

"A post shared by Constantine Konovalov (@ckonovalov) on Jun 12, 2017 at 2:01pm PDT. Be wowed by more than a thousand years of history at the world-famous Westminster Abbey. One of the finest examples of Gothic architecture in the United Kingdom, the London landmark began its life in 1245 and its history traces back to 10th-century Benedictine monks."

"With its beautiful architecture, it’s only natural that Westminster Abbey would feature on this list. My personal favourite spot to photograph it from is from the phone boxes in front of Barclays Bank. That way you can, once again, combine a famous London landmark with a London icon."

"Since it opened in 2012, The Shard has taken its place as one of the most-recognizable and most-visited landmarks in London. Standing 1,016 feet tall and encompassing some 95 stories, this remarkable structure — so-named for its resemblance to a shard of glass — dominates the skyline yet, thanks to its pleasing design, doesn't seem at all out of place when seen next to neighbors such as Tower Bridge. In addition to its office space on the lower levels, The Shard is home to a stunning Shangri-La Hotel and three superb restaurants, all boasting some of the most incredible views over London."

"The United Kingdom’s tallest building dominates the London skyline, and offers incredible views from its three-storey viewing platform, The View at the Shard. Book your ticket online, or perhaps grab some cocktails in one of their charming bars. Read Next: Using the London Pass – The Most Cost-Effective Way to See London’s Biggest Sights"

"Still working towards East London, location number seven is a classic view of Tower bridge. There are so many places to capture this epic landmark but the cobbled street and ornate lamp add a nice finishing touch to this composition. If you like to add people to your photos, then this spot is perfect as you can place someone walking along the path or even sitting on the bench looking out across the river."

"Delve into British Royal history by exploring London’s Royal historic buildings. The Tower of London sits on the bank of the Thames, right by Tower Bridge and it’s an absolute must for history lovers in London. Look around the original structure where some of the most famous (and infamous) moments in British history took place."

"Tower Bridge is one part of the London skyline that isn’t always visible and only at certain viewpoints will you catch a glimpse. As Tower Bridge is a lot lower to the ground than the other buildings, it is easily hidden amount surrounding structures. However, that hasn’t stopped it becoming one of the key elements of the iconic image."

"Crossing over the River Thames, the Tower Bridge is an iconic symbol of London. It was built between 1886 and 1894 in the Victorian gothic style. It sits in the heart of the city, near the Tower of London."

"At present it’s a hotch-potch of scaffolding and sheets holding the magnificent old building together like a set of sticking-plasters. And then there’s Big Ben, the famous clock-tower shorn of all its slender grace by a mass of scaffolding. Big Ben is perennially near the top of any London must see list, especially in the age of digital photography and Instagram."

"You’ll have to pay to take a tour of the Houses of Parliament, but there are other ways to get in if you just want to look around. Debates in the Commons or Lords have public viewing galleries, which you can queue up for on the day, and you can stay for as long as you like. You can also request tours or a free ticket from your MP but these are very limited."

"The Houses of Parliament, or the Westminster Palace, is designed in the gothic-architectural style. It is the meeting place for the two Houses of Parliament, the House of Lords and the House of Commons. The current palace was built in 1847 after a fire destroyed the original building."

"No mere park, this was originally brought to life as a Victorian Pleasure Ground. Among its attractions are lakes, a maze, their famous world-first dinosaur models (which, despite exaggerated rumours of their demise, are still in place) and the Italian terraces, which survived the fire that destroyed the Crystal Palace. There's also the 'rusty laptop' concert stage, on the site Bob Marley once played, but it's sadly underused, and perhaps more interesting as an oddity of architecture."

"This is a large park located in South London which has some great quirky and distinctive features. It’s located in South London in the suburb of Crystal Palace and the park surrounds the site’s former glass exhibition centre which stood between 1854 and 1935. It has the feel of a Victorian pleasure ground today and even includes models of full-size dinosaurs which were built by the Victorians."

"Last but certainly not least is the reptile ruling Crystal Palace Park. A real adventure in South East London, with a lovely cafe, multiple paths to follow and some massive stone lizards, making this park a little more exciting than your average hang out!. Now why not check out"

"St Dunstan in the West has been nestled in among the pubs and old printing and publishing offices of Fleet Street for over 180 years. One of the finest examples of London’s gothic revival architecture, the church is something of a hidden gem in the heart of the city. Like so many landmarks, the church was severely damaged during the blitz."

"St Dunstan-in-the-West is the westernmost church in the City. The Great Fire stopped a few doors east, and the church was not burned. However, it was entirely rebuilt about 1833 in the Gothic style."

"Established by two second generation Filipino British brothers, Nigel and David’s Kapihan has progressed from a residency in Central St. Giles to this Battersea Park outpost. The decision to centre Filipino baking traditions and coffee culture, a narrowing in focus from the residency, has led to a renewed quality and precision to the baking: a pandan-hued pan de coco filled with macapuno — a Filipino variety of coconut with a more jellied flesh; a shattering chocolate croissant; and a pan de adobo whose braised pork filling gives pause to the assumption that coffee needs sweet pastry as a pairing."

"This requires a little forward planning for Nigel, David, Plasmara, and Rosemary Motley’s formidable Filipino baking. Pre-order tinapaya, like the pan de adobo, or the dulce de leche bibingka, with a lechon rice, all crunchy pork belly, now added to the weekend rotation. Or just rock up for coffee from the hatch before rolling home or towards Battersea Park."

"Kapihan in Battersea celebrates the best of Filipino cafe culture, so as well as brewing speciality coffee sourced from the islands it serves up traditional bakes too. Pandesal is a classic bread and this version has chorizo and a blend of three cheeses in it, with some extra pecorino on top for good measure."

"Popular with Shepherd’s Bush locals and anyone looking to get a taste of the Fertile Crescent, Damascene Bakery is perennially busy. Its wood-fired oven is always rammed with golden discs of manakish and cheese-filled Viking longboats of Syrian-style fatayer. Damascene’s specials menu is hard to ignore with toppings like basturma (aka pastrami) and cheese sitting pretty alongside sweeter options such as crème fraîche and honey."

"London’s best nordic bun is a fiercely contested title: Nordic Bakery, Fabrique, and Pavilion may make fine laminated offerings, but this Soho arrival from Edinburgh has proven it has the consistency to wrench the title away from Fabrique’s Hoxton arch. Like its competitor, cardamom and cinnamon are the strongest and cardamom is the clear winner, with less of an emphasis on caramel shards at the base but more fragrant spicing and lightness of chew in the bake, where it truly matters."

"A Swedish bakery and coffee shop, this spot is located in Edinburgh and in London and brings customers a variety of ‘classic’s including the cinnamon and cardamom buns, Kladdkaka, Mazarins, pistaschio horseshoes and chocolate balls. We’re a big fan of its Semla buns (think cardamom buns filled with almond paste and whipped cream). Söderberg also serves an all-day drinks menu of the usual breakfast staples (coffees, iced lattes and teas) as well as cocktails, wine, beer and spirits."

"Swedish bakery Soderberg made a name for themselves in their hometown of Edinburgh, Scotland and have now migrated South to London’s Soho. They offer authentically Swedish food including open sandwiches, cakes and of course no Scandi cafe would be complete without a freshly baked cinnamon bun. Catch them out of the oven when they are warm and squidgy."

"Aries Bakehouse should be your number one spot for fresh and flavourful bakes. Photograph: Kate Farr @tinykitchenstories. Aries Bakehouse is a salve; a south London bakery where everything appears to be golden and the consistency of the bakes is second-to-none."

"A massive, browned butter cookie full of M&Ms and chocolate chips, it’s fat and chewy, soft with a powerful crunch. 99 Acre Ln, London SW2 5TU. Open for take-away."

"This institute is devoted to expanding cultural histories, in order to protect the legacies of British artists of mainly Black or Asian descent and help marginalised artistic societies gain the appreciation they deserve. It was contributory in the early careers of famous modern artists such as Yinka Shonibare MBE, Steve McQueen, Idris Khan and Sonia Boyce. It also holds the Stuart Hall Library, titled after the pioneering scholar who established the organisation back in 1994."

"Stefan Kalmár, the Director of the ICA London states: The Institute of Contemporary Arts in London has been the model for most ICAs that exist in the world today. Since its founding in 1946, the ICA contextualises contemporary culture within the socio-political conditions of the times. The ICA was created as an institute (not a museum), for the contemporary (not just modern) and for all the arts (not just art)."

"The Institute of Contemporary Arts is an art gallery near London's Trafalgar Square. In addition to exhibits on contemporary art, the ICA includes two cinemas, a bookshop, a theatre, and a bar. Established in 1947, ICA creators wanted to create a place for artists and other creative and science folk to debate ideas without being constricted by the rules and traditions of the Royal Academy."