Covent Garden - what makes it a must-visit?

We went once, just because we happened to be in the neighborhood and wanted to see what all the fuss was about. We ended up staying an hour and a half or so, laughing and marveling at the street performers. I think it's a lot like Piccadilly Circus: it's more the cachet than the reality of it. We enjoyed it (Covent Gardens, not Piccadilly Circus), I'm glad we went, but I doubt we'll ever make it a destination point.

I missed the point twice too!

This is the main attraction for me:

http://tinyurl.com/ycxnfcy

And this: http://www.roh.org.uk/

But Michael, surely 'Ben's Cookies' should be 'Ben's Biscuits' in London.

Roger that. London hasn't been the same since they let Madonna live there......

As a local, i enjoy wandering through CG, always something going on. It is cute looking and has history dating from 1654, but for me, it's somewhere to wander through when walking around, not something to make a special effort for. Same to a greater extent with PC... It's a traffic junction to us, never understood it being a must see, other than a wander through. Maybe the guide books are to blame here...

I love to browse the main market, but I also enjoyed visiting http://www.ltmuseum.co.uk/. You should try that at least once.

CG has changed in the past decade from being an area full of quirky independent, interesting shops to an area where rents have soared so only the large multinational brands can afford to be there, hence it has lost some of its character. Most of the guide books probably haven't been updated to reflect the changing character.

It is a popular meeting place after work and weekends for drinks and food. Still gorgeous old buildings and relatively traffic free. Maybe it appeals more to locals than tourists?

Yes, the London Transport Museum and the Royal Opera House are the only real reasons to visit. Otherwise, contra Jennifer, most Londoners stay well away.

I'm nearly a local (used to be a lot closer as a kid) and I only go there if there is a particular shop I need. Usually Stanfords in Long Acre for an obscure map.

I don't like all the crowds and people with body paint standing still every 2 yards.

Thanks everyone. I haven't been to the Royal Opera House, but we visited the Transport museum and loved it.

I wonder if it's the generification that Jennifer mentioned that makes me feel like I am missing the point of the attraction. When it's the same shops you'd see in any major city, it does lose some appeal. I am now sad I didn't see it in its heyday of local quirky shops.

The street performers are still worth a look, I think, but I wonder if the guidebook writers will eventually cotton on to its changed nature and stop steering us there.

To all who love Covent Garden, though, I wish you many happy hours there!

It is definitely the gentrification and move away from quirkiness to the corporate state it now reflects that condemned Covent Garden. I compare CG's present utter lack of charm to what has happened to many wonderful independently owned pubs. Corporations have gobbled them up turning far too many into pricey gastro pubs or wine bars. One example of how this process destroyed a charming pub in Hampstead can be found at the now defunct Old White Bear. Used to love to pop into this neighborhood pub after a long walk in the Heath. Had the dark wood, knooks and crannies, a fireplace. A traditional boozer with hearty fare for lunch. Then a buy out. A 300 year old watering hole was gutted and refurbished as gastro pub that never caught on. Closed in 2012 I think. I know there was a successful campaign to save it from becoming a bed and breakfast in 2014 but I don't know if it has re opened as a pub or not. Fingers crossed the local neighborhood clientele were able to do so. Gordon Gecko wasn't right. Greed ISN'T good.

While most of the brick mortar stores have been chained-up over the years, there is still a market element to CG. Along the periphery of the main building and inside the ground floor there are lots of tables with independent merchants selling lots of neat items. The theme changes on different days of the week: arts&craft, gourmet foods, cosmetics, jewelry. Spent a good chunk of change on them over the years.
As long as those tables are part of the scene, Covent Garden will always be a must see attraction for me.

My main reason for visiting the Covent Garden area are all the restaurants, cafes, delis, pubs, and coffee shops in the area.
https://www.coventgarden.london/food-drink
http://www.cntraveller.com/recommended/food/best-restaurants-covent-garden-london
Jamie Oliver has two restaurants here, Jamie's Italian:
https://www.zagat.com/r/jamies-italian-london2
and Jamie's Union Jacks.
https://www.coventgarden.london/restaurants/jamies-union-jacks
Whatever you're looking for food-wise, you'll find it in the Covent Garden area.
https://www.zagat.com/c/london-uk/covent-garden-restaurants
My favorites: Masala Zone, Sagar, Dishoom and Moti Mahal; all Indian, all serving delicious curried vegetables, rice and naan.
Links are given so you can browse and find something you'd like.

Covent Garden is a really fun place to visit, I go to CG every trip to London.

Michael Schneider - I've never noticed the tables before. If we go again I will have to take a closer look.

We also haven't done a ton of exploring of the streets around the market proper.
E.g. I didn't know Neal's Yard Dairy had a shop near there.

Every time we go to London we make a point to have an Indian dinner - next visit I think we will find something around CG.