London during Thanksgiving Week

This might help. We're going to be in London the last 2 weeks of November and have been researching this as well.

https://www.mylondon.news/whats-on/family-kids-news/london-christmas-light-switch-dates-32691750

https://www.timeout.com/uk/news/when-every-major-uk-christmas-market-returns-for-2025-101525

https://www.visitlondon.com/things-to-do/whats-on/christmas

For Indian, Dishoom Kensington is excellent. It is 1 tube stop away (High Street Kensington) or about a 20 minute walk. Closer to your hotel, there is a Masala Zone on Earls Court Road which I also enjoy.

Over Thanksgiving last year (2024), my husband and I spent a wonderful week in London. We stayed near Waterloo station and walked through the Southbank Centre Winter Market several times. Right by the London Eye, it’s especially pretty at night with a fantastic view across the river to the Palace of Westminster (Parliament) and Elizabeth Tower (Big Ben).

I was just looking at my photos from that week and noticed that we had some really nice weather. Several days with blue skies, sunshine and cool days with some rain — mostly at night. Luckily, we were able to walk a lot without getting wet. Have a great trip!

I think your daughters might like Hamleys (huge toy store in Regent St). It will be fabulous for Christmas presents. Plus there will be lights up in Regent St. I know they are college age but everyone likes toy shops!

Lavandula

What a fun time to visit!! Some excellent advice here already! And yes, the city will be slathered with bling.

Kew is great, but it’s a bit of a schlep. Totally fine to swerve it.

TFL “sightseeing” bus routes: https://tfl.gov.uk/travel-information/visiting-london/experience-london/bus-leisure-routes

I am the Bus Queen and think this is a great idea.

If you don’t get to Harrod’s the moment the doors open it will be a misery. TOO MANY PEOPLE and you’ll shuffle along shoulder to shoulder. Go early!!!! Their Christmas shop does have amazing ornaments.

Cross over to check out Harvey Nichols if your daughters like fabulous fashion. The 5th floor bar is a swanky place for a sneaky glass of bubbly.

Liberty also has incredible ornaments (not to mention that it is a glorious building) - and Selfridge’s are pretty swank, too.

If you are at Liberty, you’re 2 minutes from Carnaby Street, which is really fabulous during the holiday season.

And if you are at Liberty, you are at my favorite chippie, which has just been voted into the Top Ten in the UK - the Golden Union, at 38 Poland Street. The food is superb and the jukebox is free. https://www.timeout.com/london/news/two-london-fish-and-chips-restaurants-have-been-named-in-the-top-10-best-in-britain-100125

I love Covent Garden at this time of year. Great for teens/college age people. Youthful vibe. Lots of indie stalls. Great ornament/souvenir/knickknack shopping.

The Royal Opera House (which is in Covent Garden) has a superb gift shop where will find things you won’t find elsewhere. Highly recommend it.

Fortnum and Mason is synonymous with Christmas, and is also an excellent stop for gifts, ornaments, and souvenirs.

Hope you have a blast!

For souvenirs go to Harrods. They have a large department of really neat and usable things. At holiday time they are usually nicely decorated, too.

Looking at the TfL bus routes, they omit the number 22 between Victoria and Liverpool St which goes past quite a few of the main sights.

Also, they list buses as stopping at or near Covent Garden and the Royal Opera house (which the number 22 does too). However, it's worth saying that you can see very little of these from the bus itself as they are in a pedestrianized area which you get to via side streets - the bus stops on the Strand are near (100 yards or so, I'd guess) but you need to get off.

I am taking my college age niece to London for the Christmas festivities as well, only we will be there for a week in early December. Alan has already provided links to the major Christmas markets and lights.

You can look at the TFL website for routes that take you by the most popular light displays. Another option for a bus tour is Brigit Bakery Christmas Lights Tours (they offer a Grinchmas Tour along with regular lights tour). I took the Grinchmas tour before and it takes you on a loop through London's major sites along and you can see lights from Winter Wonderland through Regent and Oxford Street. The food was excellent and they provide music and entertainment while you enjoy a high tea and see lights. We are skipping it this year as my niece wants to see Wicked, so we are going to the Wicked Tea before the theatre for our tea.

A couple of other recommendations based on what my niece wants to see and do (we are going to Kew, have been for the past 3 years and the lights are spectacular, but it is a 45-50 minute tube ride from your hotel)

• Winter Wonderland: I have been a number of times and it is huge carnival area, large somewhat commercial Christmas Market, rides, shows, ice rink, and this year some new ice themed attractions. This is the one place my niece really wants to go, while I could personally skip it, I am actually excited to see it through her eyes.
• Spitalfields /East London: I am taking her on a food tour with Eating Europe and then we are going to spend extra time in the area shopping. Spitalfields Christmas market has more vintage and local artisan crafts than some of the other more commercial markets in London, great food scene (if you don't take a food tour) and along the BrickLane area, lots of vintage clothing stores.
• Borough Market: We are going early when it first opens, you can combine this with the Bankside Walk recommended by RS if you like. It is a fun place to visit, great for getting souvenirs, I know in December, they have great decorations, not sure if those will be up around Thanksgiving.
• Trafalgar Square Christmas Tree and they have a small market as well, you can combine visiting this with the National Gallery or if you just want Christmas, walk from Trafalgar Square to Convent Gardens, make sure you stop at the nearby Neil's Yard.

I was at the Indigo last night.

The breakfast room at the Indigo gets very crowded in the morning and they aren't that efficient. My suggestion is to skip eating at the hotel as there as so many other places to get breakfast nearby.

Next to the Indigo is the Blackbird pub. They do a full English. For a lighter, more continental breakfast, Paul's is a French bakery chain and just across from the Earls Court Station. Over Under Cafe is around the corner from Pauls and just off Earls Court Road.

Additionally there's Starbucks, Dunkin Donuts, Pret a Manger, Cafe Nero, McDonalds, Burger King and Greggs all within one block of the hotel.

If you're looking for pubs, the Blackbird is good as well as the King Head. Stay away from the Prince of Teck as they are as rude as can be.

You'll find a few Lebanese, Indian and Philipino restaurants on the side streets off Earl Court Road.

And of course, Nando's, a British institution, is on Earl Court Road one block north of the station.

For a Gastropub, try the Pembroke on Old Brompton Road. It's about a five-10 minute walk from the Indigo.

For sightseeing, get the #74 bus on Cromwell Road. It will go past Harrods, Hyde Park and drop you on Oxford Street. It's the main shopping street in the area and will be all lit up. Walk along Oxford Street to Tottenham Court Road to see the big light displays. If you don't want to go all the way, when you get to Regent St, turn right. You'll pass Liberty's, Hamleys, and it will take you to Piccadilly Cicus. Regent street should also have their lights up. I was in that area today but the lights are not up yet.

Needless to say, this is best done in the evening.

Regarding Christmas ornaments I like looking for them in museum gift shops and street markets.

British Library gift shop
V & A museum gift shop
Design Museum gift shop
Dulwich Picture Gallery gift shop
The Wellcome Collection gift shop
Tate Modern gift shop

And travel to the Battersea Power Station conversion. Shoppers paradise, lots of cafes and restaurants. Will be decked out for Christmas.

I've stayed at the Indigo twice now the last time being this past January. I agree with Frank about both The Blackbird and The King's Head pubs. The Blackbird is a good choice for breakfast especially if your room is not ready at the Indigo when you check in. The King's Head is friendly - my boyfriend and I stayed there way longer than expected and chatted with quite a few people. On the corner right across from the Earl's Court station is Courtfield's - I found that to be a nice pub to stop in for a pint before going back to the hotel.

Winter Wonderland at Hyde Park is lovely - definitely check that out. I believe the tree in Trafalgar Square doesn't get lit until early December (at least it didn't years ago - I happened to be in London for the first time in December 2013 and saw it get officially lit with the whole little ceremony), so I would check on that. I imagine Churchill Arms pub must have great decorations, but will defer to those who know better.

As for food, here are some suggestions, although none are in the Earl's Court area:

Mercato Mayfair - food hall with lots of choices; had good pasta there
The Red Lion - it's a good pub choice if you are sightseeing down at Westminster Abbey, Churchill War Rooms, etc.
Gordon's Wine Bar - ok, not really so much for food, but this is such a cozy place especially on a chilly day.
manteca - Italian small plates in Shoreditch; my boyfriend and I quite liked it; highly recommend a reservation (we went in March 2023 on a Monday night and it was busy; people got turned away who didn't have reservations)

Thanks for all the helpful replies and information. I saw several mentions of people staying at the Indigo. I’m assuming it was a decent choice for our trip. We’re flying BA Dulles to Heathrow and land around 6am, so I’m gonna email them about a possible 11 check, but we’ll definitely check out the blackbird for breakfast that day.

Most of our days are booked for museums and such but now we’re going to set aside most of one day for Christmas activities!

Selfridges department store on Oxford street is worth a visit to look at the windows and visit the Christmas shop. I think it’s a much nicer shop than Harrods but I am a bit biased I worked there many moons ago, including in the Christmas grotto. :-)

Across the road from Selfridges is the flag ship branch of Marks and Spencer’s THE most British of shops, where else would we buy our pants?! It has a food hall in the basement where you could get food based gifts to take home. Their chocolate and biscuits are very good. Also a good place to buy stuff for a picnic meal.

The other corner of that junction has a massive branch of Primark. This has floors.of cheap ‘fast fashion’. It is usually horribly busy but your daughters might like it if are into that kind of thing?