Walking shoes

I would recommend that you wear your most comfortable pair of tennis shoes on the plane and the pack a 2nd pair of comfortable pair of walking shoes or sandals. Both pairs need to be shoes you can walk several miles in per day. Many travelers like to alternate their shoes. I generally wear my most comfortable pair, usually my sneakers on the days when I know I’m going to be doing the most walking. There is a forum on this site dedicated to walking shoes but if your trip is in July ideally you would have started breaking them in already. Unless you are doing something really dressy one evening, a pair of nicer sandals or plain walking shoes should be good for most places.

Thank you Kathleen!

I have horrible feet and they are really old, too, lol. I wear my regular athletic shoes in London because yes, Kathleen is right…you will walk a lot. I wore them to the theater as well in April. The ones I had for the last trip were black leather athletic shoes. No one in the theater batted an eye. I’d wear a pair and take a spare. No one will dress up for your tour and some of the group meals will undoubtedly be done directly after finishing your last tour activity of the day.

I recently was in the UK (Scotland) but walked a ton in Edinburgh and Glasgow. I packed 2 pairs of shoes. One was a pair of Oboz low-leather walking shoes, which are supportive and durable and great for long days that include some hiking and rougher terrain. But also good for walking on cobblestone streets and sidewalks for multiple hours during the day.

My 2nd pair was a pair of very lightweight deck shoes (Hey Dude Wendy Chambray Navy shoes) that were so comfortable I started wearing them every evening, and usually wore them to restaurants. One day I wore them for almost the whole day, which involved a lot of walking and they were great. I didn’t even wear socks with them.

I wear the most comfortable shoes I can find: runners, meant for running. I could not care less about what they may look like! Physical injuries can absolutely ruin a trip.

I wore my New Balance running shoes most days, but brought a pair of really great Clarks sandals also. The sandals are really great, and I walked a lot in them. I highly recommend them!

Fashion-wise, anything is appropriate. People don’t “dress” any longer unless perhaps for business. Wear what is comfortable. Exclusive restaurants I would go more formal, theater anything goes.

Travel to London nearly every year. Last sojourn was July 2022 for Wimbledon.

Year before the entire month of November.

I walk and meander and stroll so choice of shoes important. For the Fall or Winter trips I wear Keen’s low cut Targhee hiking shoes. I also take either my Keen Kaci slip ons or the Newport sandal depending on the time of year I go.

Keens are my preferred brand of footwear. Pricey yet light weight and durable. The Targhee pair mentioned above and nearly a decade old and remain unfettered. No new shoe laces or interior pad. Tread in great condition.

Lastly, I had debilitating plantar fasciitis and the first week I wore the Targhee pair the plantar fasciitis disappeared and has never returned. So, Keens are worth the cost.

I was in London last year. People who have to work look like they’re going to work. Everyone else dresses like a normal schlub. Unless they’re rich and then they look like a schlub except in an expensive designer way. Dress for a fancy dinner or nightclubs or orchestra level in the latest theater hit (the Agatha Christie shows are very casual no matter where you sit). Otherwise, don’t worry about it.

I also love the Oboz, but I got the low cut waterproof walking shoe. They were very lightweight and were perfect for the rain, mud and puddles. They were super comfortable from the first time I tried them on. I also brought a pair of sleeker black Clark's walking shoes, which I used on lighter walking days. I think it is great to change it up for the different pressure points and they make a nice shoe for dinner. I am not a fan of sandals, I feel like my feet are always dirty and they are exposed to the elements. Have a great time!

I took my Ryka sneakers and FitFlop sandals (not thongs). My old achey feet like the support of the Ryka but need a break every couple days. The FitFlops provide arch support and look a little better when going to concerts. I took two pairs of shoes only to save weight and space for the first time this trip and it worked just fine. Be sure your shoes are well broken in and have swelling room for 8 miles on your feet.

Socks are important too. Skip cotton. I like Wright Socks Cool Mesh II anti-blister socks.