My husband and I are considering a trip to London (for the first time) in the spring of 2012. Someone just told us that the city will be a huge construction site at that time due preparations for Olympics in the summer and we should either go in 2011 or 2013. We do not have a desire go during the Olympics and prefer to go during an off or shoulder season when it is not so crowded. We do not want to change our plans based on one opinion. If anyone has any thoughts, opinions, and/or experience on traveling to a city a couple months before the Olympics, we would love to hear from you. Thank you.
Posted by
Bromley, Kent,, UK
1829 posts
If London is still a "construction site" in the Spring of 2012 I would think the Olympics would be in big trouble! AFAIK the building work is well on schedule. In any case all the major construction work is happening at the east end of the city, well away from the usual tourist trails. The only thing you may notice is some disruption to the Underground service because of the extensive upgrading that is going on but even that should be over by then.
Posted by
NC, United States
970 posts
Go and enjoy. Construction for the Olympics is already underway. Unless tourists deliberately seek it out, they won't notice. Tube lines routinely go off line for maintenance on weekends, Olympics or no Olympics. (Parts of it are over a century old.) By spring of 2012, you ought to be able to enjoy some of the refurbishments that have already taken place. I would keep away from London while the Olympics are actually running, just to avoid the boost in prices and the crowds. May and September probably offer the best chance of consistent good weather during the shoulder seasons. April and October weather can be all over the place: Beautiful one day, wet, dreary and cold the next.
Posted by
Huntington Beach CA
1162 posts
London is gearing up now and by the time you get there, the city will be so clean and shiny! We were just there and they're painting the Tower Bridge and spiffing out the Tower of London. Have a wonderful time!
Posted by
London, United Kingdom
4684 posts
Yes, the construction is all around the Olympic venues which are not in mainstream tourist areas (only mainstream tourist area where there might be a bit of disruption is Greenwich Park where some of the equestrian events wil be).