Roger is renewing his passport, packing his bags, and hitting the road! 

Seattle, we’ll miss you, but we’re spreading our wings (i.e., boarding planes) to bring MozCon to London and New York. We’re so excited for this next chapter in the MozCon storybook and can’t wait to see you all.

📍 London – Tuesday, August 12 at The Mermaid London — snag your ticket

📍 New York – Thursday, November 6 at Convene 360 Madison Avenue — snag your ticket

With London first on the itinerary, I’ve put together a list of some of the top places I’m looking forward to seeing and exploring. 

Before we dive in, I want to be fully transparent with you all. Despite having long dreamed of taking a Lime bike tour of this beautiful city alongside the one and only Harry Styles, I’ve actually … never been to London. I know! I’m writing a piece all about being in London, and I’ve never actually been there. What gives? 

Well, have no fear, I got plenty of recommendations from friends, colleagues, and experts on the web. And after poring over resources, maps, and websites, I’ve come up with a list of the top things I’m looking forward to as a first-time visitor. Whether you’re from London, the greater United Kingdom, Europe, or somewhere farther away, I hope this list inspires you to create your own adventure and join us for this expertly curated event. 

London is huge. In terms of area, it’s about 1.3 times the size of Los Angeles and has almost  2.5 times the population. So, needless to say, we won’t be able to cover the entirety of the city. And while visiting, we likely won’t venture too far outside the immediate area of the conference. For that reason, this list will primarily feature locations within a 30-minute walk of where MozCon will be held (with a few extras for those with a bit more time). 

We’re excited to say that our London event will take place at The Mermaid, located at 2 Puddle Dock in Blackfriars, Central London. (If you’re planning to take the Tube, you’ll want to be sure to get off at Blackfriars station in Zone 1.) With beautiful views of the River Thames and plenty to do within walking distance, this venue is ideal for an event like MozCon. We’ll be hosting you at the main stage for all the talks, with a post-con Happy Hour provided on-site in the Upper River Room.

1. St. Paul’s Cathedral

Walk time: 6 minutes | Closest Tube station: St Paul’s

St. Paul’s Cathedral is one of the many recognizable buildings in the city and has been the location for royal weddings, memorial services, and more. This iconic London landmark is open to the public for sightseeing, music, and services. You can even climb up its iconic dome. Tickets are required, and they have a specific schedule available each day, so if you plan to go inside, make sure to check out the calendar on their website before heading over. 

2. Tower of London 

Walk time: 25 minutes | Closest Tube station: Tower Hill

Home of the Crown Jewels and interactive exhibits, the Tower of London is rich in history. They offer self-guided audio tours and British Sign Language (BSL) tours. Be sure to check the What’s On section of their website for more details. You can also take in the view of the Tower Bridge (or walk across it) if you want to continue your journey. 

3. Shakespeare’s Globe Theater

Walk time: 12 minutes | Closest Tube station: Blackfriars

The famous Shakespeare Globe Theater is showing two plays during the time of MozCon. If you have the time, you can take in The Merry Wives of Windsor or Twelfth Night or What You Will — both offer captioned, audio descriptive, and BSL performances. No time for a show? You can still pop by for a photo of this incredible piece of history. Or take a guided tour.

4. House of Words

Walk time: 13 minutes | Closest Tube station: Blackfriars

Have you ever wondered who wrote the dictionary? Dr. Samuel Johnson did! Or at least one of them. And you can visit his former home to learn all about it! Dr. Johnson’s House (also known as the House of Words) is now a museum complete with a statue of Hodge the Cat. Learn all about the second most quoted Englishman and author of A Dictionary of the English Language (1755).

5. The Tate Modern

Walk time: 15 minutes | Closest Tube station: Blackfriars

Admission to the Tate Modern is free, with the option to purchase tickets for special exhibitions. Featuring British art from the 16th century to the present day alongside special exhibits about subjects such as Nigerian Modernism, Frida Kahlo, Leigh Bowery, and more, this museum is a fun way to fill an afternoon. There are a few different routes you can take to get there, but consider walking across the Millennium Bridge, featured in many films and Taylor Swift’s End Game music video.  

6. Guildhall Art Gallery 

Walk time: 15 minutes | Closest Tube station: Bank

If you’re curious about what pieces are included in the City of London’s art collection, head on over to the Guildhall Art Gallery. In addition to an extensive art collection, they also have a well-preserved section of the London Roman Amphitheatre, which you can explore for free with admission to the gallery. 

7. The Barbican Centre

Walk time: 20 minutes | Closest Tube station: Barbican

The Barbican offers dining, shopping, movies, a library, and more. You can visit their website to see a list of free activities and events or scope what (or who) is playing. Now you may be thinking, “Meghan, this doesn’t seem like a big deal — it’s just a shopping center.” Well, Harry Styles also happened to film his As It Was music video here. (And you thought you’d get away with only one Harry reference from me in a piece about London.) So if you have the time, stop by — sequined red jumpsuit encouraged, but not required.

8. Sky Garden

Walk time: 20 minutes | Closest Tube station: Monument

This destination in the clouds is the highest garden in London. It offers a variety of restaurants and often features the opportunity to take in live music. If you’re not hungry, you can still explore the Sky Garden for free for up to one hour. Be sure to book in advance! If you can’t get tickets, there are numerous alternatives around the city area, like 120 Fenchurch Street. 

9. The London Eye 

Walk time: 28 minutes | Closest Tube station: Waterloo

As someone who is terrified of heights, I’ll be admiring this one from the ground. But for those braver than I, you can take a 30-minute ride on this iconic London skyline feature for around £30. A little piece of trivia for you — the London Eye is celebrating its 25 year anniversary!

10. The Borough Market 

Walk time: 22 minutes | Closest Tube station: London Bridge

Around 1,000 years old, the Borough Market is filled with history and great food! You can buy fresh produce, baked goods, cheese, seafood, and more, or you can dine on a deliciously pre-made meal from one of the many traders of the market. Stroll through this piece of London’s history and explore over 100 shops, stalls, and restaurants. Just bear in mind that they are closed on Mondays.

11. Leicester Square & Piccadilly Circus

Walk time: 35 minutes | Closest Tube station: Piccadilly Circus

Leicester Square is a cultural hub in London. It is only a few blocks from the iconic Piccadilly Circus, often featured in establishing shots of the city with its recognizable large-screen ads. There is plenty to do here (including dining, dance clubs, and shopping), and it is also where many London Movie premieres take place. 

12. Westminster Abbey 

Walk time: 41 minutes | Closest Tube station: Westminster

As the official coronation church since 1066, Westminster Abbey welcomes guests year-round. You can take a tour or explore on your own. Filled with incredible architecture and sculpture work, it’s an interesting way to spend an afternoon. And if seeing Big Ben up close and personal is on your list, you’ll be right down the street from where it’s located.

13. The National Gallery

Walk time: 32 minutes | Closest Tube station: Charing Cross

Located at Trafalgar Square, the National Gallery features incredible works of art such as Sunflowers by Vincent van Gogh and Water Lilies by Claude Monet. Be sure to check out their website for information about temporary exhibitions.

14. The Natural History Museum

Walk time: 1.5 hours | Closest Tube station: South Kensington

As a nerd myself, I, of course, have to mention the Natural History Museum. Spend some time learning about dinosaurs, the animal kingdom, and minerals. Or you can just stroll through their garden and say “Hello” to Fern the Diplodocus. Although we’ll be in the area in August, I can’t help but note that during the winter, they often dress up their dinosaur displays in sweaters, which I think is just fantastic. Not to mention, you’ll be near Hyde Park.

15. Cinephile walking tour

In addition to being a pop music fan (as evidenced above), I’m also a huge cinephile. And with so many incredible movies filmed in London, I couldn’t very well skip seeing some of the iconic locations featured. So what did I do? I put together a cinephile walking tour that I’m excited to share with you!

The entire route is approximately 7 miles long and should take about 3 hours (not accounting for stopping for yummy food, shopping, and photos). On that note, have fun!

Start

Location: The Mermaid | 2 Puddle Dock

Featured in: Mission: Impossible - Fallout (2018) and MozCon (2025).

Stop 1

Location: Postman’s Park | King Edward St

Featured in: Closer (2004)

Stop 2

Location: Tower of London & Tower Bridge

Featured in: Mary Poppins (1964), Love Actually (2003), The Imaginarium of Doctor Parnassus (2009), and Spider-Man: Far From Home (2019), just to name a few.

Stop 3

Location: Potters Fields Park | Tooley St

Featured in: Mission: Impossible (1996), Boxing Day (2021), and, although it’s not a movie, Dr. Who

Stop 4

Location: The Globe Tavern | 8 Bedale St

Featured in: Bridget Jones’s Diary (2001) — Bridget’s flat is located just above the tavern. And if you’re looking for additional sites related to this film, you can venture to nearby Clink Street, which is where Daniel Cleaver’s flat was said to be located.

Stop 5

Location: South Bank

Featured in: Four Weddings And A Funeral (1994), The Mummy Returns (2001), Wimbledon (2004), and more. This is also just a highly recommended spot for a stroll!

Stop 6

Location: The Reform Club | 104 Pall Mall

Featured in: 007: Die Another Day (2002), Sherlock Holmes (2009), Paddington (2014), Tenet (2020), and plenty more. Additionally, if you have some extra time, you’ll be right near Trafalgar Square, which is featured in plenty of films, including Love Actually (2003), V for Vendetta (2005), Captain America: The First Avenger (2011), and Venom (2018).

Stop 7

Location: Covent Garden

Featured in: Mary Poppins Returns (2018) and Last Christmas (2019).

Stop 8

Location: Somerset House

Featured in: Sleepy Hollow (1999), Love Actually (2003), and X-Men: First Class (2011). 

Finish

Location: The Blackfriar | 174 Queen Victoria St

Featured in: Men in Black: International (2019). The area of Blackfriars surrounding the pub and the Blackfriars Bridge have also been featured in films such as Sherlock Holmes (2009), Mission: Impossible - Fallout (2018), 007: No Time to Die (2021), and the TV mini-series David Copperfield (1999).

Just a reminder! You can use this link to send the whole route to your phone with all these stops included. 😎

Well, that’s all, folks! I hope you’re as excited about MozCon London as I am! Not only will you learn a lot, network, and hear fantastic talks, but you’ll have an opportunity to explore a city through a different lens. I can’t wait to hear about all your adventures and everything you learn. And maybe I’ll even run into you at one of these spots! Get your tickets now.