Bear Down in London: Must-see London attractions for Bears fans

Editor’s note: This series is brought to you by Goal Line Sports Bar & Grill in Crystal Lake.

The Bears make their return overseas for the first time in five years. They last played in London in 2019. This time, the Bears will take on the Jacksonville Jaguars on Oct. 13 at Tottenham Hotspur Stadium.

Are you a Bears fan planning to visit London for the rare opportunity to see your team abroad? It’s time to get your tourist on. Here are the top things to do in London, other than the game.

Top London attractions

There are a lot of things to do and see in London. You’re probably not going to be able to do it all in one trip. Here are some of the can’t-miss sights:

• Tower of London: An ancient castle in the heart of the city.
• Buckingham Palace: Where the British royals live.
• Westminster Abbey: Royal church where the royals host coronations and weddings.
• Big Ben and the parliament building: Officially known as the Palace of Westminster.
• London Eye: The famous Ferris wheel beside the Thames.
• Shakespeare’s Globe: A replica of Shakespeare’s original playhouse near the spot where it once stood.
• Street markets: Borough Market and Portobello Road Market are two of the top markets in the world.

Best museums

If you are a museum buff, you’ll have plenty to see in London. Here are some of the best museums the city has to offer:

• The British Museum: The most-visited museum in Britain is dedicated to human history and includes the Rosetta Stone.
• The National Gallery: One of the world’s best collections of art, dating from the 1300s to the 1900s.
• Churchill’s War Rooms: See Winston Churchill’s underground bomb shelter at this World War II museum.
• Tate Modern: An art museum showcasing contemporary and modern artists.
• The Natural History Museum: A great place to see dinosaur bones and other specimens.

Sports-related attractions

If you’re going for the Bears game, you’re a sports fan. Here are some sports-themed activities.

Unfortunately the weekend of the Bears vs. Jaguars game is a FIFA international break. That means Premier League teams will have the week off, and top players will be competing for their national teams. If you’re hoping to catch a Premier League match, you’ll have to either arrive the weekend before the Bears game or stay through the weekend after the Bears game.

The cult-hero club Wrexham AFC, owned by American actors Ryan Reynolds and Rob McElhenney, will take on Lincoln City on Oct. 12 at Racecourse Ground in northern Wales (Wrexham is about a four-hour drive from London). Wrexham will compete in England’s third division this season.

The FA Cup, which is the annual tournament for all English teams regardless of which league they’re in, plays its fourth-round qualifying Oct. 12. Those matches will feature lower-level teams that most Americans will not have heard of.

Even if the Premier League is not competing that week, you could elect to tour a Premier League stadium. The national team’s Wembley Stadium, Chelsea’s Stamford Bridge, Arsenal’s Emirates Stadium, Fulham’s Craven Cottage and West Ham’s London Stadium (which hosted the Olympics in 2012) all offer tours. Other sports tours of note include Wimbledon for tennis fans and Twickenham Stadium for those curious about rugby.

Unique experiences

Here are a few other ideas for your trip:

• River cruise: See the city from the Thames.
• See a show: London’s West End is the Broadway of Europe.
• Day trips: There are several day trips worth exploring, including Stonehenge, Windsor Castle, Cambridge, Oxford and Shakespeare’s hometown Stratford-upon-Avon.
• Afternoon tea: A classic English ritual. There are plenty of places that serve tea and pastries on fine china.
• Indian food: London has some of the best Indian food in the world. Check out Whitechapel’s Brick Lane.