Stuck on a London layover at Heathrow International airport? London’s Heathrow airport is one of the busiest airports in the world and is located roughly 15 miles from London’s city center, making it an accessible destination for those who are stuck on long layovers. If you’re trying to decide whether you can leave the airport on your Heathrow layover, click here for useful tips.

If you’re stuck inside the airport during your London layover, Heathrow provides a number of services and activities that can help your layover become a short vacation in itself. Here are some of the various shops and facilities available to keep you busy during your wait. To aid with shopping, passengers can hire Personal Shopping Consultants, who can be distinguished by their green uniforms (to book a shopping consultant, call 0870 850 2825 (UK) or +44 (0)121 410 5105). In addition to duty free and regular shopping, there are also many restaurants ranging from fine dining to quick snacks to choose from during your Heathrow layover. Click here to explore the various bars and restaurants options at the airport.

CLICK HERE for London Layover Tours (straight from the airport)!

A number of executive lounges are available at the Heathrow airport (at Terminal 1,3,4,5). The lounges offer a range of beers, complimentary Wi-Fi and other standard facilities. You can book these lounges from here. The price starts from £17.95. In case you need special care assistance, contact +44 (0)844 335 1801 for general advice and information.

The Molton Brown Travel Spa is located in British Airways Terminal 1 and Terminal 4 Departures Lounges at Heathrow Airport. The spa offers a variety of services including massages, hydrotherapy showers, circulation and reflex therapies, and is an ideal way to relax during your Heathrow layover. Click here for more information.

If you are looking to exchange the currency, Foreign Exchanges and ATMs are available at all the terminals (click here for their locations). In addition, the airport has many prayer rooms available including Catholic, Free Church, Anglican, Jewish, Hindu, Muslim and Sikh chaplains. They can all be contacted through the airport information desks within the terminals and for more information, click here.

For passengers who arrive at night or are looking to relax, the Hilton London Heathrow Airport hotel is located across the covered walkway linked to Terminal Four, and the Sofitel London Heathrow is also connected via a covered walkway to Terminal Five. In addition there are many hotels near the Heathrow airport. Click here for London hotels at varying price points.

CLICK HERE for London’s Best Restaurants!

A number of companies offer Layover Tours that can pick you up directly from the airport, hassle free, take you where you’re interested in visiting and return you to the airport in time to catch your connecting flight. To find out more information on these London Layover Tours, click here.

If you’re looking to ditch your luggage during your Heathrow layover, Left Luggage facilities are available at all the terminals. The Left Luggage service charges £4 per item for 24 hours. For their hours of operation and location, click here.

Taxis are available outside the airport for quick transport, and there are also car rental companies onsite. For direct booking, click here. Heathrow airport is also well connected with public transportation. While taking the London Underground is the cheapest way to get into London, it can take up to an hour each way. If you’re strapped for time, the London Heathrow Express train can get you into London for as little as 15 minutes. Click here to figure out the best way to travel into the city during your London layover.

LayoverGuide.com’s Suggestions Of Things To Do On A Heathrow Layover:

Sightseeing Bus
The hop-on, hop-off bus gives a commentary of the sights as you pass them. Tickets can be purchased right on the bus or online. You can “hop on” at Paddington station, and “hop off” wherever you choose. It swings back around to Paddington, if that’s all the time you have, to get back to the airport.

Tower of London
At The Tower of London, you’ll find torture exhibits as well as the famous Crown Jewels which including 530 carat Star at the Jewel House. Beefeaters, who are the walking tour guides, lead the hour-long tours every hour until 3:30p.m.

Buckingham Palace
Buckingham Palace, home to the British monarch, is another favorite sightseeing spot for those with only a short time in London. Victoria, Green Park and Hyde Park Corner are the closest Tube stations. Also, you can catch the changing of the guard, but should check ahead for the schedule as it does not happen every day.

Westminster Abbey and Big Ben
Exit the tube at the Westminster stop. You will first see Big Ben and further down the street Westminster Abbey, where Chaucer, Samuel Johnson, Tennyson, Browning, and Dickens are all buried here.

Cabinet War Rooms
Close to the Abby, you can see the actual underground bunker Winston Churchill used during World War II. Everything there from the wall maps, to Churchill’s cot are authentic.

Windsor Castle

Take a taxi or bus 77 from Heathrow to Windsor Castle in about 40 minutes. The 900-year-old castle is an official residence of The Queen and the largest occupied castle in the world.

Thorpe Palace
Thorpe Park is London’s most popular attractions and theme parks. It opened as a water park in 1970 however more thrill rides were added later. The park is around 5.1 miles from the airport and thus, close for a quick trip during a London layover.

None of these activities interest you? Here’s a list of more suggestions of places you can visit during London layover at the Heathrow airport.

Have a suggestion for a London Heathrow layover? Leave a comment below!

As the second most populous island in the Canary Islands, Gran Canaria is located in the Indian Ocean off the coast of Africa. With its beach resort communities in the south, sprawling Dunes of Maspalomas, canal villages, caves and gardens, it is a perfect place to stop off for a vacation or layover.

In the south of Gran Canaria, popular tourist resorts and beaches are along the towns of San Agustin, Playa del Ingles, Sonnenland , Maspalomas, and Meloneras. Resorts include Bahia Feliz, Playa Del Cura, San Agustin, Taurito and more.

A large bird park, known as the Palmitos Park is located in this region. It houses exotic birds from around the world as well as an aquarium, orchid house, butterfly house and alligator pit.

The lighthouse of Maspalomas is between Maspalomas and Meloneras, and is along a rocky sea coast.  It is considered a historical monument, built in 1886 and is 56 meters high.  This beach area is great for watersports including windsurfing.

Another popular attraction in the region is the Dunes of Maspalomas, a nature reserve of sandy dunes which offers camel and horse riding. The Dunes are located walking distance from the Riu Maspalomas Palace Hotel and Playa del Ingles. The dunes are adjacent to the Maspalomas Golf Course which is the largest golf course on the island.

Further west along the south shore is a number of villages including the tourist attraction of Puerto de Mogan, which features many canals that won it the nickname “Little Venice.”

Additional attractions on Gran Canaria include the Cocodrilos Park, Cenobia de Valeron which has about 290 caves for exploring and splelunking. There is also the botanical gardens of Jardin Canario.

Trips can be booked by a number of vendors including Cheap Holidays Gran Canaria.

Crystal River, Florida has a series of fresh-water springs that attract that largest population of manatees in all of North America.

While it’s a bit out of the way, snorkeling with the Crystal River Manatees can be a fun long layover (minimum of 2 days) from a Tampa or Orlando layover. Crystal River is located roughly 87 miles from Orlando, and 80 miles from Tampa.  With a rental car, the trip from each airport is at least 2 – 2 1/2 hours.

While the water temperature in the Crystal River springs stays around 72 degrees, the winter air can drop down into the 30’s, so warm clothing (especially for after snorkeling) is a must! All the tours offer wetsuits and snorkel gear.

Here is a ridiculously cute video of a manatee baby getting a stomach rub:

Crystal River, itself, is a small town that revolves around the manatee tourism. Hotels include the Days Inn, Best Western, and other nearby hotels can be found here.

Snorkeling with the manatees is a truly remarkable, unique experience where you can interact with these gentle creatures in their own habitat. Crystal River has a number of tour operators, including Birds Underwater, Florida Manatee Tours, and more.

Layover Guide would recommend renting a car from the Orlando or Tampa airport for the Crystal River excursion. The winter months have the best viewing, and the peak season is from October 1 through March 31. We would recommend calling the tour operators before booking to inquire about the amount of manatees that are expected in the time you plan on visiting. Manatee populations vary by year, as well.

CLICK HERE for the Layover Guide to the Orlando International Airport (MCO)

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Layovers are a great way to extend your trip, and get the chance to see some sites in a city while you have the time. Now, many countries including Thailand, are beginning to see the tourist opportunities from layovers and stopovers.

The Tourism Authority of Thailand will be starting a 7 month layover campaign in March 2011 to attract more tourists to Bangkok.

For the Layover Guide to Bangkok’s Suvarnabhumi International Airport, CLICK HERE.

The “Amazing Thailand Stopover” campaign will be launched at the ITB Berlin, and will align with various airline, hotel and restaurant partners throughout Thailand. The campaign will provide stopover packages for a few days, and offer assistance to help passengers change flights and book activities.

For a Bangkok Layover Package, CLICK HERE.

Many countries, including Iceland, have been able to take advantage of tourists on layovers and stopovers, and as Bangkok’s Suvarnabhumi International Airport has over 1.5 million passengers annually, there’s an opportunity for layovers to be lucrative for Bangkok.

Stuck on a layover at Berlin-Schönefeld International Airport (SXF) in Germany? The airport is the smaller of Berlin’s two main international airports — the other being the Tegel International Airport, whose Layover Guide can be found here. The Schonefeld airport is located 11 miles from Berlin’s city center which makes it an accessible destination for those stuck on long layovers. If you’re trying to determine whether you can leave the airport during your Berlin layover, click here for useful tips.

If you’re stuck in the airport during your Berlin layover, you’ll find there is lots to do. Here’s an interactive map of the terminals that show you where you can find a number of airport services including shops and restaurants, VIP lounge (the Hugo Junkers lounge, tel: +49 30 6091 6036), and more.

A visitor viewing observation deck is available at the airport on the 2nd floor of Terminal A, open from 10 A.M. to 6 P.M. Entrance costs 2 Euros for adults and 1 Euro for children and from here you can watch planes take off.

If you arrive at night or are looking for a place to rest, there are a number of hotels in the area for varying price points. For a comprehensive list of Berlin hotels, click here.

If you’re planning on leaving the airport during your layover to explore Berlin, there are a number of transportation options, including taxi, buses, and car rental. Click here for a map that will show you where these options are located. In addition, rental cars are available from these companies.

LayoverGuide.com’s Suggestions Of Things To Do On A Berlin Layover:

Berlin Tours
If you have a limited time to check out the sites, might want to take a tour of the city that will pack them all in a short timeframe. There’s tons to choose from including Berlin’s segway tour, Fat Tire bike tours, Original Berlin walking tours, boat tours, and many more.

Haus der Wannsee-Konferenz
The site where Nazi officials had meetings to organize and implement “The Final Decision” to deport and murder six million Jews, Haus der Wannsee-Konferenz is now a haunting memorial to their victims. You may also want to visit Berlin’s Holocaust Memorial. www.holocaust-mahnmal.de

Berlin Wall
The Berlin wall can still be seen in chunks throughout the city with one of the biggest parts near checkpoint Charlie and the Potsdamer Square. You can see a photo exhibition from the rise of the Nazi party to the end of WWII.

Unter den Linden
This famous street (meaning “under the linden trees”) is in Berlin’s central Mitte District and is lined with interesting attractions and historic sites. The street spans from the Schlossbrücke at the Museum Island to the Brandenburger Gate at the Pariser Platz (Paris Square).

Liquidrom Spa
Tired from your flight and looking for a little R&R? If so, the Liquidrom is the place to go. This urban spa is located in the Tempodrom complex and is known for the “underwater concet hall” – a darked, heated saltwater pool. Be aware that the sauna and changing rooms are mixed genders, and a no clothing policy.

Badeschiff
Is your layover at night, and your looking for a cool place in Berlin to grab a drink? Well, look no further. The Badeschiff is a former river barge that was transformed into an alfresco night club. Very modern and a cool place to hang out – even in the winter.

None of these sound appealing for your layover? There’s also the Pergamon Museum, Kaiser Wilhelm Memorial church, and tons of other suggestions of things to do.

Have a suggestion for a Berlin Layover? Leave a comment below!

Stuck on a layover at Kenya’s Nairobi Jomo Kenyatta International Airport (NBO)? The airport is the busiest airport in Eastern Africa, the 6th busiest in Africa, and serves as the main hub for Kenya Airways. Located approximately 9.5 miles from Nairobi’s business district, the city if an accessible destination for those stuck on a long stopover. If you’re trying to determine whether you can leave the airport during your layover, click here for useful tips.

If you’re stuck in the airport during your Nairobi layover, there are a number of duty free and regular shops that can keep you entertained (click here for the list of stores in the airport). The airport also has Forex Bureaus and banks onsite, a number of nearby hotels in Nairobi for those interested in resting or who arrive at night, a Left Luggage facility, and tour and travel agents (listed here) to help assist you with planning and activities.

There airport also has two pay-per-access lounges at the airport (roughly $20 USD), for a quiet, comfortable place to relax, as well as a VIP lounge. The airport also has an Internet café for online access.

If you plan on traveling to Nairobi during your layover, fixed-fare taxis are available outside the airport. For a full list of taxi companies and their contact information, as well as rental car companies available, click here. Bus stops are outside Terminals 1 and 2, and travel between the airport and downtown Nairobi. For information on train and bus transportation around Nairobi, Kenya click here.

For general traveler information including currency, security and safety, visas, credit cards, and health, click here and here for more information.

LayoverGuide.com’s Suggestions Of Things To Do During A Nairobi Layover:

Nairobi National Park
Kenya’s first national park, the Nairobi National Park is home to, most notably, the black rhinos, and tons of other animals including lions, hippos, zebras, giraffes and more. There’s a lot of ground to cover so make sure you have quite a few hours to take advantage of the park.

Giraffe Center
Here at the Giraffe Center you can learn all about and get close to giraffes, and even feed them. The center is non-profit and was set up to help save the Rothschild giraffe. For rates and more information, click here.

David Sheldrick Wildlife Trust
A safe haven for elephants and rhinos, at the David Sheldrick Wildlife Trust you can visit the young elephants (4 weeks to 3 years old) for only 1 hour each day between 11am-12pm. If you sponsor an elephant for $50 USD, you can view them all being put to bed at 5.30pm

Village Market
At this big shopping and recreation complex in Nairobi, you can shop for all kinds of goods including fashion, crafts, jewelry and gifts. There’s also mini golf, bowling, waterslides, and tons more.

Long Layovers – Tours and Safaris
If you have a long layover in Kenya, you can take a tour depending on the length of time you have. There are tons of tour companies to choose from in Nairobi, including Kibera Tours, Safari Legacy, and tons more.

Have some suggestions for a Nairobi, Kenya layover? Leave a comment below!

London offers a number of Layover Tours from Heathrow and Gatwick for passengers stuck on long layovers, to help you see some sights in a hassle free manner.

Customized tours can be personally arranged to pick you up from the airport on your London layover, see the places that most interest you around, and then return you to the airport with plenty of time to catch your next flight. For those who have limited time and might not be familiar with London, it can be the easiest and most efficient way to spend a limited amount of time. If you’re trying to figure out if you can leave the airport during your London layover, click here for useful tips.

Below are some of the Layover Tours available that will pick you up directly from the airport. For our full write-up on tips and suggestions for things you can do (both inside and outside the airport) on a Heathrow layover, click here.  For Gatwick, click here.

London Layover Tours:

London Magical Tours
With customized tours that can pick you up from both Heathrow and Gatwick airports, London Magical Tours will arrive at the airport carrying a sign with your name and will chauffeur you on your tour. Choose from tours to London, Windsor, Hampton Court and Oxford and opt for the layover option!

London Taxi Tour
London Taxi Tour also offers private layover tours to passengers from Heathrow or Gatwick. With a number of tours to choose from including a Harry Potter Tour and a James Bond Tour, you can make sure you see the places that most interest you.

London’s Tours
A comfortable car and your own guide can help you catch London’s sights in this layover tour. London’s Tours will “meet you at the airport and whisk you away to see the lovely countryside and places tour buses never reach! How about including lunch at an olde worlde pub before more delightful exploring en route back to the airport?”

London Sightseeing Tours
With a huge list of tours to choose from, London Sightseeing Tours offers virtually every tour possible in London (even tours from London to Paris). If you’re looking for an airport pickup, however, make sure to check the brochure page of the tour’s web site to find out the specifics on where they can pick up and drop off (tour customization at this site greatly varies depending on the tour).

CLICK HERE For the full Layover Guide to Heathrow, London

With cheap car hire usa you can visit the places you want to experience. Make up your own mind and your own itinerary and see how much fun you will have.

Stuck on a layover in Seoul’s Incheon International Airport? Fortunately you’ve landed in one of the top ten airports in the world. This airport is the largest airport in South Korea, and one of the busiest in Asia.

Not only is the airport considered one of the cleanest in the world, but here you can find over 40 duty free shops to a 72-hole golf course. There are also banks, a large variety of restaurants, a basement supermarket, mobile phone rental outlet and Internet kiosks, pharmacies, airport spa, hair salons, and a post office.

There is also a Korean Cultural Museum, a variety of eco-gardens, and an observation deck that gives you a bird’s eye view of planes taking off and landing. And located only two minutes from the airport is the Paradise Golden Gate casino. If you’re looking to catch some rest, the Best Western Hotel is located five minutes by shuttle or taxi.

If you’re looking to ditch your luggage during your Seoul layover, there are a couple of baggage storage facilities. Hanjin Express is East on the 3rd floor of departures (phone: 032-743-5804, operating hours: 06:00 – 22:00) and Korea Express is West on the 3rd floor of departures (phone: 032-743-5300, operating hours: 07:00 – 21:30)

The airport is located 30 miles from central Seoul. If you’re not sure if you can leave the airport, check here for helpful tips. The Seoul city center is roughly an hour away from the airport, so take into account travel time and budget for delays.

As for transportation, an express railway currently operates between Gimpo Airport (which handles domestic flights) and Incheon International. It will reach Seoul central by 2010. Meanwhile, you can reach the city along the Airport Expressway, by bus or by taxi from the airport Transportation Centre. Drivers often do not speak English so you may want to write down your destination in a Korean on a piece of paper. The trip takes about an hour.

Layover Guide’s Suggestions of Things To Do On A Seoul Layover:

Seoul Tours
The Han River Boat Cruise is a great way to get a scenic tour of the city. There are one-way and
round trip tours. For prices and contact information, click here. There are also a bunch of city bus tours including Aju Incentive Tours, and Seoul City Bus Tour, as well as Seoul temple tours including Discover Asia and Goway- Korean Temple Stay.

Insadong
The art district of Insadong is a great place to take in the sites of Seoul. Whether weaving your way in and out of antique shops and private galleries, grabbing a cup of tea at one of the many tea houses, or wandering through the Historic Tapgol Park where you can visit the Pagoda, the location that Korea’s Declaration of Independence was read in 1919.

Gyeongbokgung Palace
The Gyeongbokgung Palace houses the National Museum of Korea and the National Folk Museum. The Palace, built by the Chosun dynasty six centuries, is one of the most famous and oldest Seoul attractions. You can also check out Dongshipjagak, the ancient watch tower.

Myeongdong
If you’re looking to shop, the Myeongdong is a big street flea market as well as a historic walking area. If you’re looking for more serious shopping, check out Namdaemun Market. As one of Korea’s largest wholesale markets, it covers over 10 acres and is the one of the best spots to get some nice souvenirs and clothing, as well as some knock offs. It is closed on Sundays.

N Seoul Tower
If you’re looking for a good aerial view of the city, check out N Seoul Tower. With an observation deck 370 meters tall you can get a great birds eye view of the city (pollution and weather depending).

Deoksugung Palace
The Deoksu-gung Palace is one of Seoul’s smallest of Seoul’s palaces, built during the mid-fifteenth century. Known for its unique stone wall road and the wide bridge of Geumcheon. Here you can also find the Palace Treasure exhibition, and part of the National Modern Arts Center.

Have suggestions for a Seoul Layover? Leave a comment below!