![Felicity Long](\"https:\/\/www.travelweekly.com\/uploadedImages\/All_TW_Art\/2014\/121514\/T1215FELICITYLONG.jpg\" "Felicity Long")
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Pretty much ever since we broke free from Britain’s rule all those years ago, we’ve been itching to get back there for vacation — in fact, the destination has hovered near or at the top of most popular destinations for Americans for generations.<\/p>\n
If London is on your clients’ wish list — now that travel restrictions have eased — here’s just a sampling of reasons to get excited about taking that long-postponed trip across the Pond.<\/p>\n
New hotels in the city include The Guardsman Buckingham Gate, located, as its name implies, steps away from Buckingham Palace; the Mayfair Townhouse in central London; NoMad London, the brand’s first property outside of the U.S.; The Londoner from Edwardian Hotels London; and Pan Pacific London, from the Singaporean hotel group.\u00a0<\/p>\n
And while our grandparents might be surprised to hear it, London has evolved into a first-class foodie destination. New restaurants on the culinary scene include two Asian eateries, Mr Ji and Dimsum & Duck; Sonora Taqueria for Mexican fare; and Cue Point Ltd for barbecue.<\/p>\n
London is synonymous with theater, and this year the Royal Albert Hall is marking its 150th anniversary with a “Summer of Love: Revisited” exhibition in honor of some of its most memorable performances, from the Beatles and Pink Floyd to Leonard Cohen and B.B. King.<\/p>\n
Other theatrical events include “Monopoly,” an immersive production based on the classic board game, as well as “Moulin Rouge! The Musical,” slated for the fall.\u00a0<\/p>\n
Art buffs can get their fill of culture at a number of new exhibits, from the edgy “Art of Banksy,” the world’s largest Banksy collection, to the “Masterpieces From Buckingham Palace” exhibition at the Queen’s Gallery.\u00a0<\/p>\n
Love couture? The Fashion and Textile Museum’s “Beautiful People: The Boutique in 1960s Counterculture,” will take you back to the days when the colorful, gender-bender clothing in Chelsea’s boutiques influenced an entire generation. Meanwhile, at the V&A, “Alice: Curiouser and Curiouser” is a virtual reality exploration of the story’s 157-year history. Other exhibits on tap include “Van Gogh: The Immersive Experience,””Bags: Inside Out” and “Kaleidoscopic: Brightest Colours Ever.”<\/p>\n
Meanwhile, plans are already underway to celebrate Queen Elizabeth’s Platinum Jubilee June 2-5, marking her 70 years on the throne. Events will include concerts and parades in the city and throughout the Commonwealth.<\/p>\n
Finally, getting there is now a little easier, thanks to JetBlue, which launched its first transatlantic routes to Heathrow from New York JFK on Aug. 11, to be followed by a new route from JFK to Gatwick on Sept. 29.<\/p>\n