I've been an avid tennis player for little more than half my life—yes, it is a long time. A while ago, I added attending tennis grand slams to my bucket list. I have attended Wimbledon, the French Open, and the US Open. I still need to get to Melbourne to attend the Australian Open. There are a couple of ways to attend Wimbledon in London, England to cross off that bucket list:
1. You can wait until the tickets are released and keep refreshing your phone to see if you can get a ticket. You must have a plan to quickly decide where to sit or if you want a hospitality package.
2. You can take a trip to London, wait until the day before and keep refreshing your phone, to see if you can get a ticket. Each day a set amount of tickets are released for the next day. 3. You do it the best way possible, you use a Travel Advisor, like myself, and get a Wimbledon package that will include tickets and optionally, hospitality. More on hospitality later. This is the best way to attend Wimbledon.
Whichever way you decide, attending Wimbledon is a must do for anyone. Even if you are not a tennis fan. To be able to walk the grounds is just magical. After you secure your tickets (if you are lucky enough), you then have to figure out the rest of your travel plans. This guide is help with relieving as much stress as possible for attending Wimbledon. Knowing before you go. I can assist you with creating a customized package for attending Wimbledon or any tennis grand slam.
Consider a Custom Package as the best way to Attend Wimbledon and cross off your bucket list
A custom package to attend Wimbledon involves tailoring the experience to your preferences. Helping you choose a hotel in London, add your preferred match-day experience, and making it a trip to remember. Packages, of course, include first-class accommodation in London, a hospitality area with an open bar & hors d’oeuvres, expert pre-travel assistance, personalized itinerary, and an official program.
How Many Days Should You Plan For?
It depends. How much tennis do you want to watch? At Wimbledon there is only one session. Although there are lights now, there is still only a single session. You will not know who will be playing the night before. They try to mix the players up at different playing times. The further you get into the tournament, it is more predictable in terms of who will be playing at what time, due to the number of players left in the field. You will likely see a ladies' match and a gentlemen's match. One or two days are enough.
What Ticket Should I Purchase?
If you want a guaranteed seat, you can purchase a ticket to the three courts (Centre Court, No1. Court, and No 2. Court). These will also feature some of the bigger names of the draw. With a ticket to the assigned court, you have access to the court and access to the ground. There will still be big names at these outside courts, but you are less likely to see Novak Djokovic or Rafael Nadal. The other option is to purchase a grounds ticket. The grounds ticket allows you only access to the rest of the courts, with no access to the three main courts.
Getting to Wimbledon for Wimbledon
Getting to Wimbledon is easy. The London transportation system is as good as any major metro area. I stayed near Piccadilly; from there, it was a 35-40 minute tube (subway) ride. London traffic is not that great, so I would recommend taking the tube. If you want to arrive in style, you can include a transfer with your package. When taking the tube, it is still a decent walk from the tube station to the All England Lawn Tennis Club. It’s about a 15-20 min walk. Remember to wear comfortable shoes.
What to Do at Wimbledon
Walk the grounds. You have all day to watch tennis, but the ground you must slowly take it in. Catch a doubles match; a doubles match in person is even better. Catch a match at one of non main courts. It's going to be smaller crowds, but just as exciting. Make your way over to where the players walk from the Competitor’s Dressing Room to Centre Court to see if you can catch a glimpse of them through the windows. Bring your camera with a zoom lens to see if you can spot a celebrity or maybe even a Royal, like Prince William or Kate.
Wimbledon is right around the corner. If you are ready to book a trip to London England to catch Wimbledon at the All England Lawn Club, schedule a discovery call today.
If you want to cross off the French Open in Paris from your bucket list, check out my guide to the French Open here.