Plan A Perfect Day At Wimbledon

Wimbledon, tennis’ finest and most historic tournament, is a fantastic day out. Get it right and it’s about as good as sport can get, so Culture Trip guides you through everything you need to know.

This year Wimbledon celebrates its 140th anniversary. Whether heading to one of the show courts, the outer courts or simply soaking up all the atmosphere on Henman Hill and watching on the big screen, the tournament offers a brilliant way to watch some of the best athletes in the world. With a little planning, you’ll be in for a glorious day.

Bring a picnic

There are, of course, plenty of places within the grounds to buy food, ranging from stalls to high end restaurants, but it makes far more sense to bring your own, as that way you’ll have exactly what you want and it’ll be much cheaper. As it’s slap bang in the middle of summer, the only way to go is a picnic; practical, simple and delicious. Pork pies, sausage rolls, prosecco, sandwiches (ploughman’s, coronation chicken, egg salad etc.), scotch eggs and, obviously, strawberries – it’s Wimbledon after all. You’re free to bring pretty much any food and drink into the grounds, but not bottles of spirits, so ready yourself for champagne and chilled beer, not gin & tonics.

Get the perfect Wimbledon hamper

Stay nearby

Londoners, and those just a little further afield, can head down in the morning and stay for the day, but if you’re travelling from further, or have tickets to consecutive days then book a room nearby. Wimbledon is a lovely part of London, with plenty of places to head for dinner or drinks after a day’s play. Staying nearby also means you can get in nice and early the following morning, so wander around the outer courts and you’ll probably catch players warming up before match time.

Book a hotel in Wimbledon

Dress for the occasion

If you’re heading to the Royal Box then there are very strict rules on what’s acceptable – strict enough to turn away Lewis Hamilton when he didn’t have a jacket – but for general admission you’re free to dress as you please. You can cover most bases with dress shorts and canvas sneakers, comfortable enough to wear all day and laze about on Henman Hill, but smart enough to head for dinner afterwards.

Get the gear

Things to know:

For anyone collecting their tickets, make sure you have ID (with a photo) and proof of address.

Wimbledon remains one of the few major sporting events where you can buy tickets on the day, but be prepared to queue….for a long time, a very, very long time.

Visitors are only permitted to bring in one bag per person.

Allow plenty of time when heading there in the first place. Local public transport and roads will be very busy.

For a list of prohibited items, head here.

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