It's been a long time coming 🏴🫶🏻
- Nicole Koopstra
- Feb 7
- 8 min read
When Ticketmaster makes it nearly impossible to attend the Eras Tour in Canada or the United States, you take a step back and think, "Should I fly across the world to see Taylor Swift?"
You create an Excel spreadsheet, listing places like Madrid, Stockholm, Munich, and about 15 other dream destinations on your bucket list.
Until one morning, you enter the queue and see the words: "You're seeing Taylor Swift at Wembley Stadium."
And this time, it’s not a dream.
Day One - June 21st, 2024
After an incredibly long red-eye flight with no sleep, we landed in London around 9 a.m. and decided to drop our bags off at our questionable "hotel" before setting off to explore the city. Our first stop was a bar just down the street, where we grabbed our first drink of the trip. It's 5 o'clock somewhere, right?
We then embarked on a walking and hop-on-hop-off bus tour, taking in some of London’s most iconic landmarks. It was surreal seeing so many famous structures and buildings we’ve only ever seen in movies. We walked along the London Eye and even stumbled upon a beautiful memorial dedicated to those lost during the COVID-19 pandemic—a wall covered in thousands of hearts and messages, right across from Big Ben.
📍 Tower of London
📍 Big Ben
📍 London Eye
📍 London Bridge
After some sightseeing, we decided it was time for a drink at The Black Dog, a bar mentioned by Taylor Swift in her album The Tortured Poets Department. Josh went for a beer, while I opted for a frozen cocktail.
With only a little time left before we were meeting a friend for dinner, we made our way from Big Ben to Buckingham Palace. The walk was beautiful, and I wish we had more time to explore the nearby park and ponds. When we arrived, we were just in time to witness the changing of the guard.
📍 The Black Dog for Drinks
📍 Buckingham Palace
To wrap up the day, we headed to The Three Tuns Marylebone Pub for dinner. When we arrived, we went up to the bar to order drinks. I glanced to my left and noticed a familiar face. I whispered to Josh, "I think that's Lewis Capaldi standing next to us." He was skeptical, but I decided to tap him on the shoulder and introduce myself.
And yes, it was Lewis Capaldi! He was super friendly and down-to-earth, even giving us some travel recommendations and suggesting we visit Glasgow. We snapped a quick picture with him before heading back to our table. It was such a surreal moment, and it was so refreshing to see him enjoying a pint and watching a soccer game, just like everyone else.
We all ordered fish and chips and caught up over dinner before heading to our final stop of the night... a movie theatre of course. Josh really wanted to see the finale of Doctor Who in London of course so we made our way to the theatre. I may have had a little nap but Josh was happy to be in a theatre in a new country.
📍Dinner at The Three Tuns with Cloé
📍Doctor Who Finale at Vue Cinema Islington
Day Two - June 22nd, 2024
Today, we decided to venture outside of London for an exciting bus tour with my dear friend Cloé. Unfortunately, due to a booking mix-up, we ended up on different buses. But we made the best of it and were still able to reunite and explore Windsor Castle together.
Our first stop was Windsor Castle, the iconic royal residence. We wandered through the stunning grounds, marveling at the impressive architecture, exquisite paintings, and even witnessed the Changing of the Guard ceremony. While I’m not particularly well-versed in royal history, there was something undeniably thrilling about experiencing such a significant piece of England’s heritage in person.
Next, we made our way to Bath. Although our time there was brief—only about an hour—it was one of the most picturesque cities I’ve ever visited. We quickly grabbed a bite to eat at McDonald's, then set off to explore. We stumbled upon some amazing street performers and explored charming little shops. One of the highlights was picking up some traditional English candies from a cozy candy shop tucked away down a narrow alley.
Our final stop of the day took us to the awe-inspiring Stonehenge. Standing in front of this prehistoric monument on Salisbury Plain was an unforgettable experience. The sheer scale and mystery of the stones left me speechless, and I’m so grateful we included it in our itinerary.
After a full day of sightseeing, we headed back to the hotel for an early night.
📍Windsor Castle
📍Bath
📍Stonehenge
Day Three - June 23rd, 2024
Today was hands down the most surreal experience of my life. Standing on the floor of Wembley Stadium, surrounded by 89,000 fans, I honestly can’t even begin to describe the feeling. It was like a dream come true. From the second Taylor stepped on stage to the final song, it was a night that I’ll never, ever forget.
I started the day off incredibly early, curling my hair, doing my makeup, and preparing my outfit before heading on the tube to get to Wembley Stadium. I first walked to the merch building to grab a few items before heading to take my spot in line. Once I got to the line, there were about 150 people ahead of me for general admission, and I was ready for a long day before we were let inside.
I was in full-on fan mode, handing out about 250 bracelets to fellow Swifties and chatting with people about my outfit and how I came all the way from Canada. Cloé and I took turns leaving the line to grab food, water, or just take a walk around. We met some lovely friends in line who we spent most of the afternoon with, and once 4 p.m. hit and security started ushering us in, we linked arms and shuffled our way into the stadium.
Once we made it inside, we found our spot and stayed there for the next 8+ hours – it was insane that we managed to do it, but we had the absolute best spot for surprise songs! The opening acts started to perform, first Benson Boone and then Paramore, which was a great way to start the show.
Then, as the stadium grew silent, the Midnights clock appeared on the screen. We began to countdown as the song "You Don’t Own Me" by Lesley Gore started playing. "13, 12, 11, 10, 9, 8, 7, 6, 5, 4, 3, 2, 1..." The clock faded away, and my heart began to pound.
The familiar line blasted throughout the stadium, “It’s been a long time coming,” and I started to cry as it finally hit me that I was experiencing the Eras Tour for the very first time. I was overcome with emotion, holding my best friend as we watched the dancers enter the stage, and before we knew it, Taylor Swift popped up from center stage.
Throughout the night, we sang our hearts out and, yes, cried a lot. There’s something about being surrounded by so many people who know the lyrics to every song and feel the music in the same way you do that makes it all hit differently. The energy in the stadium was electric, and Taylor’s performance was, without a doubt, everything I’d hoped for and more.
But the surprises didn’t stop there. Travis Kelce joined Taylor on stage during "I Can Do It With A Broken Heart." This moment was INSANE. On top of that, we were only about 40 feet away from the VIP tent, where we spotted Sophie Turner, Cate Blanchett, Bon Jovi, Phoebe Waller-Bridge, and even Paul McCartney! I had to pinch myself – it was like a celebrity dream come true!
During the surprise songs, Taylor did a mashup of Out of the Woods, Is It Over Now?, and Clean on the piano. She then picked up her guitar and started talking about her newly released song with Gracie Abrams from her new album, The Secret of Us. I had first listened to the song at the airport and immediately fell in love with it. She stopped strumming, looked around, and said, "I think we’re missing someone." Then, Gracie walked down the stage to join her on the piano. It was an incredible surprise I’ll never forget.
As the last Era for the night started I tried to take in as much as I could before it was over. Cloé left right before Karma as she had a long travel day back to France in the morning but I stayed and watched as the confetti started to fall and fireworks were set off to end the show.
It took me over an hour to get out of the stadium grounds with the other 89,000 fans, but it was such a fun way to end the night. As we all shuffled our way to safety, we started singing to pass the time. Eventually, I made my way to McDonald's, where Josh was waiting with a much-needed meal before bed.
I can't even express how thankful I am to Cloé for going on this wild adventure with me. Having her by my side to experience this night was everything, and I’ll forever be grateful that we got to create these memories together.
Day Four - June 24th, 2024
📍Camden Market (Highly Recommend !!!)
📍Kings Cross Station 9 3/4 Platform
📍Harry Potter Warner Bros Studio Tour
📍Abbey Road and Abbey Road Studios
📍Notting Hill
Camden Market was one of my favourite things we’ve explored in London and it’s somewhere I would definitely visit again if we had another trip here. Josh also realized one of his favourite shows was filmed here!
The Harry Potter Warner Bros. Studio Tour was absolutely magical and a true highlight of the trip. Stepping into the world of Hogwarts was like walking into the films themselves, surrounded by iconic sets and props that made the magic come to life. From the grand Great Hall to the intricately detailed Diagon Alley, every corner was filled with the kind of wonder that fans dream of. I loved seeing the authentic costumes, magical creatures, and even the intricate model of Hogwarts Castle. It was incredible to experience firsthand the level of detail and craftsmanship that went into bringing this world to life. If you're a Harry Potter fan, this tour is an absolute must-see.
Lastly, we made a last-minute decision to visit Abbey Road and Notting Hill, and I’m so glad we didn’t skip them! Both places were absolutely stunning and full of charm. Walking across the iconic Abbey Road crossing was a surreal moment for any Beatles fan, while Notting Hill felt like stepping into the pages of a storybook, with its vibrant streets and picturesque homes. It was also so much fun spotting locations from some of our favorite movies and TV shows. These two spots were the perfect way to wrap up our trip, adding a little extra magic and nostalgia to our already unforgettable adventure.
As I reflect on this incredible journey, it's hard to believe everything we experienced in such a short amount of time. I’ll carry these memories with me forever, and I’m so grateful for the amazing people I had the privilege of sharing them with.
It’s moments like these that remind me why travel is so special – the people, the places, and the unforgettable experiences that stay with you long after you’ve returned home. Until next time, London. Until next time, Taylor. Thank you for the memories.
Check out my travel reel below!
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