Last month, my parents and I took an impromptu trip to London (England). Honestly, I just couldn’t pass up the opportunity to spend time with them one-on-one. I mean, we all know how it goes: life gets busy and family can sometimes take a backburner. As my parents get older, I’m growing more and more paranoid about how little time I have left with them. So without giving it a lick of thought, I instantly committed to a trip abroad.

And it was so worth it.

Now, I’m definitely not new to London. In fact, I would’ve been living there around my 10th birthday if my brother and I had been compliant and well-adjusted. (We weren’t.) Toronto became home, but ever since I was a kid, I’ve loved every single second I’ve spent walking the London streets. In case you ever find yourself in England on a gorgeous day, here are some of the highlights you’ve got to bump to the tippy top of your to-do list.

SHOREDITCH

Hands down, this was my favourite spot in London this time around. If you’re a creative, artist, or tech tycoon, this is the place to be. East London Tech City (which is basically Shoreditch) is the third largest technology startup cluster after San Fran and NYC. I pinky promise, it was exactly as insanely cool as it sounds.

Tube Station: Old Street