The annual Wimbledon Tennis Championships are more than just a tournament. A trip to Wimbledon is an event in which you become a part.  The moment you enter those historic grounds, the anticipation and sense of atmosphere fill you with excitement and it’s what keeps tennis fans and non tennis fans alike returning year after year.

If you’re visiting Wimbledon for the first time, be prepared for a long and enjoyable day.


The Championships are held every summer during the last week of June and the first week of July. Here, this normally peaceful Wimbledon village in South London becomes inundated with tourists, press, street vendors, cars, and a famous tennis player or two. So be prepared for crowds.

Traveling via public transport is encouraged, so try and make your way down using the London Underground. It’s usually quite crowded with police and staff directing the hundreds of tennis fans safely in and out of the station. Once you exit you can either follow everyone else and head off for the 15 minute walk down to the grounds or hail a black taxi cab.

If you’re walking down, there’s usually a chance to pick up a few freebies along the way. Street vendors sponsoring various companies hand out all manner of drinks, food and even newspapers. You can end up with quite a haul by the time you reach the courts.

Whether you’re waiting in the ticket queue or sitting watching a tennis match, you’ll need to make sure you've brought supplies. It may be summer, but anyone familiar with Wimbledon is well aware of the vagaries of the British weather. So an umbrella or raincoat is a must. It’s always useful to bring along something to read for between matches, and something to drink. Sunhats are essential if you’re not seated in the shade and don’t forget sunscreen. Many people also pack portable seats in preparation for the long queues in the street or for the outside court area.

Once you've gone through the turnstiles it’s up to you where you go first.  If you have tickets for one of the show courts, you may want to make your way straight there if a match is scheduled to start. Bear in mind that you can’t enter or leave your seat while a match is in play and will have to switch off any phones as well.

The first week is usually the most exciting. Everything is still to play for. All the players are still there and you stand a very good chance of being able to watch some fantastic matches on the outside courts. By the second week things have quietened down as players are knocked out. However, there is always something to see with doubles, mixed doubles and junior matches all still in progress.

If there is a great match being played on one of the show courts and you’re not a ringside spectator, you can make your way over to a large grassy area called Aorangi Park, now known as Henman Hill. From here you can watch the match via the jumbo-tron style large screen which is broadcast for everyone outside the court to enjoy.

Apart from watching the tennis, at some stage you’ll probably want to have something to eat. There’s plenty of choice with Wimbledon providing the largest single catering operation in the whole of Europe.

Whether you want a three course meal, a serve yourself buffet or a takeaway from the food court, there’s something to suit everyone.  Most importantly, you simply cannot spend a day at Wimbledon without sampling their famous strawberries and cream. It’s all part of the tradition. Every year about 59,525 pounds of strawberries are eaten during the Wimbledon Tennis Championships, together with 1,849 gallons of cream.

Apart from food, there is a bank, various information stands should you become lost, first aid posts and drinking fountains. And don’t forget to visit the Wimbledon shop and museum before you leave where you’re sure to find a gift or souvenir to take home as a memento.

At the end of your day you’ll probably be exhausted. With the grounds closing at 10.30pm, a day at Wimbledon can be a long one. But whether or not you've managed to see some of your favorite players, one thing you can be sure of, your first visit to Wimbledon won’t be your last.