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FriendsFest

by - January 14, 2020



"OOH MY GOD" Cue hand gestures and Janice's voice! Friends has forever been my favourite TV sitcom for many reasons. I literally grew up with the show in the background since I can remember- it first aired the year I was born 1994- OK I know I wasn't watching it from day 1, but it was literally on and being watched by my siblings! No matter how many times I watch it, it never gets boring. The one liners are just as funny and even though I know what happens next, I still watch in anticipation! Some may call me crazy... But if you're a fan of Friends then you'll know that this is normal enthusiasm!

I've always wanted to visit the sets but I knew going to the actual one in America would be near to impossible any time soon, as I don't plan to visit the states in the near future. Every year the set goes on tour- not the same set but replicas. Tickets go on sale usually around March and I can't remember the exact price of the ticket but I think it was something from £25-30. They have various locations around the UK. When booking, it will tell you to book a time for the set tour as well. I did the set tour at the end of my visit as this gave me enough time to browse around the other areas. However, you can still visit other areas AFTER the set tour.

Before getting there:
Don't forget to print your E tickets
They email you a map of the area, make sure you print this and take it with you
Check out your nearest train station, car park etc.
Check out the weather
Please remember Covid rules and see how they might apply too
This might sound a bit extreme, but I made a list of photos I wanted to take e.g.  Sitting with the guitar at Central Perk, peeping through Monica's door etc. I found by making a list of pic opportunities made me less anxious and I managed to get all the photos I wanted.

What to take with you:
Fully charged camera/ phone as you'll want to take many photos- I took photos of EVERYTHING
I also took my portable phone charger just in case I ran out of juice
Your bank card- they have a gift shop and many food outlets

What to wear:
Comfortable clothes- something cute but not impractical as you'll get the chance to wear the iconic outfits on top and take snaps
Comfortable shoes- you'll be walking A LOT

What to eat:
There is the infamous Central Perk- Where you'll actually be able to purchase hot drinks, cold drinks etc.

There are many food trucks with quirky names and phrases on them, selling things like Pizzas etc. Although there aren't any halal food options available, there are great Vegan/Vege options with a variety

You can also purchase the famous MOKOLATE from the gift shop





My favourite stops:
Central Perk and Monica's apartment were my favourites, I could have stayed longer, or all day to be honest.




The Set tour:
You get to choose a specific time for this whilst booking your ticket. We went for the 3pm one and got to the actual venue at 12pm. It gave us enough time to wonder around, take photos with the other backgrounds and sets prior to visiting this.

During the set tour you're placed in groups of about 10. You then have stewards guiding you around the sets, sharing interesting facts and taking you from one set to another. You have limited time in all of the sets I think about 5-10 minutes, I can't remember exactly. But you do have enough time to browse around and get photos. If you want group photos, ask others to take it for you and don't forget to RETURN THE FAVOR!





Overall, I thoroughly enjoyed my experience whilst visiting this set. It was a great day out and I would do it again. 

Thank you for checking out my post, I hope you found it of some use

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