
The Scariest Places in the World
Warning: Turn on the lights before you read this.
Every June and July, it’s all eyes on the All England Lawn Tennis Club as it hosts the world-famous Wimbledon tennis tournament. The Championships, which has been running since 1877, is the world’s oldest and most prestigious tennis tournament, and attracts famous faces aplenty, from British royals to Hollywood stars.
The All England Lawn Tennis Club is an exclusive private club with less than 600 members. Non-members have two options for gaining entry: buy tickets to the annual Wimbledon tournament or join a behind-the-scenes tour. Guided tours of the club last for 90 minutes, and include glimpses of Centre Court and Aorangi Terrace, as well as access to the Wimbledon Lawn Tennis Museum, which chronicles the history of the sport.
Take the tube (District line) to Southfields station. From there, the All England Lawn Tennis Club is a 15-minute walk or a short bus ride (493) away. Access for tours is via Gate 4 on Church Road.
If you’re doing a tour, arrive well in advance to allow for bag searches and check-in. Tours do not run during the Championships.
Tennis fans can enter a public ballot, which typically opens in August or September the year before the tournament in question, and closes in December. Winners are offered a ticket for a day and court selected at random, which they will then have the option to buy. A limited number of tickets are also available online through Ticketmaster, though these sell out in a flash. The only other way to get tickets is to queue up on the day; fans get there early—usually several hours before opening—and some even camp out overnight.