The most notable feature of Charing Cross Road is without a doubt its impressive array of book shops. There is an abundance of small specialty shops as well as larger mainstream bookstores. I was particularly interested in visiting Charing Cross Road because I wanted to see the site of the Leaky Cauldron from the Harry Potter book series. If you have the time, I'd recommend taking an afternoon to just peruse the book shops and see what you come across. It's a relaxing and interesting way to spend a rainy day! In addition to the bookstores, Charing Cross Road houses St. Martin's Arts College and some theatre venues and other shops. I especially appreciated the laid back atmosphere in the book stores.