Need help with London trip

[Glynda]

We have spent 3 to 10 days in London 12 times over the years; in cruddy B&B's when we were young and poor; now renting flats or staying in hotels. Sadly, times have changed and lots of planning is needed as one can no longer be spontaneous when it comes to touring those "named sights." Timed tickets must be purchased often months in advance if you are going at a popular time of year.

 

[stmartinfan]

If you enjoy theater, it's definitely worth it to do a show or two. We buy the discount tickets:

TKTS London - Last Minute Theatre Tickets | OLT

TKTS London is the number one place for London theatre deals. Get the best last minute theatre deals for London's West End at the TKTS booth.

officiallondontheatre.com

The London theaters are very small, so most seats are fine, and we're flexible to try what ever's available. We even saw Jersey Boys one time…probably an odd choice in London but it was a great production.

 

[beejaybee]

Reading this thread has me wanting to return to London as part of our 2023 late summer trip to Europe!
Thanks to Rick Steves, we procured tickets to the Ceremony of the Keys at the Tower of London on our first visit to that city. It was a highlight.
I echo those who've suggested a HoHo bus tour on arrival. Since most flights from the US arrive well before time to check into lodging, doing a loop or two before disembarking the bus is a great way to recover from jet lag. We also booked a pub crawl walk where DH learned to love his porter at temperatures much warmer than beer is served here. On our second visit we went to the theatre to see "Love Never Dies" the Phantom sequel and took a day trip on our own to Hampton Court, participating in the wedding reception of Henry VIII and Katharine Parr!

 

[Ken555]

We usually stay in a hotel in London using hotel points or certificates. I want to try the HGVC Scotland properties on a future trip.

I’m currently scheduled to visit two of the Scotland HGVCs next year, and looking forward to it!


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[Ken555]

I’ve been to London and the UK a number of times, and actually just finished planning next years trip there a week ago.

London is great, and I try to visit at least two new places each time I’m there (or more, time permitting). The museums are excellent, the used book stores equally so, historic landmarks curious, and the city is extremely easy to get around (pandemic concerns aside).

Whenever I think of London these days, I get excited knowing that I’ll go to my favorite Indian restaurants and perhaps find new ones. Indian food in London is superb - my favorites are Verraswamy and Amaya (both Michelin star restaurants - fwiw, lunch is less expensive and excellent).

I’ve also done several driving trips in the UK, and though I don’t recommend that for your first visit you should keep it in mind for the future. I’ve truly enjoyed seeing more of the UK outside the cities, randomly stopping at historic sites, seeing the beautiful countryside, etc. To date, my favorite is Wales, and will be returning there next year for a few more days en route to Scotland from Southampton (this trip is after arriving via a transatlantic cruise).

So many things to do in London and the UK. Perhaps if you told us what you prefer (history, culture, food, etc) we can better advise something which you might find of particular interest.


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[DaveNV]

So many things to do in London and the UK. Perhaps if you told us what you prefer (history, culture, food, etc) we can better advise something which you might find of particular interest.

See, that's exactly the problem - we like doing a bit of everything. I know it can't all be seen in one trip. But I also don't want to land in some hotel, wander around town, and then leave, only to discover some fantastic thing we didn't know about was right around the corner. Just seeing the city of London itself won't be enough, so we'll want to see some of the countryside, too. History and culture are quite high on the list. Jeff is a fanatic about the Royal Family, and all things related to the governing history of Great Britain, the Monarchy, Castles and current residences, "seeing the Queen." Museums. Galleries. Architecture. Landmarks. Theater. Great Food and casual takeaway from a wide variety of cultures. Classic Pubs, where we can rub elbows with interesting people. Photographic opportunities of every possible variety. Stonehenge, even though I know it's fenced off from quite a ways back. The list just never stops. It's nothing in particular, and everything in general. We both have spent our lives observing English culture and events from a distance. We'd like to immerse ourselves in the experience in person.

And in our spare time (Yeah, right!) I'd like to know if there is any sort of genealogical library there, where I might be able to find some family history. My roots are about 95% English and Scottish, with a dash of Irish thrown in. My family tree is quite deep in England, going back to pre-America days, to where my 17th (I think it was) Great Grandfather was Lord Mayor of London in the 1530s. His descendants left England for Holland due to religious persecution, and a few generations later came to America in the 1640s, just in time to get involved with the founding of America. I'd love to try and find out more about that.

Those of you who have visited London enough to have favorite places and things are only whetting the appetite. Some great comments in this thread, and I sincerely appreciate the suggestions. Thanks!

Dave

 

[elaine]

One option is to pop over to Salisbury, a very quaint medieval town. You can easily get there via train, from there take the tourist bus (a few miles) out to Stonehenge, see Salisbury cathedral, and spend the night there, dining at a pub, etc. That, IMHO, would give you a nice "out of London" experience and also hit 2 bucket list places. You can also triangulate and go to Bath for another stopover and then return to London. We also did a walk (Harry Potter with our teens) and enjoyed it very much! There are a couple double deck city buses that essentially do the tour bus routes. Rick Steves has lots of info.

 

[DaveNV]

One option is to pop over to Salisbury, a very quaint medieval town. You can easily get there via train, from there take the tourist bus (a few miles) out to Stonehenge, see Salisbury cathedral, and spend the night there, dining at a pub, etc. That, IMHO, would give you a nice "out of London" experience and also hit 2 bucket list places. You can also triangulate and go to Bath for another stopover and then return to London. We also did a walk (Harry Potter with our teens) and enjoyed it very much! There are a couple double deck city buses that essentially do the tour bus routes. Rick Steves has lots of info.

I like this idea quite a bit. Thank you! As you say, it ticks several boxes. Of course, now I'm sure I'll want to spend another trip just touring the country outside of the city. See, it never ends.

Dave

 

["Roger"]

I've been reluctant to participate in this thread because I am not a big city fan. Given your (DaveNV) most recent post ,however, I will throw in two comments, one about London and one about outside of London.

The one thing I would most recommend in London is visiting the Churchill War Rooms. They are an underground complex of rooms where Churchill spent many days and nights during the war - underground to protect him and the strategic planning headquarters from being wiped out by a bomb. They were closed up immediately after the war and only reopened maybe ten years ago. Everything is just as it was when Churchill was there managing the war effort including a strategic map room, separate bed rooms for him and his wife, etc. They are located right near Parliament so you can walk from there to see most of the biggie London sites. If interested, go online somewhat in advance of your trip and get tickets. They are timed entry to avoid overcrowding so they should be purchased in advance.

I am a big fan of travelling all over England outside of London. The one must, as far as I am concerned, is joining the National Trust. They have historic sites all over England, many of which have cafes and restaurants featuring the sort of food that would have been served at the site you are visiting. The cafes and restaurants are clean and good toilets are available. When you tour one of their old (or sometimes, not so old) mansions, castles, etc., docents are located in all the rooms. Don't be shy. Ask them a question (even if you don't have one). They are just waiting to open up and tell you everything they know. In one case, my wife and I asked a question, and after showing interest, the docent started opening up a cabinet that was suppose to remain shut, showing us the secret compartments, the whole nine yards.

The mention of Stonehenge set off this thread. Just a bit further down the road is Stourhead, what is probably the premier National Trust site. It is an extensive property (acres surrounding a lake) with a number of buildings including a large manor house. You need at least a half a day to spend walking (and eating) there. If you remember the old Masterpiece Theater series, The Pallisers, Stourhead was the featured location. (A great many of the old period pieces are filmed at National Trust sites.)

To be honest, English countryside and London are probably separate trips. If you want to do London and just a shorter excursion into the countryside, Stonehenge and Stourhead is probably your best bet.

 

[x3 skier]

I will note that London Walks walks.com do have day trips by train. That are on a fixed schedule so you need to be there on the right dates to travel to Cambridge (a great trip), Canterbury and others.

The biggest splurge I have repeatedly taken is a day trip on the British Pullman, the British portion of the Orient Express. Several destinations around the South of England. Belmond.com. Incudes a four course meal, the train ride in a vintage set of beautifully restored railroad carriages served by formally dressed waiters and waitresses and a guided tour at the destination. Again it runs on selected dates and you need to be there on the selected dates. Everyone on one of these journeys, I and my late wife, and later with a friend or my siblings have had a memorable experience.

Cheers

 

[JudyH]

Plan on 2-3 weeks. Then go back in 6 months. Do that for a few years.

 

[DaveNV]

Plan on 2-3 weeks. Then go back in 6 months. Do that for a few years.

I can only wish I could afford to do that.

The other issue I'm facing is that when considering visiting London, then Paris is SO CLOSE. And then Berlin, and all of Italy. Oh wait - there's Greece just over there! And on and on. It never ends.

Dave

 

[Passepartout]

I can only wish I could afford to do that.

The other issue I'm facing is that when considering visiting London, then Paris is SO CLOSE. And then Berlin, and all of Italy. Oh wait - there's Greece just over there! And on and on. It never ends.

Dave, ol' friend. Mission creep is NOT your friend. As for travel, do what you can, when you can. Trying to see/do it ALL is impossible. Look at the bits you can't get to as an excuse for another trip. Take it in bite-size pieces. You can NEVER see it all. Rick Steves, who has spent 6 weeks every year in Europe for decades, still sees new stuff every year.

Really, going on the cheap, staying in BnB's and shopping elbow-to-elbow with little old ladies at the town market (to me) beats another museum, Parthenon, another church, a ruined castle. And it makes you truly appreciate the unique life you've led, and the world you've experienced. You've mentioned London. People have been living there for decades and haven't seen it all.

As I've said many, many times. The BEST part of a trip is the planning. It's NOT the actual trip- those are often a PITA with delayed flights or surly desk clerks or lousy weather. It's not the memories you'll have and gladly share here on TUG and elsewhere. Nope. It's the planning. The research, the watching the calendar tick down. Relish it. It's all good.

Jim

 

[slip]

Dave, ol' friend. Mission creep is NOT your friend. As for travel, do what you can, when you can. Trying to see/do it ALL is impossible. Look at the bits you can't get to as an excuse for another trip. Take it in bite-size pieces. You can NEVER see it all. Rick Steves, who has spent 6 weeks every year in Europe for decades, still sees new stuff every year.

Really, going on the cheap, staying in BnB's and shopping elbow-to-elbow with little old ladies at the town market (to me) beats another museum, Parthenon, another church, a ruined castle. And it makes you truly appreciate the unique life you've led, and the world you've experienced. You've mentioned London. People have been living there for decades and haven't seen it all.

As I've said many, many times. The BEST part of a trip is the planning. It's NOT the actual trip- those are often a PITA with delayed flights or surly desk clerks or lousy weather. It's not the memories you'll have and gladly share here on TUG and elsewhere. Nope. It's the planning. The research, the watching the calendar tick down. Relish it. It's all good.

Jim

Yep, Dave, this is the same advice you have given many times here on TUG. It's tough only picking what you can really get done. It makes the planning tough.

 

[DaveNV]

See, that's the issue. "Another" museum implies I've already been to one, or more. And some of these museums are a vacation in and of themselves. When we went to New York we spent all day in the Museum of Natural History, and didn't scratch the surface. I'd go back there just to see more of the place.

As to London and everything "Europe," I fully realize I can't see it all. I agree with @slip telling me to follow my own advice. And I want to. But it's so hard to think that if we bite the bullet and make the leap to vacation in England, we're going to want to add on just one more thing, one more day, one more something-or-other. And then when we're done with that extra whatever-it-is, we'll be thinking, "But wait - I can still see there's something just over the horizon..."

All speculation, of course. As long as there is a travel budget, there will be limits on where and what the travel is about. And that's the hardest part - deciding where and when to go, and what to see when we get there. With London, from what I'm reading here, it pays to buy advance tickets to certain events. But without knowing the lay of the land, or how to get around, planning ahead for things like that is very difficult.

This is probably why I like visiting Hawaii so much. On an island, especially the Outer Islands, you can only do so much. There are fewer roads, and less to be able to see and do. It forces me to slow down and enjoy Island Time. With someplace like London, with centuries of history waiting to be discovered, it's way beyond "kid in a candy store" level. There is no end to the things we'd want to try and do and know that we can't do it all. The goal will be to parse it down to what we can afford to do, if not financially, then at least with a limited amount of time.

I totally agree with you @Passepartout Jim and @slip Jeff. The planning is the thing. The problem there is deciding how to start the planning.

Maybe I need to download a map of London and start there. Distance takes time. How best to get around, and then start calculating how many days we'll need to see those "must see" things. Being a tourist can be fun. But being a newbie in a place with so much to see and do kind of sucks. LOL!

Dave

 

[artringwald]

Some of the Hop-on-Hop Off bus passes include a river cruise. We enjoyed going under all the famous bridges and seeing the building from the river.

Big Bus Tours London | London Sightseeing Open-top Bus Tours

Discover all of the iconic and famous sights & landmarks of the city with our London bus tours. Save when you book online today!

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We took the tube to the British Museum and that was the real highlight of our whole trip.

 

[DeniseM]

Dave - I would begin by planning my sight seeing around London Walks - it's just so easy for a first time visitor, and they have a lot of options. And most important: It's not complicated.

 

[louisianab]

We are *hopefully* going in March. I did find a cute hotel with full English breakfast called the Darlington, which is in Hyde Park and by several tube stations. I appreciate reading everyone's tips, even if it is not my thread.

 

[DaveNV]

Dave - I would begin by planning my sight seeing around London Walks - it's just so easy for a first time visitor, and they have a lot of options. And most important: It's not complicated.

There you go again - being the voice of reason.

That's a really good suggestion. I checked their website, and there are some good options there. I just need to step back and decide what are the most important things to see on a first trip, and expect we'd want to do more than one trip there. I'm kind of afraid if we open this Pandora's box of European travel, it will start us on a whole different vacation path.

Now that I think about it - I've been to something like 45 states, some of them many, many times. So maybe opening a new pathway isn't such a bad idea at all.

Dave

 

[Glynda]

I would suggest going in early to mid- September. The weather is good and there are fewer tourists as kids are back in school. Later can be dreary, wet and cold. It's a great time to actually be allowed inside Buckingham Palace's State Rooms and Gardens but you must plan ahead to get tickets. 2019 was the first time we've able to get in and it was fabulous!!! They are only open 10 weeks out of the year. Buckingham Palace- Royal Trust

Westminster Abbey is a place I visit every time I go, The Tower of London is a must at least once. Book for opening time and head straight to the crown jewels or you will be waiting in a long line later.

We did a day trip from London out to Hever Castle by ourselves. It's the former childhood home of Anne Boleyn. We took a train from Victoria Station and got off at Hever Station, an unmanned station. We walked the mile to the castle. It can be done by walking the winding country road or cutting across the fields.Map Hever Station to Hever Castle We've done the same type of day trips to Windsor Castle and to Hampton Court.

Hubby really likes visiting the Imperial War Museum. That's the day we split up and I shop Selfridges and Oxford Street.

Another of our favorites was an East End London Street Art walking tour. So interesting and so eye opening! Alternative London is the group we used: Street Art Waling Tour London's East End

A small favorite house museum is The Wallace Collection but you might want to save it for another trip as there are so many of the well known places you will want to visit on your first trip.

 

[DaveNV]

Wow. All this is very helpful! So we're narrowing things down a bit.

Not necessarily in this order: Jeff wants to visit the Tate, the Victoria and Albert, and the British Museums. I figure that's one a day, so three days. We're thinking a theater evening or two to see a play or two, which could be on two of those museum days. A fourth day for the Buckingham Palace visit @Glynda suggested. A river cruise and Hop On Hop Off bus tour like @artringwald suggested could be much of a fifth day. Add a day or two just to putz around, visiting places like Selfridges or the West End. So that is a week. Add another day to recuperate from jet lag on arrival, and we're at eight days. Doing the overnight trip to see Stonehenge and the areas @elaine recommended, and a side trip to Highclere Castle, would add another two days to things. So we're at ten days, without a lot of downtime to just relax and enjoy where we are. So add that in and make it twelve days. Tack on two days for the walks.com tours @DeniseM recommended, and we've just filled two weeks.

Is this too much to do for a first trip? Obviously, the order of things, and opportunity to combine things to space it all out to be a fun and entertaining trip would be excellent. For those who have been there, what do you think?

Dave

 

[DeniseM]

IMNSO opinion, London is not like Hawaii where you are going to sit on the beach or go hiking on "down days." You want to have a plan every day to maximize your time. YMMV

• I would not do overnight to Stonehenge - I would take the London Walks trip which includes Stonehenge and other things in the area, with zero hassle. Once you have to start figuring out your own transportation in rural areas, it's more complicated.

 

[DaveNV]

IMNSO opinion, London is not like Hawaii where you are going to sit on the beach or go hiking on "down days." You want to have a plan every day to maximize your time. YMMV

• I would not do overnight to Stonehenge - I would take the London Walks trip which includes Stonehenge and other things in the area, with zero hassle. Once you have to start figuring out your own transportation in rural areas, it's more complicated.

Good points. I was thinking London might be a lot like our trip to NYC - where i booked something, (sometimes two or three things) every day. It all ran together so much, my memories are really vague. I think we did too much. I wouldn't want to repeat that mistake.

I hadn't seen the walks.com folks had a Stonehenge tour. I need to look there is more detail first, I think.

Any other things on my list that could be adjusted?

Dave

 

[DeniseM]

Yes, Stonehenge was in my first post: https://www.walks.com/day-trips-from-london/

Do yourself a favor and take a really good look at their website first.

 

[x3 skier]

I’d skip Stonehenge as an out of town trip, especially on a first time visit to the UK. Much more to see on other day trips with London Walks.

If you want to save some money, take the No 9 or No 10 bus rather than the HoHo’. They pass many of the same sights for much less money. Look up TFL.gov.uk for routes.

Cheers

PS, Even if the continent is a short Eurostar trip away, don’t even think about it. With the ever changing COVID Rules, you could get stuck in a hotel for a while.