London!!

[LoveMyKeyKKG]

I am so excited. I am heading to London this fall!

I've been once before but it was for work and a really short trip so I really didn't get to do much. I want to cover the classic sights and major attractions on this trip so I would like to know if anyone has any tips about what is worth seeing, what isn't worth seeing, what is MANDATORY to see!

I already have tickets to see Wicked in the West End (with Idina Menzel! for those of you who know who she is) and would like to see one or two more shows but I don't know what to pick. I have heard that Billy Elliot is really good. Suggestions?

Basically let me know your favorite London places, restaurants, pubs, things to do, etc. I appreciate any and all suggestions. Oh and hotels too. I found one hotel near the Wicked theatre and it is also right at Victoria station - it's called the Victoria Park Plaza. Anyone ever stayed there?

THANKS!

[DeltAlum]

London is just a great city. Take the red bus. Get on and get off as many times as you want. Like New York, it's also a good walking city. Have fun.

Wicked is a great show and Idina is outstanding -- too bad Kristin Cheonwith didn't go over as well (Saw the original in NY).

We saw Woman in White which was average at best. We saw FAME which was fun, but not great. We went on a whim just for the hell of it.

Mama Mia was still HUGE there, but I had already seen it twice so we didn't go.

We happened to be there on VE Day and BBC-TV was doing a huge remote broadcast in Trafalger Square, so traffic was a mess.

On previous visits we walked all around at night -- through Picadilly Circus and along the embankment -- as I said, great walking city. We were walking from Trafalger to Buckingham Palace and a platoon of mounted calvary trotted down the street. St. James's Park is gorgeous.

Of course we went to Harrods -- but it's just another department store pretty much.

As part of the Red Bus tour we took a ride up the Thames from the Tower to Parliament. That was fun.

Damn, what a neat city.

[iastategal]

LovemykeyKKG you will have soo much fun in London!

I have spent alot of time in London (both work and pleasure) and it is a great city. Like DeltAlum said, London is a great walking city, I find taking the bus more enjoyable than the tube because you can see more as you are going through the city (though the tube is great for long distance and point to point travel). You can get multiday/week travel cards good for multiple zones at the major train stations (Victoria, Paddington, Waterloo, etc). You will need to visit one of the little photo machine kiosks (about 4 pounds) to get a photo made for the id, but the travel cards make it so easy to use mass transit, you just flash your card when you get on the tube or bus.

There is so much to see and do, so here are a few of my favorites:

Tower of London - great tour and the Crown Jewels are amazing. You can also sit alongside the Thames for a break on a nice day.

St. Paul's Cathedral - beautiful, huge - take the time to go up to the whispering gallery, and also down to the crypts.

Buckingham Palace - Depending on when you go this fall, the palace may be open for limited tours (They used to open it around late Aug through September). If not, go for the changing of the guard w/ all its grandeur. Around the corner from the Palace is where you can see part of the Queen's collection of artwork and the horse carriages they use for special occasions.

London Eye - originally put up for the Millenium celebration, this has proven to be a fabulous way to see all the sights of London. The wheel moves very slowly (approx. 1/2 hr for an entire revolution), and the glass "pods" afford a great view across London. The tour book here is worth picking up.

Harrods - Like DeltAlum said, just another large department store - but the staff are exceptionally helpful and friendly. Typically, this is the first place I visit when I get to London. The food halls provide a good to place to take a break and have lunch.

British Museum - The British Museum is full of many artifacts from when the sun never set on the British empire. This is also one of the few attractions open on Sunday. The Rosetta Stone is well worth the stop.

Other Museums worth visiting - The Victoria and Albert (The V&A as many locals call it) and the Tate.

Windsor Castle - a day trip out from London - well worth it - I think the changing of the Guard there is so much more special than at Buckingham Palace, it is much more intimate. Much of the palace is open for tour, and even more so if the Royal Family is not present. Make sure to go into King George's Chapel and Queen Mary's dollhouse.

Other suggestions - Hampton Court and Palace - built by Henry the 8th, another short day trip (you can take a Thames cruise here as well), Kensington Palace (adjacent to Hyde Park). Westminster Abbey (not one of my favorites, but still a good stop), Houses of Parliament, and walking along the Mall.

Shopping - London has great shopping - the "high street" - Oxford, Bond and along Piccadilly. Prices will be about the same no matter which store you shop. If you buy anything over 50 pounds most stores will give you a VAT rebate form so you can claim your VAT tax back. if you do this, the items will need to be with you in your carry on at the airport so that the customs officials can verify (though I have told them it was packed in a suitcase and they were ok w/ that, just stop at the desk before you check your bag). I am also a big fan of having things shipped home - no VAT, you just pay shipping. I have had no problems getting things shipped, and everything has arrived in one piece, and quickly (1 trip, I had the package arrive at my door 3 days before I got home!)

English Tea - a must do - Make your reservation when you arrive - 2 places I would recommend - Brown's Hotel and the St. James Room at Fortnum and Mason.

Hotels - I am partial to Hilton (but I travel alot, and usually get upgraded to a suite), but good choices are Le Meridien Piccadilly, Hilton Paddington (though I have had good luck at any Hilton property in London), Thistle Marble Arch, and Grovesner House. There are many other very nice hotels - my recommendation is to get a room that includes full english breakfast (otherwise breakfast can be very pricey - 15 to 20 pounds/person/day), and then just stop at a pub for lunch. Also check how close the hotel is to a tube/bus stop, so much easier when they are close.

Enjoy your trip!!!

[DeltAlum]

Originally Posted by iastategal

Hotels - I am partial to Hilton (but I travel alot, and usually get upgraded to a suite), but good choices are Le Meridien Piccadilly, Hilton Paddington (though I have had good luck at any Hilton property in London), Thistle Marble Arch, and Grovesner House. There are many other very nice hotels - my recommendation is to get a room that includes full english breakfast (otherwise breakfast can be very pricey - 15 to 20 pounds/person/day), and then just stop at a pub for lunch. Also check how close the hotel is to a tube/bus stop, so much easier when they are close.

Enjoy your trip!!!

Agree with everything above, but be aware that the Hiltons are very pricey (We stay at the London Hilton in Knightsbridge on business). There are some more reasonable less expensive proterties. You can check Hotels.com or a site like it. I agree with comment on the bus being better to see things, but when traveling on our own dime, we've stayed at places like Earls Court or others along a tube line and been just minutes away from "The City."

Being a child of the 60's, I got a real kick out of walking and shopping on Carnaby Street, of early Beatles fame.

[blueangel]

LOVE, LOVE, LOVE London!

Best way to get around is in "the tube." They're clean and very well mapped out. You can buy daily, weekly or weekend passes. The passes require passport sized pictures, so it's a good idea to get that done and bring those with you. This is a site which can give you more info:
http://www.tfl.gov.uk/tfl/

All of the suggestions by others as to where to go are excellent. I'd add.. Westminster Abbey. It's expensive to get in, but well worth it.

The wax museum (Madam Tussaud's) is fun too. Some of the walking tours are fun-- including the ghost tour at night.

The Houses of Parliament are very interesting. You can get a guided tour from June through Sept.

Personally, I would skip "The Changing of the Guard." It goes on forever.. it's really crowded, and it's not that exciting. If you really want to go, be at Buckingham Palace no later than 11:15am.

You can find a sightseeing tour which will take you around all of the usual touristy spots. A good one is the "hop on-hop off" double decker bus. It goes all over London, and when you see one of the main sites you want to see, you just hop off, then get the next bus and "hop on" again. Here are some sites:
http://www.bigbus.co.uk/
http://www.theoriginaltour.com/

You can also find bus tours to some great spots like Stonehenge, Oxford, and Bath.

Some misc. info:

Londoners are very friendly. If you need help, by all means ask. When we were lost, we stopped and asked people.. and they would stop to draw us maps, and even walk us to our destination. At first brush, you might think they're not friendly.. but you have to approach them for help first. Once you do, you'll find they'll go out of their way to help.

Learn to speak English.
Lots of the words are different. I remember trying to buy a curling iron, and nobody knew what I was talking about. They call them curling "tongs."
Of course, you probably know a "bus" is a "coach", a "dumpster" is a "skip," an "elevator" is a "flat", the bathroom is "the loo" or the "w.c."
Of course you know what a British Pound is.. but it is often referred to in slang as "quid." So if you have 20 pounds, they might say "20 quid".
Do not say "fanny". In the USA, fanny is a casual slang word for your posterior (the English say "bum") but "fanny" it's a very vulgar word in the UK!

You don't tip the bartender. If you don't like beer, it's sometimes hard to get typical American cocktails at pubs. (Don't even try to order a Sombrero!) You can, however, get simple "rum and coke" drinks.

You usually don't tip in restaurants either. Look on your check-- it's usually already included.

If you're a chocolate lover.. go into a Woolworths and load up on Cadbury. They have versions we don't have, like my favorite "Cadbury Crunchie!"

Food can be quite pricey. Be sure to ask the locals for a good "Chip" shop and buy the fish and chips. You put vinegar and salt on both the fish and chips (french fries.) If you want to sample other traditional fare, you could eat in a pub and order a good soup or a meat pie (just don't ask what goes into them!)

You can also find a huge assortment of foreign cuisines... but again, quite pricey. If you like Dim Sum. try Royal China in Queensway. Look for Mr. Wu branches all over town for a Chinese buffet. There are lots of Indian restaurants, Sushi bars (Moshi Moshi in Liverpool Station) is excellent, but very expensive, Thia, Vietnamese, and French.

If you have an emergency.. dial 999 for police, fire or ambulance.

Have fun.. you'll have a great time!

[Tom Earp]

OHG, talk about bringing back memories!

Learn the Tube, it is easy to get around in.

Agree with all of the above, but, My Favorite Pub is The Sherlock Holmes Pub on North Umberland just off of the Thames. Find Trafalger Square as it runs toward the Thames from it.

The Museums, Madam Tousouds Wax Museum is something. Ride a boat up the Thames to Greenich and see the Cutty Sark, the name of a Sailing ship.

The Tower is an amazing place to see along with Windsor Castle. Take the Tube and then a bus to get there, it is huge.

Red bus with a pass is the best deal in town.

God, I wish I could go along as it has been years and is a neat Town/City!

[DeltAlum]

On the other hand, the very worst Big Mac I've ever eaten was at a McDonalds in London.

[Tom Earp]

Originally Posted by DeltAlum

On the other hand, the very worst Big Mac I've ever eaten was at a McDonalds in London.

LOL, reminded me of the American Pizza Resturant across from Victoria Station!

Shepards Pie, poor person meal. UGGGGH! But Cheap!

[AXO Alum]

Originally Posted by DeltAlum

On the other hand, the very worst Big Mac I've ever eaten was at a McDonalds in London.

We were in London/Europe before I became a vegetarian, and we all thought the SAME thing.

By the time we hit France, we all wanted something truly "American" to eat, so we stopped at a Pizza Hut. There were 5 of us - so a large pizza plus 5 sodas. We still to this day don't know WHAT we ordered, but it came out to be equal to about $100 US (don't forget that this was 1989).

London is a marvelous city - we enjoyed just about everything there, and I would love to go back. My sorority little sis lives there now, and I would love to go visit her! Have a great time!

[DeltAlum]

Isn't there a new bar that's built out of ice? It think it's in London. That would be fun to see and experience.

[PhoenixAzul]

Black and white pudding are a VERY, VERY acquired taste.

and remember, while in the UK, to cross the street, "Righ, left, right"

[DeltAlum]

Originally Posted by PhoenixAzul

...and remember, while in the UK, to cross the street, "Righ, left, right"

Oh yeah...

Should have remembered that. Look down at the painted signs telling you which way to look before crossing the street!

Also, things are pretty slow on Sundays, (lots of restaurants, etc. not open) but there is a great (free as I recall) organ recital in the late afternoon (4:00 PM???) at Westminster Abbey.

[dekeguy]

Just got back from a week there. Heathrow (and I suppose Gatwick) in quite a turmoil but not too bad if you pack carefully. Try to travel light and have as little carry-on as possible. I checked everything except a paperback book that I stuffed in my pocket. Check with your airline to see what restrictions are in force and what has been eased up.

I always try to have dinner at 'Rules Restaurant', Maiden Lane near Covent Garden. Great game, roast beef, and wild salmon. Reduced price menu if order is placed before six PM. 'Simpson's in the Strand' is excellent for carved roast beef or lamb from a huge silver trolly, but it is rather pricy. For Dim Sum I like the 'New World' in China Town. The 'Standard' Indian Restaurant in Bayswater does good curry at reasonable prices. For Turkish food try the 'Sofra Aspava', several locations, I like the ones on St Christopher Place and Shepard's Market. The Old Bank of England Ale and Pie Shop on Fleet Street is a great pub that has good chow and is in the heart of Legal London about next to the Royal Courts of Justice (also good tour to see Barristers and Judges in Wigs, gowns, and bands).

Also take tour of the Inns of Court, all of which are right close by. For DaVinci Code fans, the chapel of the Inner Temple, one of the Inns of Court, is the Templar Church from that story. There are several good pubs in the immediate neighborhood. I am partial to 'The Jury Box' just out of the East Gate of the Inner Temple. (As must be obvious, I am a member of the Inner Temple).

For museums don't miss the British Museum, the V&A, Summerset House, the Tate, National Portrait Gallery, etc, etc.

The Brits are masters of ceremonial, if you don't see a Guard Mount at the Palace try to see a royal salute by the King's Troop, Royal Horse Artillery normally fired from Hyde Park. Full mounted charge, then unlimbering the guns and firing a 50 gun salute. Very impressive (and loud). Done on several occasions during the year, always announced in the Times.

I was impressed and touched by the obit the Times publishes every year on the anniversary of the Battle of Hastings marking the Norman Conquest of England in AD1066. The death notice obit reads "Harold, King of England, on the field of battle, in defence of the Realm".

For hotels, remember that London hotels are very expensive. A possible alternative near the British museum is The Russell, on Russell Square. Its a big old (1899) 300 room place thats in need of a bit of refurbishment but I am told that it is safe and the rooms are clean. Rates start at about L75.00 BPS ($140.00) + or -, which is rather cheaper than most large places.

I like the London Transport sponsored tour busses which give you a good overview of London so you can hit all the highspots and choose which ones appeal most to you to come back and check out in more detail.

Above all, get a good recent tour book like Fodor's or the Michelin Green Guide.

Have a great time and I hope you love London as much as I do.

[Tom Earp]

Looking both ways! Be sure to do that as I almost became a Hood Ornament for a Jag while there!

They do stop at cross walks, or they used to!

Dekeguy, as usual, always glad to see you on the boards!

[iastategal]

Originally Posted by dekeguy

For Turkish food try the 'Sofra Aspava', several locations, I like the ones on St Christopher Place and Shepard's Market.

I love Sofra Aspava, especially the one on St. Christopher's Place - great food, reasonably priced, and many times there is entertainment in the square!