3 nights london for artist interest then to southhampton to QM2

"not too expensive" is not too specific. What is your target in £s per night?

Have you already booked your train tickets? Because the usual station for fast trains to Southampton is London Waterloo. You can get trains from Victoria but they take much longer.

London is full of hotels. The British Museum is in Bloomsbury, a very nice area with a range of hotels of all prices, so you'd need to give a bit more guidance in the sort of hotel you'd like and how much you want to spend.

No I haven't bought my ticket yet for the train 2 South Hampton. But I will try to find more details on that. Thank you. I did book a hotel close to the British museum. And I guess we'll take a taxi or Uber to the station that takes you to the qm2 in Southampton. Thank you for informing about the faster train. I'll look into that today.

Maybe the uber will be allowed to operate at the time you travel - maybe not.

Uber have been found by the licensing body to be unfit and unsafe. They have been buying full page ads saying sorry but at the moment from tomorrow they will have no legal right to operate in London. They are appealing, and the new head of the company has flown in on his zippy jet to plead for leniency on Tuesday. While the appeal goes forward they can continue to charge their surge pricing and see what they can get away with.

Use www.nationalrail.co.uk to check train timetables and use "London (All Stations)" as your start point so you can compare various services, times and prices.

You can hail at London black cab on the street very easily to get you to the train station - probably cost you £10 maybe £15. Or take the bus or tube!

Thank you that's very helpful. I'll take a cab to the train station London Waterloo to pick up a train that goes to Southampton I'll have to buy the ticket in advance you're saying someone was saying. I'll buy it now I guess before I go I'll be leaving Miami to Heathrow Airport on October the 9th. Arriving on Tuesday the 10th of October.. at the airport so I just take a black cab to my hotel? I don't think there's any other choice just take a cab from the airport to the hotel in London. How much would that cost do you think I'm going to right around the area of the British museum. It's in walking distance from my hotel. So that's probably the only way to take a black cab right?

So the travel from the airport to my hotel I take a cab that's probably the fastest and the easiest way. From Heathrow Airport to Bloomsbury District around the British museum area. I am traveling alone period and not much of a traveler so I'll have to just take it as an adventure and hope I don't make too many mistakes.

From Heathrow to Bloomsbury, don't just take a black cab. Either pre-book a car to meet you (cheaper than getting a cab for a long journey). Blackberry Cars or Just Airports are two recommended firms.

(Only use black cab for short hops within London itself).

Or, if you're feeling intrepid, hop on a Piccadilly line tube at Heathrow (not the Heathrow Express) and ride it all the way to Russell Square in Bloomsbury. Takes about an hour, very cheap (like, £6 I think).

Trains to Southampton- if you book in advance you might be able to book what's known as an Advance ticket (capital A) which is the cheapest, but must be used on exactly the train you specify. Otherwise you could buy an off-peak or anytime ticket. These would be usable on a range of trains to Southampton and you could buy on the day.

Thanks that's very helpful. This might be a silly question how do you buy the ticket for the train? The one that I need to go to South Hampton to board the Queen Mary 2 to. Can I just buy it the day that I'm leaving or do I have to buy an in advance. I think the above person said I can buy it on the day that I'm leaving. So I have to leave the Bloomsbury area and take the train to Southampton and be there by 1 in the afternoon to board the Queen Mary 2. Can I just buy the ticket on that day early in the morning. I guess you use your telephone. I'll have to ask the people at the desk in the small hotel that I'm staying in in Bloomsbury.

You can buy your train ticket the day you travel at Waterloo Station from either a ticket machine or an actual person at the ticket office. Ask for a single (one way) ticket to Southampton Central. You will need to take a taxi from the station to the docks.

Bon voyage and a smooth sailing!

Charlotte
Boarding the QM2 starts at 1:00 (even earlier if you want to) but you can board much later than that if need be, so don't be too stressed about it. You can buy your ticket at Waterloo Station, no discount for non UK seniors, by the way.

Southampton.

Oh thanks for the great info I feel more sure about the whole thing. What I wanted to ask is I'm staying at the The Grange Whitehall Hotel in Bloomsbury. I hope it's quiet there. Has anybody stayed there? I was going to go with someone but then they got sick so now I'm going alone. Thank you all for your help I really appreciate it. Getting around from point A to B will be an adventure. I know I'll see the British museum is it walking distance from Bloomsbury to the Tate modern or I have to take a taxi? Thanks a lot again for your time and patience

Google Maps is good for answering "can I walk" questions. You enter your starting and ending points and click on the walking-man icon. In this case the distance is just under 2 miles, so doable but perhaps farther than you'd want to walk since you don't have that much time in London and you'll find the city has far more than three days' worth of great museums. The good news about the Tate Modern is that it is not one of the city's monstrously huge museums. I actually saw most of it in 3-4 hours, whereas many of the other museums on my list seemed like they'd take a minimum of two days.

If you do choose to walk, you can opt for a route that goes quite near Sir John Soane's Museum and/or the Courtauld Institute (in Somerset House).

The National Gallery and National Portrait Gallery are closer to your hotel than the Tate Modern--less than a mile away. The Tate Britain is over 2 miles away.

The Grange Whitehall is a pleasant little hotel in a nice location. Nothing fancy, but it's in a nice old London building with creaky uneven floors. I've stayed there a few times for work and other than a few niggles I thought it was absolutely fine for the price. Nowhere in London is particularly quiet - there's a bit of street noise - but it's a sedate & pleasant neighbourhood.

You'll want to get to grips with buses and tubes to get the best out of your few days in London. I'm also recommending the Victoria & Albert over in South Kensington - applied arts, glass, textiles, jewellery etc. A glorious museum. Easy to get to by tube.

The Tate Modern is on the other side of the Thames in Bankside. A little under 2 miles. I rarely use black cabs in London. The bus and tube systems are great, as long as you aren't riding during rush hours. And speaking of rush hour- it can get expensive if your taxi has to crawl along in rush hour traffic. Transport For London is the website with all the info you need for public transportation in the city. It also has a good journey planner to help you get around. Here's a link: https://tfl.gov.uk/plan-a-journey/

Yeah, I'd only suggest black cab when heading to Waterloo with luggage.

As noted above, the Sir John Soanes museum is close to the British Museum, and is a charming, small museum and all the more enjoyable after the overwhelming-ness of the Br. Museum.

FYI, the British Library is about a mile away from the British Museum. I always find it fascinating to see what’s in the Treasure Gallery.

https://www.bl.uk/events/treasures-of-the-british-library

Thank you all for your time and patience in answering my questions I really appreciate it. It makes me feel less anxious about going by myself. I was planning to go with my sister but she became sick so I'm doing it by myself. Do you think that hotel is good enough for me you think I should try a different Hotel maybe a a bed and breakfast B&B.? Or just stick with the Grange hall Hotel? I was really wanting a very quiet place and I don't mind spending a little bit more if it's going to make me feel better about being alone. And it's only 3 nights. If someone has an additional suggestion I could change it. Or would that make it more confusing? Thanks again for your suggestions I appreciate it the museum thing sounds really good I'm going to try to get to one or two a day.

Since you're unfamiliar with London, I highly recommend you get a small guidebook, even though you're only there for a few days. Rick Steves Pocket London would be a very good choice: https://store.ricksteves.com/shop/p/pocket-london

This will give you information on getting around, where to eat, what to see, etc.

Please check your personal messages. I've written u a detailed message about your accommodation choice, how to get around London during your 3day visit and museums and other sites of interest.

Yes I read on the answers two with three times. And found it very very helpful and I appreciate your time in helping me to get around London. I think I'll stick with the Grange Hall Hotel. I don't want to confuse myself too much. Like you say you can keep searching for the perfect place this is the place to sleep as long as it's safe and clean and not too noisy it'll be fine. I know for sure I'm going to the Tate modern, the British Museum, Tate Britain. The portrait museum. And the thamesclipper. The Sr. john soanes museum Cortland Institute the Somerset House. I would love to go to Turner's house if it's a museum. So thanks again and I will purchase the pocket Rick Steve's pocketbook are Getting around London. Any other suggestions about museums in galleries maybe I could go to one of them instead other ones.
How do you buy that oyster card for getting on and off the train in the buses? When should I buy it and where. other thing is how do you order in the car at the Heathrow airport to go to my hotel room? Where do you order the car?

thank you Claudea, much appreciate your help.

The Grange Whitehall is absolutely fine, as I said in my earlier post. It's a good option at that price range. You've made a decent selection there. It's safe, well-located, has a lift (elevator), a bit of historic charm and friendly staff.

The Wallace Collection might appeal to you. Free entry, beautiful private collection, just behind the shops of Oxford Street.

http://www.wallacecollection.org

One last question. I have the opportunity to switch from Grand Whitehall Hotel 263 Bay Water's Edge. Which would you recommend better. What which one would be better? I think the 63 has coffee I mean cooking. And the location is supposably close to the tubes a number of different tubes. As a single woman which one would it matter which one I stay at. Sort of which one would be quieter quiet Street? Thank you very much

I'm afraid there must be a typo. I can't find a Bay Water's Edge in London, either as an address or as a building name.

Is that a hotel name? Or an address for an AirBnB?

Emma is correct as I recommended 63 Bayswater as well as the Vancouver Studio apartments.

Thank you all so much both Emma and Claudia for helping me with my decision. And making my trip to London a lot hundred percent better. Now I feel like I can do it with their help and everyone's help. I hope you all have a beautiful day today in Wherever You Are. And it's very kind of you to help strangers.

You are very welcome. Great city. Enjoy!!