5 days in London - see Windsor, Buckingham, or Warwick?

Please don't abbreviate place names - Buckingham is the county town if Buckinghamshire, some 60 miles from London. It's a very pretty town, but it doesn't feature much on this forum. I think you mean Buckingham Palace?

Terror incident wise - who knows when, if, where etc the next attack will be. Arguably, there maybe more police in London. I wouldn't decide where to go on this basis, as anywhere is a potential target. Of your three options, I would opt for Windsor as I don't care for Warwick Castle and Windsor is much quicker to get to than Warwick. The town centre in Windsor is pleasant. Second choice would be Buckingham Palace.

Some evil terrorist may dream of attacking Buckingham Palace, but I think it's far from a "soft target." Take a cue from the Brits who "keep calm and carry on."

I loved Hampton Court and Windsor would be a close second.

Thanks everyone. That's helpful.

Buckingham Palace is probably the least advised place in London for a terrorist to attack - those guys in bearskins have real assault rifles despite the fancy uniforms and there are most probably even more heavily armed guys in more practical clothing just inside the doors.

I have been to all four, Windsor and Hampton Court twice each.
For me HCP is the best experience. Windsor Castle and Buckingham Palace State Rooms would be next (on a par with each other). Warwick Castle a distant fourth.

With 5 days to play with, you certainly have time to do all 4 if you'd like.

Buckingham Palace is only open during August and September, so if it's something you want to do, you're here at the right time. I went for the first time last year and the state rooms are spectacular. It's a real, working Palace, and I was so pleased to be actually inside one of the Queen's homes.

Windsor Castle is similar in that you tour the state rooms there, but somehow Buckingham Palace felt grander. However, they also have Queen Mary's dollshouse and St George's chapel, where the Queen Mum and Henry ViII are buried (but not together!)

Hampton Court is brilliant if you've an interest in Tudor or Stuart history. The kitchens are good fun and there's usually a costumed cook working who can tell you all about them.

Warwick Castle is a longer train ride away. I've been past it on the train, but not yet gone inside. It appears to be very popular with families and children.

I have been to HCP, Windsor, and Buckingham Palace. Loved all three - for different reasons of course!

HCP is much more hands-on, and your experience changes as you go from the kitchens, to the Great Hall, from the old section to the new section, the gardens, the great vine, etc. It was a fun day, and my husband has a picture of my looking through the gates as we were leaving - I obviously didn't want to go.

Windsor was everything I thought it would be. Glad I went, and there are parts of it I am very glad to have seen.

Buckingham Palace was amazing, and felt different than Windsor. It is beautiful, and it seemed I recognized so much of the artwork (and I don't know art). It's the yearly exhibition that make it extra-special. We were there for the coronation exhibition. Everything was so beautiful, and one could get right up close to the details of all the clothes, etc. This year they are showcasing the extravagant gifts the Queen has received over the years. I am sure it will be amazing.

I am taking my boys back to London in October, and am very sad to miss BP. If I had to rank them i would go HCP, BP, Windsor.

Would love to hear more comments on Warwick. We are going to Stratford-Upon-Avon (gotta hit all the Shakespeare sites!), and am wondering if it's worth getting to Warwick. Even thinking about spending the night there.

Laurie, I would rate the sights:
1.Hampton Court Palace
2.Windsor
3.Buckingham Palace
4.Warwick

Windsor is older than Buckingham Palace and has been occupied by more kings and queens of England than has Buckingham Palace. Windsor was originally built about 1068 or so by William the Conqueror, but then it was just a motte and bailey wooden fort. Stone buildings soon after that.
Hampton Court is older than BP.
Warwick is older than BP and is medieval.

Merritt, read this thread which was posted a couple of days ago:
https://community.ricksteves.com/travel-forum/england/stratford-upon-avon-vs-warwick-castle
On this thread, many of the people who say it is like a theme park I suspect have never been there. The Warwick castle website makes it look like a theme park, but the actual experience when you go there is not like a theme park.
The current owner of the castle is Merlin Entertainment Group. They have installed a lot of entertainment features, such as medieval jousting, employees in costumes, and wax figures throughout the castle.

None of this diminishes the enjoyment of the medieval castle. You can look past the entertainment features. Kids will enjoy the extra features such as falconry. The adults will enjoy the medieval castle, suits of armor, and hearing the history of the castle.

Stratford-Upon-Avon and Warwick are two of my favorite places. We stayed for three nights last May in Stratford-Upon-Avon. We took one morning and visited Warwick Castle. We took another day for strolling around SUA and seeing the Shakespeare sights.

Another day we took a tour of the Cotswolds. Stratford-Upon-Avon is in the northern Cotswolds, so it's a good starting point.
We took the "Go Cotswolds" Tour, hosted by Tom. We were staying in Stratford-Upon-Avon, where we were picked up at our hotel in the morning by Tom and his mini-bus. Several other tour members were already onboard. The mini-bus seats 16 passengers comfortably, so you are not with a huge bus load of people. The mini-bus was not full when we went. Total of 8 people.
Read my trip report I posted here:
https://community.ricksteves.com/travel-forum/day-tours/go-cotswolds-tour-with-tom-the-most-fun-we-had-while-in-england

Merritt, if you want more information, post a new thread, all your own, about Warwick and Stratford-Upon-Avon.
This will start a new discussion and we won't be getting laurie.patton's thread off-topic.

When I went through Warwick Castle I enjoyed it very much, but this was before Merlin was the dungeonmaster. There have always been interesting things to interest kids and big kids, like a trebuchet chucking watermelons, sword fights and jousting.

Tussauds (of the Madame at Baker Street and around the world fame) bought the Castle in 1978, they were then more recently taken over by Merlin.

If you are in the area, at Stratford upon Avon for example, I think it well worth a day of many peoples' time. I'm not sure a precious day taken from London would be.

Thanks for all the input and links! Given our schedule, I think I'll save Warwick for another trip, and this time see Hampton Court, Windsor, and Buckingham Palace. My friends also want to spend a day in Greenwich, so I think that will fill our time. Also thanks for the mention of Leeds Castle, as we will be in Canterbury to start and I plan to make a day trip to see it while in Kent.

Again, thanks to everyone. Much appreciated.