My family of 4 will be arriving at LHR the evening of Dec 25. We have a place booked in Battersea but I think all public transport will be shut down for the holiday. What other options do we have to get there?
We will be in London for the week. What's a good day trip? Are Stonehenge and Bath worth a tour? Would love any suggestions.
Thanks in advance!
Well, it should be an uncrowded flight. The 26th is Boxing Day which has a whole other set of challenges. I wouldn't expect much to be open and you will pay a premium for a taxi. If you are in a hotel, the staff will probably help you get some food. If you are in an apartment, maybe you can get ask for some basic provisions to be laid in. I think most Brits will appreciate the urgency of having enough supplies for TEA. Pick up a bottle of something comforting at duty-free.
See what the weather is like. There's plenty to see in London if things are open. If it's cold and rainy, maybe a tour bus would be a nice refuge. On a Thanksgiving week trip, we went to Greenwich. The Maritime Museum and Observatory are awesome. Because it was misty, as darkness fell, we were able to see the laser beam that cuts down the Zero Meridian. My kids loved the Imperial War museum. Maybe you can catch a good sale at Fortnum and Mason's. Take a good raincoat, waterproof boots and a hat!
Your travel option for a Christmas arrival is a taxi cab.
Not going to be cheap.
The day after Christmas is Boxing Day.
You’ll need to do your homework to see if specific places that you’d like to visit like the Tower of London will be open.
Day trips: Bletchley Park, Bath, Oxford, Greenwich Rye, Cambridge, Eastbourne, Canterbury.
EDIT: have spent a half dozen Christmases in London. Christmas day is quiet. If near one of the many Royal Parks or the Thames path you’ll find families out and about with new winter coats, hats, coats, bikes, scooters, footballs.
As noted many ethnic restaurants are open for meals but good to make reservations. Some pubs offer dinners. In your Battersea neighborhood. The Lighthouse and the Woodman are good traditional pubs.
Rather than a taxi, you can pre-book a car service at a a set price. They will meet you as you leave customs. Probably less than a taxi.
One popular company on this forum is Blackberry Cars. I personally have never used them. Don't wait until the last minute.
Rick has a whole page in his London book devoted to what the city is like at Christmas time.
One suggestion he has is to dine in ethnic neighborhoods like Chinatown where the holiday will not be so observed.
