Decision Time Re Tower of London

Do you care about seeing the Crown Jewels? Can you have an early night the night prior? Those would influence my recommendation. It really boils down to do you want to see the most (and have more time later in day for other things), or do you prefer a slow start/don’t have other plans that day?

Both are good and viable options

It’s Easter weekend, so there maybe transport delays if essential works are being undertaken over the long weekend. School holidays means it will be busy.

It’s going to take you the best part of an hour to get to Tower Hill from Queen’s Park door to door.

Check that the crown etc will be there - the last I heard was that it had been removed to be amended for the Coronation.

Whether I want to see the crown jewels is a great question. I'll have to think about that!

It's probably not a bad time to discuss our decision to stay in Queen's Park. We like variety! On previous trips we've stayed in Islington (back in the 60"s - - that was rich!), Earl's Court (back in the 80's (People called it Kangaroo Valley), Knightsbridge, the Marriott County Hall on the River (people on the Eye could look into our room!), and most recently at a hotel in Hyde Park Estates.

Are we staying in Siberia? It seems like a nice residential neighborhood and the B&B sounds very appealing. Should we ditch that reservation and stay closer to the river? Thanks for your advice.

I’ve stayed in the area. Perfectly fine. Enjoyed a meal at Mr Fish. Meandered about the cemeteries.

About 30 minutes to Parliament Square. Would be nearly 40 to Tower Hill with more than one change.

Unless early risers I think you need to re think your early morning Tower of London visit.

Personally I’d see if you could find a BnB or a room
at the Premier Inn London City (Aldgate) or the PI London Bank……both much closer to the Tower as well as the rest of the London sites.

I personally like seeing the crown jewels......

I think the main issue here is what do you want from your visit? You can always buy your own ticket, see the crown jewels first thing and then show up for the free tour offered by the Tower itself. Are you looking for more of a historical overview that you might get with your own tour guide? Are you just as happy wandering around by yourself and reading the interpretive signs that are all over the place?

I like the Tower of London, but a few thoughts. How are you with stairs? The White Tower should be avoided if stairs are an issue.
I don't like the Beefeater tours. They are pretty canned and there is little control over how many people in each tour group. Other people find them charming.

A number of years ago, I did what Claudia suggested and booked at Premier Inn London City. Super easy to get to the Tower. I went when it opened and was by no means the first person there. The Yeoman Warder tour was sufficient and informative for me. I did not choose to see the jewels, but it was an option.

Afterwards, I recall walking up one side of the river and down the other - easy to see things on foot.

I read up on the Tower and decided nah, nothing there for me. Esp given the crowds.

If you go to the V&A you can see enough jewelry to last several lifetimes, including a piece donated by Beyonce.

As Jennifer noted, the crown itself is not on display at the Tower and won't be until after the Coronation.

The Tower can get very crowded and numerous people suggest to get there when it opens to beat the worst of the crowds. Easter weekend it will be busy.

You wrote:
"Option 1 is a tour where we arrive at Tower Hill Underground Station no later than 8:15 am..."
and
"On this trip we are staying in the Queen's Park neighborhood so ......This means that getting to Tower Hill by 8:15 am is going to be a challenge for us. It feels like we are going to have to get up awfully early! "

Then I would cross the tour off my list of possibilities. It sounds as though you don't want to get up early, anyway, and might even miss the tour, since you're saying it would be a challenge for you.

"The price difference between the preferential tour (option 1) and general admission (option 2) is significant; but, we are less interested in the cost than we are about the hassle of arriving so early versus the hassle of long lines."

Forget the tour. I would just do general admission and get there whenever you want to.
Normally, I would not say that, but if you're not early risers, well....
It's too bad. The best time to get there is right when it opens.........on your own, no tour.

The Tower opens at 9 AM on Saturday, so if you were on your own, that is much better than having to show up at 8:15 for the tour. Buy tickets here online:
https://www.hrp.org.uk/tower-of-london/#gs.lnk79h

Is there any other day you can go there besides Saturday, April 8th (the day before Easter)?
If you're going to be in London for several days, you could rearrange your schedule to put it on a weekday.
If you could put it off until Monday, April 10th, the Tower opens at 10 AM.
Check the Tower website for any closures, as there usually are some.
It's too soon today for any closures around Easter to be listed yet, but keep checking back.
https://www.hrp.org.uk/tower-of-london/#gs.lnl0ms

I loved seeing the Crown Jewels and headed there first before any crowds arrived. It was early April and snowing lightly, flurries, and few others showed up at the Tower. They even considered closing which amazed us.

Thank you (grazie mille) to everyone for providing me a lot of great information. So the decision has been made: We are going to get to The Tower when we get there and pass on the jewels. I was thinking crown jewels as a nod to my wife; but she said she saw the jewels many years ago when she was quite young and she doesn't need to see them again. I could pass on them as well. A couple of forum participants mentioned that some of the stuff has been removed in preparation for the coronation. That was good inside information!

In digging a little deeper, I also came to believe that the Tower Bridge and mechanical rooms tour appeals to me more than the Tower.

I just finished reading The White Ship. So I am eager to travel to the UK! Thanks again to everyone for your contributions. By the way, and apropro of very little: One of my early Stones favorites is Play With Fire, in which Mick talks about a woman whose mother is an heiress and owns a house in St. John's Wood. We are going to stick with our digs in Queen's Park. It's a short walk to St John's Wood and we wil probably have lunch there and check out the cricket field (I can't figure out that game! Sorry!)

St John’s Wood is a very nice neighborhood. Abbey Road Studios are located there.

Pleasant walk from Lord’s to Regent’s Park. I was delighted walking about Queen Mary’s Rose Garden. Cafe Paris is a nice spot for coffee or lunch.

As for the jewels, a friend recommended we see the jewels about 4pm... the tour busses have left, practically alone with the jewels. An off the beaten path idea is The Royal Mews at the palace (the royal stables) Inexpensive, not crowded, and up close & personal with gilded carriages- the ones you've seen the Queen & royals in on TV. We really enjoyed it as a one off.

Thanks. The Royal Mews sounds like an interesting recommendation. I think we are going to squeeze that in.