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Itinerary critique for first trip to London

My family of 4 (kids are 11 & 15) will be in London for about a week next month. I love history but they have unfortunately not given me a lot to go off of as far as trip planning, so I'm just going for some top London highlights. I worry I planned too much on some days and would love a reality check. I would also love your food recommendations!

Wed - Arrive Heathrow noon. Car service to apartment (staying on Drury Ln near Aldwych). Explore that area for the rest of the day.

Thurs - Hampton Court Palace

Fri - V&A Museum & Paradox Museum

Sat - British Museum pre-open tour, leave around lunchtime. Afternoon at Novelty Automation and/or Sir John Soane’s. Already booked the 7pm show for My Neighbor Totoro.

Sun - Sightsee Westminster in AM + Sunday Roast Supper (Old Shades?). Spend afternoon “The City” walking tour.

Mon - Tower of London, Tower Bridge, walk Queen's Walk to London Bridge, Uber Boat to Embankment pier walk to apartment.

Tues - Check out 10am / car service to Heathrow

We joined Royal Historic Palaces for the HCP & ToL tickets. I also started a Google MyMap because I love them. https://www.google.com/maps/d/u/0/edit?mid=1ll5MomTVtcqQi9LWzg1ZTjJ5Jcc&usp=sharing

Posted by
473 posts

I’d try to be flexible on days so that you can go to indoor places eg V and A if there’s a rainy day. Hampton Court Palace is great anytime but marvellous on a sunny day.

When you’re at the V and A, the kids would probably love to see the dinosaurs at the Natural History Museum (opposite, and free) and potentially the Science Museum too (a couple of minutes walk and also free).

If the ‘City’ tour is in the City of London (ie business district), Sunday may not be a good day- the place is dead. The free, Bank of England museum next to Bank Station lets you look at real gold bars, I believe.

Posted by
2125 posts

This is a frequent misunderstanding but Sunday roast is usually only served at lunchtime until 2/3ish. It’s quite rare to find one available in the evening.

Posted by
8866 posts

And the later you arrive for a Sunday Roast, the more likely a place will be running out of roast meat to slice and serve. I’m not familiar with Old Shades; maybe they start with a lot more roasts than where I’ve been.

Posted by
41 posts

@Helen & Cyn - we are planning to eat that as lunch and then doing a walking tour that afternoon.