London in June--need advice

We went to London in June about 2 years ago and loved it. We stayed in the Covent Garden area and I think your daughters would like it. There are shops and restaurants and it is a busy area and it felt safe.

As far as A/C, I would suggest it for Americans. We've done it both ways, and it can get hard. Sometimes A/C can be hard to find (especially in France.).

Tip... If you're going to be there in June, check the dates of the Trooping of the Color, which is the Queen's Birthday celebration. We got there early outside the gates of Buckingham Palace (about 5 hours early) but the tradeoff was that we got a great view. We saw the whole Royal family as they rode by in their carriages (and some arrived by extremely nice cars).

My advice would be to decide in advance what you want to see and make a daily plan so that you don't spend time backtracking which eats up time and money. The highlight of our trip was Windsor Castle a short train ride out of London. It was amazing.

Another piece of advice is to know in advance that it is expensive. Plan for it and just enjoy.

Have a great time! You'll love it.

AC is going to be incredibly rare for a rental. You could be there during a heat wave, but most likely not. They’ll probably at least have a fan available.

Can you be a bit more specific as to your interests? You know your family better than I do, but I wouldn’t be surprised if the 18 and 21 year olds want some
time away from the adults. And, it’s ok if they want to spend some time doing young people things in a foreign country besides seeing yet another museum or another historic sight.

To check on the weather possibilities, use timeanddate.com. It has actual, day-by-day weather statistics going back about ten years. Look at June 2019, June 2018, etc.; go back at least three years, but five would be better. How many of those days would make you miserable without air conditioning?

We were in London this past June and stayed in a Premier Inn in order to have a/c. Of course, it was in 50s when we were there and we didn’t need it.

We were in York later in our trip staying at a B&B without a/c. It, of course, was 88 when we were there!

So I would say you take a risk without a/c but you can’t always find it. It wasn’t even an option in York.

I’d say that is a good rule of thumb. A huge hotel chain like Premier Inn can buy in bulk to get AC and probably has some muscle when it comes to getting repairs done. Someone running an air BNB will have an economic decision to make about installing AC in a place to rent. And, of course, there’s no such thing as a cheap AC repair when things go wrong.

For London, we stay in Chelsea, Kensington and Knightsbridge- near an underground( Tube) station. We love visiting London! Yes, AC.
Most museums are free. Have dinners at atmospheric pubs. Check London Perfect for rental apts.
Bayeux- recommend Hotel Lion d’Or, has a lot of history, great dining room and free parking.

@Dale Our girls are up for museums, art and historical sites, even churches. I guess you would say they aren't typical teens! They have already suggested Buckingham Palace, Westminster Abbey and the London Eye. They are also Harry Potter fans. We will definitely go to the British Museum and hopefully some WWII sites.

Mostly wanted insight as to the not-to-miss London sites.

We have been to other Euro countries, but never to England.

Just a note:

1. England is not a country - it's one of four parts of UK (full name: "United Kingdom of Great Britain and Northern Ireland")
2. UK is not a Euro country. They still use the pound

I like the Kensington area on the west side with easy Tube transport from Heathrow and access to many museums and other cultural attractions, plus restaurants and pubs. But not cheap.
You might fly to Caen, near Bayeux, but the connections are complicated and for the same time and money you cat train it in more comfort. The Eurostar tunnel train takes you to Paris and then a train to Normandy. The commute requires crossing from Gare du nord to Gare St-Lazare, either by city rail, shuttle bus or taxi. Buy all tickets as soon as possible for much lower fares. See www.parisbytrain.com for advice.

For airlines, www.skyscanner. com

We stayed in Covent Garden last fall, very lively area with the theatre district and restaurants. London is an easy place to get around by walking and on the tube and so visiting the sites wasn't an issue. We appreciated Covent Graden in the evening because there were plenty of restaurant choices within a short walk of our apartment. Check out London Connection when you start your search for a place to stay. https://londonconnection.com/

We went to the Churchill War Rooms last June and really enjoyed it. Before we went, we watched the Darkest Hour which I would recommend. I think it would make what you see much more meaningful, especially to your daughters.

England is not a country - it's one of four parts of UK (full name:
"United Kingdom of Great Britain and Northern Ireland")

Actually, it is a country, but not independent as it is part of the UK. The four parts of the UK are called constituent countries.

While the train is a good option from London to Normandie, you should also check out the ferries. An overnight ferry from southern England can be a great option as it saves one night in a hotel, but there are faster ferries as well.

Thank you everyone. For the record, I am aware that the UK is on the pound--I was abbreviating European with "Euro." I meant we had traveled to other countries, not the UK/England/London. Apologies for the confusion.

I appreciate all your input!

Kimberly,

As you look at rentals, check how close they are to Tube stations (and which lines run there). Map out a few trips to see how long you would have to travel to get to areas you plan to visit. For example, I enjoy theater, so I always check the travel time to West End theaters.

I have stayed near Kings Cross St Pancras Station (which is close to where you would catch the Eurostar train to Paris), and it was convenient to lots of tourist attractions and theaters. There is a Harry Potter Shop nearby as well.

Kensington and Bayswater are also good choices.

As others have noted, plan several daily itineraries, so you don’t back-track too much. Also, have a few back-ups for free musuems/churches/free concerts for days when it rains and have some flexibility to enjoy good weather days with some time in parks/picnics or more walking.

For example, after visiting Westminster Abbey in the morning, you might grab a sandwich and enjoy a light lunch and walk in St. James Park (if the weather is nice), then you could tour the Churchchill War Rooms. I find that taking a break outside and walking helps me enjoy museums and exhibits more.

If you visit Westminster Abbey, the guided Verger’s tours are excellent. You can book the general admission tickets on line in advance, enter early, then book the Verger’s tour in person. I signed up for the earliest available.

For a break from museums, etc. you might visit a market on market days. That can be fun even if you just walk around a bit and eat lunch there. Here are a few of the better known that are closer to the major tourist areas:

Borough Market (I visited after a London Walks tour, which ended near there).
Portobello Road Market
Brick Lane Market
Old Spitalfields market

You might look at London Walks which offer interesting tours. You just show up and pay, so you don’t have to book in advance. They do offer a Harry Potter tour among other options.

Here is the link: http://www.walks.com/

In 2015, I took the Eurostar from London to Paris, then a train to Rouen where I rented a car to drive to Bayeux. After my trip, I saw that someone had suggested taking a train to Caen and renting the car there because it is easier to drive in and out of than Rouen is. I would agree that Rouen is difficult to drive in and out of. You can rent a car in Bayeux, but at the time, there were better prices and options in the larger cities. If you leave in the morning, the Eurostar to Paris, then a train to Bayeux or nearby city is convenient. Bayeux and Normandy are great to explore.

All the best,

Raymond

England is not a country -

Most people here would disagree. Ditto Scotland and Wales.