London Itinerary Assistance, Summer 2014

So looking at your list here's what I would do...

Day #1...arrival. Not sure what time you're getting in but the first day for us is always a bit of a wash because of jet lag. Have an early dinner, go to bed, sleep till morning, and you'll feel pretty good the next day.

After that, cluster your days geographically.
* Big Ben, Westiminster Abbey are right next to each other. 2-3 hours for both. Then walk across the bridge to the London Eye. Depending on the lines it could take several hours...I've never seen lines like the ones at the Eye.
* Tower of London and Tower Bridge are also adjacent; 3-4 hours depending on how much you want to see at the Tower and the lines. St. Paul's is in the same general direction as the Tower and would be good for the other 1/2 of this day.
* If you want to see Kensington Palace and have tea, then go to the Orangery at Kensington Palace as part of your visit. It's my favorite place to have tea in London! Obviously, Kensington Gardens should be matched up with this.
* Go to Trafalgar Square and the National Gallery. Then walk down hill to the Horse Guards Parade, walk through the arches and head straight across through the park and then to Buckingham Palace for the changing of the guards. Full morning at least.
* Harrods will take an hour or so unless you really want to scour it or have lunch/dinner there. Pricey!
* V & A Museum can be done in 1/2 day easily.
* Getting to Windsor Castle, touring it, and getting back will be most of one day.
* White Cliffs at Dover is quite a bit out of town and will take the better part of a day.
* There are tons of companies that can take you down the Thames. Everything from an hour or so to a full day depending on how much time you want to devote to this.
* Stonehenge/Bath is, at the least, a full day. Two preferably.

Your itinerary is quite packed but I think you can do it. The only thing I would lose would be the Cliffs at Dover. They are beautiful but it will eat up a LOT of time.

Yes, get yourself a 7 day travelcard. You can purchase these at any ticket window. Good for the buses and the tube.

There aren't any major airports around Bath/Stonehenge that I am aware of but there may be a puddle jumper from a local airport to Gatwick or to Stanstead airport, which is one of the smaller London airports. Not sure how you would get form Stanstead to Gatwick. This is probably a terrible option that will be corrected by someone else who knows better than I do!

Just my thoughts...have a great trip and good luck planning!

Cici,

Congrats on your trip.

These are the major things we would like to see/do: London Eye, Tower of London, Tower Bridge, Westminster Abbey, St. Paul's Cathedral, the Changing of the Guard at Buckingham Palace, Victoria & Albert Museum, Hyde Park & Kensington Gardens, Big Ben, Harrods, Windsor Castle, White Cliffs of Dover and possibly the National Gallery as well as enjoy a high tea somewhere and a ride down the Thames. We will also be during Trooping the Colour (not sure right now if this is a good thing or not!)...

Is this doable in the seven days we will have there (this time does not include travel days)?

I went in March, so im not sure about the crowds in June, but i will give my experience.

I went to the:

London Eye
Tower Of London
St. Pauls
Rode in Hyde Park
National Gallery
Plus others

I did my thing in 4 full days with out (w/o) any side trips. I didnt make it into Westminster Abbey (WMA) since it was closed. I did the the changing of the Horse Guards though since that appeals to me more. Instead of Harrods i went to Hamleys - at least i could afford something there.

With regards to the things you want to do, the National Gallery can eat up alot of time - in my case 1/2+ day. But in my opinion (imo) i think its worth it.

I should note that:

i had reserved tickets for the London Eye. No line for me, but long line for people that didnt.
No line for the Tower of London except for the Crown Jewels. If you go, do the Crown Jewels first.

Ive seen the white cliffs of DOver in passing, and imo, there isnt much, but if thats what you want, go for it.

Are there must-dos we are missing?

There are alot of museums and other things in London, if you can say what floats your boat others can chime in for suggestions.

We plan to use the tube and/or walk vs renting a car. I believe I read somewhere on here that we should purchase an Oyster Card....is this the best way to get around?

I personally use the Oyster card since for me, its a good deal and i use it when i go back. you will have to do the math on this one. I believe that there are other cards/passes that have better benefits for couples or muliples but will others more experience chime in on that. I love the Tube system in London and sort of ignore the buses and i shouldnt. I will try to use the buses more this year.

Also, what is the best way to get from Gatwick to London--Gatwick Express? If we decide to check out of our hotel and do Stonehenge/Bath at the end of our trip do we need to come back to London and then head to the Gatwick Airport or are there other options?

So far ive only used the Gatwick Express (GE). But there is the commuter train too. But this will depend on WHEN you want to go. Chances are its in the day and not in the early/late hours, so you should be fine.

As far as where you fly in/out of thats your business. you dont say where you fly in/out of.

just a general comment. some of these questions are answered in Rick Steves (RS) London book. I dont make any profit or gain anything by pushing his books, but my first time in Europe, i read his "Europe through the back door" and any of the city books (including London & Paris) he had at the time. I would say his books were 99% spot on. Another thing was that his book covers things to do/see and how to get there if they are outside of town or on "day trips". It takes alot of guesswork out of it. The only drawback on some of the books is that they dont give an estimate on how long it takes to go through the museum. I know that duration can be subject, but an estimate can be helpful in planning how much time to spend.

I dont strictly use RS books, but i use whatever i can get my hands on includng the www. I will google for things to do and see where im going just in case something that isnt as big a draw but appeals to me. YOU have the www at your fingertips, use it!

Happy trails.

I'll join the chorus telling you that the White cliffs are not worth the time you will need to spend getting there. We lived in London for a year, and one weekend day we drove out to Dover. Saw the castle and the Roman archaeological site. It was a fine daytrip, but we had a whole year, not just a week. You could combine a ride on the Thames with visits to Windsor Castle and Hampton Court Palace for a really nice day. Use land transport in one direction, or both. You could get your boat ride another day by going the other way on the river to Greenwich.* Big Ben and the Tower Bridge don't require stops, per se, as they'll be seen from many places as you move about town; for example, from the London Eye. I can't speak from my own experience, as the Museum of London was vastly redone since our year, but friends have greatly enjoyed it. Another one, which we managed to miss in a whole year, that I've heard is very good, is the Cabinet War Rooms. Do take some time just to walk some areas and feel the vibe of the city. The area around the Tate Modern is a good place for grabbing a pint and a snack and watching people and the river and . . . You can visit St. Paul's, then cross the pedestrian bridge to get there.

*Greenwich, by the way, would be a much more interesting, slightly out of town destination but much closer, than Dover. It has the Cutty Sark, The Royal Naval College, with its gorgeous Georgian Chapel and Painted Hall,and the Nat'l Maritime Museum and Queen's House.

London is truly one of the greatest cities in the world. I'm sure you'll have a fabulous time.

Thanks so much....prior to the web redesign, I was used to getting emails saying "You have a reply" and since I did not get any, I assumed I had none.

WONDERFUL information....okay, I was told the Dover cliffs were beautiful, but it appears there are plenty of other options available in the essence of time. We are ALL about reserving times/skipping lines so I appreciate the info on the things I can book in advance....Ray, getting the RS London book is next on my list....it was invaluable for our Paris trip last year but like you, we used it as a guide vs a bible. We recently spoke to some friends who suggested that we could do day trips from London to Bath/Stonehenge so we are contemplating adding a couple of days to the hotel and do that so we aren't schlepping our luggage to and fro..thoughts?? As far as Trooping the Colour, Keith, I read that we should apply asap to get in the lottery for seats (have the letter ready to go but can't find a post office to buy International Reply Coupons since we need to include a SASE) but have conflicting thoughts as huge crowds aren't the "thing" they used to be for me and I'm sure the crowds that day will be massive. Maybe we will use that day and go to Bath or Windsor....Anita, I've heard the Orangery is a great place for tea too....my friend mentioned The Savoy as well. Thanks Rosalyn, for the idea on Greenwich, the Cabinet War Rooms and the Tate Modern; I will check those out.

I have heard conflicting reports on food....I don't eat seafood (although DH can't WAIT for the fish and chips!)....I love cottage (vs shepherds) pie but will kindly take a pass on the blood pudding/sausage and have a HORRIBLE sweet tooth....would love to hear your experiences!

Thanks again for the great information....I have more than enough to get me headed in the right direction!

Cici

Food in England is actually pretty good now! So many different kinds of fantastic ethnic food, the pubs have finally gotten their act together and they have improved exponentially, and your sweet tooth will definitely be happy.

British "food" (I.e. Restaurant food) has been excellent for many a long year now. Any up-to-date guide book will confirm this.

@ cici again,

when i travel, my meal eating times get wonky since im usually doing something like in a museum when that mealtime comes and it affects how much i eat and when i eat. Many times, im trying to look for dinner around 1800 and for Europeans, thats waaaaay to early.

Ive had Fish N chips in a couple different places in the UK and so far, theyve all beaten anything i had in the states. The fish has always been fresh and even though its been the size of a dinner plate, its been cooked just right and the batter was just right. By the way, both times the fish n chips was in pubs.

On my last trip i had "steak pie" and it was delicious. The seasoning could have been heavier, but i dont expect alot of that from the UK foods. It was just out of the oven and the crust was to die for - Light and airy.

I usually eat alot of to-go food or sandwiches. I like their pasties when im on the run and things like that.

while youre wondering about and pass by restaurants take a look at their menus and see if they float your boat. Thats what i do. Many times, i will just start wondering around block by block and look at menus to see what my stomach wants to try.

I love desserts alot too and will usually try something i have room for it. Or if i think it will make it back to my room, i may get it to-go.

If you like caramels (UK toffees) try looking for a Thorntons. link below. they use to have alot of shops around london, but i guess times are rough for them too. They have a caramel that is harder than what you would expect and i love chewy things. One of the guys where i work put me onto them so last Sept i raided their shop in Leeds. I havent seen them in the USA so im going to place an order along with some friends. It will be expensive shipping to the USA, but they all loved them.

http://www.thorntons.co.uk/

You should be able to fulfill your sweet tooth in alot of places.

Also, there is a candy shop near St. Pauls i happen to run across while going back there one day. I dont remember the name or location, but you could see St. Pauls from there doorway. I had my first chocolate filled twinky there.

happy trails.

A great way to see the sights is through a guided walking tour. Check out London Walks - www.walks.com. I have done many of their walking tours through my many visits to London and have never had a bad guide. It's inexpensive and I believe will add to your sightseeing enjoyment. I believe they have a one-day walking tour that covers some of the major sits such as Westminster Abby, St. Paul's, Changing of the Guide, Big Ben.

If you are interested in history, you might check out the Imperial War Museum (free). As well, the Cabinet War rooms/Churchill museum are very interesting although there is a charge.

There is a significant amount to do in London and 7 days is not a long period of time. Yes, the underground is the best way to get around and you should purchase an Oyster card. London is a very easy City to get around in on the tube.

Some of the museums have evening hours on one day of the week.

Theatre in London is incredible. You will see a lot of signs that indicate tickets are being sold at 1/2 price; however, there is only one "official" half-price ticket booth in Leicester Square ("tkts") where the tickets are actually 1/2 price. I believe it is legal to charge a commission on tickets in London - up to a maximum - and a lot of these other ticket vendors are doing that.

I hope you have a fantastic trip!

Cici, since most of your questions seem to have already been answered, let me respond to "If we decide to check out of our hotel and do Stonehenge/Bath at the end of our trip do we need to come back to London and then head to the Gatwick Airport or are there other options?" My advice is, do not check out of your London hotel. Take the London Walks day trips out to see these things. www.walks.com has one day trip that takes you to Stonehenge & Salisbury. A different day trip takes you to Bath, or you could do Bath on your own; just take the train out from London. One day should be enough in Bath. (I wouldn't say that if you were going to be in England for 3 weeks or so, in which case you'd have lots of time to explore it more in-depth.) The inconvenience of packing up all of your luggage and moving out of your hotel just to go see Stonehenge & Bath is unnecessary. Stay in your London hotel until you are ready to leave and move to your Gatwick hotel. Just my opinion. If you DO decide to check out of your London hotel and move to Bath, that is a good base for seeing the sights in that area. Transportation to Gatwick from Bath would be by coach (bus) National Express, or private car hire/taxi. Or you COULD take the train back into London, and Gatwick Express back out. The choice is yours. Be sure and post fresh questions to the "England" forum; divide your questions up into several topics, such as "Best Place For Sweets In London" or "Best Shop For Fish & Chips, London". Will get more responses than just asking here, since people see you've got 10 responses and assume your questions have been answered.