I have left it a little late but here goes.
We are arriving 10pm on Sept 3rd at Heathrow. I just read about the border officials strike. I also read the four hours to get to Euston station topic. What is the best way to get to Russell Square at maybe midnight or 1:00 in the morning?
I have lived in London 40 years ago so I know the general areas and what is there. We are both into history. He likes military history I like social and how people lived history. I like the Royal family and want to go into Buckingham Palace because it wasn't opened when I lived there. We like museums and art. I want to take in a play or two. Does some of what I am thinking sound doable and what can i squeeze in?
I am thinking on the first day doing a London Walk tour of the British Museum in the early afternoon. Has anyone done that particular tour? Taking it easy the rest of the day exploring Bloomsbury and maybe a play that evening?
I am thinking other days
Buckingham Palace in morning (don't care about changing of the guard) then Westminster in the afternoon. I know I need to time the tickets right.
Tower of London first when it opens and then afternoon walking on the south side of the Thames and the HMS Belfast (for my husband) I might go myself to Southwark Cathedral meet up in Borough Market? Maybe walking to the Globe theater and finding and interesting pub.
Hampton Court
Sunday Sept 8 in a Sung Eucharist at Westminster it is Accession Day for King Charles and to go to it and then the Imperial War Museum.
Then we only have 2 full days left
I liked the Victoria and Albert Museum and the Natural History Museum.
I would like to see the National Gallery and Portrait Gallery which both have London Walk tours. Would it be worth doing them or just on our own?
I would like to see Kensington Palace and the parks. Maybe Liberty of London.
Any other suggestions or how to group attractions?
I would like to do maybe a pub walk.
I would really like to go to Poplar because I am a big fan of Call the Midwife although I realize it would look nothing like it did in the '50's and '60's
We are leaving on the 11th for Edinburgh and are going to the Pitlochry Highland games on the 14th.
I'll put my Scotland questions in that topic.
Thank you for any advice.
Posted by
Land of La
9261 posts
Slow down. Group things together such as Natural History Museum and the V and A.
I like London Walks. Take one each visit.
Take a train to Portsmouth where they film Call the Midwife. Take the tour:https://thedockyard.co.uk/events/call-the-midwife-official-location-tour/?srsltid=AfmBOopa6RMT-l3MgIgLKbQNHU9MkksNfUG47uYwE8psU6_kNQRp61la
Before you establish an itinerary research every spot you want to see opening and closing times. Then group them.
Posted by
Duluth 🛶
8156 posts
Any other suggestions or how to group attractions?
The easiest way to do it is to sit down at a computer (not your phone), open up Google Maps to London, and then start searching for the sights you want to see. Save each one so that it will pop out on the map, and then start figuring out which ones are closest to each other. You could also look through a guidebook like Rick Steves or Lonely Planet, which will have sights usually organized by neighborhood. Then you can collect certain ones for each day. For example, look for places in or near Kensington. Or sights that are in South Bank, and so on. That's what I did on my trip earlier this year, and it really made getting to places easier.
I would like to do maybe a pub walk.
My favorite walk is The Hidden Pubs of Olde London Towne. It was really enjoyable!
How many days exactly will you be in London? That would be helpful to know.
Posted by
Chicago
1173 posts
Call the Midwife is filmed at Chatham Dockyards, not Portsmouth.
Get the Buckingham Palace tickets in advance. https://tickets.rct.uk/product/11/5247
Easy to visit National Gallery and National Portrait Gallery on your own. You can see what you want to see and allocate your time as you wish. You can do advance research on the websites. My bias shows - I’m not a “tour” person! If you are, book a tour.
Strongly advise ditching Kensington Palace. Over-priced, exhibits lacking. My opinion, obviously, but check some reviews. Ultimately, of course, your choice.
Liberty of London will have evening hours. My hubby would be very underwhelmed….
I, personally, fail to see the draw of Borough Market. Others love it.
Churchill War Rooms for your Hubby. Book in advance.
Layout the sites by ticket availability, opening times, location. As you are interested in various tours, you might lay these possibilities out first. Fill in with more accessible DIYs. The adjustments and choices will become clearer.
Have fun!
Posted by
Chicago
1173 posts
Adding - you might consider a day trip to Bletchley Park for Hubby. Fascinating look into the Enigma code breaking activities of WWII. Social history aspect also - I felt I left with a real sense of the people and work during that critical time.
Sorry to add more possibilities to your list!
Posted by
Lake District, England
8128 posts
Heathrow has a night time flying curfew, so the airport to a large extent "closes down" overnight.
That means that when you arrive the focus of immigration will be on getting you out of the airport, so in many ways you would be unlikely to take 4 hours to reach Euston at that time of night.
That said National Express have coaches to London Victoria Coach Station until 1am, then take a taxi.
They also have coaches at 0200 and 0300 to Ealing Broadway station, because that is a focus of the all night bus network of London for onward transport- although the chance you would be there that late is close to NIL. The N207 for instance runs from Ealing Broadway to Holborn every 10 minutes from 0036 to 0443.
That connects at Holborn into the N91 to Cockfosters via Russell Square.
Heathrow also has the N9 nightbus every 30 minutes to Aldwych.
But you are very very unlikely to miss the last Elizabeth Line train to Paddington at 0012 on 4 September (0007 from T5) from Heathrow Central, thence taxi or night bus.
Posted by
Preston UK
1232 posts
The reference to taking 4 hours to get from Heathrow to Euston is specifically about the time to leave between getting off the plane and booking a train out of London. It therefore leaves plenty of contingency time given there can be a financial risk of missing a train with a cheap ticket.
Getting to Russell Square should on average take much less time than that. Heathrow is usually at its quietest later in the evening, so I would expect you would be through the airport and on the tube well before the last train. I would be surprised if you couldn't be in Russell Square before midnight.