Too many puzzle pieces. Help me put it all together!

can't do all those in two days so you're gonna have to choose.

return the car at Heathrow you don't want a car in central London

no point in trying to save $700 or whatever - you need convenience for London

Bath is not the easiest place to have a car, and there's no way you'd want a car in central London (traffic, parking issues, ULEZ etc). Bristol to Bath is a short and comfortable train trip. You can also take a train from Bath to Windsor with a couple of changes, and Hampton Court is an easy train ride from London. I think you're dramatically underestimating the traffic and parking issues if you think you can do this all with a car - it will take you longer than public transport. And I agree with the previous poster that you're trying to do too much, and shortchanging London itself.

Hotels- if I'm thinking of the same London House Hotel, it's Notting Hill rather than Kensington. Nothing wrong with either of those locations. London is great for walking, and the tube is excellent. I wpuld regard this as central. Ditto Paddington - arguably neither are right in the centre of the tourists sites, but that has its own benefits. Paddington can be a little run down, but it's fine, and Hyde Park is nice.

Any of the locations you're looking at are easy to get back to rest if one of you needs to.

Obviously refer to my thoughts on having a car, but you'd have to be incredibly unlucky to have someone break into your car, unless you leave something of obvious value (mobile phone, purse) in full view, or you don't lock your car. If you have luggage in the boot you have nothing to worry about.

Harry Potter, Windsor Castle and Hampton Court Palace are all very easily done by public transport from London. Each of them would take half to three-quarters of a day. As you’re short on time, I’d pick either Windsor Castle or Hampton Court. Book your Harry Potter tickets as soon as you know your dates as it sells out way in advance.

You could then do Stonehenge en route from Bath to London and drop the car at, say, Heathrow. Then get public transport into London.

You are trying to do too many things in the time, especially with a low stamina kid. Pick one biggie per day.

That said, I wouldn’t have qualms about having suitcases in the boot of the car at any of those sites as long as it was out of sight.

Get a taxi from Bristol airport to Bath then rent a car for a couple of days before dropping it on the outskirts of London, eg Heathrow or if you drive to Harry Potter you might be able to drop it somewhere near there. You don’t need a car in Bath.

I wouldn’t recommend driving into London. It’s extremely busy and the roads are complicated with lots of cameras for speed, bus lane and yellow box (found at junctions - you must not enter until you can see the exit is clear.) compliance. There’s also the congestion charge that you may need to pay.

I’m confused as to what you are wanting to do and reading your post, it does sound a logistic nightmare.

This is a suggestion for not hiring a car (you definitely DON’T want one in London!) and also solves the problem of having luggage with you when visiting attractions attractions. I’m assuming you are arriving at Bristol Airport at 4pm (not 4am)? Head to Bath for two nights which will give a full day in Bath. Do a half day coach trip from trip from Bath to Stonehenge and then visit the Roman Baths that afternoon.

Next morning catch the train from Bath to London for the next three nights and drop off luggage at your hotel. Plan to visit Hampton Court that afternoon using public transport. Plan a full day for Harry Potter - make sure you book this asap as tickets are very popular and sell out quickly. On the second day visit Windsor Castle, again using public transport. This probably won't take the full day so will give you time to hit some of the high spots in London .

Final day head back to Heathrow (again oin public transport) for your flight to Ireland.

Thank you everyone. I am hearing loud and clear that a car in Cental London is a bad idea. What about this plan. Still too much, or doable? I feel like we can get more accomplished quickly with the car (no backtracking).

Day 1: Arrive at Bristol airport at 4 PM, get rental car, drive to Bath (the hotel we booked said where to park a car), dinner with friends, some of us walk around town, tired kid stays in hotel if she wants.

Day 2: Breakfast at hotel (ends at 9:30). Tour the baths from 10-noon. Drive to Stonehenge (one hour drive). Stonehenge from 1:00 to 2:30. Drive to Harry Potter Studio tour (one hour and 45 minutes). Check into nearby hotel, eat dinner. Get tickets for final tour of the day, starting at 6:30 PM. Tired kid can opt out if needed (although ticket will have to be prepurchased).

Day 3: Drive from hotel near Harry Potter to Windsor Castle (45 minutes) for 10:00 AM tour. Tour until lunch. Eat lunch and drive to Hampton Court Palace (35 minutes). Tour from 2:30 or 3:00 onward (closes at 5:30). Drive to Heathrow to drop off car. Take train into London.

Thoughts?

Are you checking the driving times at the correct time of the day? That’s a very tight schedule and - as this is a very densely populated country - roads snarl up very quickly. Traffic jams can be a real problem and could upend a carefully-structured day. That’s why so many of us are recommending doing a lot of your sightseeing as day trips via public transport from London.

We did something similar on the last day of a road trip through southern England.
We went to Lacock Abbey at lunchtime and then drove to the Harry Potter Studios. Our appointment was 4.30pm, we were there at 4pm and were able to start straight away.
About the studio tour: There is an introductory film and then you enter the exhibition through the great hall. After that you set your own pace, you should allow about 3 hours. In the middle there is a restaurant and coffee shop, otherwise there are not many opportunities to rest.

We drove to Heathrow around 8pm, dropped off the car and took the train to Paddington and stayed at the Premier Inn Paddington Basin.
The reason for choosing this hotel was that we wanted a 2-bed room for the teens and because of the late arrival we didn't want to drive across London with our luggage.

It is always a problem when changing accommodation that the luggage is in the trunk of the car if you want to see something on the way. We also had the car with luggage at the parking lot of Stonehenge and the Harry Potter Studios. It's best not to open the trunk at the parking lot, but to have everything you need prepared in advance.

Your day 2 looks too stressed for me, no delay or coffee break allowed. You could drive to Windsor that day and spend the night there. On day 3, Windsor Castle at the earliest and Harry Potter in the afternoon/evening and either skip Hampton Court, squeeze it in or visit from London the next day.

Oh dear.

I completely understand needing to take the low stamina daughter by car.

I hear the feeling of shouldn't drive in London but I also hear the feeling of how much more convenient it would be.

Unfortunately London is not an easy place to do that.

I have to drive in London from time to time and have plenty of experience with it - I have to transport a disabled person.

London road traffic was recently reported (they report every couple of years) to have traffic that moves more slowly than in the days of Samuel Pepys, he of the Diary, in 1660. Most roads now have a posted speed limit of 20 mph, strictly controlled by a huge network of automatic speed cameras and most roads off the main ones have "sleeping policemen" - speed humps every hundred yards or so.

Parking in Central London is highly restricted, most spaces on the road are not available to visitors and if you have the good fortune to find a space it almost never can be used for more than 2 hours without leaving the space for at least one or two hours (the sign will say), and are eye wateringly expensive - as high as £5 to £8 an hour, which varies depending on how much CO the car emits, plus in a huge chunk of central London there is a daily £15 Congestion Charge, payable electronically. If you park in a parking structure (multistorey car park) expect very narrow spaces and very tight corners, and expect to pay upwards of £40 a day for the privilege. Almost no free parking exists, and very few hotels will have spaces, and if they do they will be very expensive spaces indeed.

The LEZ and ULEZ fees probably won't apply if the car rented is quite new.

Even out in the suburbs it is difficult. The Holiday Inn Express Watford Junction which is very convenient to Harry Potter has, if memory is correct, 4 - yes, 4 - spaces around the corner from the hotel.

I just visited Hampton Court Palace last week - I'm a member so there frequently - and the car park at 11:00 was chock full. It is often closed by the staff member when full, I only got in because I have a special pass. The very short driveway is right off a very busy main road at a roundabout and there is nowhere to queue. The train station is just across the river, and the bus stop is right outside.

I wish you success balancing the busy traffic and congested city with the needs of your daughter.

Still too much, or doable?

How about doable, but too much if you were me. I don't know your travel style but I see a lot of sprinting through sites without seeing much. You've left no room to linger in case something interests you and you want more time. I was fascinated by the Roman Baths and watched others sprint by me to see the actual Baths and miss the exhibits leading up to them. Then on another day at Hampton Court Palace we spent 6 hours; the palace is huge.

Note to self: PM Nigel and ask for how he spends his time during numerous trips to Hampton Court Palace. Of all the sites in or near London that one is a "must visit again."

"I feel like we can get more accomplished quickly with the car (no backtracking)."

I'm still not clear why you want a car - it's just going to end up taking more time than by train. It's not that it's impossible, it's just that you're going to waste time stuck in traffic or looking for somewhere where you can park, compared with better use of time and a more relaxed trip by train.

Okay, I am sadly taking Windsor Castle off of the list. Even though we’ve never been to Europe before, I’m going to take Rick Steves’ advice and “assume I will be back.” I asked my kids what one thing they wanted to see of the five I listed. Neither followed directions and picked more than one. My son said Stonehenge and “one of the palaces.” My daughter said Stonehenge definitely, Hampton Court looks “pretty cool,” and the baths look “interesting.” She said she doesn’t care about Windsor and Harry Potter went from a maybe to “actually sounds kind of cool.” I think cutting Windsor out allows some breathing room. I’m also open to ditching the car at LHR the on the evening after Stonehenge, staying the night in London, and taking the train to Hampton Court the next day. Still not sure what to do about Harry Potter.

Someone asked why I wanted a car. I’m having a hard time seeing that getting from the Bristol airport to Bath to Stonehenge to the London area would be easier or more economical using trains. Are there trains to Stonehenge? If driving, we will be passing right by it and it makes sense to see it while there rather than coming back. If we took public transport we’d have all of our luggage to deal with as we toured.

Potential new plan- day 1 remains the same. Day 2 tour only the Baths and Stonehenge. End the night at a hotel near the Harry Potter tour. Drop the rental car off in that town. Tour Harry Potter in the morning, asking the hotel to hold our luggage (will contact them and check if this is okay). After tour, retrieve luggage, take train into London. Check into London hotel (as yet to be determined). Tour Hampton Court via train on one of the other days. Is this more feasible?

Yes, that’s much more feasible.

Someone asked why I wanted a car. I’m having a hard time seeing that getting from the Bristol airport to Bath to Stonehenge to the London area would be easier or more economical using trains. Are there trains to Stonehenge?

Bristol Airport to Bath is served by the direct airdecker bus.

Bath to Stonehenge, as Rebecca said, is served by the train to Salisbury, and then the bus to Stonehenge

OK, here are a couple of random thoughts that might be helpful. I am leaving to head back to the US with my two grandkids who are aged 11 and 15, and we recently spent 10 nights in London.

First, the Harry Potter tour is exhausting. If you have a child who melts down quickly, they will not last to the whole thing. I barely made it. Now my two grandkids loved it, but they are very high energy.

If you had to choose between Windsor Castle and Hampton Court, Palace, I would definitely choose Hampton Court, Palace. I think it’s more kid friendly, they have a lot of activities, there is the maze, lots of gardens, outdoor activities, and so on.

And I agree with all the others about renting a car in London. No matter the convenience now, it will be very inconvenient when you are struggling to make your way through the horrible traffic, plus dealing with driving on a different side of the road than you are used to, having to use your left hand to change gears, and having to remember to get into a roundabout on the left side. And the roundabouts can even be more confusing if there is more than one lane in them, which they frequently are.

We all want you to have fun and see as much as you can, but believe me, trying to pack in too much stuff can lead to a lot of stress and anxiety. And I know this from experience.

Edit- I just saw your last post and agree that that is a much better sounding idea. Good luck!

I will say that we stayed near Victoria Station on this trip to London, and I really liked that location a lot. Victoria Station is right there, with access to not only the Victoria line, but also the District line and the Circle line.

Hotel location: well, since you’ll be coming in to Euston station from Harry Potter, that puts you close to Bloomsbury which has a good range of hotels.

Or Victoria or South Ken, or Paddington (which I don’t like much but is handy for transport). Any of those will do fine.

I am so happy to read your latest itinerary for it should lead to a better opportunity to create wonderful memories of your journey.
Keep in mind London public transport is fabulous and ez to utilize. Suggest assigning your young adults to learning how to use London transport apps to enhance the efficiency of your travels.
TIP: For the Potter Studio tour wear just a tad of HP related clothing/jewelry to help with your introductions among other guests and the HP staff. The staff loves to engage with folks who display their passion for all things HP. Try not to rush through the self guided tour as their are many things to see and experience.

If you're going to be in Bloomsbury, consider the Celtic Hotel. We've stayed there several times. and on one of our stays they put us in a room that had 3 beds. (No, we hadn't asked for that; the staff were concerned that we might not like the room they had reserved for us.) I believe they also have a small apartment, but I'm not sure.

The hotel is reasonably priced (about £160 or so for a double, with breakfast,) the breakfast is good, the staff is great, and the location can't be beat. Close to shopping, restaurants, tube stations, bus stops, and King's Cross train station.

Not sure when you are going, but check Harry Potter tickets asap. They can sell out months in advance, particularly over summer.

Hampton Court is amazing, but when your kids say palace, remember that HC is Tudor era.

Arg. Just when I finally had the perfect plan in place, I went to check the Harry Potter tickets, and there are none available the morning I wanted to go. So, we either shove the three things back into day 2 (Baths, Stonehenge, Harry Potter), or I rearrange again. Dang it.

How long are you in London for? Book Harry Potter tickets for one of your London days. It’s extremely easy done from London.

"How long are you in London for? Book Harry Potter tickets for one of your London days. It’s extremely easy done from London."

It looks like if we book a package with a hotel, we can still have access the morning I wanted to go. It's the hotel I had booked at anyway, although doing it this way makes it nonrefundable (although I assume the tickets would have been nonrefundable as well?). I might just do this. It looks like it might even be a touch cheaper because it comes with free breakfast.

It's the hotel I had booked at anyway, although doing it this way makes it nonrefundable

Ashlotte, think carefully about this. Can you afford to lose the cost of the hotel and tickets should unforeseen circumstances arise or your plans change?

"Ashlotte, think carefully about this. Can you afford to lose the cost of the hotel and tickets should unforeseen circumstances arise or your plans change?"

No, this makes me very nervous. I haven't booked it yet. I may ditch the Harry Potter plan altogether because doing HP would take at least half a day, leaving only two full days left, one of which we need to go to Hampton Court, so that would only allow one full day of London. We all like Harry Potter (probably me more than the kids, and the books more than the movies), but aren't obsessive fans that must go (I didn't even know it existing until a few weeks ago). We were just at Hollywood Studios a year ago and go to see the Wizarding World there. I know it's not the same, but I have to make some choices. I'll try to get my family to lock in on what they want to do most.

With your last post comments I encourage you to punt on HP for it is expensive and time consuming. We took the train and taxi to Hampton Court and loved the experience. Due to being such a wonderful day we took a water taxi back from Hampton Court to experience the Thames and go through several locks. A great relaxing experience giving a taste of history, an uncommon mode of travel, offering covered and open deck seating plus a bar to enjoy a variety of beverages and snacks. We arrived back in central London refreshed and ready to experience evening activities.
You might want to consider attending theater in London for cheap tickets with good seats can be obtained. We saw Six and Wicked, purchasing tickets the morning of the show directly at the box office.

Warner Brother Studios is an all-day commitment. Not only is the physical location out of the way, the tour itself will take three to four hours. I have tickets for 14:30, and I only have some light sightseeing in Camden planned for the morning, as I'll have to leave Euston Station in London at about 13:00. I plan to be at the studios until about 19:30 (we're also having tea there). Factoring in travel time, that's seven hours.