London itinerary suggestions

Barbara If you want to see the Changing of the Guard at Buck House, and you want to see anything more than the backs of everyone else there, you need to be moving off from Westminster Bridge a lot earlier. I believe you get a better show, and much closer, and much less crowded, at Horse Guards Parade . The Guard Changing Ceremony takes place each weekday at 11:00am and at 10:00am on Sundays and is performed by The Queen's Life Guard.

Nigel
Great advice--thanks will look at making that adjustment.. what time would you advise us to get to the guard changing if we did it at Buck House?

The London theatre scene is the best in the world and it would be a shame not to take in one of the musicals or dramas. Many have Sunday matinees and another during the week if you don't want to be out at night. Also agree that the Horse Guards ceremony is better than B'ham Palace. Afternoon tea at one of the better places can be very expensive / most aren't worth it.
Work your Thames cruise in with a visit to the Tower & Tower Bridge......... board a Thames boat at the Westminster Bridge pier (across from Parliament) & cruise down to the Tower pier.

The London theatre scene is the best in the world and it would be a shame not to take in one of the musicals or dramas. Many have Sunday matinees and another during the week if you don't want to be out at night. looking to do pub theatre in the evening... we are from nyc so can and do go to see most of those other shows here.. "Also agree that the Horse Guards ceremony is better than B'ham Palace" Ok will check that out and adjust "Afternoon tea at one of the better places can be very expensive / most aren't worth it." We found one that is not that is reasonable and want the experience "Work your Thames cruise in with a visit to the Tower & Tower Bridge......... board a Thames boat at the Westminster Bridge pier (across from Parliament) & cruise down to the Tower pier." Thames cruise is tied to ho ho ticket so thought to do that the day we are doing the tour.. perhaps we can work in on tour day the tower and tower bridge
Good idea

Agree with Tim. Combine the Thames cruise and a visit to the Tower. I've enjoyed both Broadway and London theatre. You need to experience London theatre. I'd investigate getting tickets to a performance at the Old Globe. Great fun!! With an early start on Tuesday you could also include Covent Garden. The walk from Parliament to the Horse Guards is the equivalent of 3 NYC blocks. Easy stroll. After watching the Horse Guards another easy stroll up Whitehall past 10 Downing Street to Trafalgar square. Unless the National Gallery is a MUST see, I'd have lunch in the nearby St. Martin's of the Field Crypt Cafe or walk up to Convent Garden and enjoy some fish and chips at Rock & Sole Plaice. YOu could then either walk or take the tube over to Piccadilly Circus which is nothing but shops and bright neon lights at night. If there's a sports fanatic in your family though, Lillywhite's is a mecca for sports apparel. Personally, I'd take Wednesday to explore unique neighborhoods like Little Venice, Hampstead and the Camden Locks market. Have a wonderful visit to London.

THanks will explore your suggestions and look at the itinerary again... nix on the big theatre... if I can see it here its not worth it to me.. one of the reasons we wanted to do pub theatre... a bit more London than seeing wicked:) But Globe theatre is very London and we will check that out as well thanks!

Wasn't' suggesting seeing Wicked, Jersey Boys, Chicago or anything else you could see on Broadway, although I must say saw the BEST performance of the iconic American musical Guys and Dolls on one London visit. Along with my suggestion of the Old Globe you might also consider something like Three Days in May at the Trafalgar Studios. You could also research what's playing at the National Theatre or what is referred to as the Fringe venues. The smaller local neighborhood theaters. For instance Midsummer Night'sDream (and what's more British that Shakespeare) is playing at Middle Temple Hall until mid April.

We love the Horse Guards ceremony that Nigel suggested. comparatively few people go, and it is easy to get a position in the front row an dsee everything. The one time we tried to watch the changing of the guard at Buckingham palace, we arrived 30 minutes ahead and I still couldn't see a thing---too many people got there ahead of us. I would add the British Museum to your list. It is a must for us on every London visit. There is so much to see there.

Climb the dome at St Paul Cathedral and enjoy panoramic views across London. You could add a ride to the London Eye too. If you like Japanese food try wakamama, also Nandos is a nice Portuguese restaurant you can find branchs everywhere http://www.nandos.co.uk/ . Happy travels!

All great suggestions.. won't do the eye...afraid of ferris wheels:) but the climb sound good for pic taking
Thanks for the restaruant suggestions as well as the fringe theatres..as that is more what we are looking for and thought that is what the pub theaters were...

I absolutely recommend changing of guard at Horse guards over Buckingham palace. At BP all you will see will be the backs of the people who got there before you. Horse gurads is quite spectacular, with the uniforms and horses, and there is sledom a crowd of more than two deep (at its worst). Even better is on (some?) saturadys when they come with a mounted band which plats on the Parade while the Change is taking place. Seriously, Changing Guard at Buckingham palace is so "popular" and very disappointing for what you can't see An hour for Westminster Abbey is nowhere enough, plan at least three hours #Wednesday after the tower, suggest wandering through :The City" there are Wren churches everywhere, and pubs and old London lunch spots down alleys. Your tining sounds good to have lunch in a City Inn... or maybe the ancient galleried Inn- the george south of Tower Bridge For other days lunches there are tons of little sandwich shops everywhere in London

If you like Japanese food try wakamama Paula has named one of my favourites. But it is a "g" not a "k": www.wagamama.com

OK I took in all your suggestions and modified a bit
Wondering though since our bus tour ticket and Thames cruise ticket are tied to the same day if we do that day two with the AM tour and do as suggested to tie it to the Tower..after lunch .from where it was suggested to board to the tower will we get the full tour also how long should I allow for the boat tour and the tower if I started the boat tour at 1:30?

Well I don't have any idea of how long a boat tour will take but if it is hypothetically 90 minutes that's then 3 pm. A pretty late time for joining the back of the lines at the Tower I would have thought. Most people here advise getting there when it opens to have the best shot of short(er) lines and a chance to see the Crown Jewels and enjoy a Beefeaters' (Yeoman Warder's) tour.

Many (most? all?) of the HO/HO tickets are good for 24 hours. So I don't think that you'll have to do them on the same day. Do one on day 1 and one on day 2, or split it up however you need to. You may want to check- it could be that the cruise can be done anytime that week and not tied to the 'day' you do the Ho/Ho at all.

If you enjoy gardens, May is a fantastic time to see Kew gardens. Hampton court palace is also very lovely.
Indian food in London is reputed to be better than Indian food in India.

We don't want to spend that long in the I did modify from the plan above and have and hour an a half... planned and really for us that will be enough.. I know there is a lot to see but we get "museumed" out after about an hour and a half I initially had the Tower on a different day first thing in the AM then someone said... tie the Thames cruise to the tower... so we moved it :( OK I will put it back on day four in the AM and just do the Thames cruise by itself on Monday... if we start our ticket at 9AM then it is only good till 9AM the next day so I really only have it for one day..We want to start early in the day to get as much as we can in...
The gardens sound lovely and we love indian food so will work all that in on day Four.

Keep the tower and the cruise together. The line to get into the tower may get a bit long, but once inside it won't be bad. It's a very large place. The line to see the crown jewels move quickly because they put you on a conveyor belt. There is a lot of stuff to see there besides the jewels as well.

Re your comment about the London Eye: I too am afraid of ferris wheels, but family talked me into goiing on the Eye and I was glad I did. I takes 20 mins to do full circle and you never feel the drop. Make sure it's a clear day; also very nice in the evening too.

Just curious as to why to do the Thames cruise and the tower together? What is the reason for this.. several people have mentioned this... not sure why

Barbara, I don't think you need to do the Thames cruise and the Tower together. Do the Thames cruise whenever it makes sense for you.

I figured but since three people on the board mentioned doing them together I just wondered if there was some specific reason why

I'm assuming that they suggested it just because there is a pier near the Tower. However, lots of things on your list are close to the Thames. Since the cruise is best taken in clear weather, I'd fit it in whenever it works. For example, you could do it the day you visit Westminster Abbey and Parliament.