London what to do first afternoon

A walk around in the sunshine (hopefully) is what's needed to fight jet lag. Walk around Westminster, then the south bank, past Shakespeare's Globe Theatre, and east on the banks of the River Thames to Tower Bridge. That will give you a good look at London. Just be careful when crossing streets! Look both ways before crossing; then look again. You will be slightly jet lagged, and traffic patterns will be different from what you are used to back home. Also, you could hook up with a walking tour from these people; London Walks: www.walks.com They offer walks all over London, different neighborhoods, different themes. Very inexpensive; $7 or thereabouts. Just show up at the location indicated on the website; no reservations necessary. You are going to have a blast in London! It's a great city!

Let me correct something a previous poster wrote: "I would go to Hyde park if it is a nice day and just enjoy the scenery, also a walk around Big Ben and Winchester Cathedral will put you in a great "English" mood." Winchester Cathedral is not in London; you would have to travel to another part of England to see that. If you are walking around near Big Ben, in that neighborhood you will be looking for Westminster Abbey. Not a far walk from Big Ben at all, and, IMHO, the number one sight in London (with #2 being The Tower of London). Here's what it looks like (see pictures): http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Westminster_Abbey You can't miss it. You will need a walking map of London for this trip, absolutely no doubt. A good one is "Streetwise London", on plastic-coated paper, available at Barnes & Nobles bookstore, $7.95. Also available here on the Rick Steves website: http://travelstore.ricksteves.com/catalog/index.cfm?fuseaction=product&theParentId=9&id=493

I suggest you choose something that keeps you outside and moving to help combat jet lag. Doing something like a Hop On/Hop Off bus will just lull you to sleep.

Depends on where you are staying. In our case last month we were staying near Russell Square, and needed to retrieve train and opera tickets. So after a 9:15 landing at LHR, we ultimately took the Tube to Charing Cross Station, had a nice breakfast along the Thames at the Embankment Cafe (reduced price until 11AM) and then did a slow wander along the Embankment, followed by a slow walk up through Trafalgar and Leicester Squares, through Covent Garden, and on up to the hotel.
Gave us an easy acclimatization to the traffic on the wrong side, and a relaxing afternoon after the flight, while being able to appreciate a bit of everyday central London.

Actually, if you're not too tired or sleepy when you arrive, a hop-on hop-off sightseeing bus tour is fun and a great way to get oriented to the city. Another touristy thing that's fun and usually doesn't take too much time (depends on the lines) is the London Eye giant ferris wheel. Great views and photo ops. But skip it if it's a rainy day. If the line is super long you can pay about 10 pounds extra per person and skip to the front.

I would go to Hyde park if it is a nice day and just enjoy the scenery, also a walk around Big Ben and Winchester Cathedral will put you in a great "English" mood.

I like the idea of going to Hyde Park and wondering around. You can check out Kensington Palace while there (it's a short tour) and maybe have afternoon tea at The Orangery (a little caffeine to keep you going). There are also some unusual sculptures and points of interest in the park that you can hunt down. However, where is your hotel? Perhaps you can find something equally outdoorsy and interesting closer to your rooms. You will be battling jet lag, so try something easy, stay hydrated, get as much sun as possible (if weather cooperates!).

First thing I'd do upon arrival in your hotel is take a nap. Then, get up and go find a local pub for some brew and pub food. Return to your hotel and go back to sleep. You'll be ready to go the second day full swing.

Often your hotel room won't be ready yet when you arrive in the am. I just park my bag and do a lot of walking, shopping, eating. By afternoon, when I can get into my room, I'm usually ready for a nap. This is my recover-from-jetlag day so I don't try to fit too much into it.

I appreciate the advice. We're staying at the Grand at Trafalgar Sq. After I talked to a friend who travels regularly from Atlanta to London to see family, he suggests arriving and going full speed with lots of activity the first day, even though you're worn out. Then you'll get a good night's sleep and may not notice the jet lag the following day, at least that's his theory. With this in mind, we may take the hop-off, hop-on bus tour, then take a west end walk to keep up activity.
Joe

Hi Joseph, I agree that the bus will just lull you to sleep. The London Eye is a good idea. You can get a nice perspective and it only takes about an hour if the lines are not too long. We've never had to wait long. Another idea that hasn't gained much popularity yet is to go up on the observation levels (78th and 79th floors) of the new skyscraper called The Shard. The view is stunning as is the glass building. It is pricey, but we greatly enjoyed it. There are two levels, the bottom floor being enclosed and the top floor open. The open floor has very tall walls, but it is open. The building itself is worth seeing in its own rite. We really enjoyed getting a full perspective of the city, even though we have been to London several times. There are labels for what you are seeing. You can google The Shard and get pictures. You can also order tickets online. I just looked at the site, and the tickets are £29.95. I would also try my hand at learning to use the subway system (The Tube), and wander around some sites you have always wanted to see.
I'd save the bus until later. You'll love London, one of the world's great cities.

Since it's your first trip, and you don't really know how much sleep you will get on the plane or how you will feel on arrival, don't let anyone tell you that you will be worn out or in need of a nap. You might be fine. Three weeks ago, I arrived at Heathrow at 7 a.m. I was in central London by 8:30 or so. I was catching a train at 1:30, so I had both of my bags with me. I walked, sat in the sun, and had a sandwich, and did a little looking around (ok, I was geocaching). I dozed a little on my train to Scotland, but mostly because I was sitting still, but otherwise I felt just fine, and ended up not getting to bed until 10:00. Stay active (and outside, if possible) and you might well be able to do a good bit of sightseeing that first day.

I agree with David (at Alabama). My overnight accommodation for my first night over there was at a place (hotel, or B & B) that let me check in at the time when I arrived there. In one trip, my flight arrived there in the morning, and I was at the accommodation place at 10:15 A.M. I quickly checked in, had a shower, and I was asleep in the morning. I like to sleep for two hours. Arriving at London's Heathrow airport at an early time in the morning, it is possible to arrive at a hotel, have a warm shower, put on clean clothes, sleep for two hours, before 12 noon. Doing that, I could sleep 8 hours that night. If you will go to some place in London the first day there, I recommend being outside, in sunlight. If the sky above London is covered with clouds, there is likely to be solar energy going through the clouds, to you. Bring an umbrella to London, but you might not need it. I was at London in October, there was a sprinkling of rain for short periods of time, I did not use (or need) an umbrella. That is typical in London. There can be a gentle light rain, for a very short period of time. If you need to be inside a building, when you are at or near Trafalgar square, walk into the British National Gallery (of art). It is one of my three favorite places in London. Free admission. I am not really an art lover, but I could enjoy being in the British National Gallery, two days (two hours in each day) in one trip at London. I like the oil paintings of landscapes by John Constable.