in fiddling with my itinerary (yet again), i'm having difficulty with our hotel switch day (we have to check out of one and into another--long story). my question is--can you take backpacks into the tower of london? if so, we can go there on our way to check in to our second hotel--we'll be going from easyHotel victoria to the hoxton. it is not a question of IF we can manage with them--we're packing VERY light--but if they will let us in with backpacks on. a lot of sites do not allow it--the british museum, for example--and i cannot find this info on the website (or anywhere else online for that matter). thanks in advance!
Posted by
Tempe, AZ, USA
1265 posts
Tracy - I didn't mean to offend. Here is a link to the Tube for a journey planner. Journey Planner. It will help give you a guestamate on time.
Looks like it'll take 20 minutes to go from Victoria Station to Old Street Station, and it'll take about 10-15 minutes to get from Old Street Station to Tower Hill Station.
Posted by
OP
Macungie, PA, USA
463 posts
oh no--not offended at all! i'm sending this to you privately too, just in case you don't check back here. i was writing that VERY hurriedly at work--i'm a teacher and my prep period was ending and kids were coming back into the room. not offended AT ALL! :-) and thanks so much for the journey planner--that's EXACTLY what i was looking for.
Posted by
Tempe, AZ, USA
1265 posts
Tracey - Silly question, Can you leave you bags at the old hotel to be picked up later? Or can you stop by your new hotel and drop them off?
I've never had problems leaving bags for later pickup or dropping bags of early.
Posted by
OP
Macungie, PA, USA
463 posts
yes, we can drop them off early at the hoxton (and no, we cannot leave them at easyHotel) but i kind of wanted to avoid running all over creation early in the morning. according to the tube map, the tower of london is three stops away from hotel #1, and hotel number two is an additional three stops with (i think) a transfer involved. so for us to get up, cross all of london, drop off our bags, and then cross halfway back...it just seems like a waste of time. though of course i have absolutely no idea how long using the tube takes, or how long it will take us to walk from the tube to the hotel and back etc. i'm very familiar with using the subway in d.c. and doing this there would be annoying (and yes, i realize i should have thought of this before i booked two different hotels--and in fact i did, but it is saving us over $250); that's really all i'm going on. if i am wrong about this, please advise, and we'll just do that!
Posted by
Tuscaloosa, AL
1152 posts
I've been to the Tower twice and I had some kind of backpack with me both times. One of them may have been one of the larger ones, but I can't recall for sure. But anyway, I don't think it's a problem there.
Posted by
Reston, VA, USA
809 posts
Tracy, I use Rick's Civita backpack as my daybag and had no trouble getting into the Tower with it on my back. Not sure how it compares to the size of your packs. But the Tower is such a big, sprawling place - seems to me they would not worry about a pack there the way a museum would have to worry.
I checked the Tower website and found 2 items that might be of use. This item from the FAQs:
"Q: Is there anywhere I can leave my heavy bags?
A: Please note the Tower of London does not have any left luggage facilities available."
Note that it does NOT say you can't bring bags in with you.
And an email address in the Contact Us page: VisitorServices_TOL@hrp.org.uk
Thanks for giving me an excuse to wander through the Tower's website... and have a wonderful trip!
Posted by
Florida, USA
12172 posts
I know I had a daypack when I visited the tower. I don't recall having to leave it anywhere. I can't really say about large backpacks.