First visit to London

Hello Kathryn. An easy way to do it is : start at Westminster Abbey (cathedral) at 9:00 in the morning. Be in it not more than 45 minutes, and walk along Whitehall Street to the British Gallery (of Art) at Trafalgar square. That walk is the "Westminster Walk". Before you go to London, make a photocopy of the "Westminster Walk" (2 pages, it includes a map) in the book "Rick Steves' ENGLAND" or the book "Rick Steves' GREAT BRITAIN". The British Gallery is one of the world's best art galleries, but it is not very big : you can be out of it by 12:30 p.m.. Go east to Covent Garden for lunch and people watching. In the afternoon, go to any museum in London that you want to go in. (Ride in the London "Tube").

Hop On/Hop OFf Bus. It will take you around to all the major attractions and you can get off and on as often as you please. (You probably can't see everything in a day, but with the bus you can choose which ones and your transportation is taken care of.)

Major places to see include The Tower of London, Westiminster Abbey, St. Pauls Cathedral, Buck House (where the Queen lives), Trafalgar Square, and Hyde Park.

I wouldn't waste any time on the London Eye.

Frank is correct -- go for the bus. We generally ride one loop just to get a feel for what is available. During the second loop we decide what we want to see more of and what to skip. There are a couple different loops in London so check out which one appeals most to you. We have spent about 30 days in the London over the past 15 years, still have not seen everything.

Jean, I disagree. The Eye is one fantastic way to see the birdseye view of the City. This is my 4th time going next month, and I look forward to the Eye.

However, for Kathyn, the HO/Ho bus is the easiest way to get acclimated to the city.

The London Eye is great. I look forward to going on it within the first day we are in London (2 more weeks!). I think it's worth the price and does not take long, last time I went I just walked up and got right on without waiting.

the british museum is sweet. it has so many amazing things to see, you could easily spend a week in it. the british library is also cool. they have original da vinci sketches, shakespeare's folios, letters by janes austen, lyrics written by the beatles (liek the original peices of paper or napkins etc that they wrote their lyrics on) and many other things. i prefer to walk around london rather than the ho/ho bus. you feel more local that way. just depends on what you want to see. the national gallary is also impressive.
if you are a history buff, the imperial war museum is great.

the british museum is sweet. it has so many amazing things to see, you could easily spend a week in it. the british library is also cool. they have original da vinci sketches, shakespeare's folios, letters by janes austen, lyrics written by the beatles (liek the original peices of paper or napkins etc that they wrote their lyrics on) and many other things. i prefer to walk around london rather than the ho/ho bus. you feel more local that way. just depends on what you want to see. the national gallary is also impressive.
if you are a history buff, the imperial war museum is great.

The Hop On/Hop Off bus is great! It is the easiest way to get to know a city. The London Eye is fantastic. Don't miss it!

Rather than pay too much money to ride the London Eye, you can go up to the top of the OXO tower for free. It's not nearly as high, but it's free and still a good view!

I would go to the Tower of London when it opens and take the "Beefeater" tour, get a fish-n-chip lunch nearby then take the tube to Westminster and go to Westminster Abbey and take the "verger" tour...if you have enough time stay for "Evensong"....later about 9:30p(be on time) return to Tower of London for the "Ceremony of the Keys"...apply from their website about 2 months in advance for free tickets...have a great time!!!

I, too, highly recommend the British Library. It is just completely fascinating in general. Where else can you find letters from Queen Elizabeth the First, Captain Cook and Jane Austen (and her actual portable writing table)? ...so many amazing things there. won't take long, either--it's all basically in one room.

Kathryn,

I just got back from a trip that included a week in London, and I suggest starting your morning in Westminster Abbey. The building is amazing and the history inside is really interesting. Afterwards you'll want the standard pictures of Big Ben and Parliment, which are just next to the Abbey. Then spend some time in the British Museum; it's the most comprehensive museum I've ever seen. You'll just barely be able to see the highlights, but it has such a huge collection of Human history it'd be a shame to miss it. Then head over to the Tower of London (no later than 3pm). It's a really interesting look at London's history. When the tower closes, you could go on a nice walk by the Thames across the Tower Bridge, and maybe over to the Globe Theater to catch a show (or one of the dozens of West End shows). If it's still nice out you can finish with a Tube ride to Victoria Station and a walk to Buckingham Palace and Kew Park. It'd be a really busy day, but these are the highlights of London (in my opinion). Hope these suggestions help!

Would agree - take a good walk around the city or do an on/off bus. The London Eye is slightly expensive, but you can't beat the view. I really liked the Tate Modern museum - not everyone in your party may want to see this, so it might be a good solo thing to do (and it's free, like most of the museums in London) - the restaurant/bar at the top offers a nice city view. London is amazing - you will love it.