how to get your bearings in London the first day of visiting

Unless you are staying in the Westminster neighborhood try this approach for your first London visit. From where ever you have booked your accommodation and after you've gotten your Oyster card, checked in and freshened up, find the closest tube stop. On the large underground map on the wall inside the station figure out your best route to the Westminster station. The stop is on the Circle, District or Jubilee lines, the yellow, green or grey lines on the map. Ride the tube to the Westminster station, exit and follow the signage to EXIT 1. Reads Westminster Bridge, Westminster Millennium Pier, BA London Eye, London Aquarium, The Saatchi Gallery. Walk up the few stairs and out into the light.
You will be looking across the Thames at the London Eye. Take it in, turn right and look up. Climb up the stairs to your right and start your exploration of London. Great city. Have fun!

Although I do think HOHO bus tours are a good way to get an overview of a city, I would not recommend one immediately after getting off a flight. Why not consider a walking tour? There are many organized tours, or you could just get a map and plan your own. It would get you some fresh air (hoping that it doesn't pour rain), would help with jetlag, and would help acclimate to the city.

Gwen You don't say where you are staying but one option would be a walk along the South Bank of the Thames. If you start from Embankment Tube station, cross the river and turn left you can walk past the south bank centre, the New Tate art gallery, The Globe, Southwark Cathedral and up to Tower Bridge. It takes a bit over an hour at a moderate pace. If you want to walk a bit further you can start at Victoria, walk up Victoria Street and past Westminster Abbey and the Houses of Parliament, cross the river on Westminster Bridge and walk down the river from there. natively, also from Victoria, walk up Buckingham Palace Road and past the palace, walk through the park to Trafalgar Square and then down Northumberland Avenue to the river. Have a good trip Alan PS If it was me I'd stop in a pub or two along the way! Possibilities http://www.sherlockholmespub.com/index.php http://foundersarms.co.uk/ http://www.pubs.com/main_site/pub_details.php?pub_id=92

We are staying north of the city in the swiss cottage area at the marriott. Is the tube the best way to get into the city from Heathrow or would you go with the Heathrow Connect? Thanks for the ideas I think we will deff. do the walking tour for sure.

Underground is cheaper, takes longer. Heathrow Connect is faster and pricey. Heathrow Express is the fastest (15 mins) and costs the most. If you take the tube you'll take the Piccadilly line from Heathrow to Green Park and transfer to the Jubilee line heading to Stanmore and get off at Swiss Cottage. Both the Express and the Connect travel from Heathrow to Paddington Station. From Paddington you would take the Underground Bakerloo Line to Baker Street, transfer to the Jubilee line and follow same route as above to Swiss Cottage. Tube is very easy to use. Personally, I take carry on luggage and always cough up the money for the Express. I'm always anxious to get into London but that's just me. Choice is yours.

@Gwen to take the route I proposed in an earlier post from your Swiss Cottage accommodation; take the Jubliee (grey ) to Westminster. In an Underground station look for the free pocket maps that are available. Look near the manned ticket windows. Makes plotting a route on the tube so easy.

Hi Gwen-IMHO-Just get out and walk-again, depending where you are staying. Last year, I had a 3 day surprise layover in London due to storms, etc. I grabbed a taxi, booked a room at a great hotel, got there in a snowstorm, but walkable. After freshening up, I just walked the city for about 5 hours. I was surprised what I saw and where I ended up. The Palace, the Park, a pub, and by the next morning, I almost felt that I had seen most of London!!! All the advice is great, and I love that some individuals have given you specific routes. I would stay off a bus, walk, enjoy the sights, sounds and you will really have a great start to your vacation in London!

very similar to previous suggestions. To me i always walk Piccadilly Circus, down to Trafalgar Square, Whitehall to Big Ben via Horse Guards (probably even to the embankment, Westminster Abbey, then back via St James Park, Buckingham palace, back via the edge of green park to Piccadilly and back to Piccadilly Circus. For mr that is the esssence of London. Thats when i know i am back.