London after Christmas

I think it would be a great time to go. THEATRE! Fewer crowds in the museums! Edinburgh has an awesome New Years celebration that lasts New Years Eve all day through the night and all day New Years day. It is a Scotish tradition. You could take the train from London and return same way. Here is a link to an article I wrote about day trips from London by train (if it asks for a zipcode, use 28208)

http://www.aaacarolinas.com/Magazine/2008/Jan-Feb/britain.htm

Feel free to private message me (we've been to the UK alot)

I would think Edinburgh would be a long train trip, not to mention expensive. But anyway...there are lots of great museums in London. If the weather is nice I love to walk around. Many day trips. Go to London Walks website and look at those-I've never been on one I didn't enjoy, and they're probably doing some on NY Day. E-mail me for any other suggestions, I've been there a lot and LOVE it.

Stephanie, London is a great city. There's plenty of good honest advice here.

London in December will be chilly, with highs probably in the low 40's, upper 30's. Advice to wear layers especially applies because indoor temps will vary. Some places will be toasty and others downright cool. I've always found cars on the Tube to be overly warm in winter.

It's a good idea to buy an Oyster Card or a Travelcard. Tube travel is otherwise rather expensive. Which to buy seems a matter of much discussion here, but I say don't worry. Just find a ticket seller in the first Tube station you visit and tell them you need a card for a week's travel. They might ask which zones you'll be traveling in. Just tell them you you'll be making all the usual tourists stops. Odds are, they will sell you a 7-day Oyster Card. It's plastic and looks like a credit card. Slap it on the little illuminated dome on the turnstyle. Most everyone else will be doing the same thing.

Taxis can be expensive but are obviously convenient. Don't be afraid to use on at the end of a long and tiring day. Note: The Tube is jampacked during the morning and evening rush.

You may find that many shops and restaurants close on New Year's, so a bit of planning might pay off there.

Don't fret over eating alone. I always travel alone. For breakfast, I usually grab something in the hotel or at nearby cafe. Lunch is on the run, pretty much happenstance. I seldom make reservations for dinner or even pick out a place beforehand. I typically find a informal place, often a pub.

London is a walking city, so wear comfortable walking shoes. Give precedence to comfort, not style.

Lot's of good guidebooks exist, including the Steves book. Do your research at home, and take your favorite guidebook with you. I recommend plotting out a flexible rough itinerary for each day, just so you don't waste time blundering around.

Daytrips by train out of London are easy and cheaper if you book in advance.

One more thing: Edinburgh by train is not an outlandish idea (about 5 hours, if memory serves), although ticket prices might be high for the holiday. (I'm not sure, so check it out.) Hotel/B&B space might be at a premium, though, on New Year's, so book as soon as possible.

The London Pass is probably not worth it, as the museums are free anyway.

I spent New Years 2008 in London by myself. On New Year's Eve I went on a London Walks pub crawl which was really more of a history tour with a few stops at local pubs. But it gave me some folks to talk to and hang out with for the evening. Since I was just off the plane that day, I watched the fireworks on my hotel TV, but I'd recommend finding a place to watch then live- fireworks over the London Eye are spectacular. On New Years Day I joined a local walking club for their walk on Hampstead Heath. This was a great opportunity to meet local people and see a different part of London. You can google walking clubs to find different ones in the London area. Alone I usually eat in pubs. Also The Cafe in the Crypt at St Martin's in the Field is good and easy to do by yourself. In some ways solo travel is the best- you can do whatever you want when you want to. Very liberating!

I've spent the week between Xmas and New Years in London as a solo traveler several times.
I was even there for the big Millennium.
I usually go to lots of Plays, museums, waking around the city, day trips to Bath, York, Salisbury, Leeds Castle, Oxford, Cambridge , etc.
This time of year is the big SALES season and I found the shopping areas just packed with people.
I can add that very very rarely did I see any rain at all.
Enjoy your trip.

The creomony of the keys goes everynight free and interesting . transport might not be cheap holiday periods

One thing to remenber is that on Xmas day everything is completely shut down in London, all visitor attractions, restaurants, public transport included. You might struggle to find something to eat outside your hotel other than ethnic restaurants whose religions don't practise Xmas.

In the UK, many people not in the service industries do not work between Xmas Eve and the day after New Years Day and take it as a week of their core holiday entitlemenet. (In the UK most people get 5 weeks minimum paid holiday entitlement each year).
It can be less crowded as a result getting around with everybody out in the suburbs on holiday but at the attractions busier than ever with leisure travellers.
You should also get some very good deals at this time, especially at the big chain hotels that businessmen would normally use.

Just want to thank everyone for the helpful answers.

I'm going to be there during New Years too. Depending on what you want to see or do, it might be worth it to get a London Pass. Most museums are free, but there may be a few that you really want to see and it might be worth it to get a London Pass. I've been debating this myself.

I studied abroad in London a few years ago, and I wouldn't necessarily say it's friendly. It's a big city, and like most big cities people mostly keep to themselves and walk very quickly. I had to get used to that. Of course London is a huge melting pot, so you'll see lots of people of all different races from different countries. Tourists tend to be more friendly.

Couple things I learned that you might find useful:

If you have a Bank of America account, you can use your ATM card at the Barclays Bank (which is a major bank in London) to withdraw money and won't be charged a fee. I found traveler's checks inconvenient.

Look into buying a 7 day travel pass (I recommend Zones 1 and 2 because that's where most of the touristy things are). It's cheaper to pay for it all up front rather than buy 7 day passes and you can ride the tube and bus as much as you want.

If you're alone, sometimes men will approach you and start talking to you. If they make you uncomfortable, just ignore them. I didn't really encounter any pickpocketing, but they warned us at orientation to just be aware of our surroundings.

I recently found a website that's geared specifically for women who travel. http://www.journeywoman.com/
It's filled with advice from women who, well, travel the world.

I hope this helps. Let me know if you have any other questions. You're going to have an amazing time!

Hello Stephanie. I am Ron at Florida. At the Traveler's Helpline I read your question : "London after Christmas". If I were to be at England on December 31, I would go to the town Bath, December 30. A grand old B & B in bath has a special dinner for its guests on the evening of December 31, each year. That is the only day when dinner is served in that B & B. I do not know if a room is available in that B & B for December 31, 2009. If you are interested in inquiring about that place at Bath, I could try to find the name and E-mail address of that B & B.

As for the London Pass, you need to make a list of places you want to see in a specific number of days (get a guidebook to help you) and then compare it to the cost of the pass. Only you can figure out if buying the London Pass is worth it. It is so frustrating when folks respond that the museums are free, so it is not worth buying it. Museum visits were only about 20-25% of our sightseeing in London, so the pass was well worth it and saved money for us. There will be lots to do, but your day light hours will be short. Try to do a day trip to Bath if you can (I would try to focus on day side-trips rather than overnights). Oxford, Windsor, and Cambridge are also good option. Get a guidebook (Rick's are really good for first-timers) and map out a rough itinerary. Go to the Orangery for afternoon tea. Walk down Oxford Street for shopping and to see all the lights (it's pretty after dark and safe). Have fun!

The other posters have correctly warned you about things closing down on Xmas day, Dec 26th, and New Years. But it sounds from your post that New Years is the only one you have to be worried about, and enough planning will take care of that.
London will be grey and drizzly, with occasional moments of sunshine--it always is. It is not less friendly than philadelphia, or Washington DC where I live--but not more so. Traditionally the English were rather reserved, almost shy, but that has pretty much changed along with everything else in the past 40 years. London will strike you very much like New York--a diverse population, crowded, very busy, full of energy.
Having just returned from a Thanksgiving week trip, my 5th to London over many years--I would pass on these recommendations....
I would suggest shopping in Covent Garden rather than Oxford Street, which I find to be crowded to the point of terrifying. The Tube is incredibly easy to use to get around. London walks provides superb walking tours of different areas, and they are cheap...you could easily string together several on New Years. Everyone knows about the Tower of London, Westminster Abbey, British Museum, and National Gallery/trafalgar Square--but there are innumerable smaller spots worth doing. My favorites are the Museum of London (which may be undergoing reconstruction), the Imperial War Museum (for the Trench Experience and the Blitz Experience), and the Transport Museum (the evolution of London's transportation system is at the heart of the story of London).
Theatre is phenomenal, and something you shouldn't miss. Afternoon tea is a great experience...we had tea at the Wolseley (160 Picadilly St), an elegant old car dealership converted to restaurant. Expensive, but worth it. The Waterstone's bookstore on the same street is huge, and a delight for browsers...far better than Barnes and Noble or Borders.
I say go--you will have the time of your life.

If you do get the London Pass do not get the Transport add on, it covers far more ground than you will need and is therefore more expensive than a Zone 1 & 2 travelcard which will cover the majority of sights. Here is the Transport for London site.

http://www.tfl.gov.uk/tickets/faresandtickets/2009/13576.aspx

The site is also useful for journey planning around London, including walking distances

Nancy,

I disagree with your statement, "The London Pass is probably not worth it, as the museums are free anyway". I have not been yet, plan to go in March, and in my research, have only found the British Museum to be free (that is the only museum we intend to see). The London Pass covers soooooo many other attractions, such as Churchill Museum, Jewel Tower, St. Paul's Cathedral, Tower Bridge and more. We intend to stay 6 days, so I think it would be worth it for 8 days.