Visiting London, England

[Wayne Maybury]

My wife and I are going to London this spring. We plan on visiting all of the regular tourist sights but so far I have not been able to get an appointment to see the Queen .

Does anyone have any advice on what to see, what to do, what not to do, etc? I hear that their subway system is amongst the best in the world so we will probably be using it to get around. I am definitely not going to rent a car as I just cannot imagine driving on the wrong side of the road for a week. I have also been told that while their food isn't great, it is much improved. We may stick to pub food and lots of beer.

Wayne

[Jamo]

If you haven't booked a place to stay, I highly recommend the Marriott County Hall. Sits at the southside base of Westminster Bridge in a building which has been the backdrop in many movies. Members of many foreign services stay there because it is just across the bridge from Parliment/Whitehall. Big Ben becomes your alarm clock. The Wheel is right next door, and a Tube station that looks like it came out of the movie Brazil is just across the bridge. Waterloo Station is two blocks away, and the Theater district is a 10 minute walk across the Hungerford Bridge to the east on the bend of the Thames. There's a Dali exhibit along the waterfront. You will pay more...much more, but you will never find a better place to stay.

http://www.marriott.com/hotels/trave...l-county-hall/

Everything is right there...Westminster Abbey, Trafalger Square's a short walk with the Art Museum on it, and the British Museum (assolutely need to go there) a few steps beyond that.

One of the greatest indoor junkyards is at Vicky and Al's (Victoria and Albert Museum) a bit west of Harrod's (eat in the bottom floor "deli" or in one of the upstairs cafes) which is not far from Buckingham Palace. The Tower's a stop or three on the Tube, as is St. Paul's.

Take a big red double decker bus around on the first day...muy goodo. Take the Tube and the London cabs everywhere else.

The Marriott will get you a car for the day...the driving is not bad at all. Go out to Windsor Castle...neat little town below. West to Bath, and then south to them old stones and back again was a great one day trip.

[Dan40]

As suggested above, definitely take the double decker bus. Called the hop on, hop off bus. See a place you want to visit hop off, visit, then hop on the next bus. Your hotel will have all the info and can sell you a ticket for it.

[Big Oil]

I would add:

The Imperial War Museum
Cabinet War Rooms
St Paul's Cathedral & Tate Modern (both near the Milennium Bridge)
Duxford Air Museum (about 45 min+/- north of London but very interesting, especially if there's an air show!)

[4RE KLR]

It has been awhile since I was there. I remember it is a beautiful place with tons of culture.

Jamo pretty much gave you a great list. The museum is definitely not to be missed.

St. Paul's Cathedral is the most beautiful Church I have ever set foot in.
We also went to Stratford Upon Avon for the day and enjoyed that trip.
You simply must ride the train. 200 MPH is cool & Smooth as a babies butt!
I thought Madame Tussauds was a neat place.
Windsor Palace if the Royal Family is there.
Buckingham Palace -Of course you need to see the changing if the guards.
Tower Bridge is on the river and has easy access. Great photo opp!

Go down to ??? (someone help me here) Lower London ???? and see the dungeons and torture chambers. They are museums now. You will be amazed at what humans once did to each other.

The taxi cabs are a great way to get around. The tube is better and a lot less $$$$. Be very careful about which station you get off in and at what time. ASK QUESTIONS. Sometimes the tourist become targets after dark if they have cameras hanging around their necks. Seriously, ask which stations you should stay out of after dark.

Over all London is a great and safe and enjoyable place, just watch yourself after dark. I would love to go back there with my wife & kids.

I remember the food not being bad at all. The beer is dark and at room temperature. Do Not ask for a cold beer, they'll laugh you outta the place. . Also they do not serve ice in your tea unless you ask for it.

It is a great place and you are in for a treat.

Enjoy!

[lineslinger]

If you see a 6'2" bearded kid with a Missouri accent tell him his father says hi.

[Dan40]

Draft beer is cold. Bottled beer might not be, but why drink bottled when every pub has draft?

In racing we used to say that the English don't really like warm beer. Its just that Lucas makes refrigerators too.

Word was that Lucas and Magnetti Morreli stole each others ignition technology. That's why they are both bad. On a damp, or worse morning, I would open the hood and spray Wet Start over the whole engine compartment of my Alfa Romeo before even trying to start it.

The 3 positions of a Lucas switch,
1. OFF
2. Flicker
3 Broken

[Karl Bebout]

Wayne, Jamo listed a bunch of great sites. The tube is wonderful to get from point A to point B quickly but the double deckers will let you see the scenery. The London Muesum is definitely a must. Remember the tower of London. Look for Kronenberg draft beer in the pubs. Its actually French but is Oh So Good and in a whole lot of pubs. A nice lager, chilled to about 45 degrees, and carries a nice punch, after three or four pints. There is also a "strong lager" version I found in cans that will kick yer a+s. Lovely stuff. There are tons of excellent Indian, Greek, and just about any ethnic restuarants you can imagine. A truly international city. I personally liked the area around Kew Gardens and 'way back, there were some nice, small personal hotels that were barely more than B&Bs. Driving on the wrong side, from the wrong side isn't all that bad. Just have to really try to remember to look the "wrong" way when you pull out into traffic. Get out and walk. The neighborhoods have lots of wonderful shops like the meat monger, fish monger, bakery, frozen food store, etc. They probably have supermarkets in some areas by now but the little neighborhood stores had the best, freshest goodies. Enjoy your trip. Great place to visit with wonderful people.

[Wayne Maybury]

WOW, thanks for all of the ideas.

Jamo, I stay in Holiday Inns on business on a regular basis so I have a ton of points which I wanted to use. I ended up reserving a room in the London Park Lane, One Hamilton Place. It is between Hyde Park and the Buckingham Palace grounds. From what I hear, it is a classy "joint". From what I can see on the map, it is close to a "Tube" station and it isn't too far from the tourist area.

I have been told that the best way to get around London is using the Tube. We are flying into Heathrow and I believe that we can get a week's pass right at the airport and then take the Tube into London. I will certainly also try the double decker buses and of course at least one London Cab.

I plan on trying to visit as many of the spots that have been mentioned as I can in one week. I will also try to visit as many pubs as possible and try many different brands of beer. A friend has told me that Churchill's war bunker is a must see.

One concern was understanding the currency but I have been told that the Pound now contains 100 pennies and is broken down more or less the same way as out dollar. This should make using cash much easier.

Lineslinger, will do.

I am really looking forward to this trip.

Thanks again for the ideas and suggestions.
Wayne

[Ron61]

Wayne,

Have a great trip and a good time. Take pictures if you have time.

Ron

[Maurice Johnson]

A few hours by train , west of London, is the Worcester (pronounced Wooster) Cathedral. An architectural wonder. Just north of this, in the Malvern Hills, Morgan cars just celebrated 100 years of handbuilding cars. Brings tears to your eyes.

[car4jim]

Stick with the beer and you'll be good!

[bdeutsch]

Depending on whether you are in to trains, would also highly recommend taking the Eurostar from London to Paris (Chunnel train). As I recall, you pick it up at Paddington Station and it drops you off in downtown Paris..about 3.25 hours one-way.

Depending on budget, you can go coach or first class. First class gets you a 3-course meal that was very good. One night in Paris not really enough time to see much, but very accessible using the train.

[Ram427]

beer = room temp, is dark, and refered to as bitter and is mainly British
lager= chilled, mainly European - similar to Bud, Coors. Stella is originally from Belguim is good. Kronenburg is good also.

Food won't be a problem, you can get everything from anywhere in the world in London, most of the population will be Tourists. If you're really hungry there is always MacDonalds

If you're coming here in May, the National Kit car Show is held over the public holiday at Stoneleigh, about 2-3 hrs north of London.

There is always Brooklands (Museum-I've not been but been told that its good), or the Race Track which is the Worlds oldest purpose built race track- its not complete. These are at Weybridge (40 mins west of London). it just happens to be near Thames Ditton, home to a certain car factory from which Mr Shelby bought a few cars back in the sixties.

Have a good holiday.

Roger

[Mark IV]

Stop at any small pub in the countryside for lunch. A good meal and and a proper pint of bitters! I have had really good meals in "locals" and my wife who does not imbibe of the hops would have a meal and a glass of wine.

We stayed one night in the Cotswolds in a manor house hotel that has only six rooms (The "Greenway") and had a fabulous meal, fine wine and then retired to our room and ....well that's all you need to know!

I was on business to visit Autokraft and buy some AC Mk IVs so this was a business trip that was mostly pleasure!

Been back to Blighty several times since and I have never been disappointed.

Also, in London the "theatre" is good..we saw a "broadway" show for a decent price via the Concierge and had a great time. Loved intermission when they come down into the theatre to sell ice cream!!!!

[Jamo]

Stow-on-the-Wold is one of our favorite townes.

If we're going to go a bit far afield of Wayne's targeted area, then the Welsh coastal road all the way through Snowdonia up to Portmeiron is a great trip. Portmeiron is a utopian village (where they filmed The Prisoner in the 60s) which is a hotel on its own (you can stay in the Butcher's Shoppe, for example). We stayed at a hotel on a forested ridge above Harlech, the oldest part of which was a house built in the 1600s.

The whole damn island is freeking Disneyland, but it's Real.

[keane]

Hi Wayne, Dave in Poole Dorset, 2 hours West of London, The wife and I fly over to the States Annually and hire a Harley and do Thousands of Miles over there, just so much space. Flying into Seattle this year and going North into BC, and then back through Montana Idaho etc, I am sure you will enjoy your trip, you are better off not driving around the capital, use the tube, some good suggestions, when are you going? if you are going further afield let us know and we can find out more info for you, if you end up down this neck of the woods, the kettle will be on. Regards Dave

[Wayne Maybury]

Dave, we will be there in mid April. With so many things to see in and around London, I really wonder if we will have time to get out into the country side in addition to the one day we have planned for Ipswich.

Ron, pictures? I plan on buying a new DSLR (probably a Nikon D3000) before our trip so I certainly do plan on taking lots of picture.

Wayne

[keane]

No Probs Wayne, hope you have a great time. Dave

[UKjohnnycobra]

Wayne as a Londoner myself (now living in the US) I can tell you that spring is the best time time to go there.

I recommend you stay away from the lager and stick with the good London brews such as Fullers London Pride or Young's Special.

You have had some great input on the thread....overall I agree with Big Oil, his suggestions are "must haves".

If you are going to Ipswich it will be worth making the extra effort to visit Ely. Its one of the most beautiful cities in England with an ancient cathedral that will astound you.

Oh and by the way its traditional for first time visitors to go up to the first policeman they see and steal their helmet while shouting "all coppers are b@stards!". Extra points if you actually do this at the airport. Its OK, they are all in on the joke.