We're Going to London. Location Recommendations Please.

[condorlover1]

In London you have Carnaby Street, The Cheshire Cheese in London was frequented by Dr. Johnson. The Inn of Courts is quite interesting. El Vino's Wine Bar on Fleet Street in amusing and fun. Trafalgar Square and Nelson's Column. Any of the bookshops on Charing Cross Road and the antique market on Saturdays at the Embankment. British Museum, Natural History Museum and Science Museum. Take in a play on Shaftesbury Ave just off Tottenham Court Road. Day trip to Brighton could be fun and a little challenging due to a sudden outbreak of 'woke-ness' and general weirdness, a visit to the Brighton Pavilion is also worth doing.

 

[kcghost]

A trip to England and Scotland must be the cat's meow!! You could stay there for a full year and not due the place any justice.

 

[scloyd]

Thanks everyone. This is very helpful.

 

[gubbyduffer]

Been mentioned, but avoid Slough completely. It's one big industrial estate with no charm. Windsor is nice, and so is Guildford if I recall. I was in London for a couple of days recently. HMS Belfast is a cool experience. Its a WW2 light cruiser moored right next to Tower Bridge. They haven't sanitised the experience on board. You have to navigate narrow corridors, low ceilings, pipe work, valves and dials to get round. Feels a bit like caving. The gun turrets are particularly impressive. I also went with my kids to see Bach to the Future The Musical at the West End. If that isnt your kind of show there are plenty of others. There is a real hustle and bustle around the Leicester Square area all the time.
Getting around on the tube these days is really easy. You don't even need to buy a ticket. Scan your bank card on entry and exit from stations and the journey is debited automatically. I read that this should work with most foreign bank cards.

 

[Franco Pipenbeans]

Hampton and Hampton Court are well worth a visit. Richmond is nice.

Oxford, if you can be bothered to go that bit further - there is a coach that goes direct from Oxford to Heathrow, it says it’s £19 one way, here’s the link to have a look if that floats your boat -

Oxford to Heathrow coach from £19*

Book now for direct National Express coaches from Woking to Heathrow with fares starting from the unbelievable price of £19 one-way*.

www.nationalexpress.com

Speaking of boats; you can catch a boat from near to the Houses of Parliament in Westminster, all the way up to Hampton Court. If memory serves me right, it takes about an hour ish to get there, it’s lovely little trip up the Thames.
Here’s a link for one company, but there are a few different ones to choose from, so you might get a cheaper price - Thames River Taxi

Westminster to Kew, Richmond & Hampton Court Service

A service travelling from Westminster Pier to Kew Pier, Richmond Landing Stage & Hampton Court Landing Stage on-board a traditional River Thames passenger boat.

www.thamesriverboats.co.uk

Hampton Court is easily a day, to have a good look around, here’s a couple of photos from a recent trip.

 

[UB 40]

If you like steak and kidney pie, I cannot recommend the Windmill high enough—it's delicious if you enjoy that dish.

Mmh kidney pie, I love it, and steak rare, almost alive.

 

[HawkeyeLinus]

Thanks for the inspiration @scloyd! Sitting on the deck working my London area priorities! I said ‘24 or ‘25 because we’ve had a feeling for awhile ‘24 could involve a wedding and sure enough a couple of nights ago we found out it will, lol, oldest daughter will have some claim on our summer ‘24 budget, haha, but this morning I’m thinking what better way to treat ourselves, haha, just have to find a “London On A Sixpence Per Day” guide!!!

Loving this thread!!

 

[jaingorenard]

If any of you head to the east end, let me know and I have plenty of suggestions. JJ Fox in St James Street is essential to visit for the little museum in the cellar.

 

[jpmcwjr]

If any of you head to the east end, let me know and I have plenty of suggestions. JJ Fox in St James Street is essential to visit for the little museum in the cellar.

Isn't Fox the only source of pipe tobacco in St. James'?

 

[simong]

If you like steak and kidney pie, I cannot recommend the Windmill high enough—it's delicious if you enjoy that dish.

Not bad, steak & kidney pudding however, that’s where the magic lies.

Simpsons in the Strand is one of London’s oldest restaurants & an absolute must if you’re after something special.

 

[simong]

Isn't Fox the only source of pipe tobacco in St. James'?

Davidoff used to be just up from Fox’s, don’t know if they‘re still going.

 

[jaingorenard]

Davidoff used to be just up from Fox’s, don’t know if they‘re still going.

Yep, they're still going, and there's now a Cgars shop as well. Fox's is the only one worth visiting in my opinion, if only for the little cellar museum.

 

[mikethompson]

Just following this thread now so I can travel to London vicariously through Scott

 

[ParkitoATL]

The wife and I are headed to London late Sept for our 25th Anniversary. Our route includes Oxford, Bath, Bourton-on-the-Water, Stow-on-the-Wold, and Kew Gardens.

How are the British people about pipe smoking in public places? Outdoors, of course.

 

[scloyd]

The wife and I are headed to London late Sept for our 25th Anniversary. Our route includes Oxford, Bath, Bourton-on-the-Water, Stow-on-the-Wold, and Kew Gardens.

How are the British people about pipe smoking in public places? Outdoors, of course.

Congrats on the 25 years.
Since this will be our first trip to London, we changed our plans to basically staying the entire trip in London. We reserved an Airbnb for 8 nights. We may do a day trip to Bath.

 

[Franco Pipenbeans]

The wife and I are headed to London late Sept for our 25th Anniversary. Our route includes Oxford, Bath, Bourton-on-the-Water, Stow-on-the-Wold, and Kew Gardens.

How are the British people about pipe smoking in public places? Outdoors, of course.

Generally speaking, you’ll get more people telling you that it reminds them of their grandad rather than scowling at you and chuntering about it smelling like a bonfire. That being said, there’s always the possibility of running into a mardy-arse along the way.

 

[Franco Pipenbeans]

Congrats on the 25 years.
Since this will be our first trip to London, we changed our plans to basically staying the entire trip in London. We reserved an Airbnb for 8 nights. We may do a day trip to Bath.

I highly recommend getting out of London if you can, if only for a day trip. By London, I mean the South East in general.

 

[jpmcwjr]

I loved a day trip to Bath by high speed rail. Or a ferry ride up or down the Thames.

 

[warren]

My favorite day trip is always to Greenwich by boat. Plan on a full day if you go. There is a lot to see in the area besides the the GMT line.

 

[jpmcwjr]

One of my favs as well. Great restoration of HMS (?) Cutty Sark right there, too. The trip is worth it even if you stay on the boat and return to London!