I have about 2 1/2 days in London before hooking up with a CIE tour. Is a day trip to Bath via public transport doable? Can anyone recommend day bus tour? I would like to check out Harrods and isn't there a great place to go for 'resale' bargains - somewhere near Covent Garden??? Boy am I hazy on that one.
Thanks

If this is your first time in London, I wouldn't bother with a long day trip (ie Bath). Two and a half days is just enough time to cover the major attractions of central London, briefly see a couple of museums, and maybe take a half-day trip out to Greenwich or Hampton Court.

Sorry I wasn't more specific. I've been to London several times and the tour I'm hooking up with will be there at least a day. Have been to Hampton Court, Parliament, etc. Hence the thinking about going farther afield for Sunday.
Thanks

Bath is quite a long way from London. Have you been to Oxford or Cambridge? Very nice too, and not too far. Blenheim Palace is on the way to Oxford too; very beautiful.

Oxford or Cambridge are good choices, within about an hour or so by train. Warwick is another good day-trip from London - great castle.

York is about two hours by rail from London, I believe. I prefer York to Bath, but that's purely personal. Bath is for Georgian, York is Medieval.

Here are some places with lots of choices for day tours from London:

http://www.londontoolkit.com/whattodo/tours.htm

http://london-tour.conciergedesk.co.uk/coach-tours.htm

http://www.evanevans.co.uk/fullday.htm

There are a few places you could go easily by train on your own for a nice day out: Brighton (the Royal Pavilion, the seafront), Winchester (Cathedral, Castle Great Hall, walk by the river, abbey ruins) is very compact, Salisbury (Cathedral) as well as the aforementioned Cambridge and Oxford. Incidentally, Blenheim Palace is NW of Oxford about 15 miles, not on the way as tulips said. Bath is about 90 minutes by train from London.

Enjoy.

Thanks for all the input. Looks as tho I will have more than enough choices to fill the days. Oh, I also found that the showing of the public rooms at Buckingham Palace will be still open while I am there so that is must see.
Thanks again

xena- you don't need a tour to go to Bath. The train ride is about 90 minutes, so I wouldn't considered "too far" for a day trip.

Also consider Salisbury as a daytrip - you can take the train there and also see Stonehenge, about 10 miles away.

With regard to touring all the major sites of London, there is a company: Big Brown Bus (I think??) which starts on Picidilly next to Green Park and you can 'hop on/hop off' all over the city. I believe there is a boat trip also included. So for a quick tour you may consider that option in London itself.