4 Nights in London - Please Review this Plan of Attack?
 

I realize this is a rather "plain vanilla" itinerary, but this will be my husband's first time in London, and my first for 20 years, so we are trying to maximize our "must sees". Would truly appreciate any feedback. I have tried to group sights by area. We are staying at the Luna & Simone near Victoria Station. We are not foodies and will likely try to economize on meals by picnicking as often as possible.



Thursday 10/18:

Arrive around from LHR around 4 PM.
Rick Steves "orientation walk" - Westminster Bridge up Whitehall to Trafalgar Square; load up on brochures at Visitors Center near Piccadilly. (closes at 6:30 PM)


Friday 10/19:

Tower of London 9 am (via 24/15 bus) (2 for 1 tickets)
St. Paul’s
Covent Garden
"Wicked" @ 7 PM


Saturday 10/20:

Westminster Abbey 9:30 (try for verger's tour)
Cabinet War Rooms (2 for 1 tickets)
St. James Park/Buckingham Palace/Royal Mews

Evening: Hampstead Heath Pub Walk (24 Bus) OR another show (TKTS Booth Leicester Square) OR dinner with my niece (living in London for a semester)

Sunday 10/21:

24 Bus to Trafalgar
British Museum opens 9 am
British Library opens 11 am
Check King’s Cross station for tomorrow
188 Bus to Aldwych stop – (Ye Olde Cheshire Cheese nearby)
Cross Millennium Bridge to South Bank
Shakespeare’s Globe (closes at 5) (2 for 1 tickets)
Tate Modern (closes at 6)
London Eye (closes at 8)
Visit historic South Bank pubs (George Inn)

Monday 10/22:

Victoria tube to Kings Cross station
10:30 AM train from Kings Cross to York


I already have my "Wicked" tickets and my train tickets to York; everything else is flexible! I'm not sure when the Days Out site will have the 2 for 1 offers for October posted; last time I looked the offers were only good through September 30th. All help appreciated.

just a couple of quick comments right now - will try to post more later . . .

1) Your Sunday is awfully frantic (nearly impossible IMHO). Back and forth across town and 5 major sites.

2) On a weekday morning you will get to the Tower much quicker by tube rather than by bus.

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Shakespeare’s Globe (closes at 5) (2 for 1 tickets)
Tate Modern (closes at 6)
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Are you planning on leaving the Globe at 5 and then go to the Tate Modern for the 1 hour before it closes? That day seems a bit rushed to me also.

I would also recommend doing a tour in St. Paul's. I went earlier this year and found it to be very worthwhile.

Thanks for the input. I know Sunday looks really hectic but my priorities are the British Museum and Library, and then the Southbank sites as time allows. Probably won't get to all of them, so I've listed them in order of their closing times. I have been having a problem with "to-do's" on Sunday evening...theaters are dark and most sites are closed. Any ideas would be appreciated...it will be our last night in London and I would like it to be memorable!

Sunday evenings I usually look for concerts. The London Symphony, Philarmonic, etc. often have programs on weekends.

Where did you get your 2 for 1 tickets?

Thanks for the website - that is an awesome find and should save me some money for the Tower and Cabinet War rooms.

I'm in a bit of a hurry, but suggest the Ceremony of the Keys for your last evening in London. You get to go to the Tower of London after closing and watch the ceremonial (and actual) locking up of the Tower gates for the night. Here's the link to Historic Royal Palaces, which gives the detailed directions to apply for the free tickets. Although it says to apply 2 months in advance, I received my tickets in less than 2 weeks' time (and applied about a month in advance)
http://www.hrp.org.uk/TowerOfLondon/...ofthekeys.aspx