retiredinflorida

I am staying near Earls Court station, I don't have enough time to go to central London and I'm not sure what to do the morning I leave. My flight departs at 4 30 pm, so I need to be on the tube by 1 pm to get to LHR. What interesting sights can I visit nearby? Kew? Richmond? ??????? I should mention I am not interested in the Museums on Cromwell Road, I've been to these on past visits.

Any suggestions would be appreciated.

avalon

You could check out the shops along King's Row, especially if you like antiques or really "mod" fashion

janisj

its the Kings Road - but never mind.

If you are near Earls Court you are closer to central London than you are to places like Kew or Richmond. (you are IN central London - just on the western bits of central London)

Plus getting from Kew or Richmond to LHR would be a slog and you'd have to keep your luggage w/ you.

If it was me, I'd leave my bags at the hotel and just go anywhere in town that you've missed. Now - not out as far as the Tower or anything like that - but anywhere along the circle/District or Piccadilly line. Then you'd be a straight shot back to Earls Court to retrieve your bags and hop on the tube to LHR.

retiredinflorida

thanks for the replies.

Just to clarify, I had planned on checking out early, leaving my luggage at left luggage and then returning to the hotel to get my baggage before leaving for LHR.

I love London, not sure if I should step into town, I'll find it almost impossible to leave and I certainly don't want to miss my flight.

I must admit I didn't realize Richmond/Kew was further than central London.

janisj

"<i>not sure if I should step into town</i>" - you will already be in town. Where exactly are you staying? If it is actually Earls Court, you are not out in the suburbs. You are on the western edge of very central London.

scotlib

Hi retiredinflorida,

Are you giving yourself enough time to get to the airport? And once at the airport? Walking from the tube to check-in. Waiting to check in. Walking from check-in to security. And your situation could be different, of course, but it took me 45 minutes to get through security this past weekend in Terminal 3. That's 45 minutes from when I found the end of the line to get into the queue ;-)

Cheers.

nytraveler

I suggest you get a map of London. Earl's Court isn't far from the center by tube - 15 minutes? - and you'll have time to do something if you start out early and get to whatever that opens at 9 am.

retiredinflorida

janisj, I'll be staying at the Best Western Burns Hotel, 18-26 Barkston Gardens, London.

I choose the hotel because I got a good prepaid rate and it's easy to get to/from LHR by tube. I have stayed at Earls Court before, and I know there isn't much around the tube station. I am looking for something to do on the morning without too much hassle of getting to/from the hotel or to LHR.

I know the lines at LHR can be bad sometimes, I had budgeted 40 mins for the tube ride, so I plan on arriving at the terminal at about 1.50 pm for a 4.30 flight.

janisj

Your hotel is right outside EC tube station and you already know the area and London -- I'm not sure how much we can help you. Since we don't know which sites you haven't seen before, it is sort of hard to offer suggestions. Richmond and Kew don't make much sense - Kew is 9 tube stops out beyond Earls Court and then you'd have to come all the way back to get your bags. You would have almost no time for the Gardens.

So as I mentioned above - just pick some central site along the Circle/District/Piccadilly lines which you haven't visited before. Or one you really love and want to visit again. The Museums would be a typical suggestion in your situation - but you say they don't interest you this time. So what does?

PatrickLondon

Straight along the Piccadilly Line would be the Transport Museum shop in Covent Garden for last minute souvenirs, or indeed anywhere around there (bookshops on Charing Cross Road? British Museum?). Or Hyde Park Corner for a stroll in the Parks before you have to put up with recycled air in the plane? Or St Pancras for the British Library?

Cholmondley_Warner

If you're looking for something nearby there's always fulham palace (Putney Bridge on the District line):

http://www.fulhampalace.org/

RM67

''Straight along the Piccadilly Line would be the Transport Museum shop in Covent Garden for last minute souvenirs''

Where, apparently, you can get 'mind-the-gap' pants.

amyb

I had to leave London for LHR mid-afternoon too...managed to tour Westminster Abbey and have a lunch and a long walk along the Thames with a friend before I left. You have more time than you think, just keep an eye on your watch.

mnapoli

My family has a returning flight from London that leaves at 6:00 PM and we are also staying in the area of Earl's Court. We're planning on leaving our bags at the hotel and doing some shopping at Harrod's. We can have a nice lunch (or tea), pick up some last minute gifts, and still have time to retrieve our bags and get back to Heathrow. Just make sure you get to the airport at least 2 hours before your flight.

nona1

well you can tell I'm a pleb because I grew up eating 'tea' as my evening meal instead of dinner, and dinner at lunch time. But now I have lunch and dinner. Except when I go and do my volunteer thing, where the people running it are rather on the posh side so our evening meal is called 'supper'.

I agree there are lots of variations but I think that 'cream tea' is quite rigidly defined. Order a cream tea and you know exactly what is going to turn up (mmmmmmmmmmm).

janisj

nona1: I think you wanted to post this on the afternoon tea thread???

retiredinflorida

Thank you for the replies.

I appreciate the suggestions made, I've been to the places Patrick London has recommended, these are all good suggestions, easy to get to using one underground line.

I'll leave Fulham place for another visit since the Gallery doesn't open until noon.

Of the sights I'm interested in visiting on this trip to London I think the Florence Nightingale Museum at St Thomas' Hospital is closest to my hotel. They open at 10 am, for now, my plan is to be there at 10 am, spend an hour and a half inside, and then return to my hotel and head to the airport. If anybody has been to the Florence Nightingale Museum, please comment if an hour and a half is sufficient time.

Another idea is to stroll around the Gardens at Kensington Palace, subject to weather.

Thanks again.

janisj

I'd personally not choose the Nightingale museum for this situation - but it is your trip.

1) It isn't all that convenient to EC. Not terrible since it is a shortish walk across the river from Westminster tube station - but still sort of a hassle.

and

2) When are you there? The museum really promotes school visits on weekday mornings.

retiredinflorida

Okay, school visits on a weekday morning will be a problem. I'm in London in early June, so schools are open when I'm there. janisj, I'm glad you drew this to my attention. Thank you. I agree it's not very convenient to get to from EC. I guess I'll have to do the Nightingale Museum on another day.

A visit the Museum of Brand's (which I was going to skip on this visit) would have been a good choice, since it's at Notting Hill Gate station, but it's not open on Mondays.

All the other sights I'm interested in are too far from Earls Court to visit the morning I'm leaving. On this visit I am keen on visiting the RAF museum, Bank of England Museum, Hampstead (weather pemitting), Greffrye Museum, Spitalfields or Camden Markets, Museum of Brands, Bramach Tea Museum (if renovations are complete) and the waterbus from Camden to Little Venice.

Obviously, since I'd like to maximize my time in London I'd like to do something from my to do list the morning I leave, it really doesn't look like from the list is feasible to do in the morning.

violetduck

Another vote for Hotel Dante Swiss if you decide to go.