I would say that planning to see 3 museums on Sunday the 20th is impossible, unless you only want to see a little bit in each, of course. The V&amp;A is one of my favorite museums anywhere in the world, you can spend days there. If you do not like decorative arts at all, I guess your plan makes sense to just pop into it or something. By contrast, I would dump the national history or science museum, myself. It's true I'm not particularly interested in those things so much, but those are the kinds of museums you can find in many large cities, whereas the V&amp;A is unique.<BR><BR>The City of London museum is also one of my favorites anywhere. I would never recommend you dump that, it is outstanding and everyone I know who's been there thinks so (obviously not everyone as someone above didn't like it). I can only think someone who had no interest in history or archeology would perhaps find it boring, but that doesn't seem to jibe with your other museums. <BR><BR>I would, of course, never step foot in a wax museum as I think the whole idea is silly, to see statues in wax of celebrities. I would also not go to the Hard Rock Cafe/diner or whatever it is. It's just an ordinary American hamburger joint. Even if it is the first one, so what. Too bad it wasn't the last.

Day 3 is way too ambitious. <BR>London Museum is iffy, unless you are really into history. <BR>Bus passes are OK, but just buy a One day Travelcard for Zone 1 each day, good for travel on Tubes, trains, buses within that zone after 9.30. There are family versions too of the Travelcard, so enquire when you get to a Tube station. Most of what you have listed is in Zone 1. If you go further, get an upgrade before you travel. <BR>Look at lastminute.com for theatre and dining bargains. You might not get to your hotel till 4pm or so on your first day. Consider booking a chauffered car from Ray Skinner or Swiss Cottage Cars (lots of stuff about them on this site) rather than taking a taxi.<BR>www.eurostar.co.uk has good rates for travel to Paris/Brussels if you get them to send tickets to your address in the UK (hotel). <BR>All in all, I admire your pre-planning, but don't be disappointed and frustrated if some things don't work out.

Would this be too ambitious for one day? Not necessarily taking tours of all. Perhaps just seeing the exteriors of say Big Ben and Houses.<BR><BR>11.30a Buckingham Palace: ST. JAMES [optional]<BR>London Eye: ST. JAMES<BR>Lunch: St. Martin-in-the-Field's Crypt: ST. JAMES [buy tix for concert]<BR>Westminister Abbey : ST. JAMES<BR>House of Parliament : ST. JAMES<BR>Big Ben : ST. JAMES<BR>7pm St. Martin Candlelight Concert: ST. JAMES

Here's another voice chiming in for the Museum of London. I have been there several times over the past dozen years and have enjoyed it each on each visit. Did you know it is the largest city museum in the world? You will find exhibits from prehistoric to present day , there is a great gallery called &quot; London Before London&quot;.<BR>The Hard Rock Cafe has a new merchandise shop that is larger than the tiny one that used to be round the corner from the restaurant's front door. The shop is open until midnight seven days a week. <BR>As far as I know, the Abbey Road Studios are not open to the public. But you and your wife can snap a picture as you each cross Abbey Road at &quot;the Beatles&quot; zebra crosswalk. There is a tiny shop (directly out side the St. Johns Wood Underground station) where you can buy Abbey Road Studio merchandise. <BR>On the day you go St. Martin-in-the-Field and the Portrait Gallery you could have lunch in the church's crypt cafe or in the Portrait Gallery's Restaurant. It is on the fifth floor , there is a wonderful view of the top of the Nelson Monument at Trafalgar Square and on towards Parliament , Big Ben , and the London Eye from the restaurant's windows.<BR>One more thing, the London Eye ride is best done on a clear day ( or evening as the case may be). You may want to remain flexible on your date for the Eye.<BR>

I think you can do that day -- it is busy but you can do it. I suggested the evening concert because it was such a fantastic experience for us on our trip to London last Spring. It was our first night after arriving about 7AM that morning. We were so excited (The Academy of SMITF was played and about half the concert was Aaron Copland) by the performance and the beautiful setting, we never experienced jet lag! It sort of set the tone for a terrific week.<BR><BR>A note overall -- it's great to have all this planned, but if you get distracted someplace along the way don't beat yourself up for &quot;missing out&quot; on something. The Sunday we went to Hyde Park, it was sunny and warm and gorgeous and lots of people were out enjoying the day and the blooming gardens. We decided it was important to sit down on a bench in the sunshine for a bit -- and ended up just sitting there watching people for about an hour. Then we wandered along a path for another hour or so. Never planned it, but it sure was a nice thing to do on a lovely Sunday afternoon.

Biscuit, unless you have a special interest in portraits, why do that instead of the National Gallery? There is a special exhibition of Titian which just opened. They are open til 9 PM on Wednesdays.<BR><BR>I'd opt for the Science Museum if I had to chose it or the Natural History but just barely. The medical section makes me feel so thankful for modern medicine. <BR><BR>Do you have a tube and/or London map? Though the distances aren't huge you are spending a lot of time flitting about on your 3:29 posting.<BR><BR>Enjoy your trip.

sorry i havent read every post in this thread so hope im not repeating stuff...<BR><BR>Just have to ask...what is this obsession with The Hard Rock and tourists? I lived in london all my life (until 2 yrs ago) and NEVER heard of ANY British person going there!!!!! It is just a waste of time.<BR><BR>Madame Tussauds is a tourist trap and waste fo time.<BR><BR>Just walking round London will give you immense pleasure!!! No need to plan for every minute.<BR><BR>Has anyone suggested St Paul's Cathedral? National Gallery? Kew Gardens? <BR><BR>sonia<BR><BR>sonia

Jsmith: Do you mean not enough time for each location when you say flitting about?<BR><BR>Sonia: Hard Rock is out. I've been to the ones in L.A. and Tokyo and that's more than enough. I don't want to waste precise London time there. Madame's is out too. Same reason.<BR><BR>Love to go to St. Paul's. Where could I squeeze it in?

Starspinners is right. Abbey Road Studios is closed to the public. You can *try* for a picture crossing the famous crosswalk, but be careful dodging cars! Be sure to take a black felt-tip pen to sign the wall in front of the studio. Don't worry--they expect that. And you can, if you like, walk into the car park and stand in front of the door to have your picture taken. Just avoid bothering the people there who are working. But they have come to expect tourists there! I agree that Madam Tussaud's is a time and money waster. I vote for some time at Covent Garden. You can eat, shop, and watch the buskers. It can be a more relaxing moment amidst the bustle of a trip. I think you'll have a great time.

We visited St. Pauls after crossing the Millenium footbridge from in front of the Tate. It's practically &quot;right there&quot; once you cross.

Biscuit; St Paul's is convenient to pair with either Tate Modern/Globe via the Millenium Bridge, or with the Museum of London which is and even shorter walk.<BR><BR>Look at a map of London - these types of pairing of sites really helps maximize your time - instead of darting around.

Biscuit, I meant you are backtracking if you were listing things in the sequence you intended to visit. The Eye is across Westminster Bridge from Big Ben, Westminster Abbey, Houses of Parliament. Going to St Martin's means you double back on yourself. Hence, the suggestion for a map. You shouldn't be pressed for time. <BR> <BR>It's a nice walk up Whitehall from Westminster to Trafalgar Square. You pass 10 Downing Street, the Cabinet War Rooms and Horse Guards Parade. Some consider the Horse Guards ceremony a better show than the changing of the guard at BP. It takes place at 11:00.<BR><BR>If I were going to London for the first time or taking somebody for the first visit, I'd take the hop on/hop off bus. It's about a 2 hour circuit and the ticket is good for 24 hours so you can spread its use over an afternoon and the next morning.<BR><BR>I admire you for trying to plan what to see and when to see it but leave room for doing nothing - sitting on the steps in Piccadilly Circus, watching the entertainers at Covent Garden, going to Leicester Square at night.<BR><BR>Enjoy.<BR><BR><BR>

One other suggestion...April 4, skip the changing of the guards at Buck House. There are SO many people there (even during &quot;offseason&quot; April) that no matter how &quot;early&quot; you get there, it's never early enough. I suspect people camp out to get the best spots!! Instead try the National Gallery or Courthauld Gallery for some great art.<BR><BR>For shopping: don't forget the traditional British department stores...Fortnum &amp; Mason (great food hall), Marks and Spencers, Selfridges and for high end fashion Harvey Nicks. And also do some window shopping on Old/New Bond Street right off Oxford Street. Enjoy!!

ttt

I agree Erin. I was thinking of skipping the changing of the guard anyway. Seems so touristy and not worth the time spent.<BR><BR>I've seen it before a loooong time ago and it was OK but nothing special. It will just give us more time to do something else.