Finalizing June London Plans
 

Hello! I'm finalizing our plans for a trip to London this June. We're mainly going for Wimbledon but will have 3 sightseeing days. I'm trying to determine if a few things are "worth" it from anyone who's been there.

1. Clock Tower Tour - I need to send out a letter very soon if it's worth it. We are going on the London Eye for a "view".

2. The London Blitz simulation at the Imperial War Museum.

3. Any opinions on Discount cards? The British Heritage Pass vs The London Pass?

If anyone has an opinion on what I know we're doing, I'd love to hear that as well:

Parliament House of Commons debate (really wanted a tour!)

Old Bailey Trial at Central Criminal Court

Banqueting House visit after doing the Mounted Changing of the Guard at the Horse Guards Parade (I'm really bummed that we miss the Trooping the Colour by 1 week:-) )

Sent away for the Ceremony of the KEys at the Tower.

Of course, tower jewels and yeoman warder tour, Westminister Abby, Globe Theater tour,
Hampton Court Palace (did Windsor last trip), Cabinet War Rooms, London Eye, Play (with a 14 year old), Kensington Palace, Royal Mews.

Thanks for any info - Susan

Well, with only 3 days you may not get to all the places on your "already decided" list, let alone the other sites. Don't buy the London Pass. The Great British Heritage Pass (they now have a 4-day version) would be more than worth it if you visit Hampton Court, Kens Palace, Banqueting House, Tower and Royal Mews.

The Imperial War Museum has a LOT more to see than just the Blitz gallery. The museum takes at least a couple of hours. If you can find the time I'd go there - but probably on such a short visit the Cabinet War Rooms would be a better use of your time.

Janis, since we were doing the Cabinet War Rooms that's why I was limiting the Blitz simulation in the Imperial War Museum. Just don't know if the simulation is worth going to at all with so much other things to see.... susan

samejia,
I realize you are merely asking for opinions on these activities rather than whether or not you should include them so based on my experiences:
Houses of Parliament - Yes
London Eye - Needs good weather but will be great for your 14 year old .
Ceremony of the keys - I know it's touristy but we really enjoyed it. Again your 14 year old will love it.
Old Baily - Yes
Globe Theater - Yes
Hampton Court - Yes
I agree with janis. Your schedule seems very ambitious . You may have to cut a few things out. It takes time to get from one place to another in London.Have a wonderful time!

Thanks for your comments.... Has anyone taken the Clock Tower Tour? That's the one I reall need to send a letter out to if it's worth it. Thanks, Susan.

Sorry,can't help you with the Clock Tower Tour but would like to add that if you are going to the Old Bailey, St. Paul's Cathedral is just a stone's throw from there.

To go to the Imperial War Museum just for the Blitz tour would not be worth the time and effort. It was fine but not great. However, the museum in general is very good and worth the time in general. I don't like war museums in general but this one was very well done and very interesting. My husband and kids (aged 7 and 11 then) enjoyed it a lot too. The kids probably found the Imperial War Museum much more interesting the the Cabinet War Rooms but I liked the War Rooms better just because of standing in such an important place in WWII history.

Kensington Palace and the Royal Mews were also interesting but won't take much time.

Thanks, Kitty. I'll probably opt for the Cabinet War Rooms over the Blitz simulation.

Still trying to find someone who's taken the Clock Tower Tour. I'm hoping it's not a waste of time after climbing 300+ steps:-)

Hi
I've been in London 7 or 8 times and I've never heard of the Clock Tower or its tour? What is it?
Is it where Big Ben is, in the Palace of W'minster?

Elaine, yes, the clock tower is where Big Ben is. There are 3 tours daily but only 16 people go on each tour. You have to write to Parliament to secure tickets in advance. Go the www.parliament.uk and click on the visiting parliament tab to the far right. There will be a list and you'll see the details for the Clock Tower Tour. susan

look on the web for the dates of the trooping of the color. it is the celebration of q.e.'s birthday (which is really in april). you will get a chance to see the whole royal family.

Jay, I had already checked into the Trooping of the Colour. We miss it by one week. It's the weekend before our arrival. Thanks, susan

More interesting itenerary than normally seen on this board. As a Londoner, I'd suggest you pack in the Banqueting House (half hour max), Cabinet War Rooms (one of best museums in London) and the Horse Guards bit in one go in the morning, London Eye is a lovely structure but (and my kids will attest to this) not a great 'trip', unless you go at night or dusk when the lights are coming on - London's skyline isn't that great. No point in discount cards for such a short stay. You might also waste a lot of time queuing for the Old Bailey that could be better spent elsewhere.

Wimbledon (presume you mean the tennis) is great - go most years. but the food/drink is rubbish and over-priced: have a pub lunch first in Wimbledon Village (which is nice)...only thing is, I can't remember the names of the pubs (!): I just go to them - just ask when you get there: the good ones are at the top of village (on the hill, not far from the courts) - one's a Young's pub (Youngs is the name of a brewery) and the other is on Wimbledon Common.

I'd cut Hampton Court from your agenda - lovely place but you'll kill at least half a day, possibly more, getting there and back etc.

Mushed, thanks for your advice. I was planning on doing the London Eye at sunset. I'm curious about eating at Wimbledon. Are you allowed to leave the tennis and come back in? Otherwise, how would we do the pub lunch as you suggested. We're planning on doing grounds passes our first day but we do have centre court tickets through the public ballot for the 2nd day of Wimbledon. Do you know anyone who's taken the clock tower tour? Old Baileys is being squeezed in on our last morning there. Our flight leaves at 4pm so I figured we'd queue early and stay for 1-2 hours and off to the airport we go! Since you're a Londoner, is there a certain restaurant that you'd recommend making reservations for prior to coming? I'm not looking for formal dining but would like to maybe go to a nice restaurant one evening..... Thanks, Susan.

No doubt I am a po-faced old thing but I do wonder about people who want to see a criminal trial. Is the contemplation of human misery and folly a nice thing for your holidays?
Why not go on a Legal London walking tour instead?

Yes, you can pop in and out of Centre Court as often as you like (although only when the players change ends). But remember (stupid point this one!) to have your ticket with you otherwise they won't let you back in. To be fair, the food and drink isn't horrendous, but the prices they charge for it are.

Don't know about the bell tower bit. Thought I'd done virtually everything in London but have never heard of it...but will now do it. House of Commons debate will be fun, just to see how juvenile our politicians are. Is it Prime Minister's Questions? That's particularly silly, especially as Blair is now renowned in this country as a bare-faced liar.

There are loads of good restaurants in London but, like most places, it depends what you want to eat and spend. Let me know and I'll suggest. One of my favourite places is the Oxo Tower Brasserie (not the more formal restaurant) - good food, very buzzy and 'London' and, I don't think anyone will dispute this, it has the best views of London (think it's on the 9th floor, can't remember exactly). Costs about 30 quid a head including drink. Must book. You can ask for a window seat but they won't guarantee it; doesn't matter too much as the whole thing is a big glass box. It's on the river, about 10 minutes walk from the Eye.

Mushed, it won't be questions time in Parliament when we go. Our only available day is on a Friday when there is limited activity going on. I have confirmed that the Friday we're there is a sitting Friday. As far as food goes, we have very simple tastes. Can't go wrong with Italian food, Chinese, steak, chicken, etc... We're not big fans of Indian or Thai food.

Sylvia, I was interested in the Old Bailey because my daughter visited a courthouse here in the States and thought it was very interesting. Thought it would be neat for her to see how it's done at the Old Bailey.

Thanks for your help. Susan

Can?t comment on the Clock Tower Tour. The London Blitz simulation at the Imperial War Museum is very good, but I bet you won?t be able to just go in and see that. The Holocaust Exhibition on the top floor is a life changing experience. Also very good is the submarine simulation and the Trench Experience from WWI. Cabinet War Rooms are good as well, but only focus on a particular part of WWII.

I agree that the BHPass would not be worth it for London unless you?re going to houses, estates etc. in environs. And I?m not even sure the London Pass is necessary when so many of the entry fees are being waived.

We loved the Old Bailey. Will go there again. Sorry we waited so long. Was about 30 people in queue but once it got moving went very quickly. Trials are posted outside so if you want something not too dismal you can pick where you want to go. I enjoyed it because I'm an English mystery fanatic and I finally got to see how the Old Bailey works. Also, it gives you another opportunity to see different way justice is handled.

Play, definitely (we go almost every night when we are in London). Kensington Palace is nothing great and I didn?t enjoy the Royal Mews.

Some other things you may not have thought of: Covent Garden, a market, Harrods (the Food Halls are an experience), the Courtauld, the National Portrait Gallery (one of my favourite places in England), a behind the scenes theatre tour and second-hand book stores.

Have fun.

Thanks for your thoughts, rickmay. Did you get to the Old Bailey before it opened? I'm saving that for our last morning when our flight is at 4pm. I won't have time to wait in a long line. I was hoping to get in right when the session started. Susan

We went to the afternoon session. We were there about 1/2 hr. before it started and were first in line. Not sure if it would be that different in the morning. They don't let you in any earlier, however. Right on the dot.

There are two entrances, we've been told that the one out on the busy street (I'll look in my stuff to get the name of it) is a bit busier. We went to the one further east (I think) which is in a bit of tunnel/passageway. In between are the glass-covered bulletin boards with a list of the cases. You won't be able to go in the main doors, those are for staff, lawyers, etc. Although you may see the media lined up outside, if there's an interesting trial on, that's where they interview the lawyers.

It was actually one of the funniest queues I've been in, in England. There were fewer tourists and more trial junkies/groupies, older men who had retired from work and attended almost every day. There were two of them right behind us and we started chatting and they told us what were the 'best' cases to see, the fact that we would be patted down when we went in, where to sit (in the front row, against the wall so you could see the accused) and that we had to be very quiet, could not take photos or even draw (we actually saw the guard come and remove a schoolgirl's drawing of the judge).

Hope everything works out for you.