opinions please,

I'm leaning toward lonely planet, but have no clue about a map. I would like to pick these items up before we leave, as I imagine they'll be more expensive once we're there.

My local Barnes and Noble seems to have a reasonable selection of maps and a better than average travel section. It's too late to use amazon I'm afraid.

Best map: Middleditch "London", small gray booklet with London broken into districts, complete with Tube and bus info. about $8
Easy to carry map: Streetwise, about $6, laminated/folding.

Hi km,

I like the Streetwise maps

One thing I like about Middleditch Mapguides is that bus routes are shown. In London we used buses exclusively and never had a problem.

You might want to look at the London Pass. The price includes a 132-page map/guidebook that's quite good.

Of course, you have to decide whether buying the pass will save you any money, and that depends entirely on which sights you want to see and how much they cost.

They frequently run a 2-for-1 offer, so the value for money varies widely.

<b>http://www.londonpass.com</b>

I agree with Ira. The streetwise maps are very easy to use and they fit into your back pocket very easy.

Get the pocket A to Z guide to London. It is the most comprehensive, easy-to-read map I've ever bought. Size of a small paperback (albeit a bit thick), fits into coat pocket easily, contains tube maps and other info you'll need. All major museums, places of interest located EXACTLY on map.

I have a cute, expensive, &quot;Pop up&quot; type map from Knopf publishers that was small (for the pocket) that was so erroneous I have written the publishers asking for my money back. The others are large for my taste, and not as good as the A to Z. I think airlines should just give those out on planes to London---or sell them!

ps. they are expensive--if you buy them in London at a bookshop you'll pay at least $10 us for it, more if you buy it in a train station, hotel, etc. But at $20 us it is still a bargain. Assuming they do not change the location of any streets, it will be the LAST map of London you'll ever buy.

HI
London A-Z is excellent if you're planning a long stay, or if you are searching for out-of-the way locations, but for a short trip I don't take mine with me. I do however swear by Streetwise (provide an overview of London which maps in pages don't do, plus it has 90% of what you'll need to find in central London) and by the Middleditch London Mapguide which has more than enough detail for most travelers (and it's quite thin,easy to carry, plus has some basic tourist info).

km

Another vote for the Middleditch London Mapguide. I have the Streetwise guide as well, but Middleditch, as a previous post said, has more transport information, and it's in a larger format so it's easier to read(!).

I have used the Lonely Planet England guide, but I think the Fodor's London guide is a good overview with lots of practical information.

We also use the Michelin Green Guide for good information on London sites (but it doesn't have hotel/restaurant information).

CW

The Streetwise map is the best we have used. It is compact, portable, laminated, and detailed. It includes the city and has a separate inset of the Underground System.

the AAA spiral guides are pretty nifty; very carryable. they have a good spiral map that is pretty good and can be used one-handed as it's a spiral. also it breaks up the city in sections and it helps organization.

kmchick, do you have a PDA or PocketPC? If so, you can download free maps and an Underground routing program with sightseeing guide, all free.

I've probably looked through 15 or more. The one I liked the best is Eyewitness Travel Guide.

Keith

Elaine is right... if you're just going for a couple of days and only to major tourist destinations, then get the Streetwise. Otherwise, invest in the A to Z (pronounced A to Zed). I bought one 7 years ago and still bring it with me... you can find ANYTHING with it!

I've never felt it necessary to purchase a city map separate from that in the guide book. I've been using the same Michelin 1994/1995 edition for ten years now and the map shows the major sights and the tube stations.

You can get a tube map and a bus map in most stations. I suggest you ask for a Tube Access Guide at the tickeet window as well as the pocket size.

The A to Z comes in several versions/sizes. The Paperback one costs about &pound;6 (guesstimate because mine is a year 2000 version and cost &pound;4.75) and will more expensive in the States (ex, my &pound;4.75 one cost US$ 11.95 plus tax). There are also smaller and larger editions.

But if you want any UK-published map it will cost considerably more Stateside. If you want to save money either buy after you are in London - or find a suitable US-produced map.

For small maps - less comprehensive than the A to Z, there are several good ones, some already mentioned above. One other useful one is the Let's Go Map Guide. It is pocket-sized, has a waterproof cover, and includes a tube map, maps of all the major parks including Regent's and Hampstead Heath, and about 30 pages of basic sightseeing descriptions/info.

My favorite map guide to carry around London is the Penguin London Mapguide. It's detailed enough, but not overwhelming (like the A to Z guides.) I never leave for London without it.

They may not be more expensive if you wait until you get there. I bought a Mini London A to Z map, and it's great - about 5 inches tall and 3/4 inch thick. I bought mine from Amazon, but the price printed on the book says 4.25 pounds. I paid about $10 here.

I love the Middleditch Mapguide for London - perfect I think. I also use Middleditch for Paris.

Before my first trip to London I spent hours (it seemed) at Barnes &amp; Noble pouring over guidebooks. I bought several (actually, I'm embarrassed to say how many!) but the one I really loved was called &quot;London Guide&quot; by Open Road Publishing. That book was fantastic, and helped tremendously with my trip - great hotels,site descriptions, everything- I highly recommend it. Funny, though,when I was planning my first trip to Paris, I bought the Open Road &quot;Paris Guide&quot;, and didn't like it at all. They have different writers for all their book series, and the London ones were right on.