London 3 Day Advice
 

Greetings! I will be traveling to the UK, along with my 19 year old daughter and her friend, for the first time at the end of May. I was wondering if I could get some advice from the experts. We arrive on Friday morning, and had planned on seeing the Tower of London, Tower Bridge, and walking around that area (perhaps a "Jack the Ripper" walk?). On Sat. Buckingham Palace, Westminster Abbey, Harrods (just to look), and Picadilly Circus. On Sunday, our plan is to take the tube to LHR, rent a car, and drive to Avebury and to Castle Combe. I chose LHR to rent the car in, as they provide return check in up to 11 PM, in case we want to wander a bit. Are there any other "must see" places we can squeeze in? Also, are there any reccomended pubs to have lunch in on our Avebury, Castle Combe adventure? Are there any castles between Avebury and Castle Combe, that we can see (even if it is just to photograph)? We have an overnight flight, so Jet lag should not be an issue (well, not for the girls at least . Any input would be greatly appreciated! Cheers!

Well, you might take in Silbury Hill, just by the A4, as one of England's absolutely star-class prehistoric monuments.
Nicky
www.hiddeneurope.co.uk

I would reverse Friday and Saturday so you can get to the Tower when it opens if you don't want to stand in line forever to see the Crown Jewels. Also, buy your Tower tickets before you get there.

Right in Avebury, in the middle of the circles is the Red Lion. You can't miss it.

http://www.pub-explorer.com/wiltshir...ionavebury.htm

However your direct route to Castle Combe takes you through Calne and Chippenham, and the links give you lots of pubs with food in Wiltshire to choose from...

http://pub-explorer.com/wiltshire/pubssofar.htm

http://www.pubfoodguide.co.uk/regions/wiltshire.htm

Thank you all for your kind replies. I will indeed switch Friday and Saturday's plans around. Where can the tickets to the Tower of London be purchased in advance? Silbury Hill is added to our day trip, and we will lunch at the Red Lion Pub (read it is haunted, only adding to the fun). I have researched driving in the UK, and think it will be okay as long as I will be on well traveled roads, as to follow the cars ahead of me. The roundabout is causing me a little bit of concern, however, what if I miss my exit? Is there a protocol to follow? Thanks in advance!

You will be fine. If you miss your exit - simply go around again to the exit you want. Do not stop in the roundabout or back up -- just keep driving around the circle again.

One of the best tips I've heard for driving is to keep the center line near the driver. Your tendency is to crowd the poor passenger side into the curb/bushes. And have the girls keep reminding you to keep left. The hardest challenge to me is going into parking lots ('car parks') - there I instinctively head right.

When I take firstimers to London, if it's a weekend day and the weather is nice, is to take the Tube to Covent Garden. Great fun, lots of people, entertainment, etc....

Go to see a play. If you can't get tickets for a hit play, go to Leicester Square for 1/2 price tickets the day of the show. Not something you usually get at home. Pick up the free Time Out magazine to see what's playing.

If you're into walking, you can walk from the Tower (assuming you're there early) west through the financial district and to St. Paul's Cathedral.

Assuming that you just might have a touch of jet lag on that first day it is a good time to take the hop-on hop-off bus tour. Very passive activity if you want it to be but it gives you a lay of the land and the tickets are good for 24 hours so if you get on at noon you have until noon the next day to use the service. You may wnat to google up London Walks to see what time the Jack the Ripper Tour starts. When I went it was at 8pm.

Hello! I was checking on the times for the changing of the guards, and for the 25th of May, it is listed as "Guard Mount from Horse Guards". Is this a different ceremony, or a different location? Thanks!!

Tower of London tickets are available on line through www.hrp.org.uk.

You can also get tickets for the Tower at tube stations.

bookmarking, thanks!

BUT if you have a Travelcard then you can get 2-4-1 entry into the Tower of London which these days isn't to be sneezed at - see www.2for1entry.co.uk

The Red Lion is partly made of megaliths (as are several houses in the area). The museum is good (and also is, rather oddly, about Arthur Keilller - the marmalade bloke as well as the stones.

I'm not a fan of the Jack THe Ripper walks (search for other threads on this - it's been argued about at great length) but I am a big fan of the other walks that are on offer and I would sugggest you plump for them instead.

The 2-for-1 is a great deal, but you need to have a 7 day or longer pass, or a rail ticket. A 3 day travelcard will not work, nor a pay-as-you-go Oyster.

I agree with audere...There are far better walks than Jack the Ripper.

Don't know if you'll have time to include it but I'd highly recommend a stop at the medieval village of Lacock and its abbey. It's on the A350 just south of Chippenham and fits in well with your itinerary as it's between Castle Combe and Avebury.

While having lunch at the Red Lion try their Sticky Toffee Pudding. The serving is large so you can easily share it.

bookmarking!
similar itinerary to the one i have planned for later this year...
also great tip about the 2for1deals...however i noticed on the website they expire 3rd june...does anyone know if there will still be 2for1deals later in the year (november)?

You can order a London Pass at londonpass.com. With this pass you can get free access to the Tower and 50+ other attractions (and avoid the long lines). It's NOT valid in London Eye and Westminster Abbey. You can even order a travelcard with it.
Harrods is close to the Royal Albert Hall, the Science Museum and the Victoria & Albert museum.
Picadilly Circus is close to Trafalgar Square and the National Gallery (free entry).
Westminster Abbey closes early on saturday (13.45)

<<< The 2-for-1 is a great deal, but you need to have a 7 day or longer pass, or a rail ticket. A 3 day travelcard will not work, nor a pay-as-you-go Oyster. >>>

A three day or one day travelcard WILL work - read the FAQs in the Help on www.2for1entry.co.uk

As for the offers expiring - if you look carefully you'll notice that they all STARTED in June 2006 - ie they last a year. Therefore it's probable that they or similar will exist from June 2007

re the London Pass: &quot;<i> With this pass you can get free access to the Tower and 50+ other attractions (and avoid the long lines)</i>&quot;

- &quot;free&quot; access but the pass is quite expensive so not free at all. The Tower is about the only place (other than Madame Tussaud's) w/ lines. The LP really isn't a deal for most travelers since all the covered attractions must be crammed into the 1, 2 or 3 consecutive days of the pass.

&quot;<i>You can even order a travelcard with it.</i>&quot; And whatever you do, DO NOT buy the transport option. There are more and cheaper option available at any tube station.

Are you flying out of LHR on Sun evening? I presume that's why you're going out to LHR to rent a car. If not, have you tried Hertz location near Marble Arch? They are one of the few central London car rental offices open on Sundays.

BTW, 28 May is a bank holiday so lots of people would be travelling around that weekend. Though driving on Sunday shouldn't be difficult (traffic out of London would be heaviest Fri pm, return traffic on Mon early-late pm/night).

I went to Windsor Castle, Hampton Court, St. Pauls and The Tower. Buying a London Pass + travel option was a little cheaper and it bought me a lot of time; especially in the weekend. To me the money is not that important. I went to the Tower on saturday and I was *really* glad that I could use the gate for passholders!

Just a quick note on the Jack the Ripper walk: Several years ago, we took the Jack the Ripper tour (I was in my mid-twenties then). We really enjoyed it - it shows you part of London (the old city wall, etc.) that most tourists would not see and we learned a lot of history (it was not just about the kilings but the social/economic issues of the time). However, my mother recenly took it, based on my enthusiastic recommendation, and was disapppointed. She had a different guide and apparently, that makes a big difference. Ask who your guide will be - one is an expert of those times.

Also, I second attened the theater esp. if you are not close to NYC. We just saw Mary Poppins (in London) a couple of months ago and it was fantastic - even a 19 year old would love it! The half-price booth may be hard for some tickets though - I do not think Mary Poppins was available at a discount but it was a great way to spend an evening and very appropriate as we were in London.

Enjoy your travels!

The Red Lion got generally bad reviews at beerintheevening.com. I've never been though.

Bill