Background info: first time to Europe. Sense of directions non-existent and map reading skills low Aiming for an overview type of visit - covering enough grounds without being exhausted, and looking for places we want to return to for more in-depth visits. We want to do the tourist thing and take enough pictures. No shopping planned this time. Not huge museum fans.

We are flying out of LAX, arriving in Heathrow at 11AM on a Tuesday. Then we have Wed, Thurs and Fri available, before joining an organized tour on Saturday. On Saturday the organized tour already include the following:

<<Morning sightseeing: the Houses of Parliament, Big Ben, Westminster Abbey, Whitehall’s mounted horseguards, Downing Street, Piccadilly Circus, Buckingham Palace. A visit to ST. PAUL’S CATHEDRAL and Changing of the Guard, if held>>

Right now the plan looks like this:

Tuesday: explore London via Hop-on-Hop-off type of bus. Maybe Tower of London, Thames cruise.

Wednesday: Evan Evans day trip Windsor-Stonehenge-Bath

Thursday: you may think we are crazy but I'm thinking about a day trip to Edinburgh. Take 7AM train out and 5:30PM train back.

Friday: Oxford day trip and explore more in London, maybe.

Please, suggestions and comments welcome

I meant 3.5 days in London

I would look at London Walks. They have a good selection, and I think it helps to have a local lead you around. I did 4/5 of them last trip. I liked their Hampstead tour and went back for the Hampstead Pub Tour.

I might add Covent Garden to your plan. Does the booked tour stop at all those places or drive by? From Covent Garden you could walk over to Trafalgar, down to Westminster, up and arouind to Buckingham.

Any interest in museums?

Where are you staying?

Michel-Paris,

I'll look at London Walks.

The booked tour might be doing drive-bys because the brochure says morning tour.

Have not booked a hotel yet. I guess I need to decide on where I'm going first

With just 4 and a half days, counting the day of sighseeing in London once you join the tour there is no way you can see London properly. You need to deceide what sights are the most important to you. Remember, London is a big city and traffic even at the best of times isn't good, it takes time to get from A to B (even by tube) and the tourist sights are spread around the city. If you want to explore and see London don't make any day trips. London has lots to offer and there's plenty to keep you busy for 4.5 days.

That is a long haul up to Edinburgh for such a short time, but it's not the weirdest plan I've ever heard. Would you consider York instead? It's only a couple of hours by train, giving you more time to explore.

On your Friday, I would suggest a stop by Borough Market on the South Bank, and perhaps a walk around that area (Southwark Cathedral, the Monument across the river).

Right now you really just have two days in London, half of which you will be on a tour of some sort (counting the HOHO bus). If that's enough for you, fine, but here's what I love that you don't have on your list:

- West End shows
- Are you actually visiting Westminster Abbey or just driving by it? Both it and St Paul's are worth a visit.
- The London Walks tours are very, very good, to second Michel.
- London Eye
- Ceremony of Keys at the Tower
- the parks (Regent's is my favorite, but any of them)
- free lunch concerts at St Martin-in-the-Fields, Trafalgar Square
- at least one museum - not the National Gallery, since it's the most museum-y of the bunch, but check out what's available at the Victoria & Albert or the British Museum. They have very cool things.

Thx everyone!

Westminster Abbey is a drive-by, I just talked to the tour. So, more things to cover in London, but so little time. I'm really hoping not to cut the days trips~~~

In booking, also look at B&Bs. I've stayed at a few in the Bloomsbury area.

FYI...you arrive on a Tuesday and get on a bus....zzzzz.... I would walk as much as possible on the first day.

You have the HOHO, and then another bus tour via your tour. One too many?

Two day trips...London has lots to see, but if those other locations are "always dreamed of going"... As it is, you have one full day in London before tour.

I don't know your arrival details but you probably wouldn't be able to actually start seeing anything, after collecting bags and transport from LHR to ? and checking in and all that, until near 2? So that doesn't leave you with tons of time. London is huge and transport takes time. I would not suggest a bus tour that day. Going to the Tower might work--you'll be foggy probably but it will be a walk which is good and you wouldn't have to rush. Then see what you feel like for the evening. A day trip to Oxford will be fun. I don't think you're crazy for thinking of day trip to Edinburgh but I think you should stay in London in between your other 2 day trips. Go into Westminster Abbey or to British Museum (it
is beyond amazing) or along the Southbank or see the different Parks or---list goes on and on. I think you'll be so tired you won't remember anything about London and you won't enjoy the other 2 day trips, or your tour, as much. Think "next time."

Just a few things to think about (and I haven't read every word of the other posts so someone may have mentioned some of these already)

• I would NOT take the hop-on-hop-off bus tour. Your first day of the organized tour is basically the same thing -- <u>except</u> you don't get to hop off anyplace other than at St Paul's. If you take two bus tours-- well you spend about one full day just riding cooped up in a bus.

• You really can't manage the Tower of London on Day 1. W/ an 11AM arrival you won't get to your hotel until probably 2PM, or likely later. By the time you get checked in and freshened up it will be too late to squeeze in The Tower. Plus you will have been up for probably 24 hours by then and heavy sightseeing will be difficult. (assuming LHR but LGW would be about the same).

• Your organized tour will be hectic enough -- don't plan all these out of town tours --and <u>especially</u> not Edinburgh. And especially ESPECIALLY <B>ESPECIALLY</B> not 3 out of town trips on consecutive days.

What else does your tour include -- maybe give us a link so we can see what is/isn't included.

My first trip to London we had 3 1/2 days. We were checked in to our hotel and ready to see the sites by early afternoon. We grabbed a quick lunch, hopped a city bus and headed toward Trafalgar Square, From there we walked to Leicester Square, Big Ben, London Eye, Westminster Abbey and then a strolled down Whitehall. We didn't stop for long at any of the places but it was a good way to get a feel for the city and keep ourselves awake. By early evening we were ready for dinner and an early night. Our first full day we took the train to Windsor and spent the day. We were still a bit jetlagged and didn't have to fight crowds. it was a very relaxing day!! Our final 2 days we were ready for anything, seeing and doing as much as possible...obviously didn't see it all because we are heading back to London for 5 days this summer!!!

I am not sure I would go all the way to Scotland! You will have plenty to do in London?

Have fun!

Great trip report and wonderful photos!!!! Thanks for sharing your London and Paris trip with us!!

Thursday - you are crazy. I like lennyba's suggestion if you must leave town. I wouldn't leave town, though. Why not visit the north parts of London instead? Hampstead, etc. Or visit Greenwich.

Jent - love the name HOHO bus! haha

I can't praise London Walks enough. Do one on your arrival day, then relax the rest of the evening. Perhaps take in a late museum opening, depending on the day you arrive.

http://www.lates.org/home

My last trip to London I did one London Walk per day. I'd suggest more than one if you can fit it in. I'd much rather do that than leave town.

The organized tour starts in London and after Saturday we are departing to Belgium and other countries.

Walking instead of getting on some kind of moving transportation on the day of arrival sounds good! Is London Tower doable? Someone said yes and someone said no. We'll also look into other places to walk.

I grew up in big cities and I'm not too into the city scene. So I must cut something, I prefer to cut London time. But if Edinburgh sounds too unrealistic, we might cut it this time.

The notion of a trip to Edinburgh on that timetable is daft. Spend 8+ hours in transit for less than six hours in the city just to point at the Castle and check a box on a list? Go to Scotland on another trip and spend some time there. And Edinburgh's best store has a branch in London. Just google Royal Mile Whisky.

The HOHO bus is a waste of money, take the 9 or 15 or 136 and you'll see alot while similarly stuck in traffic, but for far less money.

The Tower isn't a "maybe" for someone who's never been to London. Ditto the Abbey.

Getting moving the day of your arrival is a good plan.

Whether the Tower is doable depends on how long it takes you to get from LHR to your hotel to drop off bags, eat lunch, etc. If you carry on your luggage and don't have to wait in a long immigration line, find your hotel, eat and get Oysters quickly, you might could do it. You don't say when the trip is - the Tower closes at 4:30pm in the winter and 5:30pm in the summer. I would allow at least three hours to see it. If your trip is in the winter, I would not attempt it. If your trip is in the summer, and you're motivated to fit it in that day, you might be able to do it.

Re: Edinburgh: The trip is 4.5 hours one way. You'll be spending nine hours of your day on a train and will have about five hours in Edinburgh, some of which will likely be spent eating. I wouldn't do it but it's your call. If you do it, buy tickets in advance; those can get pricy if you wait.

London is the least big-city big city that I've been in. Certain things (like the Tube at rush hour) excepted, it's much less crowded than other large cities, in my experience. Lots of green space, polite people.

Should have said - "whether the Tower is doable *on your arrival day* depends on" the other things. Absolutely fit in the Tower during your visit.

If you can make it to Edinburgh, trust me you won't be dissapointed. When we were there, there was bagpipers playing on the streets and you can hear them echo throughout the city as your walking around. It was surreal. But 4 and half days is really crunching your time even with all the stuff you already listed. I don't think your going to feel relaxed. I lived in Bath for a short while and that isn't super close to London. Technically in American terms it is close but with all the stuff your doing I am not sure how you will find the time to even sleep. I would deffinately cut your list a little shorter so you have time to breathe and enjoy everything and not feel rushed. Like the person who listed earlier, I would pick what interests you the most. And yea a lot of it is interesting and hard to resist but you'll enjoy your trip more if you take it at a slower pace. That way you can end your day at one of the pubs with a nice pint(if your a drinker) I am not a drinker but still like to try different beers when I am traveling. If you do go to Edinburgh check how long it takes by train to get there because you may only have two hours to explore and then get on the train again. That is almost a wasted day. Good luck its an experience you'll never forget.