London 7 day itinerary w 4.5 days in city and 2 day trips
 

Good morning. Welcome Feedback on Itinerary for August Vacation.
We are visiting london for the first time. We are staying in Covent Garden. It is 3 of us with our 14 year old teenage daugther.

Day 1/Arrive Wednesday mid day - Walk Around Covent Garden, Seven Dials Market, Neals Yard

Day 2/Thursday - Top Sights in Lonodon - Buckingham Palace, Westminister Abby, Big Ben London Eye -

Day 3/Friday - Tower Bridge, The Shard, Sky Garden, Bourough Market, Millenium Bridge, St Pauls Cathedral

Day 4/Saturday - Morning Go to Camden Market - Afternoon Go to Les Miserables

Day 5/Sunday - Day Trip to Hampton Court;

Day 6/Monday - Soho, Picadilly Circus, Traglagar Square, Chinatown, Afternoon Tea at Brown's Hotel

Day 7/Tuesday - Day Trip to Oxford or Cambridge. Probably Cambrige so we can go punting.

I am not sure of the order of the Days of the trip, The above is based on the sights. Not sure about switching days so we go to Borough Market on off day Thursday, Monday or Tuesday. Maybe do afternoon tea on a sunday since that is a timed event. Our daughter doesn't like too may tours or museums.

Welcome feedback on which tickets to buy in advance. Tickets I hope are day specific and not timed as I am not sure when I will get to each location. If there is some timed tickets I would welcome feedback on what time to buy tickets that are in the similar locations. Thanks!

Just throwing out random comments:

"Day 7/Tuesday - Day Trip to Oxford or Cambridge. Probably Cambrige so we can go punting" . . . There is punting in BOTH cities. If it was me I'd probably do Oxford instead. You don't need to decide in advance -- If punting is important let the weather decide when you go to either city cuz' you definitely don't want to punt in pouring rain. If you are flying home on Day 8 I might move Oxford to earlier so you are in London the last full day in case there are any last minute packing/shopping issues.

Day 6 is pretty much a nothing burger :( most of those are are sort of walk through's Afternoon Tea @ Brown's is great though. P. Circus is absolutely nothing in the day time - just a busy intersection with a statue in the middle. A quick walk through at night before or after the theatre is all anyone needs. Trafalgar Sq is iconic but without visits to the National or National Portrait galleries or St Martins-in-the-Field maybe 30 minutes absolutely tops for photo Ops -- and it is SO close to Covent Garden you can easily include it on day one.

I'd re-think your day 2 - maybe do some more research on other sites you'd maybe like to visit. Buckingham Palace is literally a 10 minute walk-by for photos. Big Ben is just 'there' - you can't miss it and again is a very quick photo stop.Westminster Abbey is magnificent or course -- that's a keeper. The Eye is weather dependent to an extent so decide on the day. You can pre-book on line in the morning if the weather/visibility is decent.

Day 3 -- Tower Bridge but no Tower of London?? The Tower of London is probably the most-est/special-est site of all. I would only do one the Shard or Sky Garden (or maybe neither if you do the Eye). IMO a full day of Tower in the AM, Borough Market for a mid afternoon lunch and St Pauls in the afternoon is a great day.

You definitely need to pre-book afternoon tea, and its best to pre-book Westminster Abbey

It looks like you are visiting locations rather than doing anything. No Victoria and Albert? No British Museum? No Churchill War Rooms? No walking tour? No art? No music? No theater? I could spend the day just adding to this list.

Why not look at the various trip reports here and get some substantial ideas? You have time to get ahold of a couple of guide books. Turn the kid loose with them. Have fun rather than fulfilling a check list.

In August I would prebook Westminster Abbey. You are so close to the Churchill War Rooms that in my opinion it would be a shame not to take advantage of that opportunity. With a 14 year old, she probably hasn't studied WWII or Churchill yet, but it will be so much more meaningful to her when she does.

The London Eye is good to do if the weather cooperates as you do get great views but again, it is a ferris wheel and a pricey and crowded one.

Tower of London is probably the top destination in London and both interesting to visit and so worthwhile as again it is actual history. For Buckingham Palace, I assume that you mean viewing the Changing of the Guard as opposed to a tour of the actual palace. If so you need to be out on the street very early to actually find a location to stand and to be able to see anything.

For Les Mis, are you planning to get tickets in advance?

If you are visiting in August, you will be able to go inside Buckingham Palace. For 2026, it is open from July 9 to Sept. 27.

Oh -- definitely if you plan on TOURING Buckingham Palace then 1) yes, do, and 2) you must pre-book. If you just meant seeing the palace, my comment stands. I would not plan on the changing of the guard -- it eats up an entire morning.

Other comments above -- I agree that the V&A is superb (though with the fashion gallery closed for refurbishment, maybe a little less interest for a 14yo), Churchill War Rooms, British Museum, etc etc are wonderful and most would consider them 'musts' - only you know your daughter's tolerance for museums and such.

All excellent feedback. Ty so much. I will look into tours in addition. Also get feedback on sites listed.
welcome additional feedback

You can certainly do punting in either Cambridge or Oxford. Do not know much about Oxford. In Cambridge the routes are usually to either to Grantchester or along the backs. It is probably busy during the summer. I would bring an extra change of clothing if you want to try punting yourselves rather than being chauffeured. It's not as easy as it looks.

This is my trip report for a week in London plus day trips. It has info you could use.
https://www.fodors.com/community/eur...eport-1433634/