One of my favorite memories about London, is how I just fell in love with riding the tube, the convenience it brings, the speed and the exercise -- going up and down those stairs -- I even bought a mouse pad of the tube system. As a result, my heart was broken 2 weeks ago, not to mention feeling bad for all the Londoners.

All the parks, I loved just walking through the parks.

Big Ben

A certain street in Earl's court, I unfortunately don't remember the name, but it was such a cozy residential neighborhood.

The people, I found everyone warm and friendly.

The whole city! It's hard in a way to narrow it down to just a few things, but I just loved the whole feeling of the city!

vcl, that's *my* Sainsbury's. It's where I buy all my Cadbury Fruit & Nut bars that I bring home and hide and don't share with anybody.

My daughter and I will be in London that same week in October. I've checked with Kavey, and she will be in town, as will another poster I know. Think we could manage a small tea party GTG?

Thanks for starting this thread, PalQ.
Great idea!

I'm another who prefers to stay close to Gloucester Road, and usually manage to find a reason to hit either Sainsbury's or that Waitrose right by the tube station every day while I'm in London.

And I LOVE the tube! I love the tube signs. I love the names of some of the stations. I bought a little book at the Transport Museum on how the tube stations got their names - pretty interesting. Some were named after nearby pubs.

Many of my London favs are included in other people's lists above.
Some more,

The more obscure and/or less visited museums such as the National Postal Museum, the Ragged School Museum, the Cuming Museum, Prince Henry's Room, the Geffrye Museum, Alexander Fleming Laboratory Museum, Bank of England Museum, Museum of the Order of St John, National Army Museum, that type of thing. For instance, I had the Bramah Museum of Tea & Coffee all to myself!

The many former homes of famous dead guys you can go through: Dickens, Sir John Soane, Dr. Johnson, Leighton, Carlyle, Linley Sambourne, Handel, Keats and more!

The current homes of dead guys (some famous, most not, but still quite interesting) you can go through. Highgate Cemetery and Kensal Green Cemetery spring to mind.

Riding the London Eye at dusk. Or a boat ride on the Thames at dusk, from Westminster to the Tower.

The smell. London has a distinctive "aroma". A mixture of grass and trees, petrol, people, bus exhaust, just a hint of tobacco, and I know not what else. When I catch a whiff of some similar mixture here in my home town, I'm transported back to London for just that one lovely moment.

I love London and will certainly go back. My top ten? Well, number one is hardly original, I see several others have already posted it....peoplewatch in the parks. My favorite park is St. James, but I am happy in any of them.
Number Two: Stroll along Sloane St window shopping.
Number Three: Stay till they boot me out of the British Museum. Is there any place in the world with more nooks and crannies? Each trip brings new finds.
Number Four: Cross the bridges...yes, back and forth, all of them.
Number Five: A sundae in Fortnum Mason.
Number Six: A boat ride down the Thames.
Number Seven: Sit in on a court session in Old Bailey. There is really nothing quite like it.
Number Eight: Theatre!
Number Nine: The food halls.
Number Ten: Planning my next trip to London.....

Warm wishes to the generous and brave citizens of London and the UK.

Portobello Road, Harrods Food Halls, South Kensington & Knightsbridge, men in suits (never see them where I live!), last minute shopping at Heathrow, Thornton's original toffee, I could go on forever.

Wishing all the brave Londoners "Cheers".

Just two more favorites that I haven't seen mentioned here:

The Outdoor Theater in Regent's Park: I love this and plan trips around their season...

The Dog and Cat Cemetary along the north edge of Hyde Park.

HItting the street around 6 AM and finding a "caf" and having my first coffee of the day with cabbies abd news vendors and other early risers!

I'll come back, too, someday, when it's time. When I do, this is my list....

*Abbey Road (leaving my name and thoughts on the wall)
*Covent Garden (love those buskers!)
*Southbank (lots of people-watching, and a browse through the bookstalls)
*Parliament Hill on Hampstead Heath, a fine view of the city
*St. James Park, sitting in a deck chair and listening to Big Ben chime
*Oxford Street shopping (especially HMV Music and Marks and Spencer)
*Boots (thank you, previous poster!)
*Big Bus Tour
*Theatre!

*and, yes, THE TUBE! To me, a symbol of safety, organization, and consideration ("mind the gap"!), it makes my travel so much easier.

I love you, London! Soldier On!

One of my favourite things about London (other than the fact that so many friends and family live here too) is that it's not only a major tourist destination but a transport hub too which means that sooo many friends from internet sites like this pass through and I get to meet them...

:D

Carolyn:
A meeting would be fun. Unfortunately, that week might be a bit hectic for us since six friends are meeting us in London. We will be in town from Oct. 3 or 4 until Oct. 29. The mob will be there from Oct. 17 until Oct. 24. Might another date suit?

vcl, I arrive on the 19th and depart on the 27th. Just a thought, if it's convenient. To leave the thread intact, my e-mail is [email protected] if you should want to write me.

I'd forgot one of my very favorite London things - riding the Docklands Railway, an elevated train, thru the Docklands area of Canary Wharf to Greenwich.

So, will any Fodorites be in London from the 19th through the 29th of August? I'd love to meet up for a pint! My DH and I will be there...

Me. I live here...
:D

Well, we'll be in London, at the Copthorne Tara in Kensington for that time -- wanna meet up for a pint?

- standing in Trafalgar Square and breathing deeply. It may sound insane but I know right then I'm in London.
- watching a trial at the Old Bailey
- buying stocking stuffers in the gift shop at the National Portrait Gallery
- sitting in the rose gardens in Regent's Park
- walking the Mall towards Buckingham Palace
- wandering through the Imperial War Museum
- checking in to the Basil Street hotel
- going to a play in the afternoon and then to another in the evening
- people-watching at Covent Garden
- pretending I own all the Impressionist paintings at the Courtauld Institute

GD, I'm assuming you won't be spending your entire trip in that one pub? :D If you'd like to, drop me an email and we can see if we can work out a meeting?

Evensong at St. Pauls
Churchill's Underground Bunker

1. Looking at Holbein's painting, "The Ambassadors", at the National Gallery (along with its many other splendors).

2. Crossing Tower Bridge at night (preferably in the rain).

3. Eating at Wagamama (the #23, yaki soba).

4. Indulging in London's lively music scene.

5. Walking around Victoria Station.

6. Pubs, pubs, pubs.

Kavey, you have mail :)