dkorwood

We have only 4 days in London. We arrive April 28 early am and leave early am on May 2.
Confirmed:

Wedding mob April 29 morning...try to get to stand on Queen Victoria monument? where we hope to see something of transport? to Westminster.

Wicked Friday night, 7pm April 29,

Ceremony of the Keys Sat night April 30


Want to visit Cabinet War rooms, British Library, British Museum, Big Ben, St Paul's, St Martin crypt brass rubbing and eat, Tower of London, Hampton Court. I realize we can't help but walk by some of this and that is kind of how it will go down. We are considering Big Bus at Night on thurs night? but will cut into museum/library time?

I think I can figure out how to squeeze all the museums in as they are open late on Thurs
My main question is: I read there is some limited package storage at Hampton Court. I am thinking we can just pack light and go directly from Heathrow to hampton...by bus..so we don't care if it is slow as we will have 3 hours to use to get from Heathrow to Hampton and be there for opening. I thought it would be a good use of our time and I can't find another day that I think I can fit it in.


I would appreciate any ideas on an itinerary, you think would maximize our visit...any advice.

Thanks

cynthia_booker

I'm going to be watching this thread. Just to see what everyone comes up with.
Come on, pitch in and help her out.

PatrickLondon

For the wedding procession, I have no idea what the crowds will be like (nor does anyone else), but in general, you'd be likely to get the best view on TV, as with all these things. You might stand a better chance of seeing the procession if you're further down the Mall, somewhere nearer Carlton House Terrace. Possibly. You'd need to check the details nearer the time (and the weather on the morning), and be ready to do something else.

Geographically, the Cabinet War Rooms, Big Ben and St Martins go together: this might be something to do if time and jetlag allow, on your arrival day, or you could fit it in on the Friday if you are around the Palace anyway - the hoopla around the wedding won't go on all day.

You could easily spend most of a day at Hampton Court, so it seems a bit odd to do that as the first thing en route from Heathrow to wherever you're staying - but if you really want to, bus 111 from the Heathrow bus terminal goes to Hampton Court:

http://www.tfl.gov.uk/tfl/gettingaro...s123-13970.pdf

Otherwise, Hampton Court is an easy train ride from Waterloo in central London for one of your other days.

For the Tower, start there first thing in the morning; you could do St Pauls on the afternoon of the same day (I wouldn't choose Sunday for this, as they will have services on, of course, unless you want to attend one).

You can spend as little or as much time in the BL and the BM as you like, of course, but they could fit together on one day (with a breather in between - probably best to start with the Library).

alanRow

Take the Tube to Hounslow East then the 111 bus to Hampton Court - takes about 90 minutes in total. BUT I think you are overestimating the luggage storage there which AFAIK is effectively hand luggage only. And as for trying to do it after a long haul flight...

Personally I'd just head for your hotel then decide which of the Central London sights you want to see, then you can do as much or as little as you want / able to do.

flanneruk

1. H Court (NEVER "hampton", which is - er, just the teeniest weeniest bit double-entendrish) Baggage rules at http://www.hrp.org.uk/HamptonCourtPa...iliesaspx.aspx. In other words: unpredictable. Partly because of whether there'll be space (you're arriving in the middle of a two-week national holiday), partly because the security level at all the visitable palaces depends on what bits of the bad guys' plans our chaps have intercepted, and baggage holding typically gets suspended when we think they might be about to try another silly stunt. Neurosis likely to be higher round the wedding.

"try to get to stand on Queen Victoria monument? where we hope to see something of transport?"

You can't stand on the Victoria Monument during processions. At the 2002 Jubilee, crowds WERE allowed into the area in front of the Palace after all the processions were finished and the gang came out onto the balcony.

At a guess, I'd say that, unless you want to get to the route hours (or tens of hours) beforehand you'll see little of the processions.

The wedding will have next to no impact on anything else in London and will look a great deal better on TV than to the crowds on the streets.

Odin

<<Take the Tube to Hounslow East then the 111 bus to Hampton Court - takes about 90 minutes in total.>>

Take the 111 bus from Heathrow to Hampton Court Green bus stop which takes about 1 hour, depending on traffic. No need to go to Hounslow East.

dkorwood

Thanks all. I think Hampton Court may have to wait for another trip...quite disappointing, but I do need just the tiny suitcase for clothes. Thanks for your advice. It essentially matched that of my local advisor, Cynthia.