I am so thankful for all of the help in paring down for the trip. I Google mapped this all out and it seems if I can figure out the buses this should work. What do you think?

Arrive London from Cotswolds Saturday at noon
3:30 Fat tire bike tour 1/2 mile from Hotel by Hyde Park 4hours

Sunday
Hyde Park speakers
Buckingham palace tour
lunch and visit at Victoria and Albert Museum
play?

Monday
St Pauls
Hairy goat photography tour
British Museum or Museum of London
Covent garden?

Tuesday
Tower of London 9am
Imperial war Museum or Churchill war rooms
Evensong at Westminster Abby 5pm
London Eye?

Wednesday
Off to airport

Sunday: If you go to Speakers' Corner and then tour Buckingham Palace you likely won't be to the V&A until after lunch time. Normally I'd suggest you eat at the Museum -- but on Sundays it will be very busy and eating there may be a problem. (have you booked your Palace tickets -- do you know that there are openings on the Sunday AM?)

Most theatres are dark on Sundays --only a VERY few shows have Sunday performances. The Globe, the Lion King, Jersey Boys, and <i>maybe</i> the National Theatre are your main options.

Monday is very difficult. The Hairy Goat website is semi-weird but it appears the tour takes 4 hours -- so you really don't have time for St Pauls and the British Museum too. Just not enough hours in the day.

Your Tuesday plan is actually quite doable.

Thanks so much Janisj!

My daughter who is the photography buff said she really doesn't feel the need for the photography tour, so well skip that. it might be redundant of the overview we will get on the bike tour on Saturday anyway.

There was availability for Buckingham palace for 9:30 on Sunday yesterday.

What time do the speakers come out on Sunday?- we are staying right at Hyde Park.

Is there anywhere we could fit the play Wicked in our schedule?

You can do Wicked Mon or Tues Night. 7:30 curtain.

Most speakers come out on Sunday mornings but there is usually one or another or several most any time. Hyde Park is a biiiiig place. Which hotel? Hotels 'at' Hyde Park could be anywhere from Marble Arch to Knightsbridge to South Kensington to Bayswater and farther.

Um, at night, when you're not touring would seem to be a time to go to the theater/re. Like the Monday or Tuesday . . .

I don't know why British Museum or Museum of London is a choice - one is one of the world's great museums, the other is the Museum of London.

Are you not visiting Westminster Abbey other than for evensong?

Go to the Cabinet War Rooms instead of the Imperial War Museum, that way you'll be right there for the Abbey and they're easier to reach.

And buy a single day travelcard from a national rail station (likely Paddington or Victoria will be closest) for Wednesday and take the 2for1 deals for the Cabinet War Rooms and Tower from daysoutguide.co.uk. The savings at the Tower alone will exceed the travelcard cost for both of you.

thanks Big Russ and Janisj

We'll focus on the British museum.

Why do you prefer the war rooms over the museum?

we are staying at the Lancaster London.

Did you mean to buy a ticket to get to the airport or to use to get around on Tuesday when we visit the Tower.

What would we miss by not touring the Abby?

I'll jump in here. BigRuss didn't say he necessarily prefers the War rooms. He said >>Go to the Cabinet War Rooms instead of the Imperial War Museum, that way you'll be right there for the Abbey and they're easier to reach.<<

That is because of logistics -- the Churchill Museum/Cabinet War Rooms is practically next door to the Abbey.- Well just around the corner anyway.

"<i>What would we miss by not touring the Abby?</i>" is sort of like asking what would you miss if you didn't go inside the Tower, or the British Museum. The only reason for going there is to go inside. If you don't plan on entering --you can skip the area.

Isn't the Evensong inside Westminster Abby?

"<i>Isn't the Evensong inside Westminster Abby?</i>"

Yes -- but you can't see anything of the Abbey. Well you can see a tiny bit, but you'll be screened of -- by the Choir Screen and just the general layout. You can't wander around or look in the chapels or anything.

This shows the floor plan. You'd be sitting in area '15', everything else will be blocked off/mostly out of view.

http://www.westminster-abbey.org/visit-us/highlights

Sometimes, visitors are seated in the Choir (Quire-#3) but otherwise/normally you really can't see anything

I see that makes sense. Would you recommend touring the Abby over St. Paul's if we had to choose?

BTW I keep reading your posts on other threads. I appreciate all of your help.

Ceremonies of the Keys is impressive - you do have request tickets but it is free - at night

Happy to help.

If I had to choose one or the other, it would probably be the Abbey -- Much older of course and so much history.

And then try for evensong at St Pauls if possible. You can glimpse more of St Paul's interior from where one sits during evensong/services.