clynnk

I have never been abroad, but promised my daughter a trip to London for her graduation.

What is the best way to plan a trip - some kind of travel or tour service or DIY? I would appreciate any help or suggestions - it just seems like a daunting task.

When would be the best time to travel - we are pretty open with dates.

Thank you for any help you can provide.

janisj

>>t just seems like a daunting task<<

What specifically seems 'daunting'? If you are specifically talking about just London . . . You book flights, you book a hotel or an apartment, and you are set to go.

There ar thousands of threads on here to help you get started. Also read the London listing in the Destinations area on this website. Pick up a guide book or two.

Then ask here any questions/clarifications you need.

There is no wrong time to visit London. I'd avoid August just because of the extra crowds (London is crowded year round but in August there are just more). For a first visit I'd probably also avoid the dead of winter simply because the days are so short. But really any time is fine.

jranger

When my daughter graduated university, I took her on a lovely trip including one week in London. It was essentially an "art and museum" trip - there is so much to keep one occupied in London, I'm sure you won't have trouble finding things to do. We went in May - it rained but we still managed to be outdoors no problem. We stayed in a beautiful hotel (the Cranley) which was close to the tube and close enough to walk to many attractions. Each day after breakfast, we headed out to a museum or gallery and spent the day out and about. And one day we took the train to Bath, which was very interesting. We didn't go to any shows on that trip but if you and your daughter enjoy theater, you could certainly stay entertained. London is expensive but if you both enjoy shopping, there are plenty of unique shops. As janisj says, there is no bad time to go and depending on your interests, it is very easy to do the planning yourself. I am a planner and I did have each day plotted out with a "must do" and a "do if we feel like it" activity. Our trip was really successful and we both look back on it with fondness.

nytraveler

London is super easy to do on your own and has enought to see/do to keep you busy for weeks.

That said - what ar your major interests - that wil determine which are YOUR ust sees.

Also - London is not cheap (not nearly as expensive as Switz or Scandinavia) but not cheap - so you need to familiarize yourself with budgets and areas to get the most for your money (unless it is no object).

Belinda

I understand your concerns. Just take one step at a time. First, do you both have passports? If not, get them now. Then a book or two. I like Eyewitness because they have lots of pictures and historic timelines. Also, they have great neighborhood maps.

Find out what about London speaks to your daughter. What does she envision a trip to London meaning? Shopping? Theater? Museums? A bit of everything?

Once you've picked your dates, start shopping for flights. Non-stop is best if you can do it from your closest airport. Connections always create extra stress for new travelers.

Next, your accommodations. You probably would prefer a hotel to an apartment but both are options. You will want to pick your hotel when you know what neighborhood you like. londontown.com is a good website for hotel shopping.

Then come back here for specific questions (or read a lot of existing threads). You'll find lots of info about the tube, restaurants, museums, theater, etc.

One of the things I like to take first timers to do their first day is the Hop on Hop off bus. That gives you a chance to see everything, get acclimated, understand the lay of the land, catch some sunshine (if it's sunny) and not knock yourself out the first day or two.

Involve your daughter in the planning. She'll get more out of it if she's put more into it. Have her pick several things she would really like to do or see. Hampton Court? Windsor Castle? Any day trips that would appeal to her.

Also, check out London Walks (walks.com) They have many interesting and cheap guided walks that are really fun.

Good luck! We are here to help!

PatrickLondon

Find out about public transport:
http://www.tfl.gov.uk/cdn/static/cms...itor-guide.pdf

KTtravel

How exciting!

I recommend getting a copy of Rick Steves' London or UK guidebook. He has lots of information geared towards first time travelers.

thursdaysd

Besides the RS guidebooks, first timers may benefit from reading his "Europe Through the Back Door", plus both Lonely Planet and Rough Guides have "first timer" guides, although I think the LP one may be out of print you can probably find a second hand copy.

jent103

Congratulations to your daughter!

Most people on Fodors really enjoy planning their own trips, so you'll get a lot of "DIY" responses here. But London really is one of the easiest (if not <i>the</i> easiest) place to start traveling internationally on your own. It will likely save you some money and you can do <i>your</i> trip, not a tour company's.

You could also do sort of a mix - book your own flights and hotels, and plan your own days in London, but take a day trip or two with a company (London Walks, as mentioned above, has a lot of great day trips, in addition to their city tours; there are other companies as well).

For a first trip, a straightforward and great way to go might be a week or so in London, with one or two day trips (lots of possibilities, from Hampton Court or Windsor to Bath to Oxford to...). That keeps it simple because you're not moving hotels, but you'll still be able to see a lot!

janisj

>>I recommend getting a copy of Rick Steves' London or UK guidebook.<<

I agree get a guidebook . . . But not Rick Steves! He is fine for a lot of countries/cities. But really isn't the best resource for London/the UK. Some of the advice in the UK books is just flat wrong

(I met him a couple of times years ago when he came to town for the local PBS pledge break and once spent more than an hour w/ him over lunch - he admitted that England isn't his favorite of places and IMO it definitely shows in the RS UK books)

So pick up a Fodors, or a Michelin Green Guide, or a DK EyeWitness, or some other guidebook(s) - but not RS.

clynnk

Thanks so much for all of your replies - I will certainly try them all!

Southam

If you are crossing the Atlantic you will find air fares slighty, or maybe a fair amount, cheaper in spring and fall, April-May or late September onward.

LSky

Get guidebooks at your library. Lots of them Eyewitness is a good place to start.

Talk with your daughter about what each of you thinks about when you think "Abroad."

What do you expect to see?
Make lists of the types of experiences you want to have:

High tea?
English breakfasts?
Castles?
Art?
Food?

When you have what you expect in focus, then start planning your trip.

kovsie

Last year I felt just like you do now. I received amazing support from this site and in the end the whole trip was wonderful.

To get an idea of suggestions both wise and clever, look at
http://www.fodors.com/community/euro...m#last-comment

Maybe it will also help to read my TR at
http://www.fodors.com/community/euro...-in-london.cfm

I agree with Patrick above -- one of the important things to figure out is how to get to all the things that you want to see and do.

Hooameye

"High tea?
English breakfasts?
Castles?
Art?
Food?"

Probably afternoon tea not "high tea", very few places would do that.
http://britishfood.about.com/od/faq/...teavafttea.htm

PatrickLondon

>>Probably afternoon tea not "high tea", very few places would do that.<<

I fear that distinction may be about to erode from within, so to speak. I noticed a place in Greenwich advertising "high tea" yesterday, and I wouldn't mind betting they're not offering pork pie and pickle, tinned salmon or sticks of celery in a mug.

MissPrism

Good heavens, I'd forgotten the celery. We were obviously posher than you. Ours was in a sort of glass vase thing.
I suspect that Americans think that "high" means posh instead of sitting up to the table

Hooameye

"I suspect that Americans think that "high" means posh instead of sitting up to the table"

From what I've read from posters in the past, Aussies also think it's "high tea", Downton Abbey and the like have certainly got a lot to answer for. Bring back breakfast, dinner and tea, I say.

PatrickLondon

>Good heavens, I'd forgotten the celery. We were obviously posher than you. <<

I wouldn't be at all surprised. We quite often had winkles - an object lesson in patience, perseverance and getting used to disappointment.

jent103

<i>I suspect that Americans think that "high" means posh instead of sitting up to the table</i>

I think you're right about that, MissPrism. That's what I thought for quite some time. If you don't know much about it, that's what is easiest to infer from "high."