OK, you London experts - put your thinking caps on.
 

Hi, I'm doing a lightening trip to London between Christmas and New Years. Arrive late morning Boxing Day and fly home New Years Day. Dec 26-30 are all totally booked up/chockablock.

Now for NYE . . . I have no plans except a dash over to Borough Market to pick up yummy stuff for dinner - they open at 10AM and I want to get there before it gets too crazy. Back to the flat to dump things and then I have nothing planned till dinner and watching the fireworks from my balcony, then packing.

I've been wracking my brain for what to do for a few hours New Years Eve afternoon. Don't want to ice ice skate. I know the London Bridge Christmas Market and the Winter Wonderland in Hyde Park will still be running but I might be 'Christmased-out' by then. None of the Thurs. afternoon London Walks really work. And what time do they close off the fireworks ticket zone - its a large area through central London and that may complicate getting around. Don't need a posh meal or a big view -- will have done several by then. Any ideas for something different?

thanks

Go to a nice pub or hotel bar and get pleasantly trashed, of course.

Doing that several other days :)

Perhaps one of the smaller or quirkier museums/galleries has something interesting on offer? Dennis Severs' House or similar? An afternoon performance of I Want My Hat Back at the National? Go see the Great Chronicle of London at Guildhall, or the Geffrye decked out for Christmas?

I will think on this, and see what else suggests itself. I hope you have a good trip!

Thanks - but . . . Denis Severs doesn't do NYE (plus I've been) - I've visited the Geffrye several times (twice when decked out for Christmas) - I want My hat back only has restricted view available - been to the Guild Hall, etc etc . . .

(I didn't say this would be easy :) )

No, I didn't think it would be, but...it never hurts to throw out some ideas. I figured you'd thought of them. I was thinking of Wilton's Music Hall but they don't have a performance on the 31st. I also thought of Pollock's Toy Museum, but they are closed that day. And then I thought of a backstage tour at the National Theatre, but they seem to only have a morning tour available that day.

I will keep thinking, and in the meantime, someone is sure to have a good idea.

Hi Janis - if I had another NYE in my former home city I would head to Westminster Abbey for their 5pm Evensong service, accompanied by a choir from the Perth College Girls School, Australia.

You are so fortunate - I wish you a very happy NYE in London whatever you do.

Go to an early movie at the Electric Cinema on Portobello Road; put your feet up, have a nice glass of wine and some nibbles. They are showing Star Wars, though, which may not be your thing :-)

http://www.museumofbrands.com

http://www.museumofbrands.com/visitus/

http://www.rcm.ac.uk/museum/

http://www.rcm.ac.uk/museum/visit/

http://www.estorickcollection.com/index.php

http://www.estorickcollection.com/visitor_info.php

http://www.timeout.com/london/museums/horniman-museum

http://www.horniman.ac.uk/visit

If a trip south of the river does not daunt you [ha!] why not visit Dulwich Picture Gallery? It is an interesting little place but currently they have a special exhibition, "The Amazing World of M.C.Escher".
Getting there on public transport might be more complicated than usual on NYE but I'm sure it's do-able.

While you are on this page, do you know anything about Frieburg [see my, as yet, barren post]

What about a walk up around the British Museum? Taking in Lambs Conduit St and moving down towards Lincolns Inn Fields - will be nice and peaceful there and then over to the bar at One Aldwych for an early glass of champagne to sit in those massive high back comfy chairs. I plan doing that walk one day also...but will add the Temple area and a visit to the Old Mitre pub.

Or...take the boat down to Greenwich and walk under the river and then back towards London. Some good riverside pubs along the way and catch the DLR back intontown when you've had enough walking...I like the area around Canary Wharf...makes me feel like I left London for an hour and am back in a North American city...odd feeling

"I was thinking of Wilton's Music Hall but they don't have a performance on the 31st."

I'm going there on the 26th :)

"I would head to Westminster Abbey for their 5pm Evensong service,"

I want to avoid the ticket zone so I think that would be difficult.

"If a trip south of the river does not daunt you [ha!] why not visit Dulwich Picture Gallery?"

Doesn't daunt at all -- but I've been. Though haven't seen the current show.

"What about a walk up around the British Museum? Taking in Lambs Conduit St and moving down towards Lincolns Inn Fields"

Have several times.

"Or...take the boat down to Greenwich and walk under the river and then back towards London."

ditto

Keep them coming . . .

Go to a pantomime. There are bound to be some good ones and would certainly be different for you

"Go to a pantomime. There are bound to be some good ones and would certainly be different for you"

going to both Dick Whittington and Cinderella . . .

Janis - my SIL spent the day in Lindon last week for an event, and she's told me about a new development area north of King's Cross station. She was around Stable Street but says the new development is great. I might check it out if I have time.

Not terribly good with links, but take a look here:

www.kingscross.co.uk

Hard to know what you haven't done... If the weather's good, Highgate cemetery? Suitable place for NYE, perhaps. Or have you toured the Globe?

And have you been to the William Morris Gallery?

http://www.wmgallery.org.uk/home

Bit of a trek, it's not in zones 1 and 2, but I really enjoyed my visit. (Of course, I'm a big Art Nouveau fan, and I include the Arts and Crafts Movement.)

going to both Dick Whittington and Cinderella . >>

jj - in Truro they are doing "Dick Whittington and the Mousehole Cat"!

Who knew?

This was mentioned on the radio recently - an exhibition of the war sketches by the illustrator of Winnie the Pooh, EH Shepherd:

http://www.houseofillustration.org.u...lustrators-war

it would be interesting and something a little different, and it's on while you are in London.

That looks great annhig! Now I definitely will make the trip up to Kings Cross...thanks for tip!