One day in London
 

I am going to be spending just one day in London in between connecting flights (one arrives at 9 am, the other departs at 10 pm). What should I spend my day doing? Any good tours that arent too pricey? Also do tours just show you the sights or give you tours of the places as well (aka will I see Buckingham from the outside or do I get an inside tour as well). Where do I go to shop, eat, etc...? I want to pack in as much as possible, but have an amazing time doing it all.

what are you into - art, shopping, seeing the major sights?
London is a VERY big city, so I suggest that you choose one or two things that you really want to see. PLease tell shat you interests are. As for the tour, there are lots of hop on-off buses, which might be a good idea for you - you get to see most of the city and could choose one or two stops.

With only one day I would suggest the Hop On Hop Off Bus tours. Normally I think the regular buses are just as good but with only one day the hop on and off are perfect. Some of them come with a boat ride on the Thames. Also with only one day I don't think you have time to go inside too many places. When are you going to be there? From now for the next several months there will be lines at all the tourist destinations. I would do a little research and pick one or two places at the most that you want to go inside. The Tower of London is my favorite but it can take several hours to see it all (not that you have to see all of it). Westminster Abbey is the ohter site I think is really wonderful. Both of course are on the hop on hop off routes. You can only go inside Buckinham Palace for a few weeks in late summer so unless that's when you are going you can't do that anyway. Take a walk through St James's Park and look at it from the outside, that's more than enough for most people.

For eating, unless you are a person who absolutely has to have sit down meals, with only one day I'd grab sandwiches and eat on a bench in front of some wonderful London site. London has great take-out sandwich shops all over. Of course there is a pub on every corner too but the food is not that great in most cases.

I wouldn't spend much time shopping in London, the prices are horrible. Was there something specific you wanted? My last couple of trips I've actually done most of my shopping at museum gift shops (especially the V&A). Since museums are free you could pop into one or two of them for just an hour or so, see the main highlights and check out the gift shops. The V&A, British Museum, or National Gallery would be my suggestions.

I would book ahead a timed ticket on the London Eye - early as possible. This will help to get your bearings. Buckingham Palace is only open to visitors on a few selected dates - and I think you would need to book ahead. Get a map of the underground, and as long as you don't travel within rush hour, you can get around really quickly. I would endorse the view 'don't stop for a sit down meal'. There are plenty of places to get sandwiches/snacks and you can sit by the river, in parks (Kensington Gardens are nice) or around the House of Commons and Big Ben.If you really want to shop you could go to Knightsbridge for Harrods....

Ok, I guess since you really can get shopping and art everywhere, I'll stick to seeing the sights in London. You think I would only have time for the Tower of London and one other thing?