JamilaZ

Almost time to depart and finalizing tentative itinerary. Trip participants have changed over the course of general planning and it's now me and early teen daughter.

Saturday - Depart USA
Sunday - Arrive Heathrow. Take Just Airports to Westminster hotel. Hopefully be able to check in earlier than check-in time. Walk around neighborhood. Take open top bus tour if weather is nice to kick back and relax and give teen an intro of London.
Monday - Kensington Palace, Kensington Gardens, lunch nearby, Victoria & Albert Museum. Harrods/Knightsbridge shops. Go to infamous Elan cafe for teen's Instagram pics.
Tuesday - City tour monuments; Walk around Trafalgar Square, see Parliament area, Sky Garden tickets in late morning. Tower of London, London Bridge Experience
Wednesday - bus tour to Warwick Castle, Stratford-Upon-Avon and Oxford
Thursday - Westminster Abbey (tour with Verger), Hampton Court Palace;
Friday - London Dungeon (teen's request); British Museum; Charles Dickens House; General Shopping
Saturday - looking for Saturday activities that won't be too busy since it's a weekend, Visit cousin in evening
Sunday - looking for ideas on last full day
Monday - 10 AM flight

This is all a general plan. We will switch plans around depending on weather, energy level and what else may come up. I have been several times before but it's been many years and my teen doesn't remember anything because she was quite young.

texasbookworm

It's good to have some days at end for spill overs, as that's a pretty full list.

I'd definitely re-think Tuesday; I'd say start at Tower; go in when opens, go immediately to Crown Jewels viewing, come back to entrance to catch a Yeoman's tour, then see what else you want. The Bridge Experience is ok; I'm glad we had 2for1 tix and my engineer hubby liked it, but I think it's overpriced. Walking onto the Bridge is cool and free, so unless you have some Pass or voucher or some engineering-works reason, I can't recommend it.

I'd also wonder about HCP AND Westminster Abbey same day? Seems you'd want to head to HCP early and then get done whatever you have time for when back.

The Dungeon's on South bank, so it doesn't fit with much else, unless you did it before or after Westminster Abbey and then took walk to Trafalgar Square?

Westminster Abbey pairs better with Parliament area, a walk up Whitehall to Trafalgar Square, and then...

What is a city tour monuments? Is that a guided something or just name you gave the day?

JamilaZ

Thanks for your reply. Very good points.

The Sky Garden tickets are 11:15 AM. That's why I have Tower of London after that. If we have a better shot of avoiding crowds for the jewels, I can move Tower of London to another day and start out there when it opens.

I just called the event "City tour" which means walk around an look at buildings, squares, etc. Not a guided tour. I figured teen will hear about that on the open top bus tour or we could get a London Walk tour. Again, depends on weather.

Thanks for your other comments.

bilboburgler

Dungeon, oh dear.

JamilaZ

HAHAHA! I know bibloburgler but she is interested so we'll go! Something different from all the other history and culture. I also want to go to National Portrait Gallery.

Monday - 10 AM flight. Is 7 AM or 7:30 AM departure from hotel via car service on a Monday morning in central London enough time for an international flight out of Heathrow?

jane1144

I think you have to be AT the airport three hours before an international flight.

janisj

Some issues. I was going to mention you can't do the Tower first because of the Sky Garden booking but you cleared that up. But given that - Tuesday is still a problem. (Do you mean the London Bridge experience or the Tower Bridge Experience? Whichever one - I'd consider skipping it)

>>Tuesday - City tour monuments; Walk around Trafalgar Square, see Parliament area, Sky Garden tickets in late morning. Tower of London, London Bridge Experience<<.

For starters, Parliament and Trafalgar Square are not in/near the City and nowhere near Sky Garden. But where exactly are you staying - 'Westminster' covers half of central London but if you mean the small area that is generally considered Westminster (near the Abbey, Parliament, etc) you will be staying right there so no need to 'schedule' seeing them. They will be practically around the corner from your hotel. If you can move the Tower to a morning it would be better, especially for visiting the Crown Jewels, but late in the afternoon the crowds do thin out a little so doing it around 3PM could work -- but I'd try to shuffle it to a different day//morning.

Thursday is not a natural fit. Not impossible -- if the Verger tour is first thing in the AM, then you can head to Waterloo right after lunch and spend the afternoon at HCP. But I'd really plan HCP for a day when you can take a morning train out and spend as much time as you want there, then come back into London in the mid to late afternoon.

>>Monday - 10 AM flight. Is 7 AM or 7:30 AM departure from hotel via car service on a Monday morning in central London enough time for an international flight out of Heathrow?<<

Absolutely not -- 7AM (at the latest) 'could' be OK if you are flying Business/First because you get expedited check in and security. But on a Monday AM it could take an hour or more for the drive out. If you are flying coach, then I'd want to leave the hotel before 6AM

travelhorizons

Sunday ... in place of a Thursday tour with a Verger of Westminster Abbey, I highly recommend going to Matins at 10 a.m. on Sunday morning. You'll experience the Abbey not as a tourist attraction but as a place of worship, and it's FREE. If you get there at 9:30 to be admitted at opening, you can get a seat in the Choir. It's an absolutely wonderful experience.

Alternative — go to the Evening Prayer service most late afternoons, also free (and they don't taken an offering at these services).

Here's a blogpost I wrote on Matins at Westminster Abbey: https://tinyurl.com/y2gjgz73

PalenQ

check out the 2 for 1 entry scheme:

https://www.daysoutguide.co.uk/2for1-london

Well worth it for places that you mention in London, including Hampton Court.

janisj

Attending a service at the Abbey is terrific but does not replace an actual visit -- at services one s not allowed to wander throughout the Abbey as much is roped off. So yes, go to a service if so inclined, but IMO do a 'tourist' visit on a day other than Sunday.

I notice you don't mention any theatre or evening events/sites. Several of the museums are open late one or two nights a week, you can get last minute theatre tix at TKTS in Leicester Square (the stand-alone kiosk bldg.), the Eye is great in the evening, there are concerts. And I'd probably do the bulk of my shopping in the evenings so it doesn't take away from daytime activities . . . just lots to do.

janisj

Uh - Pal, I know you have Coronation Street on the brain but I think you meant to link. https://www.daysoutguide.co.uk/2for1-london

janisj

OH -- is your daughter interested in Harry Potter? The WB studio is wonderful. https://www.wbstudiotour.co.uk

PalenQ

Yes janis I copied and paste what I thought was the 2 for 1 but previous search showed up - thanks for eyeing that - I edited it to be correct.

janisj

>>I edited it to be correct<< . . . or to cover your tracks

JamilaZ

Thanks for all this info. I really appreciate it. Unfortunately, she's not into Harry Potter. We are staying at the Conrad London St. James

I would like to book an evening show but haven't found one yet that is clean and of interest. Let me know if you can recommend please!

I would rather do a tour of Westminster Abbey than attend the service. I got a free Royal Palaces ticket pass which covers entrance fees for Hampton Court Palace, Tower of London and Kensington Palace.

Does anyone local by chance know of a painting class? It would be nice if the teen could paint something to remember her London trip by. I have emailed various art studios to see if there is a one-time class option.

After reading everyone's comments, I've redone the schedule. Please have a look.

Saturday - Depart USA
Sunday - Arrive Heathrow. Take Blackberry car service to hotel (Conrad). Walk around neighborhood. Take open top bus tour if weather is nice to kick back and relax and give teen an intro of London.
Monday - Kensington Palace, Kensington Gardens, lunch nearby, Victoria & Albert Museum. Harrods/Knightsbridge shops. Go to infamous Elan cafe for teen's Instagram pics.
Tuesday - Leisurely walk around London and head to Sky Garden for 11:15 entry. London Dungeon. NEED SOMETHING ELSE HERE.
Wednesday - Tower of London Westminster Abbey (tour with Verger 2:30),
Thursday - bus tour to Warwick Castle, Stratford-Upon-Avon and Oxford
Friday - Hampton Court Palace. British Museum evening (closes at 8:30 PM)
Saturday - looking for Saturday activities that won't be too busy since it's a weekend, Visit cousin in afternoon/evening
Sunday - looking for ideas on last full day - maybe more shopping
Monday - 10 AM flight from Heathrow - car service leaving 6:45 AM (recommended pickup time by Blackberry car service for 10 AM flight [SHALL I CHANGE PICK-UP TIME TO 6 AM?]

PalenQ

Sunday - looking for ideas on last full day - maybe more shopping>

How about taking a boat on Thames to Greenwich (or train) -where the famous market is open 7 days a week:

https://www.greenwichmarket.london/

And maybe walk around the rounds of the old Naval College (now a museum or buildings of some technical college but open to public and then walk to the home of Time - the Greenwich Observatory - can cross or straddle two hemispheres

Kids may like touring H M S Belfast or Cutty Sark

then walk thru the historic pedestrian bike tunnel under the Thames and hop on the Docklands Light Railroad (DLR) that is an elevated automatic train that gives neat views over the astounding Docklands renewal area of high-rise banking buildings back to London's Tube system at Tower Hill or Bank stations. Get a seat at the front of the train and pretend you're the driver! The DLR serves Greenwich but to me it's fun to take what was one of tghe wortld's first underwater tunnel to the other side and join the train there.

https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Docklands_Light_Railway

https://www.google.com/search?q=lond...ih=625&dpr=1.5

janisj

>>. . . And maybe walk around the rounds of the old Naval College (now a museum or buildings of some technical college but open to public and then walk to the home of Time - the Greenwich Observatory - can cross or straddle two hemispheres

Kids may like touring H M S Belfast or Cutty Sark

then walk thru the historic pedestrian bike tunnel under the Thames<<

The Belfast is not at Greenwich -- it is in front of Hays Galleria and near London Bridge station.

>>I would like to book an evening show but haven't found one yet that is clean and of interest. Let me know if you can recommend please!<<

Matilda, Lion King, Aladdin, Wicked, Mamma Mia, The Comedy about a Bank Robbery, Mary Poppins, and a lot more . . .

On Tuesday after the Sky Garden, you can walk or take a short cab ride to say Tate Modern on the Southbank and you can walk the whole way to the Dungeon (I know, I know ). seeing the Globe, Tate Modern, skate boarders on the Embankment, the Eye (which is right next door to the Dungeon). The Eye is open later into the evening, so visit the Dungeon first (last entry is a 5PM) and then ride the Eye.

Re what to do on Saturday -- where are you meeting with the cousin?

>> [SHALL I CHANGE PICK-UP TIME TO 6 AM?]<<.

Are you flying coach/economy, or in the front of the plane (Business/First)? That makes quite a difference. Instead of long lines for Security, Business passenger go through security in a different area and it is much faster.

JamilaZ

PalenQ - I'll ask her about interest in your ideas.

>>Matilda, Lion King, Aladdin, Wicked, Mamma Mia, The Comedy about a Bank Robbery, Mary Poppins, and a lot more . . .<<

janisj: We have seen some of the above. I will look into Mary Poppins. I thought that was later this year. Have you seen Mathilda?

Thanks for the guidance on ideas after Sky Garden.

We are flying coach.

janisj

>>We are flying coach.<<

Then I'd leave the hotel around 6AM or even a tad earlier. Sometimes security can be fine but long lines are not uncommon.

>>I will look into Mary Poppins. I thought that was later this year<<

Oh jeeze - you are correct . . . in all the other posts I forgot that your trip is so soon. But Matilda is wonderful.

StCirq

I would be in that car at 5:30 am, no matter what Blackberry says. But that's me and my experience with Heathrow and being a tad obsessive about being at airports in plenty of time to make my way through security and all. YMMV.