making the third trip to london in october.
i've done all the biggies on the first two trips.
(buckingham palace, westminster, the globe, river cruise, tower of london, jack the ripper walk, hampstead heath, john keats house, tea at the brown, harrods, etc...etc...)

would love to do something i haven't done before, the list i have is:
waterloo bridge sunset
tate museum
sherlock holmes museum
ben franklin house
charles dickens house

and a side trip to:
windsor/eton
oxford
cambridge

any thoughts? thank you.

You have two Tates, the Modern (which you can combine it with a stroll to or from Waterloo all along the South Bank, and if on a Friday or Saturday to Borough Market) and Tate Britain nearer Victoria, which focusses on British art - there's a boat service between the two.

If you like literary museums, what about Dr Johnson's House?

You might also be interested in the Museum of London's newly reopened modern London galleries.

http://www.fodors.com/community/euro...he-big-sights- what-else-to-see-in-london.cfm

This thread has links to several other threads with lots of ideas.

would love to do something i haven't done before, the list i have is:
waterloo bridge sunset>>>>>

As you like. I would carry on and get a beer in the Red Lion, a very old pub and worth a beer (good beer too)

tate museum>>>>

There are two – Britain and Modern. Both are excellent. There is a boat that travels between the two


sherlock holmes museum

Pony. Utter pony. Swerve.

ben franklin house
charles dickens house>>>

I’ve not been to either.

and a side trip to:
windsor/eton

Excellent.

oxford
Cambridge>>>>

Both wonderful.

Also what about somewhere like Winchester or Canterbury?

I would recommend Hampton Court Palace and Richmond for a nice day trip. October should still be warm enough to get outside! Windsor is okay, but you can really only spend an hour or two there before it gets boring. Cambridge and Oxford are both lovely also, esp. if you like churches/schools/museums.

You might want to check out Sadler's Wells if you want to see some really good theatre/dance (but that is NOT touristy).
Also, we really enjoyed the V&A, because it's less stuffy than some of the other museums.

Also, we did the day-trip on the bus that included Stonehenge and Bath, and while the bus was mildly annoying, overall it was a lovely day out and definitely worth it. That might be a nice option! We've blogged that trip here:
http://changehere.wordpress.com/2010/04/07/bath-time/
http://changehere.wordpress.com/2010...enge-of-stone/

This is the correct link to above with lots of suggestions and further links:

http://www.fodors.com/community/euro...-in-london.cfm

I hear that the Sir John Soanes Museum is fascinating. It's on my own list of places to visit when I get a chance.
www.soane.org

The Sir John Soane Museum is indeed great. It is like the world's most upmarket jumble sale.

Why not visit the London Walks site for ideas?

www.walks.com

Brick Lane
Little Venice
Hampstead
Tour of Royal Albert Hall

HI Otto,

Have you been to Greenwich? Royal Observatory and Maritime Museum are really fascinating.

I also loved the British Library. Who knew it would be so exciting to see the lyrics to She Loves You scrawled on a cocktail napkin!

Patti

Lots of ideas in these threads:
http://www.fodors.com/community/euro...ings-to-do.cfm

http://www.fodors.com/community/euro...ath-london.cfm

http://www.fodors.com/community/euro...-in-london.cfm

http://www.fodors.com/community/euro...-travelers.cfm

thanks all!

@patrick...dr. johnson's house does look interesting, thank you. literary culture is my interest, and always try to go to famous gravesites of authors and the like when i travel!

@cholmondley...about the sherlock holmes house, that is consistant with what i've read. perhaps i'll pass. how far is canterbury?

@asterodeia...i've been to hampton court! (seems i've done a lot already!) thank you.

@tahl...never heard of the sir john soanes museum. if my mother comes with me, i know that's something she would love.

@michel...been to brick lane, but the royal albert hall is an idea.

@patti...no, never been to greenwich. (live 5 minutes from greenwich, connecticut ;-) )oooh!! does seeing that in the library would be fun! that's definitely an idea.

Besides the V&A (my rainy-day retreat) and Sir John Soames you could add the Geffrye http://www.geffrye-museum.org.uk/

If you're there on a Monday evening consider Dennis Severs House http://www.dennissevershouse.co.uk/

Take the walk in the tunnel under the Thames from Greenwich.

http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Greenwich_foot_tunnel

....Take the walk in the tunnel under the Thames from Greenwich......

Otherwise known to paint imbibers as the Grunnel ;-)
You could visit Spitalfields. There's the market and a wonderful Hawksmoor
church Christ Church.

@cholmondley...about the sherlock holmes house, that is consistant with what i've read. perhaps i'll pass. how far is canterbury?>>>

About an hour and half on the train. Winchester has the better cathedral and is only an hour. Your choice, but I would do one of them.

Tate Modern (the big old power station by St Pauls) has a Gauguin exhibition running in October. You can pre book on line the timed tickets and collect at the venue. These exhibtions are really excellent.

Of the two Tates, if you only plan to do one, Id recommend Tate Modern.

http://www.tate.org.uk/modern/exhibi...n/default.shtm

Also, take the train out to Kew Gardens. They are magnificent.

http://www.kew.org/

You could take a look at Kensal Green Cemetery. Some interesting people there though check opening times before you go.

http://www.kensalgreen.co.uk/documents/KG_notables.html

For shopping have a look at the Kings Road - this is my fave shop but there are lots there!

http://www.vanilla-paris.co.uk/

A good book that I've used for self-guided walks around London is <i>Walking London: Thirty Original Walks In and Around London</i>:
http://amzn.to/ba67p7

The Hampstead Heath walk and ending up at the Holly Bush pub (my addition to the walk) was lovely.

You could pop down to Diggerland in Kent

http://www.diggerland.com/kent/

What about going on a cultural treasure hunt.

84 Charring Cross Road, Saville Row, the site of Whites and Almacks. There are quite a few quirky but interesting places here:
http://www.shadyoldlady.com/

Take in a day at the races. http://www.ascot.co.uk/virtour/ascottour.php

Finally, how about a tour of the hallowed turf of Lords. You will not have the time to understand the game, but it is quintessentially English.

http://www.lords.org/history/tours-of-lords/