Tourist trip to London with Elderly Parents
Mar 20th, 2008, 06:42 PM
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Tourist trip to London with Elderly Parents
Hi,
I am plannig a 1 week trip with my elderly parents (77/74 years) in June first week to see London and around. The idea is to visit the usual places of tourist interest in the city + perhaps 1/2 days around, close by to London. My father has difficulty walking. Appreciate if you could share any tourist options that might be more suitable for me to consider while travelling around with my elderly parents. Thanks.
-S
I am plannig a 1 week trip with my elderly parents (77/74 years) in June first week to see London and around. The idea is to visit the usual places of tourist interest in the city + perhaps 1/2 days around, close by to London. My father has difficulty walking. Appreciate if you could share any tourist options that might be more suitable for me to consider while travelling around with my elderly parents. Thanks.
-S
Mar 20th, 2008, 07:20 PM
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First, let me say how nice you are to be taking your parents on this trip. If your parents have difficulty walking, I suppose you will be taking taxis rather than tube/bus/train? Getting up and down stairs to use the tube might be extremely difficult. Would you consider hiring a guide/driver both for London and surrounding areas? I personally haven't used a driver, but I believe you can get information on the Fodor site by browsing in "driver in London" or some such. I'm also sure that you will hear from others who can give you more specific information. Mainly, I wanted to give you a gold star for being such a considerate person. Good luck and enjoy your parents while you can!
Mar 21st, 2008, 12:15 AM
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I found this article which is from a few years ago, but it might be helpful about travel with a wheelchair: http://query.nytimes.com/gst/fullpag...amp;sec=travel.
I hope someone else will be able to help you with more ideas. Have a great trip!
I hope someone else will be able to help you with more ideas. Have a great trip!
Mar 21st, 2008, 02:04 AM
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Thanks crckwc1 for your kind words. Appreciate feedback from you and KTtravel. Agree that Tube commute would be too much for my dad. Depending on the cost, hiring a guide/driver option might worth exploring. I will try to browse around for more info about that.
Wonder if any travel agencies offer special arrangements for elderly tourists to go around within and around London. Other ideas or suggestions are most welcome. This is going to be the first (and perhaps the only trip) for my parents to London/England. Hope to find options that make it easier for them to travel and go around so that enjoy there as much as possible without getting all stressed up and tired due to travel. Thanks for suggestions in advance.
Wonder if any travel agencies offer special arrangements for elderly tourists to go around within and around London. Other ideas or suggestions are most welcome. This is going to be the first (and perhaps the only trip) for my parents to London/England. Hope to find options that make it easier for them to travel and go around so that enjoy there as much as possible without getting all stressed up and tired due to travel. Thanks for suggestions in advance.
Mar 21st, 2008, 02:43 AM
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What a lovely trip, I'm sure you'll have a wonderful time.
Have you thought about renting a wheelchair or even one of those walkers that your father could sit on? It might help for specific places - particularly museums as you could just take a taxi back and forth and push him around while you're there. My grandmother always rents a wheelchair when she travels just because she knows she'll need it at some point.
I like the idea of a driver. That would allow you to move at your own pace. My mother isn't elderly, but she does have some health problems and when we travel places we tend to plan on seeing 1 thing each day and spending a lot of time resting around the visits. If you could rent an apartment that might be really helpful as I know my grandmother doesn't like getting up and running first thing in the morning.
Definitely avoid the tube - it even wore me out after a couple days with all the stairs!
Good luck,
PittPurple
Have you thought about renting a wheelchair or even one of those walkers that your father could sit on? It might help for specific places - particularly museums as you could just take a taxi back and forth and push him around while you're there. My grandmother always rents a wheelchair when she travels just because she knows she'll need it at some point.
I like the idea of a driver. That would allow you to move at your own pace. My mother isn't elderly, but she does have some health problems and when we travel places we tend to plan on seeing 1 thing each day and spending a lot of time resting around the visits. If you could rent an apartment that might be really helpful as I know my grandmother doesn't like getting up and running first thing in the morning.
Definitely avoid the tube - it even wore me out after a couple days with all the stairs!
Good luck,
PittPurple
Mar 21st, 2008, 06:26 AM
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My parents and I also used to go frequently to London. My dad also could not walk far. Does he have specific health problems? (For example, London is full of London Plane Trees that make these little hairy exploding balls are hell on respiratory problems. He should take an inhaler, even if he doesn't usually use one.)
(My dad likes to sit and watch people though, which is good. So sometimes my mom and I can park him somewhere and "satellite" around and he's perfectly happy. Someplace like the South Bank/Borough Market areas, if you can get him there by cab, are nice for that.)
It starts at the airport though. Arranging to be met by a cart, getting a driver to take you to the hotel/apartment so you're not standing on the kerb waiting for a bus. My father would never tolerate a wheelchair, but everyone has different needs.
Definitely skip the tube. Sometimes it's a quarter mile of steps from the platform to the surface. My parents actually love the bus, and ride their favorite routes for fun, and some get you as close as a cab or car for a lot cheaper, so you can mix it all up to save some money. Some bus routes as scenic as the hop-on-hop-off and a lot cheaper. I think it's the #42? Londoners?
Snacks and seating in a scenic place are good for people of all ages. If you go to Buckingham Palace, there are many benches by the duck-filled pond under the trees, and kiosks sell ice cream etc. There's a restaurant down the other end, toward Horse Guards, and the Churchill war rooms, if you're coming in that way.
I think the Tower is exhausting for people of any age, but the area is interesting, so he might enjoy being "parked" and looking at Tower Bridge, HMS Belfast, the Roman Wall, etc.
I also recommend a ride on the DLR, either to Greenwich or depending on their interests, out on some of the further out lines. They need never get off the train, and can see all sorts of development and history, some of it nice, some of it ugly. The Thames Barrier is out there, as well as undeveloped spaces that give you an idea of what everything was like before the 20th Century, the Luftwaffe and the 80s development boom got hold of it.
I would also strongly recommend an apartment. In my opinion, older people can't eat out that often. They start begging for something simple around day 2. They want to put on their jammies at 6, lie on the sofa and watch TV, like at home. They don't feel comfortable in hotel rooms.
When I travel with my family, I always have to get a hold of myself, tempering my good intention to show them how much I love them by showing them everything, taking them everywhere, with giving them the gentle experience they really want and can handle.
If you have any questions, just ask!
(My dad likes to sit and watch people though, which is good. So sometimes my mom and I can park him somewhere and "satellite" around and he's perfectly happy. Someplace like the South Bank/Borough Market areas, if you can get him there by cab, are nice for that.)
It starts at the airport though. Arranging to be met by a cart, getting a driver to take you to the hotel/apartment so you're not standing on the kerb waiting for a bus. My father would never tolerate a wheelchair, but everyone has different needs.
Definitely skip the tube. Sometimes it's a quarter mile of steps from the platform to the surface. My parents actually love the bus, and ride their favorite routes for fun, and some get you as close as a cab or car for a lot cheaper, so you can mix it all up to save some money. Some bus routes as scenic as the hop-on-hop-off and a lot cheaper. I think it's the #42? Londoners?
Snacks and seating in a scenic place are good for people of all ages. If you go to Buckingham Palace, there are many benches by the duck-filled pond under the trees, and kiosks sell ice cream etc. There's a restaurant down the other end, toward Horse Guards, and the Churchill war rooms, if you're coming in that way.
I think the Tower is exhausting for people of any age, but the area is interesting, so he might enjoy being "parked" and looking at Tower Bridge, HMS Belfast, the Roman Wall, etc.
I also recommend a ride on the DLR, either to Greenwich or depending on their interests, out on some of the further out lines. They need never get off the train, and can see all sorts of development and history, some of it nice, some of it ugly. The Thames Barrier is out there, as well as undeveloped spaces that give you an idea of what everything was like before the 20th Century, the Luftwaffe and the 80s development boom got hold of it.
I would also strongly recommend an apartment. In my opinion, older people can't eat out that often. They start begging for something simple around day 2. They want to put on their jammies at 6, lie on the sofa and watch TV, like at home. They don't feel comfortable in hotel rooms.
When I travel with my family, I always have to get a hold of myself, tempering my good intention to show them how much I love them by showing them everything, taking them everywhere, with giving them the gentle experience they really want and can handle.
If you have any questions, just ask!
Mar 21st, 2008, 06:48 AM
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My faithful traveling companion, 75 with angina, and I, 68 and six weeks after heart valve replacement and single bypass surgery, spent last April in London.
A couple of suggestions from experience:
Public transportation out, cab home.
Of the great churches, Westminster Abbey has the fewest stairs.
A cruise on the Thames gives you a shot at observing great scenery while sitting down.
Embankment Gardens are lovely, have lots of benches, and the public lavatory there is clean and attended.
If you have access to cooking facilities, Sainsbury's and Marks and Spencer have great heat and eat meals.
A couple of suggestions from experience:
Public transportation out, cab home.
Of the great churches, Westminster Abbey has the fewest stairs.
A cruise on the Thames gives you a shot at observing great scenery while sitting down.
Embankment Gardens are lovely, have lots of benches, and the public lavatory there is clean and attended.
If you have access to cooking facilities, Sainsbury's and Marks and Spencer have great heat and eat meals.
Mar 21st, 2008, 07:01 AM
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shenwai.... and especially Blue Hour(above), who insultingly makes this statement:
>>> would also strongly recommend an apartment. In my opinion, older people can't eat out that often. They start begging for something simple around day 2. They want to put on their jammies at 6, lie on the sofa and watch TV, like at home. They don't feel comfortable in hotel rooms.<<<
Bah, Humbug! I know "elderly" people in their 40's and 50's who fit well into the demeaningly ridiculous picture you've painted. Yet I know energetic, adventurous seniors in their 70's, 80's and a few in their 90's who put to rest such an unfairly biased and unfounded statement. I even know a 79-year-old who often belts out 60 mph pitches at the batting cage. I know him quite well...in fact when shaving I see him in the mirror.
Hey, Blue, Don't brush over a whole class of "Gray Panthers" when it comes to travel and what they can and can't do (it's purely an individual thing)....if you're lucky you may get to be one, too.
Shenwai..just pay attention to some of the excellent suggestions you've had from most of the posters...and your "elderly" parents will have a fine time and enjoy London to the fullest...something they can do without having to jog around Hyde Park in their Nikes!
Best wishes to your parents for travel into their 80's! You're so lucky to have them....and with a caring person like you, they're fortunate, too. Happy travels to the three of you.
Stu T.
>>> would also strongly recommend an apartment. In my opinion, older people can't eat out that often. They start begging for something simple around day 2. They want to put on their jammies at 6, lie on the sofa and watch TV, like at home. They don't feel comfortable in hotel rooms.<<<
Bah, Humbug! I know "elderly" people in their 40's and 50's who fit well into the demeaningly ridiculous picture you've painted. Yet I know energetic, adventurous seniors in their 70's, 80's and a few in their 90's who put to rest such an unfairly biased and unfounded statement. I even know a 79-year-old who often belts out 60 mph pitches at the batting cage. I know him quite well...in fact when shaving I see him in the mirror.
Hey, Blue, Don't brush over a whole class of "Gray Panthers" when it comes to travel and what they can and can't do (it's purely an individual thing)....if you're lucky you may get to be one, too.
Shenwai..just pay attention to some of the excellent suggestions you've had from most of the posters...and your "elderly" parents will have a fine time and enjoy London to the fullest...something they can do without having to jog around Hyde Park in their Nikes!
Best wishes to your parents for travel into their 80's! You're so lucky to have them....and with a caring person like you, they're fortunate, too. Happy travels to the three of you.
Stu T.
Mar 21st, 2008, 08:14 AM
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The problems have nothing to do with age, but with mobility: most people your parents' age just get on the tube like everyone else. "has difficulty walking" can mean a gazillion things.
The NYT article's slightly out of date: well over half the buses even in central London now have easy access for wheelchairs (though the only way anyone will really know if they suit your needs is by your looking at them on the spot) and practically all cabs are now equipped to carry wheelchairs. Many places you might want to visit are some distance from the nearest car or cab dropping point, so a wheelchair is probably essential.
There are cab-based tours (www.cabguide.com) but they're not cheap. Radar (www.radar.org.uk), www.accessinlondon.org, and the www.tfl.gov.uk (for transport) sites all carry a lot of information about detailed access to places.
As someone not that much younger than your parents, I'd disinherit any child who booked me on an organised tour aimed at "my" age group.
This board has a strong bias to organising holidays yourself, and most of us can't really understand any other way of going about things. You'll get the best help from us by being a lot clearer about your father's walking limitations. In principle, using the information that's available out there and posters' heads, you can arrange a self-guided holiday for your parents that'll not be materially different from anyone else's holiday.
Tell us what kinds of thing you want to see and there'll be a ton oh help in working out how to get your dad there painlessly
The NYT article's slightly out of date: well over half the buses even in central London now have easy access for wheelchairs (though the only way anyone will really know if they suit your needs is by your looking at them on the spot) and practically all cabs are now equipped to carry wheelchairs. Many places you might want to visit are some distance from the nearest car or cab dropping point, so a wheelchair is probably essential.
There are cab-based tours (www.cabguide.com) but they're not cheap. Radar (www.radar.org.uk), www.accessinlondon.org, and the www.tfl.gov.uk (for transport) sites all carry a lot of information about detailed access to places.
As someone not that much younger than your parents, I'd disinherit any child who booked me on an organised tour aimed at "my" age group.
This board has a strong bias to organising holidays yourself, and most of us can't really understand any other way of going about things. You'll get the best help from us by being a lot clearer about your father's walking limitations. In principle, using the information that's available out there and posters' heads, you can arrange a self-guided holiday for your parents that'll not be materially different from anyone else's holiday.
Tell us what kinds of thing you want to see and there'll be a ton oh help in working out how to get your dad there painlessly
Mar 21st, 2008, 10:39 AM
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I don't want to jump on shenwai, but I do think the issue is mobility, not age.
I have a 19 year old student with cerebral palsy; she has mobility problems. I know someone who is 60, very overweight, has chronic lung disease and uses a scooter because he can't walk more than a few steps; he has mobility problems. My 75 year old neighbor has had both knees replaced; her mobility problems are diminishing. My 84 year old father can move around better than any of the previously mentioned people. As I start to get older, I am becoming more sensitive to what is classified as "elderly".
I think you might do a bit of reasearch on "accessible London" to get some ideas. I am sure there has to be this sort of info out there.
I have a 19 year old student with cerebral palsy; she has mobility problems. I know someone who is 60, very overweight, has chronic lung disease and uses a scooter because he can't walk more than a few steps; he has mobility problems. My 75 year old neighbor has had both knees replaced; her mobility problems are diminishing. My 84 year old father can move around better than any of the previously mentioned people. As I start to get older, I am becoming more sensitive to what is classified as "elderly".
I think you might do a bit of reasearch on "accessible London" to get some ideas. I am sure there has to be this sort of info out there.
Mar 21st, 2008, 02:29 PM
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Well... my husband and I had this problem a few years ago. He was about 79 and developed a back problem (disc damage) while enroute to London on theQM2. Oy vey.. such hobbling around. But even so.... we stayed at the Sofitel St. James which is very central...
we could walk or cab to almost everything we wanted to see or do.
I second the cruise on the Thames.. and if you stay as we did near the park it's a big plus. I hope the Inn the Park is still there! (Don't eat breakfast at a hotel!!) Next time we'll get one of those folding canes you can sit on.
we could walk or cab to almost everything we wanted to see or do.
I second the cruise on the Thames.. and if you stay as we did near the park it's a big plus. I hope the Inn the Park is still there! (Don't eat breakfast at a hotel!!) Next time we'll get one of those folding canes you can sit on.
Mar 21st, 2008, 02:47 PM
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No comment about getting around, but a suggestion about a special sight to see--Churchill's bunker. We visited this in 2004, and truly enjoyed it. Apparently, after the Blitz, the British simply shut up the rooms and had recently opened them when we visited. One of the monitoring stations had a pipe still sitting on the desk!
The reason I think your parents will enjoy this so much is because they are presumably the generation which fought WWII.
The reason I think your parents will enjoy this so much is because they are presumably the generation which fought WWII.
Mar 21st, 2008, 03:33 PM
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Sure it is health and mobility, not age.
I know a wealth of "elderly" people that make most people of my age (39)
look as disabled as I am.
Buses are great to use in London, they are easy to board and drivers are very patient and they don't go on until you are seated down. Anyway, I sometimes feel too tired to be waiting for a bus so taxis are an option too , though they are more expensive than in other cities
I don't agree with the opinion that for elderly people an apartment is much better. That's a very personal option that has more to do with tastes and economy than with age or mobility issues (in fact, hotels are usually friendlier than apartments, which I don't know why most of the not terribly expensive ones are from the era where lifts were unknown LOL)
I know a wealth of "elderly" people that make most people of my age (39)
look as disabled as I am.
Buses are great to use in London, they are easy to board and drivers are very patient and they don't go on until you are seated down. Anyway, I sometimes feel too tired to be waiting for a bus so taxis are an option too , though they are more expensive than in other cities
I don't agree with the opinion that for elderly people an apartment is much better. That's a very personal option that has more to do with tastes and economy than with age or mobility issues (in fact, hotels are usually friendlier than apartments, which I don't know why most of the not terribly expensive ones are from the era where lifts were unknown LOL)
Mar 21st, 2008, 04:29 PM
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A handy map from London Transport is the "Tube Access Guide - How to plan a Tube journey avoiding stairs and escalators". It is printed on a 17x32 sheet (folds to 4x8). The size of the map makes it useful for those visually impaired also .
Mine is dated November 2002. It is not on display with the other maps so you must ask at the ticket seller.
Mine is dated November 2002. It is not on display with the other maps so you must ask at the ticket seller.
Mar 21st, 2008, 04:31 PM
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I took my "mobility challenged" mother to Europe 2 years ago. She has bad knees and arthritis. I bought her a walker with a seat but she chose not to take it and took a cane instead (even though she doesn't normally use one). It certainly helped her get around but I wished afterward that I had gotten her one of the canes with a seat. I was really glad she opted not to take the walker as I realized it would have been a pain to drag around getting on and off busses, etc.
Some websites to check:
http://www.wheelchair-travel.co.uk/
http://www.transitionsabroad.com/pub...n_europe.shtml
http://www.transitionsabroad.com/pub...tvisituk.shtml
Also, those portable lifts attached to some stairs are not for wheelchairs only. My husband is a double amputee and walks with prosthetics but he's certainly not up to doing a number of stairs. If you ask, they will let you stand on the lifts and ride them up (or down).
A number of museums have wheelchairs available for use. The Louvre (I know, not in London) will loan you the wheelchair plus the disabled person and their helper get in free! My mother did take her handicap hang tag (the kind you hang on your rearview mirror) with her to show that she was, in fact, handicapped. I think the only time she had to show it though was at the Louvre.
Definitely arrange for wheelchair assistance at the airport. You can contact your airline ahead of time to arrange. The plus to this is the wheelchair aid person will take you to the front of the line when going through Immigration. Be sure to tip the wheelchair aid person. How much? I don't know. I said before that I tip $5 and was told by someone that it sounded like a cheap tip. I'm not sure s/he was a tip expert. I've seen many people tip nothing or $1.00. (I watch as I'm curious as to what would be suitable).
Do try the hop-on/hop-off busses if your father can handle getting into the bus. Getting to the top could be a problem though. My mother often chose to stay below rather than do the additional steps to the top.
Have fun and enjoy your trip!
Some websites to check:
http://www.wheelchair-travel.co.uk/
http://www.transitionsabroad.com/pub...n_europe.shtml
http://www.transitionsabroad.com/pub...tvisituk.shtml
Also, those portable lifts attached to some stairs are not for wheelchairs only. My husband is a double amputee and walks with prosthetics but he's certainly not up to doing a number of stairs. If you ask, they will let you stand on the lifts and ride them up (or down).
A number of museums have wheelchairs available for use. The Louvre (I know, not in London) will loan you the wheelchair plus the disabled person and their helper get in free! My mother did take her handicap hang tag (the kind you hang on your rearview mirror) with her to show that she was, in fact, handicapped. I think the only time she had to show it though was at the Louvre.
Definitely arrange for wheelchair assistance at the airport. You can contact your airline ahead of time to arrange. The plus to this is the wheelchair aid person will take you to the front of the line when going through Immigration. Be sure to tip the wheelchair aid person. How much? I don't know. I said before that I tip $5 and was told by someone that it sounded like a cheap tip. I'm not sure s/he was a tip expert. I've seen many people tip nothing or $1.00. (I watch as I'm curious as to what would be suitable).
Do try the hop-on/hop-off busses if your father can handle getting into the bus. Getting to the top could be a problem though. My mother often chose to stay below rather than do the additional steps to the top.
Have fun and enjoy your trip!
Mar 21st, 2008, 04:41 PM
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You can find a great deal of info by visiting:
http://www.tfl.gov.uk/gettingaround/...lity/1167.aspx
Yes, the Tube access guide is still available in an October 2006 edition.
http://www.tfl.gov.uk/gettingaround/...lity/1167.aspx
Yes, the Tube access guide is still available in an October 2006 edition.
Mar 21st, 2008, 08:07 PM
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Sounds like you have a wonderful trip planned for your parents. A driver sounds like a good idea to get an overview of the city,,, OR as someone said, certain busses go from Victoria Station, past WEstminster Abby, l0 Downing, Traflager, financia district, conventgarden etc,,,,and others..(not sure, but it a good way to see the city.)
Would you parents enjoy driving through the English countryside,,,up to the Cotswolds (thatched roofs etc), perhaps staying out one night on the ground floor of a nice B&B.? You could arrange a driver for this perhaps.
Would you parents enjoy driving through the English countryside,,,up to the Cotswolds (thatched roofs etc), perhaps staying out one night on the ground floor of a nice B&B.? You could arrange a driver for this perhaps.
Mar 21st, 2008, 09:00 PM
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To begin with, like to thank all of you for sharing your thoughts and views so generously. All this info is very useful indeed. To clarify:
- Dad can walk but gets tired easily and has difficulty walking on uneven surface or in crowded or low light areas due to combined effect of a bypass surgery, knee and vision problem. He doesn't usually need a wheel chair but has agreed to use it occasionally (say at airports etc). So renting the wheelchair is a good idea. I can push him whenever he is unable/ uncomfortable walking on his own. It should come handy even when he just wants to sit down and take a break. Good to know that all cabs are wheelchair friendly. I think a limited ride on hop-on bus should be fun (assuming taking wheelchair in the bus is not a problem).
- Bluhour, thanks for alerting me about potential respiratory problem due to the London Plane Trees. My mom has been asthmatic and has to carry her inhaler around all the time. I suppose that "little hairy exploding balls" kind of things must be seasonal... if so, is end-May/early-June a bad time for this? Wonder if I should take any other precaution besides carrying her usual inhaler and medication along?
- Assuming apartments have a small Kitchenette, staying in one appears to be a good idea. My parents have some particular diet requirements (Indian vegitarian but no chilli) and while London offers a great vareity of food places, having an option to cook own simple meal if and when needed should be helpful. I will try to do more research but if you have any personal favourites or suggestions about mid-range and conveniently located options, love to hear from you.
- As for places of interest, usual tourist attraction which are not physically demanding (like stairs of St. Paul) should be fine. The Museums, war room/WWII and Royal places + Thames cruise etc should all be fun. Is it possible to go around London Towers in wheelchair? I am thinking of side (day-trip) to Stonehenge & Cambridge/Oxford etc. Joining the usual conducted coach tour may not work for us and I am inclined to check out private car + guide options, if I can handle the cost. Out of the 7 days, thinking of ~4-5 days in London and ~ 2-3 days in nearby places. Welcome any suggestions/inputs in this area. Thanks once again for your kind suggestions and inputs.
-S
- Dad can walk but gets tired easily and has difficulty walking on uneven surface or in crowded or low light areas due to combined effect of a bypass surgery, knee and vision problem. He doesn't usually need a wheel chair but has agreed to use it occasionally (say at airports etc). So renting the wheelchair is a good idea. I can push him whenever he is unable/ uncomfortable walking on his own. It should come handy even when he just wants to sit down and take a break. Good to know that all cabs are wheelchair friendly. I think a limited ride on hop-on bus should be fun (assuming taking wheelchair in the bus is not a problem).
- Bluhour, thanks for alerting me about potential respiratory problem due to the London Plane Trees. My mom has been asthmatic and has to carry her inhaler around all the time. I suppose that "little hairy exploding balls" kind of things must be seasonal... if so, is end-May/early-June a bad time for this? Wonder if I should take any other precaution besides carrying her usual inhaler and medication along?
- Assuming apartments have a small Kitchenette, staying in one appears to be a good idea. My parents have some particular diet requirements (Indian vegitarian but no chilli) and while London offers a great vareity of food places, having an option to cook own simple meal if and when needed should be helpful. I will try to do more research but if you have any personal favourites or suggestions about mid-range and conveniently located options, love to hear from you.
- As for places of interest, usual tourist attraction which are not physically demanding (like stairs of St. Paul) should be fine. The Museums, war room/WWII and Royal places + Thames cruise etc should all be fun. Is it possible to go around London Towers in wheelchair? I am thinking of side (day-trip) to Stonehenge & Cambridge/Oxford etc. Joining the usual conducted coach tour may not work for us and I am inclined to check out private car + guide options, if I can handle the cost. Out of the 7 days, thinking of ~4-5 days in London and ~ 2-3 days in nearby places. Welcome any suggestions/inputs in this area. Thanks once again for your kind suggestions and inputs.
-S
