Also:

Having lunch at the fifth floor cafe at Harvey Nichols, watching the people (great for lunching alone)

Candlelight concerts at StMartins (they are really wonderful and the tickets are usually available on the day of the performance and are affordable

Late night visits to the National Gallery or every other museum-gives you the chance to have beautiful pictures nearly for yourself

Buying something special for yourself that reminds you on the trip. Does not have to be expensive, but should be something you wouldn`t buy at home (fancy scarf, Perfum from Penhaligons, beautiful notebook from Smythons or Paperchase)

Going by bus and not by tube-one sees so much more

For the first time travelers to London - this is an old thread which will give you many more great tips.

Get a member of Stoke Park Club to show you around the club and grounds. It is so beautiful. It's in Buckinghamshire/Gerrard's Cross. In fact some of the up and coming movie Wimbledon was shot at Stoke Park Club.

I just got back from London and will be back there in 2 weeks time to meet my parents ( am in Middlesbrough right now on a 6 week elective).

My absolute favourites which I will definately be bringing my parents to:
1) Tate Modern, Tate Modern, Tate Modern!!

2)The Reading Room and the Egyptian Room in the British Museum if nothing else in that building.

3) Old Spitalfields market on Sundays (especially if you are into street fashion)
Petticoat Lane market nearby was a let down!

4)National Gallery for the impressionists.

Have fun!

Visit the Globe Theatre Complex In Southwark and take the tour.

Visit Kensington Palace - Where you can visit the state apartments, the Royal Ceremonial Dress Collection, plus a collection of the Queen's gowns and a collection of 14 of Princess Diana's evening dresses in the Palace that was Queen Victoria's childhood home.

Visit the State Rooms at Buckingham Palace in August or September when the Queen is on holiday in Balmoral.

Take a Rock and Roll tour. It is terrific.
Go to Harrod's dept. store and
check out the food hall.( I know someone already said it- but it is worth it)
The British Museum
Walk the many different neighborhoods
Have a great time!!!!
We are also going in the fall ( 4 women)

Great great thread. TTT
~kat

ttt

17 days till I visit London for the 1st time... :)

Portobello Road on a Saturday. Eat at Grove Cafe or Sausage and Mash - Grove Cafe on your left as you walk up the road from Notting Hill Gate, just before the Westway; S&M on your right more or less under the Westway overpass.

Dinner at the Cafe in the Crypt at St Martin's church

Go to the Victoria and Albert museum with your sketchbook and draw some of the Italian sculptures.

Go to a concert at St. Martin in the Fields.

Check out Hamley's toy store.

London Walks http://london.walks.com/

The Courtauld Institute...http://www.courtauld.ac.uk/gallery/

Check out the Museum of London

Eat a scone with tea

Try vinegar on your chips

Have a cheese and tomato sandwich

Explore Covent Garden

Mind the Gap

Soozer: It's so easy to forget that what you find perfectly normal, commonplace and necessary, people elsewhere don't! I always forget that most people don't put vinegar on chips - but I can't imagine chips WITHOUT vinegar!! If you've never done it, do it!

Ok, I give up--what does "Mind the Gap" mean?

Dear Tallulah: That's why travel is so great- we get to see how others live...and eat! :) And now I like vinegar on my chips. A great addition to my french fries!

Oh, and "mind the gap" is an announcement they make on the tube so that you don't fall into the crack between the pavement and the subway car. I find it a charming reminder and others must too as they put it on touristy t-shirts.

Great thread ... ttt, I'm leaving to London in a week :)

Another ttt

Go to Richmond. Look at the town then have a pint in all of the good pubs, there's a lot. Catch the tube back.

Take the boat to Greenwich, passing the Cutty Sac.

If on a tight budget, check out the London Free List website for free or inexpensive things to do.

http://www.londonfreelist.com

If someone is determined to eat at Simpson's for historical reasons (and we are), is lunch served in the same dining room as dinner?