What places have you been or activities were a waste of time?
 

I enjoy reading travelers recommendations, but I want to know if there are places you've been or things you've seen that afterward you wished you hadn't wasted your time on. My daughter and I will be in London, Paris, and Rome in late March and with a limited amount of time, I would prefer not to waste it. An example would be the changing of the guards, which I think would be boring, but many of you have enjoyed. Comments about any place in Europe would be welcome since many of us may get there (or hope to) someday. Thanks for your opinions.

In 1995 we visited Switzerland and Germany. While we were in Zurich we took a train ride over to Lichtenstein (sp?). That place is *the biggest* tourist trap I've seen in many a day. We felt like we wasted a perfectly good European travel day. It boasts, "Come to the smallest country in the world
and have your passport stamped." And that was about
it. The rest was a string of junk trinket shops up and down the little main street. Oh, yes, there was
a castle on a hill. We'd say don't waste your time.
Stay in Switzerland.

I agree that the Changing of the Guard in London is worth a miss. I'd managed to visit London 6 times and not bother... but then my mother-in-law insited when she came to visit. I was right... it was awful. I also have to been to Paris 12 times, and never felt compelled to climb to the top of the Eiffel Tower. I know others feel strongly that this is the highlight of Paris... but I just don't get it. I lived in Germany 4 years, and never ever even considered going to Oktoberfest in Munich. It's just for the tourists. Now I actually *do* enjoy the 'touristy' sights and things to do... I just want to see them, and not stand in line with loads of other tourists. I love *looking* at the Eiffel Tower, and I've got plenty of pictures... it's just that there are better views of Paris from cooler places.

My advice is to skip Stratford-on-Avon, Shakespeare's birthplace. The town was dirty and crowded and the streets were lined with junky gift shops. Anne Hathaway's cottage was interesting, but definitely not worth a special trip.

I agree, skip changing of the guard, also Winsor,Stradford upon Avon. Must see's are.. Westmister Abbey, British Museum and if out of town try to spend time in York. Bath is OK, Most any place in Wales.

There is a way to enjoy the Changing of the Guard. First go to see the Changing of the Horse Guards which starts before the Changing of the Guard. This is a small crowd and you can get close. After about 15 minutes leave and go over to The Mall, there you can see the bands as they turn onto 'The Mall' and again the crowd is not large. After this leave and you have not been run over by a large crowd of people and have some great pictures.

I agree about the changing of the guard. We saw it at Windsor, which most people think is better than at Buckingham, and my daughter still pronounced it scary and then boring. IMO, though, Windsor Castle itself is definitely worth a visit. The efforts that were made to restore the rooms damaged by fire are impressive even if you are not impressed by royalty. We went to the Tower of London early in the day and bought tickets aboard one of the double decker buses so we did not have to stand in the long line. It was definitely worth it, although if I'd stood in line as long as most people did I'm not sure I'd say that.

Not just worth a miss, the Changing of the Guard could be one of the biggest wastes of time in London. I lived there for 8 months and never went, until my girlfriend came to visit, and insisted on going. Even if you could get up really close, I can't imagine it would be worth an hour or two out of one's day. Also, don't bother with Stonehendge, it really is just a pile of rocks and is not half as big as you might imagine. I agree that it is an intriguing mystery as to what it is for, etc., but you won't gain anything new by going to see it. If you do go, save time for Salisbury Cathedral, it was the best part of my trip to Stonehendge. I also have heard that Stratford is a waste of time (haven't seen it myself). The British Museum and Westminster Abbey are both great times. As are the National Gallery and, if you like modern art, the Tate Gallery.

I don't want to start a flame war here, but we were a bit disappointed with the British Museum. Let me explain...my daughter had her heart set on seeing the Magna Carta and the signed manuscripts from everyone between Mozart and Lennon/McCartney. But the Manuscript Saloon (yes) was empty, in the process of being moved to new quarters. I understand they will be re-displaying in April.

Agree with everything except the Eiffel Tower. If you've never been, try to be at the top at dusk. But you'll get a great view of the Tower from across the Seine at the World Exhibition Pavillion. In London, you can get Tower of London tix at most tube stations as well as the tour buses to avoid lines. Instead of changing of the guards, I strongly recommend the Ceremony of the Keys at Tower of London, unless your daughter is real young since its a bit eerie. But great atmosphere and great history. I never really considered anything a "disappointment" or "waste of time" when travelling because it's always something different and an adventure. If you've never been before, I would suggest doing many of the "touristy" things.

I would point out that what appeals to and thrills others may or may not be of any interest whatsoever to you - and vice versa. We absolutely loved Liechtenstein, but then we stayed inTreisenberg and only breezed through Vaduz (and are still mystified as to what the attraction is with those stamps). I, too, would heartily recommend being at the top of the Eiffel Tower at dusk. The views (especially if you know what you're looking at) and the lighting over the city are absolutely spectacular. Even better is to stay until after dark when the lights have been turned on all over Paris. This is one of my fondest memories of Paris. But, I was totally enthralled by the tower itself, it's size and structure. Others are not. It's good to read several different tour guides - Cadogan has a different "take" on sights and attractions, for example, and the "Irreverant" Guides are, well, irreverant. There is so much to see and do in all of these places that it's best to figure out for yourself what you find most appealing to you, and then prioritize accordingly.

Went to Paris and visited Notre Dame and the Louvre. I was only there for 2 days and being that time was short, I was unable to visit the Eiffel Tower. I'm still a little disappointed that I never got to see the Eiffel up close. There are just some things you might want to see and do, and if you don't, you'll just end up regretting it in the long run and always wondering about it. If I were you, I'd do the things you set out to do and see, and then decide for yourself if it was worth it or not. I agree, that it's all a matter of prioritizing your choices. Anything is better than having that regretful feeling of not having done a particular activity or not visited a certain place.

May I suggest one place in Paris? Try to see Saint Chapelle. I have a feeling that it may get overlooked because Notre Dame and Sacre Coeur are much bigger. However, the stained glass windows here are breathtaking. It was a highlight for me.

In Holland a visit to the VanGogh museum in central Amsterdam is easy to get to and full of colorful masterpieces. However the trip to the Van Gogh museum inside the National Park near Arnhem takes over 2 hours to get to by train, from Amsterdam. The bus from the staion ran infrequently.
Once at the museum only one room was dedicated to Van Gogh, the rest was various artist. Compared to the one in Amsterdam this was a dissappointment.

Second the recommendation for Sainte Chappelle. Spectacular. Try to go in the morning when the sunlight is streaming in the windows. Awesome!

Not on your current itinerary, but--skip Fatima, Portugal. If you are a very religious person you *might* get something out of it. But the site of the vision is now a small obelisk in a paved plaza bigger than a football field. We were advised to go in the evening for the prayer service and candlelight procession. That was okay, but not inspiring. Everything about the Fatima shrine seems tacky--the church, the chapel, also the little kiosks selling candles and cheap trinkets and the restaurants. Most of the tourist info at visitor center is in Portuguese, which seems odd for a place with an international audience. You have to be there in the afternoon to check in at hotel, dinner is earlier than the rest of Portugal because of prayer service, after service *everything* is closed. It was a waste of an afternoon and morning. That area of Portugal is attractive country, but there are more interesting things to see outside that town.

I would like to recommend to you to definetly go to Sacre Couer/Montmarte in Paris. The cathedral is beautiful, and the street artists, vendors and cafes on the walk to the Sacre Coeur Cathedral was truly enjoyable. A lovely afternoon (or morning -I'm sure)!

I would like to recommend to you to definetly go to Sacre Couer/Montmarte in Paris. The cathedral is beautiful, and the street artists, vendors and cafes on the walk to the Sacre Coeur Cathedral was truly enjoyable. A lovely afternoon (or morning -I'm sure)!

In response to the comments about the Eiffel Tower, this summer my husband and I were on a European Cruise that gave us the opportunity to spend one day in Paris. Actually, it turned out to be about 5 hours, because coincidentally, Princess Diana died there earlier that morning and the cruise lines were worried about traffic, so they cut our trip short so that the ship could leave on time. My husband had been to Paris before, I had not. On his urging, since we were in Paris, he felt the best thing to do would be go to the top of the Eiffel Tower. We were left off the bus at the Plaza de Concorde and went via foot and metro to the tower. By the time we got oriented, got over to the tower, waited in line, pushed and shoved our way to the top, when we got to the top my feeling was "Okay, we're at the top of the Eiffel Tower, it's pretty high, but it's no big deal." Of course, it might be more beautiful at dusk or at night, but I was far from flabbergasted. I was really sorry that given the short amount of time we had that we didn't take a general sightseeing tour that was offered by the cruise line (which was what we did in London and I enjoyed SO much more than Paris), because I might have gotten to see a little more. As it was, I got to see the Arc de Triomphe, the Eiffel Tower and the monument across the street which I don't even remember now, Plaza de Concorde and had a baguette on the Champs de Elysses. I guess I'll have to go back, but I sincerely would rather go back to London first when I get the chance. We immensely enjoyed Westminster Abbey, the House of Parliament, and the Tower of London. The overall city, in my opinion, is quite beautiful.

I will third the comments above re Sainte Chappelle. Just glorious. My friend and I were lucky to be the first in there in the morning and had it to ourselves - lovely and peaceful for a few minutes. The blues and golds on the lower chapel walls are also stunning.
For more atmosphere, I would also recommend San Clemente in Rome. It is a church built on several levels over an ancient Roman house and Temple of Mithras. It's quite eerie on the lower levels.

I agree with Tia and Donna wholeheartedly. This was a great question to post because you do get some great opinions, but in the end that is just what they are. I strongly advise that you do the research, prioritize what you most want to do and then make your own assessment. Is it worth it to go up in the Eiffel tower? That is a question only you can answer, and you will know when you see it whether you have a burning desire to ride to the top or you have other priorities. Quite frankly, I found the Musee D'Orsay much more to my artistic liking than the Louvre. As a matter of fact, I enjoyed the tiny Rodin museum much more than the Louvre also. But would I have gone to Paris without seeing the Louvre? No way. Because at the very least, the experience has allowed me to make my own assessment and now when the discussion arises, I have something intelligent to say. I read an interesting book which said that there is a world of difference between being a tourist and being a traveler. Do the things that interest YOU, and you will profit from the experience either way.

A "waste of time" is subjective. Since Paris seems to be the main topic, I thought the l'Orangerie was a waste of time. Saw the Mona Lisa and Venus d' Milo, big deal. On the other hand, the Conciergerie, the bridges (ponts) the Eiffel Tour, the catacombs (yes, Paris does have catacombs), the climb up the towers of Notre Dame are very special. My wife and I have been to Paris 8 or 9 times and always find it interesting. Rome? You have to wonder how people with such engineering and artistic skills ever lost it. As you can guess, my wife and I have different views of things, I wonder 'how did they build that', my wife 'how beautiful this is'. Can't say much about London, the old crooked streets, great armour museum at the Tower. We recently found Cadogan's City Guides and find them great for walking tours.

The Mona Lisa and Venus de Milo are at the Louvre.

Paris was wonderful, I did have a few unsettling experiences, one of which was at sacre coeur (a sketch artist verbally assaulted me while I was busy looking at the magnificant church, it was an american thang, I really wish I could say that it was all a fallacy). May I suggest if you do go to the Louvre you go in the evening, it's less crowded and has a whole different air to it. I also chose not to go to the top of the Eiffel Tower, just seeing it from different points in my long walks was enoug for me. I walked around in Paris for my whole trip, I'd get lost and find the most charming streets, I figured if I got really lost I could always hop in a cab back to my hotel (never happened). For a quickie trip out of Paris, may I suggest the town of Chantre.

I personally have never been to London, but my friend went and she opted for some of the more unconventional tours they offer, one was a tour through haunted pubs in London, and the other was in a haunted castle. She said the group was alot more laid back then the normal tour groups and they bonded alot quicker over ale and tales of ghosts, which resulted in a fun time.

Gigi, You're right, my wording did imply the Mona Lisa and Venus de Milo are at the l'Orangerie. I guess I should have said "saw the Water Lilies, then to the Louvre for ....". What's your opinion of Pei's pyramid? Kind of strange, but probably the Obelisk in the Place de la Concorde was strange in it's time.

Just returned from Paris and I must say that the highlight of my trip was the Musee D'orsay and the Rodin. Both absolutely breathtaking. I would skip Versaille if you have limited time, unless you're into extreme excess!! Yes the gardens were very nice, but it was all a little sickening, considering most Parisiennes were living in the streets at the time. Message to Richard, the Mona Lisa and the Venus D'Milo are in the Louvre, not L'Orangerie. I liked this museum as I am a big fan of Monet. As for the Louvre, see the sights and get out. It is too crowded to enjoy anything. Also, there is a beautiful church near the Pantheon, St. Etienne du Mont, don't miss the inside of this church for the latice balcony carved out of marble. As for London, I would also advise skipping the Changing of the Guard. It is nothing but rude foreign tourists jostling for position to see, what, I couldn't tell you. I however enjoyed both Bath and Stratford-Upon-Avon. However, we arrived at Stratford at 5pm and can tell you as we pulled in, the tour buses were pulling out. We literally had the whole town to ourselves that night. It is a very pretty quaint village once the buses are gone. Ate at a wonderful inn called the Roast Inn. The next morning on the advice of the innkeeper of the B & B we were staying in, we walked to Anne Hathaway's cottage, and again, toured it before the bus loads of tourists came in. We left Stratford around 11am as it was just starting to get crowded.

I AGREE WITH MANY OTHERS. SKIP STRATFORD ON AVON. PERSONALLY, I THOUGHT THE SEINE CRUISE IN PARIS WAS A WASTE OF TIME. IT WISH I HAD SPENT THE TIME WALKING ALONG THE BANKS OF THE SEINE INSTEAD. MAYBE THE CRUISE IS BETTER AT NIGHT. I LIKED THE CHANGING OF THE GUARD BECAUSE I HAD A CLOSE-UP VIEW (COURTESY OF A TOUR BUS). I ALSO LIKED THE TRIP TO THE TOP OF THE EIFFEL TOWER IN PARIS. WALKING THE STREETS OF PARIS IS AN ENCHANTING EXPERIENCE. IN ENGLAND I AGREE WITH SOME OTHERS ABOUT BATH AND YORK. BOTH ARE WONDERFUL. STONEHENGE CAN BE WONDERFUL IF YOU HAVE DONE YOUR READING BEFOREHAND. USE YOUR IMAGINATION. ROME WAS WONDERFUL AND SOME OF THE TOURISTY THINGS ARE VERY ENJOYABLE: THE TREVI FOUNTAIN, THE PIAZZA NAVONA, THE PIAZZA DEL POPOLO AND THE SPANISH STEPS. DON'T MISS THE SISTINE CHAPEL. ALL OF THESE THINGS ARE MUCH MORE ENJOYABLE IF YOU DO SOME READING BEFORE YOU GO. I ALSO SUGGEST BUYING GOOD MAPS OF LONDON, PARIS, AND ROME AND FAMILIARIZING YOURSELF WITH THE CITIES IN ADVANCE. HAVE FUN. IT RAINED THE LAST TIME I WAS IN LONDON AND I STILL HAD FUN.

What a fabulous spirited discussion! We, too, thought Montmartre was a waste of time - and be especially careful of pickpockets on the metro going there and while out and about. We found nothing charming whatsoever about this area. We were hugely disappointed with the view from there - the rooftop cafe at La Samaritaine had a much more spectacular, and panoramic (and you can see Sacre Coeur from there) view of all of Paris. We loved Musee d'Orsay and Rodin. But, we too would not have missed the Louvre, which we appreciated for the vast and varied collection and the building itself, inside and out. L'Orangerie s a must see for any affectionado of Monet. The lower lever is oval-shaped covered with HUGE panels of Monet's water lilies painted especially for this room toward the end of his life. Totally mesmerizing. If there's time, Versailles is worth the trip, not only for the gardens and statuary, but to understand the excesses of the monarchy which led to its destruction (not to mention all those rolling heads). We went to the Conciergerie a few days later, and I was so astonished by the contrast between Marie Antoinnette's boudoir at Versailles and her tiny cell and "garden" at the Conciergerie (where, as I recall she spent ten months after her husband's execution and with no knowledge of the fate of her children and awaiting her own), that I totally forgot to snap a photo! Big thumbs up for the Cadogan guides!

I've enjoyed everyone's posting here! I loved Paris!!! There is so much to see and do. I'm the type that takes in everything always remembering that I'm in anther country with different ideas, tastes, sights, etc. Nothing disappointed me! I loved the museums, esp. Musee d'Orsay, which was more interesting than the Louvre (maybe because some of the rooms were closed at the Louvre). I enjoyed Montmarte and all of the artists, though I didn't enjoy always being asked if I wanted my portrait sketched. I'm drawn to these sights because of my Mother who is an artist. Never did take a cruise on the Seine and decided not to because we walked many times along the Seine. Saint Chapelle is one of the most beautiful Churches I've been to!! Notre Dame was a great sight too. One interesting place we went to was the famous cemetary Cemetiere du Pere-Lachaise; saw many famous headstones including Jim Morrison, Chopin, Bizet, Sarah Bernhart, Oscar Wild, George Sand, etc. What was most interesting is the cemetary itself with the hugh Even saw a black cat wandering around. Eerie. We stayed on the Left bank in the Latin Quarter and enjoyed wandering the streets in this area (as well as other areas). We also went on day trips including Versailles, Claude Monet's home and gardens, and Chartres, a beautiful town with a fabulous cathedral. I could go on, but Italy is on my mind now as I have finalized plans for my trip in May with my husband. Going to Rome, Naples, Capri, Amalfi coast and towns, Venice, and Milan. Would love to hear positive/negatives on these locations, esp. Naples and Milan. Keep writing!!!!

Skip the Pompidou Center unless your really into modern art.

For travelers to Vienna, skip the Spanish Riding School training sessions for a peek at the Lippanzer Stallions. No tricks at all performed; save your time and money and spend it on the show instead of a training session. Just awful.

Haven't been to msot of the cities discussed above, but the absolute corker I'd like to mention is the Mannequin Pis in Brussels. What a joke! The statue itself is so tiny we nearly missed it, and the street leading to the statue is lined with the cheapest and nastiest souvenier shops with all kinds of bizarre replicas of the Mannequin. As for London, I was very keen to see Kew Gardens, but made the mistake of going in wintertime. It's such a long trip out from the city and was a dissappointment to see everything looking grey and dead. I agree that London Tower and Westminster Abbey were worth a look, and I think anyone who lived through the World Wars would have been fascinated by the underground War Museum (although personally I could have happily been in and out in an hour).
Does anyone have any highlights/lowlights of Austria or Turkey to mention?

Kirrily - I agree with you that the Mannekin-Pis is the tackiest sight in all of Europe... but that's why I love it! It is the most magnificent disappointment the first time you finally find it (it took us an hour, trudging through the streets with our backpacks on and my husband getting grumpier and grumpier). Then we too couldn't believe how small it is! I have now made 4 yearly pilgrimmages to view it. I've seen him dressed up twice, but I definitely prefer him nekked. I have bought so many of those tacky souvenirs, but the piece de resistance was the little Mannekin-Pis WC placque that I bought the last time and that I now have screwed to the guest bathroom door in my house.(grin)

I have only a couple to things to add to this great thread - I personally REALLY enjoyed Stratford-upon-Avon! I thought it was quaint, charming, had great shops, and I enjoyed seeing the Royal Shakepeare Company perform. Although there aren't many "tour" spots, I suppose, I love it there. If I were to recommend a place to skip, pass on Pisa and its leaning tower. Boring! Definitely not worth going out of your way.

One of the disturbing aspects of growing old is to visit once again places one saw in one's youth. Most of the places cited above have deteriorated greatly over the past 50 years, become over-run with crowds, or allowed to sink into tacky commercialism.
However, the Sainte Chappelle remains grand, the Louvre is incomparably cleaner, and the Changing of the Guard never ceases to amaze for its drawing power as a "thing one must do." Strange that nobody mentioned the leisurely boat ride from Westminster Pier up the Thames to Hampton Court. You approach Henry VIII's palace the way he did, by water. Madame Tussaud's remains a mystery to me; why would anyone want to see such mock stuff? On the other hand, the glories of Istanbul never cease to amaze and intrigue -- the Blue Mosque at sunset, the great underground cistern nearby, the cruise up and back on the Bosporus with its ceaseless traffic.
Why one would ever go to Berlin and miss the one-and-only Pergamon Museum or the short tour out to Potsdam to see Sans Souci, Frederick the Great's palace -- instead so many waste their time walking up and down Ku-Damm -- Omaha is better. Paris is best at dawn, when they clean the streets and few are about. Munich at night -- now there's fun...but not at the Hofbrauhaus, one of Europe's biggest tourist traps. Instead, walk from the railway station, across Stachus, and down Marienplatz to the Isar Bridge. Too many miss the little Asamkirche, a gift to the city by two wealthy brothers in the 1600s, the most ornate little jewel box of a baroque church in the city. Skip the Olympic Village; it's run down and seedy. Instead, take a day trip south to see Neuschwanstein and Hohenschwangau. Don't miss Linderhof. Oktoberfest? Forget it. I have bored you enough, a garrolous old man who remembers many days in the sun, the springtime of a long and happy life.

Kirrely, the only place that I have been in Turkey was Ephesus, but it is magnificent. It is especially intriguing if you are of the Christian faith. Our guide in Ephesus was a Moslem, but she explained everything wonderfully from the Christian perspective. The library is two storied and the guide told us that the men in Ephesus would go to the library and then go through an underground tunnel to the brothel so their wives wouln't know about it. There are still stones in Ephesus with carved footprints leading to the brothel. Also very interesting was the community toilet used by men only. There are long benches with several holes and the men would go there to socialize. I highly recommend Ephesus.

What a fascinating topic! Old Al, just above here, may be the first person ever to use the word "garrolous" on the Internet, and I applaud both his views and his vocabulary. But on to the topic at hand... In London, I would skip Madame Tussards but would definitely take the cruise down the Thames to Greenwich and the Old Observatory (if you've read "Longitude," it makes the book come alive). Unless you like cutesy shopping arcades, Covent Garden is now just a sanitized ghost of what it once was. In Paris, the most over-rated tourist stop is Sacre Coeur, and I wouldn't go near Place Pigalle or Moulin Rouge on a bet, yet the tour buses go in droves. The Centre Pompidou is depressingly ugly as is the Les Halles district next to it (now just basically an underground shopping center). Skip Au Printemps department store and concentrate on Galeries Lafayette. I never knew Ste. Chapelle had so many fans, and I agree with every one of them. Be sure to take time to go through the flower market across the street and buy a bouquet for your room. Spend your time along the Seine, the Left Bank, and the museum. If you like Monet, devote a morning to the Marmatton. It's in a beautiful area of Paris and seeing "Impression Sunrise" is worth a trip to France.

To Neal Sanders: my apologies...my spelling is not what it once was. I meant to say "garrulous" -- thanks for catching me; I will be more careful. One of the really great hikes: Krimml waterfall in Austria. You start at its base, climb up a series of switchbacks alongside the cataract until you reach the great gushing summit, covered in spray and rainbows. Then alongside the rushing stream across meadowlands and glacial rock heads until you reach...what else?...a bierstube, filled with laughing Austrians who were smart enough to take a taxi all the way up from the village. To the west one comes to Eiriesenwelt (the Giant's Ice Cave), high up on the side of a mountain, reached by two aerial trams and a stiff climb. Huge caverns of ice, where even your bones feel as if they were about to crack from the altitude and the chill.
But, for the all time, "waste of time" prize: Hollywood, California, and its "Sidewalk of Stars."
What a memorial to the trivial, the self-promoting, and the tawdry. It makes you wonder what people in America value most. It worships the cult of celebrity amid blobs of dried chewing gum.

Thanks, everyone, for your replies. I know this was a subjective post, which is why I asked for your "opinions". My college age daughter and I leave in a couple days and will be sure to enjoy ourselves.It appears most of us travelers prepare with much research before a trip. I read as much as I can and study maps so much that I think I could find my way around without a map. I live on a farm in the midwest, (closest town, population 700) where all the streets form a checkerboard, not a curved street in town. All the country roads exactly a mile apart and all run north-south, east-west.The tallest building is the grain storage facility (150 ft.) I love to go to the top to look at the countryside. That's why I choose to go to the top of the Eiffel Tower, for the contrast, even though I really don't like heights. I never get tired of cathedrals or cemetaries. We named our four children by touring cemetaries (you get a good feel for a name when you see it carved in stone). Old Al, I loved your reply.
I too went to the ice cave on a rainy day 29 years ago when I was 15. I had forgotten that miserable day but thanks to you I can at least get a good laugh for the memory of my waste of time. My travel motto could be summed up by my enjoyment of experiencing what is most important to people. Faith , family, food and fun. Thanks, and keep adding replies so I can read them when I get home. David

Wait! David, we were convinced you had already left! Here are a few more thoughts on London that aren't reflected in the above thread... 1) If 15+29 still equals 44, you may be tempted to visit (and drag your poor college age daughter to see) a few shrines of the '60s in London. Don't bother. Carnaby St. today features The Gap and all the same stores as you'll find at the Mall of Iowa, or wherever. Abbey Road is, well, just a street with a plaque. What was on the Beatle's album cover is there no longer. Everyone says not to bother going to the National Portrait Gallery, and Everyone is right. And, unfortunately, the Courtauld Collection (home of, among other things, Manet's "Bar at the Folies Bergerie") is currently closed for renovation. Otherwise, it is one of London's most under-rated attractions. Two "gotta gos": Wembley's toy store on Bond St. is the world's best, period. And, nearby, the Liberty department store is a delight to walk through. Much of the store looks as though it was plucked from an Elizabethan set. Have a great trip and thanks for posing the question; it brought out the best in everyone.