London In A Day- Itinerary Review Please!

Thanks in advance to all who take the time to review this post and (hopefully!) respond.

 

My husband and I arrive in London (pre-cruise) at 7 am on a Saturday. We plan to get transportation (likely a train to Waterloo station) to our hotel- Novotel Waterloo. We will quick ditch our luggage, and then start out on our day of sightseeing. Below are the things I would like to do/see.

 

London Tower (see Crown Jewels, Free Beefeater Tour)

See Big Ben

Ride London Eye

Take the Staterooms Tour at Buckingham Palace

Lunch at Harrods food hall

Dinner at a Pub

See London Bridge

 

Could someone please offer insight as to the most logical "pattern" in which to do these things? I'm having a hard time using Google Maps trying to get a "lay of the land" and determine a logical order, taking into consideration time for tours, etc. Also, would a HOHO bus be the best option for transportation, or should I start reading up on the metro?

 

Any feedback is greatly appreciated. Thank you!

I would start by checking what time things close on Saturday. I have researched many of the places on your list and I think all but the London Eye (and the pubs of course) close by 6:00 pm. So my only recommendation is to do the Eye later, after the other things close.

Thanks in advance to all who take the time to review this post and (hopefully!) respond.

 

My husband and I arrive in London (pre-cruise) at 7 am on a Saturday. We plan to get transportation (likely a train to Waterloo station) to our hotel- Novotel Waterloo. We will quick ditch our luggage, and then start out on our day of sightseeing. Below are the things I would like to do/see.

 

London Tower (see Crown Jewels, Free Beefeater Tour)

See Big Ben

Ride London Eye

Take the Staterooms Tour at Buckingham Palace

Lunch at Harrods food hall

Dinner at a Pub

See London Bridge

 

Could someone please offer insight as to the most logical "pattern" in which to do these things? I'm having a hard time using Google Maps trying to get a "lay of the land" and determine a logical order, taking into consideration time for tours, etc. Also, would a HOHO bus be the best option for transportation, or should I start reading up on the metro?

 

Any feedback is greatly appreciated. Thank you!

 

Firstly, are you arriving at Gatwick? Because to get to Waterloo from LHR by train would involve a transfer on the underground at some point (not too difficult, mind you).

 

Now on to itinerary:

Big Ben and the London Eye are the closest, but if you take advantage of the Eye's later closing time, do that last. Also, not sure when you're travelling, but Buckingham Palace is only open at certain times of the year, so I would confirm that one.

 

Your itinerary should look like this:

Take a No. 3 bus to Houses of Parliament (to see Big Ben). From here, I would probably just walk to Buckingham Palace. Then, walk to Hyde Park Corner, and either continue walking or take a bus to Harrod's for lunch. After lunch, hop a bus or underground for the Tower of London, where you will see Tower Bridge (I'm assuming this is what you mean, not the much smaller modern London Bridge). Finally, go back to the London Eye and go to supper afterwards.

My husband and I arrive in London (pre-cruise) at 7 am on a Saturday.

First thing: You're trying to do too much. Especially if you have flown in overnight on a short trans-Atlantic flight, as you'll probably have had almost no sleep that night. I'm exhausted just looking at your list; and you'll be exhausted before you even start.

 

If you're at the Novotel Waterloo (which is quite a long way from Waterloo station BTW), then you are closest to Big Ben and the Eye from your list. So it makes sense to do these either first or last.

 

Allow two to three hours at the Tower of London to see it properly. The State Rooms at Buckingham Palace will probably take you a couple of hours too. You probably want to ditch one of these.

See London Bridge

Are you sure? It's not a particularly attractive bridge:-

 

LOL...So why a whole kids song dedicated to that bridge then!?! :p I will promptly scratch that off my list. I thought there was another "pretty" bridge other than Tower Bridge. Apparently not...

 

I was thinking I was being a bit overambitious. However, my husband and I are both young and also very laid back. So, if we got tired and needed to detour back to the hotel to catch a nap...so be it. Best case scenario, I'd like to see those sights....if it's too much, well then we have a reason to come back, right?

 

To answer questions, in hopes of getting more feedback, here are more details:

 

-We are flying into Heathrow. Any more info on that underground transfer?

 

-I have not booked the hotel yet, but from this link http://boards.cruisecritic.com/showthread.php?t=526642&highlight=novotel+waterloo it was my understanding that the Novotel Waterloo was close enough to walk to the Waterloo train station. Hmmm....

 

- We will be in London August 22. It is my understanding the State Rooms are open July-August. So I think we're good to go. I did check times for everything while we are there and you are correct in that most (Tower, Buckingham, Harrods) close at 6:00. I agree the Eye will probably be last- any good pubs in that area that we could do dinner and our last sight in the same vicinity? Can we walk to the Eye from our hotel or best to bus/taxi?

 

 

Thanks!

Sorry, forgot to mention that our cruise leaves out of Southampton, which is why I wanted to stay near the Waterloo station. Research on the boards tells me that the most frequent and fastest train to SH leaves out of Waterloo.

So why a whole kids song dedicated to that bridge then!?! :p I will promptly scratch that off my list. I thought there was another "pretty" bridge other than Tower Bridge. Apparently not...

The nursery rhyme's origin is uncertain, but those theories that have dates all refer to the 11th to 13th centuries, long before the present bridge was built (between 1967 and 1972). Its immediate predecessor can be seen at Lake Havasu City in Arizona. But there were a number of London Bridges before that.

 

There are some other attractive bridges in London, but elsewhere. You might want to Google for images of the Millennium footbridge, the Hungerford footbridges, Lambeth Bridge, Albert Bridge and Battersea Bridge. But not London Bridge! It's very utilitarian, as you can see.

-We are flying into Heathrow. Any more info on that underground transfer?

Transfers from Heathrow are different, because the airport is closer and there are more viable public transport options.

 

One is to just get a taxi at the airport, which is an option that CC members seem collectively to shy away from (and not just in London). A while ago, I started a thread on this here.

 

You can get a fast train, the Heathrow Express, to Paddington station. It runs once every 15 minutes and takes 15 minutes from the station serving Terminals 1, 2 and 3. There is a slower train called the Heathrow Connect, which is cheaper but basically takes about twice as long. But then you have to get across town to the hotel. You would either need a cab for this, or you'd have to take the Tube (direct from Paddington to Waterloo on the Bakerloo line).

 

You can also get the Tube, if you can manage your luggage on it. You need to be able to pick it up and carry it (or roll it) all in one go - no shuttling backwards and forwards. You need to be able to move it several tens of yards in one go if it doesn't roll. And you need to be able to lift it and go up or down stairs equivalent to one storey. To get to Waterloo from Heathrow, you'd need to change at Green Park onto the Jubilee Line - that's a change where there are lifts (elevators) so you can avoid any stairs while changing (if they work).

 

Other options include taking the National Express coach to Victoria coach station, and getting a cab from there; or getting a private transfer.

-I have not booked the hotel yet, but from this link http://boards.cruisecritic.com/showthread.php?t=526642&highlight=novotel+waterloo it was my understanding that the Novotel Waterloo was close enough to walk to the Waterloo train station.

It's two thirds of a mile to walk to the ticket office by the shortest reasonable route I could find, which will also treat you to an entire row of motor workshops, builders merchants and other bits of real London. The more obvious route is a mile.

- We will be in London August 22. It is my understanding the State Rooms are open July-August. So I think we're good to go. ... I agree the Eye will probably be last- any good pubs in that area that we could do dinner and our last sight in the same vicinity? Can we walk to the Eye from our hotel or best to bus/taxi?

I think it's more August and September, but you are there at the right time.

 

I'm not really a pub person - the food in most pubs is dreadful industrial stuff, frankly. But there are some reasonable places to eat near the Eye. If you look at this Google map/photo, there's a number of places on Belvedere Road south of Chichely Street, and also a wine bar type place on the corner of Chichely Street and York Road. There's also a number of decent places at the Royal Festival Hall - go north along the bank of the river to reach it. This is all pretty much next to Waterloo station, so it's about a mile to walk to the hotel.

Research on the boards tells me that the most frequent and fastest train to Southampton leaves out of Waterloo.

This is correct. But there are plenty of hotels near the station, and an ample choice within a mile.

Gloabliser- you are a wealth of knoweldge. I am so glad you give your time to first time travelers and others looking for infomation. It's nice to have a trusted source.

 

Re: that transfer from Heathrow, I had been silently following Your Thread on the taxi from Heathrow. Did you ever think you were going to start that firestorm?! :o People seem to have quite the opinions on that. From a cost perspective, it does not seem as economical as taking the Tube or Train, but perhpas more practical (i.e. no lugging suitcases, etc.). If we did take the Tube or train, are we going to be "the annoying tourists who hold everything up by dragging thier luggage along for the ride" or is this common on those modes of transportation?

 

Thanks for the info re: the walk to Waterloo from the hotel. I just feel as if I have no perspective on how BIG London really is. In my head everything is nice and contained, but I am sure that picture is not accurate. I've struggled even gaining perspective with Google maps- do you have a better map system to use to map our sight seeing route, or just to help me get the "lay of the land?" In my head walking 1 mile to the train station pre-cruise with our luggage is not so bad. I guess if the weather is inclement or we're in a pinch I can always hail a taxi...right?

 

The pub is definitely my hubby's deal. He's dying to get his hands on a good English Draught. I just want some fish and chips. Can these two be synominous? Or are we going to need to hit up 2 different establishments?

If we did take the Tube or train, are we going to be "the annoying tourists who hold everything up by dragging thier luggage along for the ride" or is this common on those modes of transportation?

 

You can't walk 10 yards in Central London without seeing some tourist dragging luggage! Very common on the trains/underground as well. Trust me, you'll blend in nicely...;)

 

I just feel as if I have no perspective on how BIG London really is. In my head everything is nice and contained, but I am sure that picture is not accurate. I've struggled even gaining perspective with Google maps- do you have a better map system to use to map our sight seeing route, or just to help me get the "lay of the land?" In my head walking 1 mile to the train station pre-cruise with our luggage is not so bad. I guess if the weather is inclement or we're in a pinch I can always hail a taxi...right?

 

It's big. It's hard for me to give advice re: perspective on a map (as I've been there so often I know my distances and such), but the best advice I can think of is to compare a map of London with a map of the exact same scale of a city you know. Personally, I like arming myself with a Central London bus map and a transport pass. When you get tired, just hop a bus, and check where it goes on the map once you're on... :D

 

The pub is definitely my hubby's deal. He's dying to get his hands on a good English Draught. I just want some fish and chips. Can these two be synominous? Or are we going to need to hit up 2 different establishments?

 

You can probably get both, or if you find a nice pub that doesn't do food just get some fish & chips at a takeaway somewhere and eat them in your hotel room.

Great info, thanks!

I agree with the others here and would suggest that if you were to scrap one item - the lunch at Harrods, then your day would be much more manageable. Basically you could fit in the Tower part in the morning and then the Big Ben/Buckingham Palace part in the afternoon. Would actually suggest you get a boat from Tower Pier to Westminster - a really nice 30 min ride through the centre of the city.

 

Harrod is a bit out of the way and you could end up spending more time on buses/tube than actually enjoying the day.

I agree about skipping the jaunt to Harrod's. The food courts are interesting, but the whole place is more packed with tourists than anything else. Instead you might want to find a "gastro-pub" where you can get a decent lunch as well as a good pint. We did the London-Eye at sunset, which was spectacular, so I would also recommend saving that for the end of the day.

From a cost perspective, it does not seem as economical as taking the Tube or Train, but perhpas more practical (i.e. no lugging suitcases, etc.). If we did take the Tube or train, are we going to be "the annoying tourists who hold everything up by dragging thier luggage along for the ride" or is this common on those modes of transportation?

The Heathrow Express is designed for airline passengers, so there is no difficulty with that.

 

Plenty of people take their luggage onto the Tubes, including me. And the Piccadilly Line is advertised as one of the primary public transport routes to Heathrow for passengers, so you're perfectly entitled to do it. The biggest problem for most people is simply managing the underground Tube stations, most of which were not designed with luggage or step-free access in mind. If the Tube is really busy (eg at peak hours), it isn't the easiest thing in the world to get luggage onto or off the Tube. But I do plenty of my Tube trips in peak hours - the morning peak if I arrive at Heathrow at 7 to 9 am, or the evening peak if my flight departs Heathrow between 7 and 9 pm. So it's perfectly possible.

 

One thing I love about taxis is the flexibility of using them. On our last long-haul arrival at Heathrow, we had been planning on taking the Tube. But we'd had to wait longer than usual for our bags, and we would have ended up in the middle of the morning peak on the Tube. It was a holiday week, so road traffic would be lighter than usual. And we'd been upgraded to business class, and had a very nice flight back, and it seemed a pity to ruin it by a squash on the Tube. So, as we were walking through Customs, I just said on the spur of the moment: "Why don't we just jump in a cab?" - and we did.

Thanks again for all the info. I will definitely consider all these options. If I have any more questions, I'll let you know!

(I am using the ALL CAPS for emphasis since I can't underline -- I am NOT shouting at you!)

 

Just returned from 2 days in London following a cruise -- WE STRONGLY RECOMMEND HOP-ON HOP-OFF for just one day -- it gives you such a wonderful scenic overview of WHOLE city of London -- we used the blue & red lines of the Big Bus company -- there is another company too (Original London Bus) -- blue line is multi-lingual recorded and the red line is live commentary in English. It takes 3.5 hrs to complete the full tour of either line and they go same route in many places -- we preferred the red but the blue was closest to our hotel. You can get on & off any time & the buses come every 7-10 min!! Big Bus tickets INCLUDE a free Thames River Cruise, which you can do one-way, round-trip or several times also! CHECK OUT THE WEBSITE & STUDY THE HOHO MAP!

 

The tube was easy to take & transfer but we found often alot of steps and trains on various levels -- but biggest drawback is you don't see anything underground & we wanted to see the beautiful homes, stately buildings, gorgeous parks and the cute little storefronts! One of our 2 days we used a tube/bus card since our HOHO ticket had expired.

 

Go back & re-study the hotel situation more! We used Holiday Inn Kensington Forum -- plain jane hotel but conveniently located 1 block from Gloucester Rd tube, HOHO & several bus lines. Not that I recommend that hotel or location but try to get alot closer to your train station or into a different area. Paddington area was quite pretty area. I studied for a long time & used various maps and also read hotel reviews on several trip websites.

 

How much luggage will you have? We had been on Transatlantic Cruise for 2 wks -- we had 2 hardsides, a regular sz rolling bag & a small shoulder bag -- we would NOT have considered using a train from airport or getting to ship.

 

We used a tour/transport from ship to go London from Southampton that included a tour of Bath, Stonehenge, Salisbury Cathedral, a ride by Windsor castle and lunch in a rural pub near Stonehenge frequented by locals. That was 50 pounds per person (not incl lunch and entry fees) and we hooked up with some other people to share the ride -- the owner/driver was Brian MacNellie of Salisbury Taxi Service. Extremely well worth it!!!!

(I am using the ALL CAPS for emphasis since I can't underline -- I am NOT shouting at you!)

 

Just returned from 2 days in London following a cruise -- WE STRONGLY RECOMMEND HOP-ON HOP-OFF for just one day -- it gives you such a wonderful scenic overview of WHOLE city of London -- we used the blue & red lines of the Big Bus company -- there is another company too (Original London Bus) -- blue line is multi-lingual recorded and the red line is live commentary in English. It takes 3.5 hrs to complete the full tour of either line and they go same route in many places -- we preferred the red but the blue was closest to our hotel. You can get on & off any time & the buses come every 7-10 min!! Big Bus tickets INCLUDE a free Thames River Cruise, which you can do one-way, round-trip or several times also! CHECK OUT THE WEBSITE & STUDY THE HOHO MAP!

 

The tube was easy to take & transfer but we found often alot of steps and trains on various levels -- but biggest drawback is you don't see anything underground & we wanted to see the beautiful homes, stately buildings, gorgeous parks and the cute little storefronts! One of our 2 days we used a tube/bus card since our HOHO ticket had expired.

 

Go back & re-study the hotel situation more! We used Holiday Inn Kensington Forum -- plain jane hotel but conveniently located 1 block from Gloucester Rd tube, HOHO & several bus lines. Not that I recommend that hotel or location but try to get alot closer to your train station or into a different area. Paddington area was quite pretty area. I studied for a long time & used various maps and also read hotel reviews on several trip websites.

 

How much luggage will you have? We had been on Transatlantic Cruise for 2 wks -- we had 2 hardsides, a regular sz rolling bag & a small shoulder bag -- we would NOT have considered using a train from airport or getting to ship.

 

We used a tour/transport from ship to go London from Southampton that included a tour of Bath, Stonehenge, Salisbury Cathedral, a ride by Windsor castle and lunch in a rural pub near Stonehenge frequented by locals. That was 50 pounds per person (not incl lunch and entry fees) and we hooked up with some other people to share the ride -- the owner/driver was Brian MacNellie of Salisbury Taxi Service. Extremely well worth it!!!!

 

Cruisin Kay, can you please tell me how to get in touch with the Salisbury Taxi Service. We plan to do the Stonehenge/Bath tour from London. May be we sh'd consider doing it your way and stay overnight in Southampton instead .

Well, Cruisin Kay- your ears must have been ringing. After doing more research, this morning I booked at..... wait for it.....The Holiday Inn Kensington Forum!!!

 

So, I know that you were not advocating for that particular hotel, but since I'm staying there anyway I'd love to hear your feedback. I've read alot about it on the threads and it sounds like it's nothing special as far as amenities, but serves the first time traveler well. Fair assessment?

 

I am "on board" (sorry, couldn't help it) with the HOHO idea. Would I still be able to get my money's worth while doing the Staterooms Tour and the London Tower Tour? How much did the round-triper cost? I will go to the website to look more, but do you know offhand if they have hours of operation? And that river cruise...does it connect points of interest or major sites? If you reference my "dream itinerary" up a little further, you'll see all the sights I'd like to take in. Thoughts?

 

Globaliser, I can't help but notice your reference to HOHO's in your sig. May I ask why you feel that way?

 

I'm thinking between the hubby and I we will each have a small-ish carryon/backpack and a suitcase. He might have 2 suitcases, but they will latch together. We plan to "indulge" in doing laundry on our cruise, so we can pack a little lighter.

 

That pre-cruise tour sounds really cool, but A) What time did you have to leave in the a.m. to start the tour and B) What time did your ship debark form Southampton? Ours leaves at 4, and I cannot imagine getting all that in in time.

 

Thanks for the info...I'm sure more questions will be coming as I do more research. Please continue to keep an eye out for this thread- I appreciate it SO much!

Globaliser, I can't help but notice your reference to HOHO's in your sig. May I ask why you feel that way?

Because they're slow and obstructive and cause a lot of aggravation on the roads. And that's when they're driven properly. Things are worse when they are driven by selfish and inconsiderate drivers. They would be great in a theme park for tourists. But London is not a theme park; it's first and foremost a real city in which real people live and work.

 

You asked about "the annoying tourists who hold everything up by dragging thier luggage along for the ride". The HOHO buses aren't dragging luggage, but otherwise this about sums them up.

 

And this season, they have got very bad very quickly.

Hi, Cruisin Cheesehead,

 

Checking thro this thread, can I just confirm some of the points that have been made, and make a few more.

 

From Heathrow, the best compromise between cost & convenience (with luggage) is the Heathrow express to Paddington, then black cab to your hotel. Get your taxi driver to go via Marble Arch, Park Lane, Hyde Park Corner, Constitution Hill, Buckingham Palace, The Mall, Whitehall, Parliament Square, Millbank & Lambeth Bridge. That's a lot of sights on a pretty short journey, which will give you an overview of Westminster, esp if you ask the driver to point out the places of interest. All London cabbies know their London

The tube (metro/underground) from Heathrow is not luggage-friendly and you'll have to change once and poss a taxi for the last mile with luggage. A taxi all the way from Heathrow is expensive.

https://www.heathrowexpress.com

 

As a visitor to the city, I'd suggest you avoid the regular buses around central London - needing to know which bus to catch, where the correct bus stop is, knowing where to get off, having to switch between bus routes, very slow etc etc. Within central London, the views from tube may not be impressive :), but its reasonably easy to use. Maps everywhere, each station clearly signed, changing trains easy, tube stations very close to the places you need. You dont need to visit places in geographical order because tube trains are very frequent & very quick from one side of the city centre to the other. Or black cabs - usually easy to hail, esp during the day on a saturday, they're ideal for fairly short journeys within the centre. Always worth asking the driver to take in some sights close to the direct route between places.

 

Leave the London Eye til early evening (just before sunset?). Book your ticket/time in advance to avoid the queues.

http://www.londoneye.com/TicketsAndPrices/HowToBook/Default.aspx

Its a short walk over Westminster Bridge from the sights in Westminster, and since the Westminster sights can mainly be seen only from the outside the time of day that you're there is not important.

 

I'd be inclined to go to the Tower of London pretty soon in your itinerary. The Tower of London is right next to Tower Bridge, which is the last bridge on the river, the bridge that's on all the postcards. You may have to decide on the Crown jewels when you get there, depending on the queue. If you dont use a ho-ho bus, might be worth taking a cab from Westminster/Waterloo via St Pauls Cathedral & The Monument. And break your journey back from the Tower, at Covent Garden - eats, street entertainers, boutique shops etc.

 

The ho-ho buses - Cruisin Kay knows more about using them than we Brits - her suggestions seem to be spot-on. I THINK the tickets are good for 24hrs, so you can use them pm then next morning. Don't worry about Globaliser being stuck behind your bus - his problem, not yours:)

 

A lot of sights are close together in Westminster. Houses of Parliament, with Westminster Abbey opposite, up Whitehall (govt offices, Downing St off Whitehall) to Trafalgar Square. Buckingham Palace is mebbe a 20 minute walk from Whitehall area - best to get a cab to & from Westminster, perhaps via The Mall, which connects Buck. Palace with Trafalgar Square if you didnt go that way from Paddington to your hotel.

 

There's a variety of river cruises, most of them go from Westminster Bridge, opposite the London Eye & next to the Houses of Parliament/Big Ben. They usually last an hour, they're a relaxing way of seeing many of the important sights near the river including all on your list except Buck. Palace -not expensive, well worth the cost, but mebbe you won't have time. Or mebbe an evening cruise? - gives you a different perspective.

 

Buckingham Palace. You should book ahead if you want to tour the state rooms, which is the only way to see the inside.

http://www.royalcollection.org.uk/default.asp?action=article&ID=322

 

Lunch at Harrods is not a great idea - it's a little way west of the centre, with no other reason to be out that way other than the museums in Kensington or the Albert Hall, getting there & lunching there is way too time-consuming for your circumstances.

 

Pubs. There's a wide range, some overly-dependent on tourists, some (incl around Waterloo) a bit seedy. Make use of advice given by locals - if you can find any:), or hunt the web for a decent pub with a bit of history.

 

Train to Southampton. Yes, easily the best way, from Waterloo station, journey about an hour, two/three trains an hour during the week but check out the sunday timetable. And when you're in London check out for any rail repair/maintenance work - this tends to be done at the weekend & can involve having to switch to a rail-replacement bus for part of the journey. Not a problem, but journey time longer. A five-minute cab ride from Southampton Central rail station to all cruise terminals, between £5 and £10

 

Enjoy your time in Blighty

 

John Bull

mia mom: brian@salisburytaxis.com is his email. Can't remember the website address, but google the company name or his name (see prev post). Doing a tour like Brian's and then staying overnight in S'hampton could be a very good idea. A man on our D-Day beach tour was staying in Southampton 1 night, so I will try to get in touch with him about his experience -- maybe he will post here -- "okiedude" is his screen name.

 

Salisbury Taxis: Don't know how much of a tour Brian can or even would do if you are GETTING ON A SHIP same day. We were DISEMBARKING/GETTING OFF SHIP -- we were in car & rolling by about 9-9:30 AM, and after all we did that day, we got to hotel in London about 8 PM.

 

 

Cruisin Cheesehead (You must be a Green Bay Packers fan!) -- HI Kensington Forum: I booked the "executive" category with breakfast incl. & prepaid 210 pounds. Room & bathroom were both rather small but comfortable & clean -- there was also a couch in the room -- window opened, which is impt to us. Location is the plus! -- it's on bus #74 & several others which take you up to Harrods & restaurants in that area -- 1 block to HOHO & Gloucester tube station.

 

I did NOT find the regular buses to be hard to find/follow...and MUCH PREFERRED them to the tube. But if you are looking to get around London quickly then the tube is the answer.

 

HOHO (Big Bus) price I think was 22-25 pounds & ticket was for 24 hours (i.e. buy at noon, expires noon next day) and included river cruise from Westminster Abbey to Tower Bridge/Tower of London (back & forth as much as you wanted). Riding on the top open deck was SO GREAT for views & for photographs, especially when bus in traffic & has to go slow & stop often....we had a bit of wind & raindrops so sitting in front seat was marvelous! When front sitters would get off, we would immediately dash up to grab their vacated seat! Also sit on the right side of bus, for best views of BOTH SIDES of street. Couldn't use an umbrella; just had a hood on my waterproof jacket. So many beautiful buildings to see!!! We didn't go into buildings but just absorbed the gorgeous views....

Great info Cruisin Kay. We also have the breakfast pkg. for HIKF. Was it tasty?

 

I think the HOHO is going to be our transport means. For that price, you can hardly beat it, and it seems to stop at all our places of interest AND include the river cruise which is the way I wanted to go to get down to the London Eye from the London Tower (this will work, right?) I'm also assuming at the end of this exhausting day, after our dinner, we'll still be able to catch a HOHO to take us back to Glouchester Station (i.e. our hotel)? What about taking HOHO to Waterloo station to catch the train to Southampton the next morning (since our HOHO ticket will still be good)? Or is there a better way of doing that?

 

And yes, of course I'm a Packer Fan...being Wisconsin born and raised there's really no way around it! :)

Did you see that you could "upgrade" your HOHO trip for 3 pounds to include fish and chips at the Sherlock Holmes pub? You could kill 2 birds with one stone with this deal;).

 

Have you considered having tea somewhere instead of lunch? It can be pricey and takes some time but it's a pretty fun traditional/touristy thing to do in London.

 

Cheers,

I was looking at that web site, but I didn't see anything about upgrading to include that Fish and Chips?? I would really like that. Can you post a link or something??

OK, on further searching, I see where you can buy the fish and chips thing. I was looking on the Big Bus site, and this was on the Original London Sightseeing tour. Is there much difference between the two companies. Their entire schemes seem about the same, free walks, free Thames cruises. Is one preferable over the other??