Need ideas for a couple days in London

[MEmama]

I need to be convinced it's the worth the effort of going out of our way to London for 2-3 days.

 

We like museums, mostly smaller ones. We'll do some of the touristy stuff, but we are all introverts and need breaks after being in crowds. We don't do theatre, fancy restaurants, shopping etc.

 

London overwhelms me; I don't know anything about it and it's not really high on my list, but if I get enough good ideas I'm sure I'll get excited. I don't know what I'm asking for--maybe interesting neighbourhoods, architecture not to be missed, quieter things to do away from the crowds? It will be spring, if that matters.

 

All ideas are appreciated!

[Kalmia]

It is totally worth the effort.

 

The Natural History Museum is a wonderful natural history museum and an gorgeous piece of architecture.

 

A cruise on the Themes (weather permitting, I guess). Lots of history along that waterway.

 

Of course The Tower of London & the Crown Jewels

 

Kew Gardens, the largest botanical collection on the planet.

https://www.kew.org/

 

Charles Dickens Museum

 

We were there in September and there were no real crowds.

 

 

 

 

Edited December 25, 2017 by Kalmia

[hornblower]

totally worth it! We too are introverts but we really liked it. We did the bus tour - that was a nice way to see lots of things quickly & it's a hop on/hop off thing. If you book beforehand it's way cheaper & ours included a Thames river cruise from Greenwich which we also loved. 

I'd definitely do the Natural History Museum (we went there twice) & the British Museum (parts of it were crowded but when we got to some Assyrian artifacts we were practically the only ones there). 

Go, you won't regret it. 

[theelfqueen]

We were up for the touristy when we were there with our younger kids (11 &15 at the time). We bought the London Pass with the Hop on Hop off bus.... it was October so it wasn't crowded on the bus (always plenty of space to breathe)and lots of attractions are included ... we went to the Chruchill War Rooms and the Royal Mews which were both pretty uncrowded and fascinating. The Globe tour was not busy but we did the first one of the day.. might be busier later. We went to the Tower and Westminster Abbey which are always packed but worth the crowd. We even stood in the line for the Crown Jewels. We took a Thames cruise and that was lovely and relaxed. There's definitely a lot to do in London that's quieter than what our kids wanted to see (Trafalgar sq, Buckingham palace, the Abbey, the Tower etc.)

 

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[madteaparty]

I was underwhelmed with the Natural

history museum but perhaps because it seems even more crowded that the one in NYC and a major exhibit wasn’t under construction.

I LOVED the British Museum, did the highlights tour and it was so great. I want to go back with DS just for that (it was just me and little DD then).

Edited December 25, 2017 by madteaparty

[Laura Corin]

I like just walking in London. St Paul's, Monument, Tower, across Tower Bridge, back up river along the South Bank past The Globe, Tate Modern, etc.

[Kalmia]

Also the Victoria and Albert Museum.

[stutterfish]

If you're not so keen to spend time in London, why not stay in Oxford, if that's not too far off your route? It's small compared to most cities, but lots to see, and places to chill out if you're wanting more peace. Spring is a nice time to visit before the Summer crowds come.

 

If you wanted you could do a day trip to London from Oxford. It's around 1.5 hours From Oxford to London by (frequent) coach service, and less than an hour by train.

Edited December 25, 2017 by stutterfish

[Laura Corin]

Oxford is a good idea. I'm very fond of the Ashmolean Museum. The collection is of the highest quality, and it's on a manageable scale.

[GailV]

We really liked our visit to the British Library.  It's right there at King's Cross and St. Pancras, so it's incredibly easy to get to.  We just did the free, open-to-the-public parts.  Hardly anyone was there.  Amazing manuscripts on display!

 

Since we're Methodist we went to the Museum of Methodism/John Wesley's house.  I imagine there are other little things like that -- things that appeal to a very specific audience, tucked away.  

 

We also went out to Wimbledon, since dh is a tennis fan.  VERY off the beaten path.  But no harder to get to than Oxford.

[madteaparty]

We really liked our visit to the British Library. It's right there at King's Cross and St. Pancras, so it's incredibly easy to get to. We just did the free, open-to-the-public parts. Hardly anyone was there. Amazing manuscripts on display.

We also liked our visit there but there was a special Magna Carta exhibit at the time. I recall liking the rest of it (the permanent displays) more than the special exhibit we went there for ;)

[FriedClams]

We are huge Harry potter fans and LOVED the studio tour.

[MBM]

We enjoyed some of the self-guided walks. London is full of surprises as you walk. Places that are on busy streets that have small streets or walkways that lead to peaceful areas. It’s really cool to stumble upon these. Lots of hidey-holes.

 

Holland Park has a Japanese Kyoto Park with a peacock who loved showing off. Serene, beautiful.

 

The Kensington Whole Foods has a beautiful eating area on the second floor. A nice place to sit and have a snack.

 

Other places we liked

—The Crypt Cafe in Trafalgar Square. A real crypt. Very pleasant.

—Konditor and Cook for cake. Small and pretty. Not fussy.

—British Museum is amazing. Tate Museum.

[Jann in TX]

We are huge Harry potter fans and LOVED the studio tour.

 

DD (15) said this was her favorite day on our family trip last summer-- this mommy loved it too!

 

[Guest2]

We really enjoyed seeing a modern Shakespeare play at the Globe reproduction theater. Even my youngest had a ball.

Edited December 26, 2017 by Silver Brook

[GoodGrief]

We did a neat bike tour (with Fat Tire Tours) while we were there, that was suitable for most age and fitness levels. The hop-on hop-off bus can be a good option, especially if you start early in the day before the buses fill for your initial circuit of the route.

 

The Churchill Museum is super cool! Did not expect it to be so interesting. There tends to be a huge line for tickets, but if you buy them online you can get a fastpass kind of thing that takes you right inside when you get there...so do that, for sure!

 

It's nice to get something to eat in Borough Market, but it can get busy, of course. Check online for times. Nice area to walk around in that area too.

 

Oh, and my daughter loved stopping at the Kings Cross Station and seeing the Harry Potter thing they have there. It was easy to find.

Edited December 26, 2017 by GoodGrief

[J-rap]

We only had a day and a half there, but it was well worth it.  We toured the Tower of London, went on a boat ride down the Thames, and did lots of walking.  We walked to Big Ben, picnicked in Hyde Park, spent a little time in the Piccadilly Circus area, and explored some neighborhood mews.  We stayed near Victoria Station in a bed and breakfast.

[MEmama]

We only had a day and a half there, but it was well worth it. We toured the Tower of London, went on a boat ride down the Thames, and did lots of walking. We walked to Big Ben, picnicked in Hyde Park, spent a little time in the Piccadilly Circus area, and explored some neighborhood mews. We stayed near Victoria Station in a bed and breakfast.

This is probably similar to what we would do in a similar timeframe (we could make it longer, but that means we would have less time other places). I'm glad to hear even a very short visit is worthwhile.

[TechWife]

Another vote for the Tower of London! 

[mumto2]

I love London and would definitely go. We walk after we arrive at King's Cross as much as possible and find that takes much of the crowded feel out of our visits. Lots of great ideas already suggested.

[Twolittleboys]

Love, love, love London.

 

One thing I really enjoy are the London Walks tours. They are easy (no need to sign up, just show up at the right time/place), interesting, not too expensive and lots of fun. They generally concentrate on just one or two attractions or a neighborhood. 

 

We also love Treasure Trails. They are basically inexpensive scavenger hunts in a specific neighorborhood. You can download them from the internet, print out and just go for it. What I like best about them (I am a sucker for treasure hunts etc. though) is that they generally take you through lesser known streets/paths and help you to notice small details (e.g. signs, statues high up on walls etc.) you would not generally notice. Personally, I prefer doing these in less crowded parts of the city. We have done fun ones near St. Paul's, near the O2, and in Kensington. You can easily combine one of these with more traditional sightseeing by looking at a map beforehand to see what area you will cover and taking breaks as necessary (e.g. to step into a church or museum).

 

Do you have any favorite movies/shows/books that take place in London? It is a great city to visit sights from Harry Potter, Peter Pan, Sherlock Holmes, Dr. Who etc.

 

Major sights we enjoyed a lot were Tower of London (almost everyone seems to enjoy that), Science Museum, brass rubbbing, National Gallery, and the British Museum.

 

Something else that I love about London is that you can easily get out of the city to visit other towns/areas. Kew Gardens, Greenwich, Windsor and Eton or Hampton Court make for a fun day outside of the city.