London in June - Places to Stay, Things to Do

[Laura Corin]

1 hour ago, PeterPan said:

Ok, this is way weird. Cher, Raphael Cartoons... I have no clue what I'm seeing. What in the world?? Y'all liked it because it was crazy? I mean, my son my laugh. I don't know. Definitely not little bits of junk with signs. I thought it was going to be more doll houses or something.

It's a museum of art and design, so it covers a lot. I would just choose one area of interest if you want to go

https://www.vam.ac.uk/info/about-us

[PeterPan]

2 hours ago, Jann in TX said:

Also note-- the floor of Westminster Abbey is a graveyard-- you HAVE to walk across marked graves--- no way around.  Some people can't handle this!

Oh dear, well I guess it will be what it will be. I'll try not to look or imagine too hard, lol.

[DawnM]

https://www.thehighburycentre.org

This is where we are considering staying.   It is Christian and primarily for pastors and missionaries, but most of the places we will stay on our trip are similar to this.

I have stayed at a place like this, but can't remember if it was this place or not, it was a lot of years ago.

[PeterPan]

2 hours ago, Laura Corin said:

It's a museum of art and design, so it covers a lot. I would just choose one area of interest if you want to go

https://www.vam.ac.uk/info/about-us

Somebody told me they have the Sutton Hoo and viking stuff. I'm also realizing the Raphael Cartoons are not cartoons. Oh my, they're on PAPER. 

I don't know if I can fit it in this trip but will think about it for another.

For @Longtime Lurker you might look at https://thames-explorer.org.uk/guided-tours/  Official mudlarking tours. Beachcombing the river at low tide basically. Wishing we had time for this as it would be very cool.

Edited April 17, 2023 by PeterPan

[Longtime Lurker]

8 hours ago, PeterPan said:

For op, you can prewalk any of your ideas using the street view in google maps.

Great idea!

8 hours ago, MEmama said:

I forgot to mention the British Library as a must see. We spent hours there, it was simply fascinating.

Oooh, yes! We love libraries! We spent time in the Boston Public Library last year and the New York Public Library 5 years ago. We will definitely want to do this.

5 hours ago, DawnM said:

https://www.tiktok.com/@loveandlondon?lang=en

 

OP, you may want to take a look at this woman's TikTok.   She lives in London as an American and has some interesting ideas that I will be looking into.

Thanks!

[PeterPan]

I'm having such a good laugh looking at those tiktoks. One of the people I'll have with me is neurotypical, so I feel kinda bad that I don't give a rip about normal tourist stuff, haha. Even my ds was pretty cynical. He liked the Cheese Bar idea but said he'd only go if it was on the all you can eat Wednesday, lol. Can't win. 

Guess we just have to be quirky and be who we are and do what we like. 

[DawnM]

13 minutes ago, PeterPan said:

I'm having such a good laugh looking at those tiktoks. One of the people I'll have with me is neurotypical, so I feel kinda bad that I don't give a rip about normal tourist stuff, haha. Even my ds was pretty cynical. He liked the Cheese Bar idea but said he'd only go if it was on the all you can eat Wednesday, lol. Can't win. 

Guess we just have to be quirky and be who we are and do what we like. 

I like the double decker bus afternoon tea idea.

I also like whatever place that is with the conveyer belt.   I know we have some of them here but I have never been to a restaurant like that.

 

[Laura Corin]

5 hours ago, PeterPan said:

Somebody told me they have the Sutton Hoo and viking stuff. I'm also realizing the Raphael Cartoons are not cartoons. Oh my, they're on PAPER. 

I don't know if I can fit it in this trip but will think about it for another.

For @Longtime Lurker you might look at https://thames-explorer.org.uk/guided-tours/  Official mudlarking tours. Beachcombing the river at low tide basically. Wishing we had time for this as it would be very cool.

The Sutton Hoo treasure is at the British Museum. 

[easypeasy]

11 hours ago, PeterPan said:

Ok, this is way weird. Cher, Raphael Cartoons... I have no clue what I'm seeing. What in the world?? Y'all liked it because it was crazy? I mean, my son my laugh. I don't know. Definitely not little bits of junk with signs. I thought it was going to be more doll houses or something.

lol  There is plenty of traditional museum-y stuff there at the V&A, but yes, there's fashion, odd art, odd collections. Lots of Napoleonic stuff when we were there, iirc. Every room was wildly different, which I think appealed to my crew.

The sculptures collections there, though!!!! It was the only full-sized David we've ever seen and I'm still not over it. There were so many sculptures packed into two or three rooms of that museum - just amazing. (oh, tons of these are casts, not originals - but that means you can get up and close with the statues... it's a neat way of displaying it all. Now that I've seen this David, I don't feel a huge urge to need to see the "real" one - this was real enough for me, lol!) But, by them being casts, it's an enormous collection.

But, as being homeschooled their whole lives, I've dragged them to so many of the "Sameish" museums. This one stood out for being decidedly different.

Edited April 18, 2023 by easypeasy

[PeterPan]

8 hours ago, Laura Corin said:

The Sutton Hoo treasure is at the British Museum. 

Thanks! It was my stepfather who told me and his memory is declining. 🙂 I'll look into it. We have another trip planned that includes time in London, but I keeping it to short jaunts to keep him from being overwhelmed. He really didn't like NYC, even though we had fun, and London is similar logistics though with a lot more depth.

[PeterPan]

7 hours ago, easypeasy said:

Now that I've seen this David, I don't feel a huge urge to need to see the "real" one - this was real enough for me, lol!)

That's hilarious! We have a trip to Italy planned but we're not going to up to Florence. Yeah, some of the art it, um, educational. In Naples at the archaeological museum they have these frescos that they pulled out of Pompeii that are so provocative they're put in a "secret room" that you have to ask to get into. Something about goats, which I'm just not sure I really need to see. 🤣

Well I'll just think about it and see what gels in my mind. I think the other person going with us this trip would enjoy the V/A immensely and an idea just came to me on how to do that. (They can go there while I take ds to the Churchill War Rooms.) 

Edited April 18, 2023 by PeterPan

[Longtime Lurker]

Thanks so much for all of the great suggestions! We have made flight reservations, hotel reservations, and booked tickets to Les Mis and Six. We have also booked tickets to a Tunnel Tour at the Postal Museum. We also plan to book ahead for the Tower of London. And we have a long list of places we want to walk around and see, many from the suggestions here 🙂 

We are planning to take a day trip to Oxford and would like to take the train there and back. We are finding conflicting information online about pricing and whether/how to reserve these tickets ahead of time. Does anyone have more information on this? We would be going to Oxford on a Sunday, leaving London mid-morning and returning in the evening just before dark.

[Laura Corin]

3 hours ago, Longtime Lurker said:

Thanks so much for all of the great suggestions! We have made flight reservations, hotel reservations, and booked tickets to Les Mis and Six. We have also booked tickets to a Tunnel Tour at the Postal Museum. We also plan to book ahead for the Tower of London. And we have a long list of places we want to walk around and see, many from the suggestions here 🙂 

We are planning to take a day trip to Oxford and would like to take the train there and back. We are finding conflicting information online about pricing and whether/how to reserve these tickets ahead of time. Does anyone have more information on this? We would be going to Oxford on a Sunday, leaving London mid-morning and returning in the evening just before dark.

Two tips. Check whether a family railcard is available to you and whether it's worthwhile

https://www.familyandfriends-railcard.co.uk/?gad=1&gclid=CjwKCAjw0ZiiBhBKEiwA4PT9z7Q7c88MDxg6bisW8RfcXMXjR5QcIO5TPT3-hrreSPUiG6Y9i9OXfhoCFDwQAvD_BwE&gclsrc=aw.ds

And use Trainline to check and book fares. It charges a very small fee for booking but the site is more user friendly.

A cheap off-peak day return does not need very advance booking.  For a short journey like that, I wouldn't normally bother to book a particular train or seat, but you can if you like. For cheap travel, the journey must begin after 9.30am

 

Edited April 24, 2023 by Laura Corin

[Longtime Lurker]

1 hour ago, Laura Corin said:

Two tips. Check whether a family railcard is available to you and whether it's worthwhile

https://www.familyandfriends-railcard.co.uk/?gad=1&gclid=CjwKCAjw0ZiiBhBKEiwA4PT9z7Q7c88MDxg6bisW8RfcXMXjR5QcIO5TPT3-hrreSPUiG6Y9i9OXfhoCFDwQAvD_BwE&gclsrc=aw.ds

And use Trainline to check and book fares. It charges a very small fee for booking but the site is more user friendly.

A cheap off-peak day return does not need very advance booking.  For a short journey like that, I wouldn't normally bother to book a particular train or seat, but you can if you like. For cheap travel, the journey must begin after 9.30am

 

Thanks! I would prefer not to book ahead as we would like some flexibility. Is it possible for tickets to sell out? Or will they be a lot more expensive on the day of? I was kind of hoping we could just show up at Paddington Station and buy tickets, but maybe it doesn't work that way.

[PeterPan]

5 hours ago, Longtime Lurker said:

will they be a lot more expensive on the day of?

You can play around with the Trainline app/site and see how the prices change for the same tix bought day of vs. advance. Just be careful about their SplitSaver tix. Some will say they are flex but it can happen that one portion is flex and the other is not. And the dishonest sheisters wouldn't give a rip about it and will tell you to pound sand. But they do have flex fares, yes, and an easy to use app. 

[Laura Corin]

3 hours ago, PeterPan said:

You can play around with the Trainline app/site and see how the prices change for the same tix bought day of vs. advance. Just be careful about their SplitSaver tix. Some will say they are flex but it can happen that one portion is flex and the other is not. And the dishonest sheisters wouldn't give a rip about it and will tell you to pound sand. But they do have flex fares, yes, and an easy to use app. 

I would just buy off-peak day returns to reduce the complications and steer clear of split tickets. 

Here's visiting info for the colleges. I've asked my daughter, who lives in Oxford,  whether there's likely to be a problem getting train seats if you don't book ahead 

https://www.ox.ac.uk/visitors/visiting-oxford/visiting-the-colleges

[Laura Corin]

I heard back from my daughter about trains -- below. Sunday trains are less frequent and reliable,  by the way, and Saturday trains are busy. Tickets bought on the day don't come with assigned seats, so standing until a seat comes free is a possibility. 

She also said that June is exam season, so most colleges will be closed to visitors.  Call in advance any college you want to visit to check if they allow tourists in.

Students taking exams wear carnations  - best not to ask to take their photo as they will be really stressed.

Edited April 25, 2023 by Laura Corin

[Laura Corin]

Oxford suggestions from my daughter:

'things I would do with a day in oxford in June: try and look around at least one college if possible (maybe New? they're very fancy but a little off the beaten path), wander round the Ashmolean for a bit, go for a walk by the river and look at the houseboats, have lunch in the covered market or Gloucester Green market (if they end up getting a bus the station is at Gloucester Green so that's convenient)'

[marbel]

I saw a link to a mudlarking tour - so I thought I'd mention a book I'm reading on the topic:  Mudlark by Lara Maiklem. I had bought it for my son (history lover) and he enjoyed it so passed it off to  me. I'm enjoying it too!

Edited April 25, 2023 by marbel

[Hedgehog]

Another UK resident here... London is great for a short period of time! You've got some good suggestions. When we stay in London (we live in Yorkshire) we usually find a cheap AirBnB either west or north - favourite places of mine are Hammersmith, Notting Hill, Highbury, Hampstead. All have very good transport links into the centre - overground train, underground, or bus. My family come from south London, Sutton/Hackbridge area, which is okay but it probably takes longer to get into the tourist/shopping area of London.

One place I haven't seen mentioned on here - although I may have missed it - is Covent Garden. Home to the Opera House for operas and ballets, the market, and numerous little backstreets with charming architecture. It's well worth having a wander around on foot. And speaking of markets, you could venture up to Camden Lock and/or Portobello - two eclectic street markets selling everything under the sun. I lived round the corner from Portobello as a student, and spent a lot of time there browsing. The Borough Market in south-east London is a great example of Victorian architecture; it's mainly a food market.

If you're into outdoor swimming, check out the various Lidos - Parliament Hill, for example - or wild swim on Hampstead Heath at the Ladies Pond or the Mixed Pond. The ponds are checked for water quality regularly and have outdoor showers. All have a small charge and may require booking in advance. For a hot sultry day in June, it can't be beat.

Have a great time!

[Longtime Lurker]

3 hours ago, Hedgehog said:

Another UK resident here... London is great for a short period of time! You've got some good suggestions. When we stay in London (we live in Yorkshire) we usually find a cheap AirBnB either west or north - favourite places of mine are Hammersmith, Notting Hill, Highbury, Hampstead. All have very good transport links into the centre - overground train, underground, or bus. My family come from south London, Sutton/Hackbridge area, which is okay but it probably takes longer to get into the tourist/shopping area of London.

One place I haven't seen mentioned on here - although I may have missed it - is Covent Garden. Home to the Opera House for operas and ballets, the market, and numerous little backstreets with charming architecture. It's well worth having a wander around on foot. And speaking of markets, you could venture up to Camden Lock and/or Portobello - two eclectic street markets selling everything under the sun. I lived round the corner from Portobello as a student, and spent a lot of time there browsing. The Borough Market in south-east London is a great example of Victorian architecture; it's mainly a food market.

If you're into outdoor swimming, check out the various Lidos - Parliament Hill, for example - or wild swim on Hampstead Heath at the Ladies Pond or the Mixed Pond. The ponds are checked for water quality regularly and have outdoor showers. All have a small charge and may require booking in advance. For a hot sultry day in June, it can't be beat.

Have a great time!

Definitely going to Covent Garden and DD suggested Portobello Market. We are hoping to go there on Saturday if we are not too tired from flying overnight. Thanks for the recommendations!

[Longtime Lurker]

18 hours ago, Laura Corin said:

I would just buy off-peak day returns to reduce the complications and steer clear of split tickets. 

Here's visiting info for the colleges. I've asked my daughter, who lives in Oxford,  whether there's likely to be a problem getting train seats if you don't book ahead 

https://www.ox.ac.uk/visitors/visiting-oxford/visiting-the-colleges

 

18 hours ago, Laura Corin said:

I heard back from my daughter about trains -- below. Sunday trains are less frequent and reliable,  by the way, and Saturday trains are busy. Tickets bought on the day don't come with assigned seats, so standing until a seat comes free is a possibility. 

She also said that June is exam season, so most colleges will be closed to visitors.  Call in advance any college you want to visit to check if they allow tourists in.

Students taking exams wear carnations  - best not to ask to take their photo as they will be really stressed.

 

15 hours ago, Laura Corin said:

Oxford suggestions from my daughter:

'things I would do with a day in oxford in June: try and look around at least one college if possible (maybe New? they're very fancy but a little off the beaten path), wander round the Ashmolean for a bit, go for a walk by the river and look at the houseboats, have lunch in the covered market or Gloucester Green market (if they end up getting a bus the station is at Gloucester Green so that's convenient)'

Thanks for all of the Oxford info! DD, who is like my personal travel agent, was able to navigate Trainline and figure out tickets. Thanks for suggesting that! She has also found info on open hours for that date for Magdalen and Christchurch Colleges, the ones I really want to see. And we plan to attend evensong as well.

I spent three days in Oxford in May 1992 as part of a college study trip and loved it. We did not spend much time in London so that will be fairly new for me. The trip was 10 weeks in England and Ireland, studying English and Irish authors in the places they lived and wrote. The professor who led the trip was on his 25th year of it so he had made lots of local connections. There were only 12 of us and we stayed in all kinds of small bed and breakfasts as well as cottages where we did all of our own cooking. I have especially clear memories of the cottages on the west coast of Ireland and a bed and breakfast in the Aran Islands. And I remember Oxford much better than London.

[Idalou]

14 hours ago, marbel said:

I saw a link to a mudlarking tour - so I thought I'd mention a book I'm reading on the topic:  Mudlark by Lara Maiklem. I had bought it for my son (history lover) and he enjoyed it so passed it off to  me. I'm enjoying it too!

I watch her videos on FB and youtube. They're so interesting

[TCB]

On 4/24/2023 at 5:22 PM, Longtime Lurker said:

Thanks! I would prefer not to book ahead as we would like some flexibility. Is it possible for tickets to sell out? Or will they be a lot more expensive on the day of? I was kind of hoping we could just show up at Paddington Station and buy tickets, but maybe it doesn't work that way.

There is a bus/coach service between London and Oxford called the Oxford Tube which is quite cheap and I think they often run hourly at least. You can get on right outside Victoria station although I think there are a couple of other stops in London where you can get on. I always found it really convenient. Several other bus companies do the same trip and pick up outside Victoria station as well and you can get off right in the thick of things in Oxford. I love London, lived there for many years, and I love Oxford too. We love looking around Magdalen College, the Bodleian Library and there is a lovely walk past several of the colleges - called Christ Church Meadow I think.

[Laura Corin]

1 hour ago, TCB said:

There is a bus/coach service between London and Oxford called the Oxford Tube which is quite cheap and I think they often run hourly at least. You can get on right outside Victoria station although I think there are a couple of other stops in London where you can get on. I always found it really convenient. Several other bus companies do the same trip and pick up outside Victoria station as well and you can get off right in the thick of things in Oxford. I love London, lived there for many years, and I love Oxford too. We love looking around Magdalen College, the Bodleian Library and there is a lovely walk past several of the colleges - called Christ Church Meadow I think.

My daughter often takes the bus too.