The hop on hop off bus is an easy way to get around to the major sites and they likely still have the two day ticket option.
Shakespeare’s Globe Theater (right near the London Eye) is lovely, although I’m not sure if it’s heated at all. They do offer tours, so you could see the building even if you don’t take in a performance https://www.shakespearesglobe.com/
Just to be clear, Oyster cards are all TAP on the yellow pad on top of the turnstile. The turnstiles also have a slot to swipe or insert tickets, but that is for the (credit card size) paper rail tickets for people traveling from outside London, which can include the tube (that’s called a daily travelcard), depending on the ticket you buy.
My main point was that (except for bus) make sure to “check out” (tap, swipe, insert, whatever). At most stations there is a turnstile that forces you to do so befoe leaving. But I’ve read that at less busy stations without exit turnstiles you need to look for a yellow kiosk to ensure that the departure is recorded.
I understand if you don’t like this…but it’s not an open ferris wheel. You are inside a little enclosed clear glass thing. But it does move around like a Ferris wheel and for some folks…that is not OK!
There is plenty else to do.
Make sure you got to a pub and have fish and chips!
Thank you! It will be open most the time we’re there. I was actually watching a travel show and they showed the London Eye and the carriages. Looks like there is a seat in the middle. I might be ok if I can sit down. It does look intriguing!
Yes its not scary at all. It also moves much slower than most ferris wheels at theme parks and fairgrounds because IIRC you board while it continues to move and you just do one revolution then get off.
I’m doing it! I’ve also decided I’m not doing a Buckingham Palace tour. $130 for one person in the winter. That would be about $400 for the 3 of us. I would line to do Hampton Palace. I’ve heard it’s more interesting. I need to check the price.
We’ll be most likely doing alot of pubs, but a couple nights I’d like to go to some swanky Bars. Definitely the American Bar at the Savoy. Any other suggestions most welcome.
I loved Hampton Court - make sure it’s open on the day you go, their hours change seasonally so what you see now could change Jan 1. I went all the way there and the gates were locked! I went back another day because it was high on my list of places to visit.
I mentioned the Historic Royal Palaces membership pass up thread - if you are doing KP, Hampton Court, and Windsor I think it’s worth a look. (Not sure if Windsor was in your plans, or if it includes BP)
So Buckingham palace was one of the first things we booked…. because the first part of out stay it was the last week of “summer” (late Sept) tours with the royals gone, figured it would fill up. We dealt with the crowds, enjoyed the tour. But honestly at $130 we probably would have skipped it. We watched a youtube video about Hampton Court, does look interstesting. Would also like to see Windsor Castle (a train ride from London) someday.
This thread had me checking for ticket prices to London in January!
National Gallery is free- and extremely convenient-- if you are trying to balance out the pricey tours with less expensive options. You could easily spend an entire day there.
Staying near the British Museum is a fabulous location.
If the weather is bad some indoor suggestions-
Museum of the City of London
Transport Museum
Kenwood House(north of city limits near Hampstead Heath). If you’re there at closing, you can stop by Spaniards Inn, which is supposed to be the oldest existing pub in London (they claim 1585) which is extremely charming even if it only dates to 1600 which some architectural historians believe.
Tate Modern
And my all time favorite place in London (and I have hundreds of favorite places in London)-- The Wallace Collection. Easy walk from your hotel.
Seeing the Royal Shakespeare Company in London was on my bucket list for many years (for some reason- and even after seeing dozens of theatrical performances in London, the timing never worked out.) A few years ago it happened-- and it was amazing. The actors did NOT USE AMPLIFYING EQUIPMENT. You don’t even realize how shocking this is because no live performer these days does anything without the little microphone hidden in their wig or their collar. But this performance was using actual live voices from real living people and you could hear every single word, perfectly enunciated. And the play may have been written hundreds of years ago, but these actors made it come alive as it was actually happening in the here and now.
But if that doesn’t work out you will love anything you see, especially if it’s something which is coming to the US in two years and you can say airily “Oh, I saw it in London and it was magical”.
There is a very good supermarket near your hotel which has a big selection of prepared foods if you are too tired one night to do a big dinner. Or if you just need to panic buy gifts to take home- Cadbury chocolate is NOT the same as its American cousin and is always appreciated, and I always buy a few of those tacky tea tins (shaped like a London double decker bus) to give as gifts. They’ll be much cheaper in the supermarket than in the museum gift shops or at Harrods food hall (but go to Harrods anyway).