<p>One more idea-- go to a soccer game (singing, etc). We didn’t have trouble getting tickets- we wentto a scalper and paid face of value of ticket- of course, if you can get them at the
ticket window, that’s safer.
We were very moved by the Princess Diana “people’s tribute” (flowers, etc) in
Kensington park. Also- we enjoyed the soapbox speakers in Hyde Park.
The wax museum- fun for the kids. Also the Vic and Albert museum great for me.
(clothes thru the ages, decorations) and a scavenger hunt for the kids.
Tower of London, the crown jewels, buckingham castle- we loved.</p>
<p>The OP may not have time for this, but if others are looking for ideas we enjoyed a morning over in Greenwich. You can take a foot tunnel from the docklands area <em>under</em> the Thames to the town of Greenwich. The tunnel is over 300 meters long, slightly sloping and I’m not sure if I would do it alone at night…
Once in Greenwich, if you are a real map nerd, you can take your picture with one foot on each side of 0 degrees of longitude. There’s a restored old sailing ship and some fun shops. </p>
<p>Also agree on trains vs. all driving. Why pay for your rental car and parking while in London? You could take the train to the other towns and rent the car there for a much shorter time. There are flex-rail passes that are valid for like 4 out of 7 days. </p>
<p>Gee, now I want to go back…</p>
<p>
I’ve heard one can have a ‘mean time’ there!</p>
<p>My favorite secret thing to do in London is [The</a> Sir John Soane’s Museum Web Page](<a href=“http://www.soane.org/]The”>http://www.soane.org/). As for the usual - it depends on what you enjoy - any guide book will tell you what you are supposed to see. 
Of them I really like the Portrait Gallery, the Victoria and Albert Museum and the Tower. </p>
<p>Outside of London, things I have loved. Bath (especially for Jane Austen and Georgette Heyer fans), Stonehenge, Oxford - and near Oxford Blenheim (where Churchill was born and a gorgeous English garden), and Hampton Court (do the maze). I wouldn’t go further with the time you have, but of course it’s gorgeous further north too, and I still haven’t explored the fen countryside east of London.</p>
<p>My Dad gave me great advice about driving which is to keep in mind that the driver should always be nearest the middle of the road. If you are driving along the curb you are in the wrong lane! Be careful crossing streets, I actually find that as difficult as driving!</p>
<p>Second the suggestion of theater, one of the best trips I had, I met up with friends who dragged me to six plays in three days! Vanessa Redgrave in Twelfth Night was the highlight, but it was all good.</p>
<p>Be sure to eat fish and chips, pub food and there’s great inexpensive Indian food.</p>
<p>Hey, I just thought of this, too, though it might be a little crazy - you could actually go to Paris via the Chunnel. I don’t know if it’s possible to do in a day (a looong one), but we went to Paris after visiting London our first time. Since this is the OP’s first trip abroad, it might be worth it!</p>
<p>I know the tickets are cheaper in advance - -you might have to reserve for specific trains.</p>
<p>regarding restaurants serving buffet style meals. We ate at two buffet restaurants while were there - the quality was very subpar. My husband and brother-in-law got sick after eating at a Chinese buffet in Chinatown. The standards are certainly lower than here in the states. The pubs were great though!</p>
<p>Here (at about the 4th post) is a list of offbeat things to do in London:</p>
<p>[Repeat</a> trip to London: looking for nontraditional things to do | Europe Forum | Fodor’s Travel Talk Forums](<a href=“http://www.fodors.com/community/europe/repeat-trip-to-london-looking-for-nontraditional-things-to-do.cfm]Repeat”>Repeat trip to London: looking for nontraditional things to do - Fodor's Travel Talk Forums)</p>
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<p>Yes, this is totally possible, though it would be a long day (and you have to account for the timer difference. If you leave London at 7am, you will travel for only 2 hours but arrive at 10am due to France being 1 hour ahead of England). Currently there is a lot of traffic in the other direction due to the £ being worthless against the Euro. You can also visit Brussels (Or EuroDisney) for they day.</p>
<p>
<a href=“http://www.eurostar.com%5B/url%5D”>www.eurostar.com</a>
In advance the tickets are about £50 but you do have to reserve a specific train.</p>