Staying in London
 

Hi all,

My wife wants me to take her to London for the weekend so I'm in need of some ideas about what to do and where to stay. So far I have a ride on the london eye, tower of london and a show. Any ideas that are slightly different from the usual tourist places?

Ideas of where to stay would be good too, I plan on driving up and hope to stay at a hotel or something just outside London and get the tube in each day as I don't want to spend a fortune.

Thanks for any help :)

Re: Staying in London
 

The only thing with taking the tube is too check where you take it from and see if that tube line is open. Some w/ends up to half the tube lines are closed its a real pain trying to get anywhere.

There are some good bars on the along the embankment that look out over the river, they are nice to go to. A lot of the musumes are free here. It does depend on what you like doing really.

Re: Staying in London
 

Andy, have a look at timeout: http://www.timeout.com/london/
The girls usually love places like Covent Garden and Oxford Street (for the shopping... my idea of hell). The embankment is pretty cool, too.
Gordon's Wine Bar is different... quite well known so could be touristy - not your typical wine bar, but a tiny cellar. Hard to describe, worth a look: http://www.gordonswinebar.com/default.
Camden's there. Lots of good pubs n plenty of freaky folk to look at. Hey, maybe you wanna get a Tattoo while you're there? ;-)
http://www.camdenlock.net/camden.html
British Museum, Natural History Museum, National Portrait Gallery... yes they're touristy, but everyone wants to see them for a reason. (And they're free).
Enjoy

Re: Staying in London
 

Me and my pal went down and stayed with her sister at the end of April last year. We did the usual touristy things but the best thing we did was a Rib Raft cruise. Basically on a rib raft, nice an tame showing you the sights whilst in the area with the speed limits then BLASTS you out to the barrier and does a few doughnuts and stuff, good fun.

Re: Staying in London
 

Believe it or not, you might actually be better off staying in a Travelodge or Premier Inn - there are a few of them in the centre of town now (eg Kings Cross, Shaftesbury Avenue, City Road) and much less hassle than long tube journeys (and yes, the weekend engin eering works are a pain, use the bus which will give you the added bonus of a view).

Re: Staying in London
 

Thanks guys. I'll get looking around. MBK: That Rib Raft sounds like our kind of thing :)

Re: Staying in London
 

Yer I second what MBK has said. I done it with these guys flyingfishtours.co.uk an awsome trip. Also well worth checking out the tfl website for all your travel. O and don't forget to pop by and say hello to us down in Frith St in Soho. ;-)

Re: Staying in London
 

stay in the claredon hotel in blakheath villege then get a train staight to london you can see greenwicch and see whats left of cutty sark

Re: Staying in London
 

If the weather's good, take a walk in one of the parks - the pretty flowers will all be coming out soon and you can get points for being romantic ;)

Regent's Park has lots of flowers, or maybe St James's Park, which is right next to Buckingham Palace/horseguards and near to the London Eye as well.

For somewhere a bit out of central London, try Kew Gardens or Hampton Court.

Re: Staying in London
 

Not sure when you are coming down, but something that i will definitly do this year is the Westminster - Hampton court boat trip. Do one way, then jump on the train to come back. It only runs certain times of the year hence the start of the post!

Any boat trip is cool along the river. You could to a Charing cross - Greenwich round trip.