Is This Possible to do in 3 Days in London?

[ducklite]

11 hours ago, DRedmond said:

Thanks everyone for your advice, tips and even admonitions!  I get it... way too much and I need to pair it down. I did have misgivings and that's why I posted.  Hopefully this is more doable:

Day 1: HOHO Bus getting off at Buckingham Palace to walk around and getting off again at Traflager Square to check it out and hopefully find a nearby pub.  London Eye in the evening if I am not dead!

Day 2: Westminster Area Walking Tour: Visit in Westiminster Abbey, Possible visit in Churchill War Rooms and/or National Gallery  and continue walk to Covent Gardens  (Tube back to Park Plaza WB)

Day 3: Tube at 8:30 to be at Tower of London by 9am. Crown Jewels and Beefeaters Tour. St. Paul's Cathedral.  Possible Shakespeare's Globe Theatre and/or View from The Shard and/or Burough Market  Boat ride down the Thames to get back to Park Plaza WB

I did cut out most of the Museums since I have the London Pass this trip... so I guess I will have to go back to London in the near future to hit the Museums and other things I missed!

Does this itinerary seem more doable or do I have to cut back more?

Thanks again for all of your collective sage advice!  It is appreciated.

Day 1: The Old Shades is probably your best bet for a traditional (and actual Grade II listed as a pub--few are)  
 

Day 2:  The Churchill war Rooms are a full 3-4 hours, and could be much longer.  The get very busy in the middle of the day, best to get there at opening with your pre-purchased tickets in hand.  The National Gallery took us a couple of hours.  I had to be selective as my husband isn't a big "art" guy and I know I have just so much time before it's "time to go."  

Day 3:  You can't tour the Tower, St. Pauls, and the Globe in a single day.  The Tower is a few hours, maybe a bit longer.  If you take the actual tour of St. Paul's (highly recommended and IMHO better than Westminster) it's about 90 minutes, and the Globe Theater and tour is a full 2-3 hours.  You have to travel between them all as well.  I wouldn't bother with the Globe if you don't take the tour.

[John Bull]

59 minutes ago, ducklite said:

 

Day 3:  You can't tour the Tower, St. Pauls, and the Globe in a single day.  The Tower is a few hours, maybe a bit longer.  If you take the actual tour of St. Paul's (highly recommended and IMHO better than Westminster) it's about 90 minutes, and the Globe Theater and tour is a full 2-3 hours.  You have to travel between them all as well.  I wouldn't bother with the Globe if you don't take the tour.

 

Hi Ducklite,

 

This kinda demonstrates just how difficult it us for us all to recommend what other folk do.

Yes, the Tower will take the morning - I don't think anyone would disagree with that.

St Paul's - I used to drive cruise-sponsored day-trips (Southampton to London to Southampton and sailing around 5pm ), and folk had 20 minutes at St Paul's. It was "adequate". 

The Globe is an attractive replica of the original Elizabethan / Jacobean structure. Worth seeing, but I've never (yet) been tempted to take a tour. (Nice walk over the Millennium Bridge, and riverside bars & eateries too)

 

Some of us tend toward whistle-stop, something Americans were derided for decades ago  - seven countries in four days, if today's tuesday it must be Austria, etc. I think I must have some American blood in me 

Others like yourself prefer to get more fully-immersed.

 

Yes, even the OP's Plan B leans more toward whistle-stop, and on that basis I rate it very manageable. 

But they have the flexibility to make it up as they go along, and can choose to spend longer at places that appeal & consign other places on their list to just the drive-by on a ho-ho.

 

JB 

 

 

[kctwinmommy]

On 6/21/2019 at 9:41 PM, DRedmond said:

I did read your review.  It was quite helpful, thank you! Yes, Day 1 is essentially a travel half day so I tried to cut it back to make it more manageable.  Thanks also for the comparison of traffic between London and Chicago, that definitely help put it in perspective for me.  Of course none of this is set in stone, I am just trying to get a grasp on timing, groupings etc.   

 

Got it! It sounds like you're getting some plans in order to at least give yourself some idea of what and where you want to go. And John Bull gives such great advice to really help!

 

As I said, we weren't a fan of the HOHO bus as it took way longer than it would have been if we walked it. But, it did start to drizzle a bit and we had been on our feet a lot, so the rest was nice.

 

Oh, and we didn't do a tour at St. Paul's, but our London Pass got us the audio headset (same as Westminster) which was good for us. And definitely do the tour at St. Paul's ALL THE WAY to the dome! It's so cool!!

 

 

[kctwinmommy]

On 6/21/2019 at 9:41 PM, DRedmond said:

I did read your review.  It was quite helpful, thank you! Yes, Day 1 is essentially a travel half day so I tried to cut it back to make it more manageable.  Thanks also for the comparison of traffic between London and Chicago, that definitely help put it in perspective for me.  Of course none of this is set in stone, I am just trying to get a grasp on timing, groupings etc.   

 

Oops, double post! But I'll add another photo! 😃

 

 

 

Edited June 23, 2019 by kctwinmommy

[Cotswold Eagle]

15 hours ago, ducklite said:

 

Day 2:  The Churchill war Rooms are a full 3-4 hours, and could be much longer.  

 

The War Rooms website suggests a minimum of 90 minutes, so it is certainly possible to do them in less than 3 hours.

 

How long you would spend there is useful data for the OP, but you are tending to present your preferences as absolutes. 

[John Bull]

6 hours ago, kctwinmommy said:

 

And definitely do the tour at St. Paul's ALL THE WAY to the dome! It's so cool!!

 

 

 

 

 

............... which includes "the whispering gallery" - a neat (but accidental) acoustic quirk up in the dome.

https://londonist.com/2016/05/how-does-the-whispering-gallery-at-st-paul-s-actually-work

 

Have seen / heard it on TV programmes, not sure if it works when St Paul's is full of visitors.

 

JB 

[Bob++]

Flexibility is the key. I would pick two (or three if one is evening) 'must sees per day, and work an itinerary around that. T of L is best in the early morning and the Eye in the evening; Westminster Abbey is hard to gauge as we have been on a Saturday afternoon, which should have been a peak time (we were going to give it a miss if the queues were long) and found it quiet; a lot depends on JB's previous employers who turn up in fleets loaded with determined sightseers festooned with cameras.

 

Years ago, my DW and I used to enjoy long walks in the countryside, but even then we found London's (and other cities) pavements hard going. There are also many excuses to stop for a rest - ice cream in the park; tea (or something stronger)  by the river or a roof-top lunch with a view over the horizon.

 

These days DW has to use her wheels so we are much more restricted, even though London is pretty wheelchair-friendly. We will be there for three nights next month and are booked to see two shows in the evenings. Day one (afternoon) will just be exploring (shopping?) locally, but we plan to use the tube to go to Kew Gardens the next day. If the batteries last out and we are feeling up to it; maybe the Eye in the evening. To coin a phrase - we all have to cut our coats according to our cloth; although in our case it's our abilities rather than cost that is the limiting factor.

Edited June 23, 2019 by Bob++

[ducklite]

7 hours ago, Cotswold Eagle said:

 

The War Rooms website suggests a minimum of 90 minutes, so it is certainly possible to do them in less than 3 hours.

 

How long you would spend there is useful data for the OP, but you are tending to present your preferences as absolutes. 

Have you been there?  I"m not sure how one could see the War Rooms in 90 minutes unless they skip half of it.

[DRedmond]

On ‎6‎/‎22‎/‎2019 at 7:10 AM, John Bull said:

. 

 

Day One. You're already aware that Cindy's Day One started at her central London hotel, whereas yours starts somewhere in the skies above - so this is a pretty sensible schedule. 

From leaving the ho-ho at Trafalgar Square, if up to it you can walk down Whitehall ( former Scotland Yard, Horse Guards, Banqueting Hall, Cenotaph, Downing Street etc) to Parliament Square (Westminster Abbey, statuary, Houses of Parliament & Big Ben) and across Westminster Bridge to your hotel. About a mile, 20 minutes walking though you'll take longer as you stop at the sights, which come thick & fast. Depending on time & energy, mebbe an inside visit somewhere en route.

Not sure that this is the right day to end it off with the London Eye, see how it goes.

 

Day Two looks very do-able, especially if you managed to go inside the War Rooms or Nat Gallery on Day One.

Covent Garden is a little out-on-a-limb, but you've put it at the end & not a big deal if you don't make it.

 

Day Three starts well. From the Tower, consider a 15 min walk to the Monument (Great Fire of London) then about the same (or direct tube ride) to St Paul's. From St Paul's walk down Peter's Hill (a pedestrian lane) & cross the Thames over the pedestrian Millennium Bridge to Tate Modern gallery (IMHO truly ugly) and Shakespeare's Globe theatre (much more attractive)

But St Paul's or the Globe or Borough Market or the Shard don't fit in with the Tower-to-London Eye river cruise - mebbe try to fit this in somewhere near the end of Day One or Two, even if it means staying on the boat & doing the round-trip.

 

A shame not to be able to fit in any museums, but see how it goes. 

This Plan B needs a little fine-tuning, either before and/or more likely according to how things go, but it's an altogether much better plan than your first attempt.

 

Day Four.

How are you getting to Southampton?

Since your hotel is close to Waterloo station, a direct train seems to be the obvious choice.

Cheap advance fares for your date are now showing -

But no cheap advance fares for the 09.50 train that you're considering. 

Full walk-up fare (eg for the 09.50) is £44

But advance tickets are available at £12.10 for the 09.35, or £9.00 for the 09.39, or a selection of other trains at various low advance-ticket prices.

These are all direct trains to Southampton central, journey times vary by about 10 - 15 minutes cos some have more intermediate stops than others.

Cheap advance tickets are only good for the train time that you book - miss that train & you'll have to pay £44 for walk-up tickets for the next one but the savings are well-worth that tiny risk.

http://ojp.nationalrail.co.uk/service/timesandfares/

Your start point is London Waterloo, your destination is Southampton central.

 

JB 

Thank you so much for your willingness to share your vast knowledge.  It is extremely helpful and much appreciated!  We are planning to take the train from Waterloo (part of the reason why we selected this particular hotel) and I have all ready secured tickets for 9:39 which we have to pick up at the ticket window?  And I guess I am a whistle stopper.. I could never spend 45 minutes looking at Princess Di's dresses!  However I do admire those who can!  Thanks again!! 

[DRedmond]

On ‎6‎/‎22‎/‎2019 at 7:10 AM, John Bull said:

. 

 

Day One. You're already aware that Cindy's Day One started at her central London hotel, whereas yours starts somewhere in the skies above - so this is a pretty sensible schedule. 

From leaving the ho-ho at Trafalgar Square, if up to it you can walk down Whitehall ( former Scotland Yard, Horse Guards, Banqueting Hall, Cenotaph, Downing Street etc) to Parliament Square (Westminster Abbey, statuary, Houses of Parliament & Big Ben) and across Westminster Bridge to your hotel. About a mile, 20 minutes walking though you'll take longer as you stop at the sights, which come thick & fast. Depending on time & energy, mebbe an inside visit somewhere en route.

Not sure that this is the right day to end it off with the London Eye, see how it goes.

 

Day Two looks very do-able, especially if you managed to go inside the War Rooms or Nat Gallery on Day One.

Covent Garden is a little out-on-a-limb, but you've put it at the end & not a big deal if you don't make it.

 

Day Three starts well. From the Tower, consider a 15 min walk to the Monument (Great Fire of London) then about the same (or direct tube ride) to St Paul's. From St Paul's walk down Peter's Hill (a pedestrian lane) & cross the Thames over the pedestrian Millennium Bridge to Tate Modern gallery (IMHO truly ugly) and Shakespeare's Globe theatre (much more attractive)

But St Paul's or the Globe or Borough Market or the Shard don't fit in with the Tower-to-London Eye river cruise - mebbe try to fit this in somewhere near the end of Day One or Two, even if it means staying on the boat & doing the round-trip.

 

A shame not to be able to fit in any museums, but see how it goes. 

This Plan B needs a little fine-tuning, either before and/or more likely according to how things go, but it's an altogether much better plan than your first attempt.

 

Day Four.

How are you getting to Southampton?

Since your hotel is close to Waterloo station, a direct train seems to be the obvious choice.

Cheap advance fares for your date are now showing -

But no cheap advance fares for the 09.50 train that you're considering. 

Full walk-up fare (eg for the 09.50) is £44

But advance tickets are available at £12.10 for the 09.35, or £9.00 for the 09.39, or a selection of other trains at various low advance-ticket prices.

These are all direct trains to Southampton central, journey times vary by about 10 - 15 minutes cos some have more intermediate stops than others.

Cheap advance tickets are only good for the train time that you book - miss that train & you'll have to pay £44 for walk-up tickets for the next one but the savings are well-worth that tiny risk.

http://ojp.nationalrail.co.uk/service/timesandfares/

Your start point is London Waterloo, your destination is Southampton central.

 

JB 

Thank you so much for your willingness to share your vast knowledge.  It is extremely helpful and much appreciated!  We are planning to take the train from Waterloo (part of the reason why we selected this particular hotel) and I have all ready secured tickets for 9:39 which we have to pick up at the ticket window?  And I guess I am a whistle stopper.. I could never spend 45 minutes looking at Princess Di's dresses!  However I do admire those who can!  Thanks again!! 

[kctwinmommy]

17 hours ago, John Bull said:

 

 

............... which includes "the whispering gallery" - a neat (but accidental) acoustic quirk up in the dome.

https://londonist.com/2016/05/how-does-the-whispering-gallery-at-st-paul-s-actually-work

 

Have seen / heard it on TV programmes, not sure if it works when St Paul's is full of visitors.

 

JB 

 

It was pretty busy when we went, not awful, but we still could hear the whispers. It was pretty cool!

[Cotswold Eagle]

16 hours ago, ducklite said:

Have you been there?  I"m not sure how one could see the War Rooms in 90 minutes unless they skip half of it.

Good grief, this is getting tiresome. Yes, I have been. I took several hours because I am very interested in the subject and I had the time. That doesn’t alter the fact that some people blow through in an hour and their own website says you can do it in 90 minutes. 

 

As JB says, difficult for us to know what any particular poster will find interesting or absorbing. So, unless there is a fixed time (such as a guided tour), most of us here try to give an idea of possibilities, rather than be prescriptive to others about what they should be doing and for how long. 

[RM]

Thanks for this thread. Made me really think what might and might not be realistic.

[kctwinmommy]

14 hours ago, Cotswold Eagle said:

Good grief, this is getting tiresome. Yes, I have been. I took several hours because I am very interested in the subject and I had the time. That doesn’t alter the fact that some people blow through in an hour and their own website says you can do it in 90 minutes. 

 

As JB says, difficult for us to know what any particular poster will find interesting or absorbing. So, unless there is a fixed time (such as a guided tour), most of us here try to give an idea of possibilities, rather than be prescriptive to others about what they should be doing and for how long. 

 

I agree. While I find many things interesting, I can still get tired of reading all the same stuff. And I know I got burnt out, or maybe even overloaded, in the war rooms. Yes, there were some really interesting and neat things, but I also thought some things were done backwards. I have to take breaks sometimes just because of reading so much.

 

We just went to the WWII museum in New Orleans last month and we were there from the minute it opened until the minute it closed. But I had to take breaks and sit for awhile. Not because of any physical reason, but more mental. We spent the entire day there though because of our son (big WWII buff).

[Cotswold Eagle]

1 hour ago, kctwinmommy said:

And I know I got burnt out, or maybe even overloaded, in the war rooms. Yes, there were some really interesting and neat things, but I also thought some things were done backwards.

 

I personally think the Churchill Museum part is not particularly intuitively laid out. 

[Turtles06]

35 minutes ago, Cotswold Eagle said:

 

I personally think the Churchill Museum part is not particularly intuitively laid out. 

 

I agree.  It was very interesting, but it was sort of all over the place.   

 

And it almost requires a separate visit.    

 

(I will say that I totally loved the war rooms themselves.)

[LuckyStar]

On 6/20/2019 at 10:16 PM, DRedmond said:

We have three days in London (July 30 - August 2).  Arriving at Heathrow at 9am Tuesday and leaving for Southampton 9:50 am on Friday. Staying at the Park Plaza Westminster Bridge.  I have an itinerary I put together researching various sites.  We have a London Pass as well as Oyster Card  I am starting to wonder if we can hit all of these sites or if it is overly ambitious.  Highlighted items are places we would definitely like to tour/enter.  Do we get to skip the lines with the London Pass?  Is this itinerary at all possible?

Day 1

Walking Tour begins on Westminster Bridge

Views of House of Parliament, Thames River and Big Ben

Statue of Boadicea

Parliament Square and House of Parliament

Statues of famous people (ie Churchill)

Jewel Tower (LP)House of Parliament

Westminster Abbey and Tour (LP)

Backtrack to Great George Street/Birdcage Walk and go right on Horse Guards Road to the Churchill War Rooms (at approx Horse Guard Rd and King Charles Street)

Churchill War Rooms (LP)

Exit Churchill War Rooms and continue up Horse Guards Road to Downing Street.  Go right on Downing Street and walk by 10 Downing Street (Prime Minister Residence)

Continue down Downing Street to Whitelhall Road Left on Whitehall Road

Whitehall Road

Banqueting Hall (LP)

Household Calvary Museum (LP)

Continue down Whitehall past Site of Old Scottland Yards (nearby is Sherlock Holmes Pub)

Trafalgar Square (go to it)

National Gallery (free)

National Portrait Gallery (free)

St. Martin in the Fields

Consider continue on to Picadilly Circus or to Covent Garden

Tube back to Park Place Westminster Bridge

London Eye early evening

 

Day 2

Hop on Hop Off Bus ??

St James Park

Guards Museum (LP)

St. James Palace (walk by)

Buckingham Palace

Changing of the Guards (11:00)

Tour of State Rooms.. Don't know if there's time

Royal Mews (LP) Don't Know if there's time

Queens Gallery (LP) Don't know if there's time

Kensington Gardens (free walk)

Kensington Palace (LP)

Hyde Park (walk through)

Royal Albert Hall (LP)

Back on HOHO?

Can get off at Kings Cross

Back on HOHO?

Covent Garden Plazza (if didn’t do Day 1)

British Museum (Free)

British Library (Free)

St. Pauls Cathedral (LP)

 

Day 3

Thames Hop on Hop Off Boat

Hop Off at Tower Bridge

Tower of London (LP)

Crown Jewel, White Tower,Tower Green,Beefeaters Tour (Yeoman Warders)

       (Not sure if we can do all... which to pick?)

Sky Garden or skip and tube to St. Pauls if missed earlier)

Shakespeares Globe Theatre (across Millennium Bridge)

Borough Market (walk through)

London Bridge

London Bridge Experience (LP)

Tower Bridge

Tower Bridge Exhibition (LP)

The Shard

View from the Shard (LP) if not done yet)

 

Is doing all of this in three days possible?  If not which are skipable and which are musts?  Of course I'd like to throw in a couple of pubs here or there too.  Any recommendations of pubs in these areas or near the Park Plaza at Westminster Bridge? 

 

 

 

Yes.  We rode the Big Red Bus and were able to see all these things.  Took two days and spent one long day tour to StoneHenge...

[kctwinmommy]

1 hour ago, Cotswold Eagle said:

 

I personally think the Churchill Museum part is not particularly intuitively laid out. 

 

YES!! I said that in my initial review I believe. The war room parts were much more interesting to me. The Churchill museum part was definitely backwards and hard to follow. When I walked into that part I was actually confused at first, because it started at the end of events and such. I would fully admit that I spent more time in the war rooms section over the Churchill part for sure.

[caripoo]

WOW........Ambitious, especially in the summer. You could spend a whole day just at the Tower of London. Just your first day, is tiring......Do what you can each day, and really enjoy it.....Checking things off a list, and really immersing oneself are different things.    ENJOY!!