Help with pre-cruise stay in London

[dickinson]

We are planning two and a half days in London.  Our hotel is the Park Plaza County Hall.  Our previous trip in 2017 did not need site reservations.  I'm stumped on how to plan this because the tickets we purchase need times.  We want to go to: 

 

1. Tower of London (want this one first thing in morning but not sure of best way to get there from hotel.  3 of us). 

2. Buckingham Palace tour

3. Westminster Abbey (probably first thing so we can purchase a Verger guided tour)

4. Churchill War Rooms

 

It would be nice to also fit in the British Museum (not sure best way to get there or if it is walking distance)

 

We will be flying in from USA and there will be a 5 hour time difference.  One plane lands at 8:30 am and the other at 10:15 am.  We plan on using the tube to get to the hotel (thanks to a post I read a few months ago).  Doubt we will sleep much on the plane so don't know what we should plan on doing the afternoon we arrive.  Don't know if we should purchase tickets for someplace then or not.  Maybe just wing it?

 

If we did Tower of London in morning, not sure how much time to allow here to see everything.  Is Tower bridge in walking distance (I assume so but have not yet looked at a map).  Should we purchase tickets for something in the afternoon?

 

We could do Westminster Abbey first thing and do Churchill War Rooms later in day as they are near each other but where should we put Buckingham Palace Tour and maybe British Museum.  It is picking tour times that make this so complicated as I don't know how much time to allow at these places and then to travel to another!  My head is spinning.

 

FYI- We are planning on taking the train to Southampton after London.  I suppose we could sightsee in London in the morning but we want to allow time in Southampton (we are going the day before the cruise) to walk around the area.).  We will have to pick a time to go on the train.  Discount tickets should go on sale soon. We will be staying at Premier Inn West Quay.

 

Any suggestions?  Thanks!

[markeb]

Suggestion one: Take a deep breath. You've already overplanned for two days...  

 

You're going to be a bit rushed no matter what, but here are my suggestions:

 

First, carry your smartphone and have an international data plan or get an e-SIM for data. Period. Have Google Maps, TFL Go, and Citymapper on your phone. I mostly use Google Maps.

 

I'm assuming this is a summer cruise? If so, the sun is out very late. You can see a lot of London from your location simply by walking around. That's what I'd plan the first days once you've somewhat recovered. Cross the Westminster Bridge and walk along the Embankment beyond the MOD main building (it's huge) and eventually cut over to Whitehall. Plot a course on your phone to Trafalgar Square, probably cutting over around Charing Cross Station. Look at the map and pick something else that interests you. You'll eventually end up back at Westminster Bridge passing Westminster Palace and the Elizabeth Tower to your hotel.

 

I would probably do the Tower in the morning of your second day and Buckingham Palace that afternoon. Latest time you can get at the Palace. From your hotel, you have two primary choices to the Tower. You can catch the Tube at Waterloo (Bakerloo Line) and transfer to the Circle Line at the Embankment. You can also cross at Westminster Bridge and get directly on the Circle Line. (Can't remember if the District Line also stops at the Embankment?) The other option is to catch one of the Thames River Cruises at County Hall. Allow more time, but you'll get a nice view of the Thames, usually narrated, and I believe the first stop is the Tower. Check that out. I'd allow 3-4 hours. Don't plan on anything else in the area if you plan to make it to Buckingham Palace. You may have time, but don't commit.

 

Tower to Buckingham Palace is about a half hour on either the District or Circle lines with a walk on both ends. I'd probably allow an hour before your tour.

 

Abbey and War Rooms work well together. I can't tell you how long to allow for the Abbey. The War Rooms will consume as much time as you'll let them. It's walking distance between them.

 

I really can't see a good way to also visit the British Museum with your other stops. I'm sure it can be done, but it'll be a poke your head in and leave visit. If you're there on a Friday, they are open until 8:30, so that's a possibility. My one time experience with timed tickets at the British Museum was a "so what". It was one line for screening with or without a timed ticket and everyone was flowing together. YMMV.

 

First thoughts. Enjoy. Don't overplan. Have a pint (lots of neat places just wandering the South Bank near your hotel) in a pub.

[markeb]

Revising and extending my previous remarks. 
 

Also look at a HOHO on that first afternoon. Don’t get off. Just do the loop. It’s a great orientation but lousy point to point transportation. 

[dickinson]

@markeb Thank you so much for your informative post. We are going this summer.   As I mentioned earlier, we went to London in 2017 although the other person coming with us has never been and might not be back so we want to cover as much as we can.  Previously, we did it after our cruise and used the HOHO bus to get around.  We went to the Tower of London, Westminster Abbey, Kensington Palace.  I don't remember if we were there for one full day or two but I am thinking two.  

 

Smartphone- we do have an International plan.  $10/day.  Can you tell me about e-sim?

 

Buckingham Palace last tour is 1715 (5:15 pm).  We could probably book it slightly earlier and still have plenty of time.  The tour times are every 15 minutes. I wish I took notes from 2017 to know how long we spent at each place!

 

I did read somewhere someone's review with doing W Abbey and then Churchill War Rooms.  They did the Abbey at opening (9:30) and booked Churchill War Rooms for 3 pm and said timing was fine because they had plenty of time for lunch (I think they ate though at the cafe in W Abbey).  

 

I have heard you can use google maps offline by downloading but not sure where it goes on your phone, etc.  Maybe I need an app?  Not sure as I have never done it before.

 

I see you are not too far away in Northern VA.  Do you remember how tired you were the next day when flying to London?  Were you able to accomplish much?  

 

Thanks again for your info.

[Island2Dweller]

e-sim..... If your phone is fairly new, it'll probably support adding an e-sim as well as your regular sim.  This allows you to keep your normal number (so if anyone from home needs to get you in an emergency, they will get through) but use the "local" e-sim for local calls and data.  There are lots of operators offering these for about £10 or $10 a month - much cheaper than the $10 a day your operator wants you to pay.

You do need to be reasonably tech savvy for the first set up of an e-sim.

[rhiannon84]

Markeb’s suggestions are really good, especially to consider a HoHo bus or river cruise as a relaxed way to get your bearings. 
 

If it’s not already installed on your phone, you need to download Google Maps from the Apple or Android store. Then when you click on your initial (e.g. R in a red circle for me) it brings up the Settings. Offline Maps is one of those, and you just zoom in/out of the area you want. Pick the whole of central London, it uses hardly any memory and will auto delete after a year or two anyway. 

London is also enormous and packed with stuff, so I’d suggest ‘saving’ any bars, restaurants, landmarks you like the look of, in a Saved List, now. And share it with your travel companions. Then you can wander about a bit, and have a rough idea of a decent place to eat/drink without needing to use data or having to make a decision on the spot. I did that in NYC which was a lifesaver for cognitive overload!!

theres a good blog with instructions on both Saved Lists and Offline Maps here https://www.theunconventionalroute.com/google-maps-saved-places/

 

[markeb]

e-SIM was already answered by Island2Dweller. It can save money but does add a level of complexity. With the various Travel Passes (we have Verizon) you basically get your normal data and it's simple. Honestly, it's what I do, even though I know I should use a local e-SIM for data.

 

As rhiannon84 said you need to download the Google Maps app from either the Apple or Android store. It works great in London. TFL is Transport for London and is the transportation authority for buses and the Tube (and maybe the Thames river cruises) and the regulatory authority for cabs. Their app is pretty good once your underground. Google Maps will get you to the Tube. If you have data roaming (sounds like yes) you don't need to worry too much about offline maps, although reception is pretty poor on most of the Tube. City Mapper is another app that's used a lot in London. Google Maps works for me, and it will "find" me above ground when I go east instead of west out of the Tube.

 

Since you were there in  017, TFL has gone to contactless payment. You can use any contactless credit card (obviously use one with no foreign transaction fees). You each need a unique card. You can also pay with Apple Pay and Google Pay. TFL will use the "Express Transit" feature on the iPhone so you don't have to unlock the phone to pay. You can still use an Oyster, but contactless payment is pretty much the norm. I believe you do need an Oyster for child and senior discounts; I'll let one of our Londoners set me straight on that

 

I'm confident you can do earlier than 1715 at Buckingham Palace. I didn't look before typing today. Last time I looked when someone asked something similar I thought the tours much earlier, but that may have been a different tour. I'd say 1430-1500 should be fine, and might give you time to wander around more of Tower Hill and the Tower Bridge if you wish. And eat. Don't forget to sit down, eat, and drink.

 

I think I remember that review of the Abbey and War Rooms and that's a pretty good schedule. There's plenty to see around both the Abbey and Whitehall if you finish early at the Abbey, and again, lunch. Horse Guards Parade and St James Park are nearby. Google Maps says a 16 minute walk from Westminster Abbey to Horse Guards Parade and along St James Park to the War Rooms. If memory serves there are a couple of decent pubs along Whitehall, as there are in DC near government buildings. (OK, they're more bars than pubs in DC...)

 

The flight can largely wipe you out. I'm usually OK but not great the next day. I don't do that short of a stay anymore to avoid being a zombie, but it can be done. Don't over plan your arrival day; unless you can sleep soundly anywhere, you'll be beat. But we've been to London a lot over the last thirty years and don't push as hard anymore.

 

Edited May 8 by markeb

[dickinson]

@markeb Thanks for all the info.  I have google maps already but never used it.  I do see that you can't get walking directions if you are offline.  I was hoping not to spend the $10/day.  With Xfinity I get 512mb of data for the 24 hour period although unlimited calling and texting.  I assume 512mb is plenty for 24 hours.  I googled about e-sim.  It sounded a little complicated but maybe if I found a YouTube video showing someone using it and switching between numbers it wouldn't sound complicated.

 

Thanks for the Express Transit info.  That will come in handy.  I assume one can use it if you have tickets in your wallet?  Hopefully any tickets we buy can go in the wallet!  Not everyone is set up for that.

 

@rhiannon84 Thanks for the info!

 

 

[markeb]

No tickets for the Tube anymore. I mean you can, but nobody does. Just use a contactless credit card or Express Transit on your phone. Your credit card or phone is your ticket. 
 

More info here:  https://tfl.gov.uk/travel-information/visiting-london/

[gnome12]

20 minutes ago, dickinson said:

I do see that you can't get walking directions if you are offline.

I know that it says that, but I don't think it is true. I have done walking directions when offline. Try it out by downloading a map of your area, put your phone into airplane mode, and test it out.

[kflietst]

I have been enjoying all this info as we are also trying to see London pre-cruise with very limited time.  We hope to arrive early AM the first day and take private transport to drop off luggage at our hotel.

Our thought was to take a HOHO from there and ride the circuit to get acclimated to the city that first morning and then possibly squeeze in the Tower of London later that first jet- lagged day.

The next day would be Changing of the Guards, Westminster Abbey and Churchill War Room.

Third day is private pickup and Windsor Castle enroute to ship. 

Are we crazy or is this all a possibility?

Also which HOHO bus line is the best?

Edited May 9 by kflietst

[markeb]

1 hour ago, kflietst said:

I have been enjoying all this info as we are also trying to see London pre-cruise with very limited time.  We hope to arrive early AM the first day and take private transport to drop off luggage at our hotel.

Our thought was to take a HOHO from there and ride the circuit to get acclimated to the city that first morning and then possibly squeeze in the Tower of London later that first jet- lagged day.

The next day would be Changing of the Guards, Westminster Abbey and Churchill War Room.

Third day is private pickup and Windsor Castle enroute to ship. 

Are we crazy or is this all a possibility?

Also which HOHO bus line is the best?

 

Just to be clear, it could be a possibility but still crazy. Kind of a tough call...

 

Your enemy is opening times of attractions. And travel. Where is your hotel?

 

This is subject to change, but the last time for entry into the Tower is currently 1530 and the grounds close at 1730. Doing the HOHO and getting back could be tough. It might be the one time I'd suggest getting off the bus, touring the Tower, and finishing the loop. But you're likely to be exhausted, even if flying in the front of bus with arrival lounge access...

 

Westminster Abbey is open from 930-1530

Churchill War Rooms are 930-1800

Changing of the Guard begins around 1030 and lasts about 45 minutes.

 

It's about a 10 minute walk from Westminster Abbey to the Churchill War Rooms. Google Maps says 15 minutes from the Abbey to Buckingham Palace. It always seemed a lot longer...

 

Your only realistic ability to visit them all would be to start at Buckingham Palace. A brisk walk, allowing for the departing crowd, to the Abbey for an 1145 ish? entry. The guided Verger tours can only be booked on site. Those take 90 minutes. Problematic if you're trying to see the Changing of the Guard on the same day.

 

The Churchill War Rooms will take as much or as little time as your personal interest in Churchill and WWII. It's a fascinating exhibit/museum. We spent at least a couple of hours there on our last visit, but I'm retired Army with a lot of time working around NATO and a WWII history buff. But they're at least an hour.

 

As long as you're dealing with someone who does the London - Windsor - Southampton thing regularly, that's probably doable. I kind of like the idea of doing it after the cruise, and ideally stretching one last day so you can see some of Windsor and maybe wander over to Eton, but that type of tour is done enough that you should be fine.

 

Can't help with preferred HOHO company. It's been a long time and I know there are at least a couple of them.

 

 

[rhiannon84]

The main thing I'd say about combatting jetlag is get outside, early! The UK tends to be far more grey and overcast (even in summer) than the US, so you don't get that hit of daylight to help adjust without actively seeking out the sun. 

[Thejuggler]

First afternoon get yourself to the hotel (with immigration, tube etc you could be 2-3 hours from landing to the hotel).

Check in, then either a couple of hours nap or shower and go for a wander. Cross the bridge and you are at Houses of Parliament, Westminster Abbey, Whitehall for Downing Street etc so you can get your bearings for the day after where you can do Westminster Abbey, Churchill Rooms and possibly Buckingham Palace.

 

Day two could be Tower of London as its is in the opposite direction in the City of London.  River boat, tube or bus will get you there.  Tower Bridge is adjacent and its an area you can spend a day.  St Pauls, Monument, Bank of England, the Inns of Court and High Courts are all in the city as are many areas associated with Charles Dickens.   HMS Belfast on the river.  The Skygarden bar is well worth a visit or a meal in the restaurant if you want a over London.  You need to book.
 

You could spend every day of your stay in the British Museum and see a fraction of it, so unless you have a bulk of a day its probably not worth it, unless there is something very specific you want to see.  Its about 1.5 miles walk.

[Simon-t]

The suggestions in the previous post are all good ones. I would just add that the Tube is by far the quickest and cheapest way to get around London and is very simple to use. Just avoid peak times when it can get very busy. You can get cabs pretty much anywhere by hailing in the street, but traffic is a major challenge in London and short distances can take longer than you would think looking at the map. I tend to use a cab only if I have a lot of luggage and can't face taking it on the tube.

[kflietst]

Thank you for all the wisdom. We will be staying near the Eye and I believe within walking distance of most things on our list? Also near river cruises?

 

We will be visiting London in September.  Do you think we will need to pre-book tickets to the places on our list?

 

Like the idea of hopping off the HOHO at the Tower of London doing that and then continuing on the circuit.

 

Yes, we are going from London to Windsor with an experienced tour guide.who will get us to Southhamton in time to board our ship. (Hopefully that eliminates a little stress for that day!)

[dickinson]

13 minutes ago, kflietst said:

Thank you for all the wisdom. We will be staying near the Eye and I believe within walking distance of most things on our list? Also near river cruises?

 

We will be visiting London in September.  Do you think we will need to pre-book tickets to the places on our list?

 

Like the idea of hopping off the HOHO at the Tower of London doing that and then continuing on the circuit.

 

Yes, we are going from London to Windsor with an experienced tour guide.who will get us to Southhamton in time to board our ship. (Hopefully that eliminates a little stress for that day!)

When we were in London 2017 we did the HOHO bus for transportation.  We got off at the Tower of London and after touring got back on.  

 

As for pre-booking tickets in September... I have no idea.  I just know that all the sites have time slots for pre-booking and say no guarantees there will be tickets available on the day of.  When we went in 2017 there were no time slots to worry about.  getting tickets in advance saved us from standing in line to purchase tickets but not to enter the facility.

 

We too are staying near the London Eye.  Seems like it is a very good area to be because it is in walking distance to lots of things.

[dickinson]

@markeb The tickets I was talking about were attraction tickets and not the tube.

 

@gnome12 I have tested the offline maps with my phone in airplane mode.  Nope.. No walking directions or any directions.  Access to the maps.. yes but not directions.

 

@rhiannon84 Thank you for the tip about jet lag.  Yes, getting outside and walking is a great idea.  We did that last year when in Athens so we could "stay up" til at least 8-9 pm!

 

@ThejugglerThank you for your suggestions.  I know at the British Museum there are three things we want to see although I am sure if I knew more of what is there then I would want to see them too!  If we can find two hours to be there then we would be happy.  

 

[Eno]

Have a really good idea of where you are walking.  Using google maps still confusing when it would tell me to turn left but that was just to cross the street - not turn left onto the street.  I printed google maps at home as a backup.  We stayed at the Park Plaza Westminster bridge and used the Westminster tube station alot.  We landed and luckily they had a room for us - if not they would have held the luggage.  Walked to Westminster Abby and did that, walked to Buckingham palace and saw the outside and did the Queen's Gallery, walked to Picadilly circus and then back to the hotel - 22,000 steps on no sleep.  Next day - tube to Tower of London, Tower Bridge engine room, London Bridge Experience, lunch at borough market.  Walked to White Chapel area for early dinner at a pub and did a Jack the Ripper Tour.  Next day - tube to Kensington Palace, tube to Westminster and on the Thames river cruise, lunch/early dinner at a pub, up the shard and back to the hotel.  Next day - train to Southampton - walked around had dinner at White Star Tavern.  Next day on the ship and was glad the next day was a Sea Day to relax

[dickinson]

@Eno Thanks for your trip info.  Did you do this when you needed to purchase tickets for Westminster Abbey or did you just walk up.  in 2017 there were no timed tickets, or at least we didn't need them as we had the London Pass which had a voucher for the Abbey.

[Blue and Green]

3 hours ago, dickinson said:

I know at the British Museum there are three things we want to see although I am sure if I knew more of what is there then I would want to see them too!  If we can find two hours to be there then we would be happy.  

We did this one morning during our last trip. At the time we arrived at the British Museum, we got a map of the Museum with highlights noted on it. We didn't have a lot of time that morning, but were easily able to identify and find our top "must see" exhibits (Rosetta Stone, etc.). We did not have timed tickets, but did arrive near the Museum opening time. 

Take a look at https://www.britishmuseum.org/blog/14-things-not-miss-british-museum

 

[dickinson]

55 minutes ago, Blue and Green said:

We did this one morning during our last trip. At the time we arrived at the British Museum, we got a map of the Museum with highlights noted on it. We didn't have a lot of time that morning, but were easily able to identify and find our top "must see" exhibits (Rosetta Stone, etc.). We did not have timed tickets, but did arrive near the Museum opening time. 

Take a look at https://www.britishmuseum.org/blog/14-things-not-miss-british-museum

 

Thank you.  We don't have a morning open but will be able to go in an afternoon.  We were in Athens this past September and one of the sculptures from atop the Acropolis is at the British Museum.  The others are all in the Acropolis Museum.  Here is a quote I found online: The Caryatids are the six female statues that supported the roof of the Erechtheion, another temple dedicated to Athena; they were the columns of one of the porticos. Here you can see just five of them, because the sixth is still in the British Museum.  

 

Greece wants this back but the British Museum says no.  Apparently this room closes at 3Pm so we will have to be there before then.  

[fruitmachine]

Remember that early starts will be the most difficult and late evenings the easiest - your body will still think 8 or 9 in the morning is still the middle of the night for at least a couple of days.

[markeb]

1 hour ago, Blue and Green said:

We did this one morning during our last trip. At the time we arrived at the British Museum, we got a map of the Museum with highlights noted on it. We didn't have a lot of time that morning, but were easily able to identify and find our top "must see" exhibits (Rosetta Stone, etc.). We did not have timed tickets, but did arrive near the Museum opening time. 

Take a look at https://www.britishmuseum.org/blog/14-things-not-miss-british-museum

 

 

The problem with the "must see" exhibits is that's where everyone congregates and no one can actually see them...

[Blue and Green]

6 minutes ago, markeb said:

 

The problem with the "must see" exhibits is that's where everyone congregates and no one can actually see them...

I guess we were there on a good day since that was not our experience.