London recommendations

[davids]

The design museum has a bike design exhibition at the moment

https://designmuseum.org/exhibitions/cycle-revolution

Thanks, but I'm going to pass on the cycling stuff. I'm not so into looking at them on display as I used to be.

[savine]

the lovely walk from Seven Sisters tube down Tottenham High Rd to White Hart Lane.......highly recomend and you can enjoy a local kebab or deep freid chicken at one of the many establishments on the walk down.

in all seriousness walk everywhere up town, no need to go on the tube cos its all pretty close. Covent Garden, Soho during the day n at night, nice walk down the mall, stroll around many of the parks.....it´s all good. If you want museums then a tube to the V&A and then a bowl about Kensington. Jump on a tube and go to somewhere like Kilburn (Jubilie line) to have afry up in a greasy cafe.....this something no tourist does but it´s where the real people are or as i jokingly suggest Tottenham or maybe not. Notting Hill combine that with Kensington. Church Rd market just off the Edgware Rd on a saturday, nothing fancy but the locals or Wembly Market on a sunday and you can say you´ve been to the stadium. Advided all them hipster places like Spitelfeilds etc.......

The main paragraph is perfectly serious.....sometimes it's better to have a quick look at the tourist bits but then pop just a bit out of the city centre and see the bits that just the locals see. If you also want proper old style London food then home give pie, mash n liqueur a go, not everyone s cup of tea but worth a try. Enjoy the trip, I wish I could go home for a short break. Oh, and a visit to the thearte is possible with dAy ticket pick up down Leicster Sq.

[chrisn]

General advice (already eluded to by others) would be to walk or cycle as much as possible and avoid the tube. West End - Westminster - South Bank - London Bridge - Tower bridge etc is all walkable and you'll see so much more. Even catching a bus will be much more interesting than the tube. Another great old London pub near Farringdon station is The Jerusalem Tavern. It's pretty tiny but full of charm - it does get busy at times but worth a visit for the beer. My neighbour used to be the MD of St Peters Brewery - if you like ale these guys are a fine place to start!

Jerusalem Tavern | Bars and pubs in Farringdon, London

[twails]

London is full of amazing museums many of which have been mentioned already, and of course most are free. I would definitely recommend the John Soane Museum in Holborn - an amazing collection, house is packed to the gunnels with interesting artefacts. Yep, as said above try and avoid the tube unless you want to travel long distances. The bus is a good option to see the sites above while rolling along, you can still pick up an old routemaster (original red London bus) on a couple of routes through town- no.s 8 and 11 I think.

Definitely avoid Camden though.

[oldmuthariley]

Hampstead Heath for the fine views over London and a bit of cottaging if that's your thing

[savine]

Steady on old Mutt.....but Hampstead is cool for a wander about and then on to Camden.

[davids]

London is full of amazing museums many of which have been mentioned already, and of course most are free. I would definitely recommend the John Soane Museum in Holborn - an amazing collection, house is packed to the gunnels with interesting artefacts. Yep, as said above try and avoid the tube unless you want to travel long distances. The bus is a good option to see the sites above while rolling along, you can still pick up an old routemaster (original red London bus) on a couple of routes through town- no.s 8 and 11 I think.

Definitely avoid Camden though.

We'll use the Underground as necessary, and may actually seek out one of the Routemaster routes to be thoroughly geeky tourists.

Many museums are on the agenda. And one of my oldest friends has recommended - no insisted - that we see the Soane House. We have booked a curated tour...

[davids]

Hampstead Heath for the fine views over London and a bit of cottaging if that's your thing

I just learned what "cottaging" is.
Not what I thought.

[oldmuthariley]

I just learned what "cottaging" is.
Not what I thought.

Yeah sorry - it does have a bit of a reputation though.
Karl Marx's grave in Highgate cemetery, Islington is pretty cool and lots of good places to eat, down by the river, smithfeilds meat market, borough market, south bank, Tate modern, battersea - the list is endless.
Just wander around the centre - there's always something new to discover.

[maunahaole]

As far as I can tell, davids is not a republican congressman.

[davids]

The mental image I got from "cottaging" was more in the category of antiquing than something requiring a wide stance.

I'm not offended, I'm amused!

[oldmuthariley]

I prefer this sort of thing although I doubt you'd find that many in London.

image.jpeg

[maunahaole]

My pal in London did this today. Looks like a Saturday only thing.

http://www.standard.co.uk/goingout/b...l-9250311.html

[slwrnu]

Bring some money and some energy. Check the weather forecast on the BBC website. Combining some of what has been said above, a big (and fairly inexpensive) day out would be: -

Walk along the south bank of the river. Perhaps start at Westminster Bridge. Go on the London Eye. Continue to Borough Market (still a real place). Get something to eat here and save your pounds for another time. Continue along the river, past the Shard, the Globe, Tate Modern (if that is what you like, I prefer the Tate in Pimlico), over Tower Bridge and have a tour of the Tower of London with a Beefeater.

When I have US people over I often do some or all of this with them and they enjoy it. So do I and I have lived in London for 56 years....

[Mabouya]

And now for something completely different:

Much of what I know about London and England in general is from Monty Python, so I'd probably go for the cheese shops and spend at least a few nights at Castle Anthrax.

[Gattonero]

Bring a brolley, avoid Oxford street, avoid most of the overpriced restaurants in centre of town, make sure you visit the small -less known- museums-.
Has been a mild winter so far, no need for heavy clothing IMO

[Gern]

I will second the Cheshire Cheese recommendation -- ambiance and food are excellent. V&A, British museum and Imperial War Museum are excellent. The War Rooms are definitely worth a visit. A note on the IWM. There is good food just around the corner from the museum at the Three Stags pub on Kennington Road.

We will be back in April for my wife's birthday. Giselle at the Royal Opera House and the Faure Requiem at St. Martin in the Fields are already booked. We also really enjoy the free organ recitals at Westminster Abbey on Sunday evenings. I am busily researching the other recs in this thread.

I few years ago I was able to convince my wife, and the couple traveling with us, to visit the Royal Observatory in Greenwich -- we took the tour boat from the Tower of London dock. I had wanted to see the Harrison clocks for some time, and I was not disappointed. My wife and our friends really enjoyed the visit and actually felt that my "nerd quest" was very worthwhile. I would like to go back and tour the Nation Maritime Museum as well.

[Gattonero]

Hampstead Heath for the fine views over London and a bit of cottaging if that's your thing

If your name is George Micheal and want to crash a car on a Snappy Snaps front door...


.
Camden has become a trap for silly tourists, gone are the days when you could find the real good people there, giving you flyers for good nights out, not discount call cards or fried chicken ads like today. Meh

+1 for the John Soane's museum, on the same kind the Wellcome Collection just behing Marylebone High st. (pop in at Patisserie Valerie for some good food), and the Dennis Severs House by Liverpool st.
Portobello's market is not what it used to be, but may be worth a look. Since you are in that area, Leighton House has got some real gems inside.
A walk along the Thames is always good, best around Twickenham so you are close to Hampton Court.

Enjoy

[davids]

I will second the Cheshire Cheese recommendation -- ambiance and food are excellent. V&A, British museum and Imperial War Museum are excellent. The War Rooms are definitely worth a visit. A note on the IWM. There is good food just around the corner from the museum at the Three Stags pub on Kennington Road.

We will be back in April for my wife's birthday. Giselle at the Royal Opera House and the Faure Requiem at St. Martin in the Fields are already booked. We also really enjoy the free organ recitals at Westminster Abbey on Sunday evenings. I am busily researching the other recs in this thread.

I few years ago I was able to convince my wife, and the couple traveling with us, to visit the Royal Observatory in Greenwich -- we took the tour boat from the Tower of London dock. I had wanted to see the Harrison clocks for some time, and I was not disappointed. My wife and our friends really enjoyed the visit and actually felt that my "nerd quest" was very worthwhile. I would like to go back and tour the Nation Maritime Museum as well.

Funny that I read this right after seeing your post on the Valentine's Day thread: We'll be taking the ferry back & forth to Greenwich (both the Royal Observatory and a Pepys exhibit!) on 2/14, then a more romantic (how could that be possible?) dinner near Westminster.

Thanks for all the recs. I read all these suggestions to my wife yesterday, and it was received with gratitude and humor!

[jerk]

go to the crobar. catch the next big thing before they become the next big thing..... put 10pounds in the juke box if you get there early and alternate between thin lizzy, eyehategod and new york dolls songs and threaten people with your americanism when they complain about the music.

i got in a fist fight, got free drinks all night for smashing some horrible drunk dood's face in, and met two women who should have been future ex wives last time i was there.

then- wake up and spend the rest of your vacation at the tate modern.