London Pass for tourists

[Yorkshire Exile]

Pop in to Buckingham palace, the old dear made us a round of cheese and toast and sent my nippers off with a Werther's original.

If you can ignore the corgis and smell of stale piss you'll be ok

[SamD]

Suggest, for first day, a hop on/off sightseeing bus journey. Insist they give you a Manx Gaelic audio headset. Open top 'Grand Tour' covers largest part of capital and their Victoria stop is walkable from Vauxhall, if that's where you're based. Family members could then decide/confirm itinerary for rest of stay based on locations they wish to take a closer look at.

On last day, book either The London Eye (wheel contraption by Westminster Bridge) or 'The View from The Shard' skyscraper (alongside London Bridge/Borough Market/Southwark Cathedral) to try and identify the places you've experienced. Think locals, as opposed to tourists, find the panoramic views much more interesting for this reason.

When pals/relatives from abroad come to London we regularly escort them to local landmarks. Still discovering new sites and sights even after more than half a century in the city. Much like Samuel Johnson noted: http://www.samueljohnson.com/tiredlon.html

By the way, wonder if you'll find London folk to be as curious as the Manx folk I encountered on a Zoology field trip to the island in the 1960s...
Goaill soylley!

[blahblah]

Suggest, for first day, a hop on/off sightseeing bus journey. Insist they give you a Manx Gaelic audio headset. Open top 'Grand Tour' covers largest part of capital and their Victoria stop is walkable from Vauxhall, if that's where you're based. Family members could then decide/confirm itinerary for rest of stay based on locations they wish to take a closer look at.

On last day, book either The London Eye (wheel contraption by Westminster Bridge) or 'The View from The Shard' skyscraper (alongside London Bridge/Borough Market/Southwark Cathedral) to try and identify the places you've experienced. Think locals, as opposed to tourists, find the panoramic views much more interesting for this reason.

Sounds sensible, so I'll add something fun to do

Get the kids those selfie stick things and see how many "locals" they can hit in the face as they walk about

[Surprised]

If your kids are still small enough to go up chimneys they can earn some cash when in London Town to pay for those trips

Jeez louise. I've just been checking ticket prices for Mama Mia and Wicked. I didn't realise that they were the prices for EACH ticket.

'Clean yer shoes guvnor?'

Put this poster up in inns and and on back of stagecoaches. You will have the tickets for you and Mrs Sted paid for in no time.

[sted]

All very good..thanks guys.

Transport seems a bit complicated. Here on the IOM, I'd jump on a horse tram, tip the driver a pair of kippers (and a polo mint for his nag), and away I'd go. There are whole websites dedicated to the best way to get around London.

We're arriving at Gatwick quite late, so have booked the local Premier Inn. Back to the airport in the morning to catch the Express to the City. Now it gets complicated. We can't use contactless cards as the kids don't have one. Proper Oysters seem a bit of a pain in the butt to get photos done, travelcards might be the way to go and we can get a 2 for 1 but it still seems a bit convoluted for us yokels.

Itinerary (thanks for the suggestions)

Day 1 - Hop on Hop off buses. Harrods, Buck house, Westminister, St Pauls, Big Ben Nevis.....beer
Day 2 - Tower, Tower Bridge, Dungeons, trip on a fast jet craft boaty thing, Cutty Sark.....beer
Day 3 - River cruise (hop on Hop off again - Thames Clipper), trip on Emirates Air Line, Canary wharf ...beer
Day 4 - Museums and stuff like that (probably science, British and natural history)...wine (after all that culture)
Day 5 - Shard, London Bridge experience and London Eye.....beer and wine

Looking at the map, there's so many places to go and so little time!

We'll find some places to eat out at night and some shows that might not necessitate me getting a second mortgage.

Ta

Steve

[Spinynorman]

Mostly for youngsters but they do have a nice cafe and it should be close to where you are:

http://vauxhallcityfarm.org/visit-us/faqs/

The ferrets were out when we were there.

[Knulpuk]

Coming to this a bit late and you look sorted but here we go anyway.

I would wander up the Southbank if nice - there are lots of beer stop off points and if you start at the Eye and go East that will take you past the Globe, the Tate and on to HMS Belfast, London Bridge and the Tower of London with some good views e.g. St Pauls, the shard and the City. I do most of that walk everyday and of course its next to the river.

I would recommend Greenwich - its Green interesting and gives you great views of Canary Wharf.

Definitely try the Emirate air thing.

I found the design museum interesting as its quite small (compared to some of the others). If you do tackle a big museum have a plan or you will just wander for hours (which is fine if you have loads of time). If did one - The British - If I had kids with me Science but they will soon get bored.

Spitafields is quite good for a wander, spot of hipster spotting.

Like Uncsi says wandering around is just good - I would steer clear of Oxford Street / TCR its just a bit rubbish. Lose yourself out towards Carnaby / Newburgh Street, find a few random pubs.

Dungeons are a bit rubbish. Shard bit pricey for a view - at least with the eye you turn round.

Green Park / St James / Hyde for a bit of relief for your wallet.

Kew is good.

Zoo isn't.

Harrods is an expensive shop.

[Yorkshire Exile]

http://www.francomanca.co.uk/restaurant ... ourt-road/

Cheap and nice pizzas if you in vicinity... Good for kids.... Only let down is small bottles of craft beer.... The size rather than quality....

[blahblah]

Isn't Canary Wharf just offices?

St Pauls over the footbridge to Tate Modern, Globe (not been, but I would) and then the Eye is all walkable, as is onto the Houses of Parliament. Admittedly doing it the other way round maybe better as you can book tickets for the Eye?

Oh, and if you think shows are expensive, wait until you try and eat

[jpk]

don't go on the eye unless you can cope with being upside down for about 20 minutes, they don't tell you that while you are queueing up

[murf]

don't go on the eye unless you can cope with being upside down for about 20 minutes, they don't tell you that while you are queueing up

So you did the classic schoolboy error then jpk!

If you time your booking correctly for when the earth's rotation is such that you are upside down then this cancels out the upsidedownness of the Eye. Think you can check on www.upsidedownturnaroundwhoopsydaisy.com

[bspittles]

No matter how fast the eye spins, it never takes off. There's a lesson in there.

[murf]

No matter how fast the eye spins, it never takes off. There's a lesson in there.

If they just lowered it slightly the Thames could act as a conveyor belt....

[Zimmerman]

We recently saw Matalida which was very good.

The cheap seats are only £25 and its such a small theatre, you still have a decent view.