Tourist near London - what to do and see?

[Walter_Middie]

I am going to be in England (South of London near Farnborough) on business for the next couple of weeks. My 19 year old daughter is going to join me there. I know you have suggestions for things to do – what are they? I like cars and bikes (who doesn’t on this forum?), but my daughter has never been there, and I should show her some of the history. I’ve been a tourist in London before, but I want to show my daughter some things she is interested in also. I’ll have a car, so we can get around, and we will be staying close to a train station.

[cairns]

You could go to Brighton and visit the pier and the pavilion. Dover is close by, you can see the chain home low stations, the castle, the cliffs and even catch a ferry (or hovercraft) to Calais if you like. The Isle of Wight is nice too. If you go up to London, from the Southeast there is the Greenwich museum, fascinating for anyone into boats and maps, Wren's nautical college (I forget the name) and the observatory, the "line" and the Cutty Sark. From the Southwest see Richmond on Thames and the park and those tennis courts if you're into that. In London there's so much it's unbelievable. If the weather's nice take an open bus tour, if not see the British Museum (but plan- the place is huge) or any of the other museums or castles (arrive early to see the Tower), your daughter might like Soho (which is now trendy and not sleazy), Harrod's and any of the shopping in Kensington/Park Lane and well...look at a guidebook. There's so much to see. Unless you know London or are going early on a weekend (preferably with a Nav) I wouldn't advise driving in the City. It's a major hassle and parking is precious and expensive.

[Walter_Middie]

Thanks Cairns - that's what I'm looking for. On past trips, I've already done:

British Museum
Buckingham Palace
Harrods
House of Parliament
Madame Tussaud’s
London Eye
Millennium Bridge
National Gallery
St Paul’s Cathedral
Tower of London
Victoria and Albert museum
Westminster Abbey
Windsor Castle
Bath
Salisbury Cathedral
Stonehenge

But I may repeat some of the best stuff with my daughter.

[cairns]

If you're into planes the RAF Museum in Hendon (north of London) is pretty good- nowhere near a Smithsonian but worth a gander....

[stevepaa]

Ever been to Oxford. Nice day trip, walk around the town have lunch.

[Willem Fick]

A 19yo might enjoy Selfridges on Oxford Street a whole lot more than Harrods!

Also take her to Camden, Chelsea and Notting Hill - interesting sights to see!

For of the beaten track stuff, visit Highgate Cemetary, where amongst other famous people Carl Marx is buried.

For car stuff, you can do far worse than visit the Brooklands racetrack, and if you have time head up to Neport Pagnell for a factory tour at Aston Martin.

If you plan on heading out to Kingston, then do take the trouble to head on to Richmond, and go have a beer at the "Slug and Lettuce" just off the bridge over the Thames. Just make sure to leave before high tide if you have plans for the evening!

i also agree with Steve - Oxford is a short journey, but well worth it. Not far south from there is Henley, and if you stay off the main road, you might even come across Piss Hill (I kid you not!), where you have to sample a local ale!

Oh yes - enjoy those damned roundabouts!

[Dottore]

What to do in London?

Holy crap! Where to start?

[Mothy]

Every time I go there I look up 'The London Walks' - guided tours of London on foot in a group with an very good guide.

They have many themes, such as Secret London (back alleys and little known spots of interest), Jack the Ripper (the area where all the murders took place), Fire of London (traces the path of the fire), etc etc.

There are about 40 different ones to chose from and nearly all start from a railway station so they are easy to get to.

Portsmouth is always good - Nelson's 'Victory' and the 'Mary Rose'.

Westminster Abbey used to have one night a week where it is open all areas and you can wander about all the tombs and round behind the high alter etc.

Tower of London has the 'Ceremony of the Keys' - tickets by ballot - where they lock up for the night.

If you go to Salisbury Cathederal again, go on a day and time when they have the roof top tours - great going right up inside the roof and up to the base of the spire. There are some viewing platforms up there.

If you do get the opportunity to travel further on weekends I would recommend using Youth Hostels - great value and very comfortable these days. You also get to stay in some amazing places - the one at Beverley (near York) is the refrectory for a 700yr old Dominican Friary with lathen plaster walls, oak beam ceilings and wonky flooring - the place just oozes history.

Tim

[cairns]

"Every time I go there I look up 'The London Walks' - guided tours of London on foot in a group with an very good guide.

They have many themes, such as Secret London (back alleys and little known spots of interest), Jack the Ripper (the area where all the murders took place), Fire of London (traces the path of the fire), etc etc.

There are about 40 different ones to chose from and nearly all start from a railway station so they are easy to get to."

That's an excellent suggestion. I was over there off and on for five or six years and never did that but always wanted to. I heard nothing but good things about those tours.

[JavaBrewer]

When I was 19 I had a great time in Soho...

[Flatbutt1]

Originally posted by Dottore
What to do in London?

Holy crap! Where to start?

Ain't this the truth!

Everywhere you look there is history. I think a tour of Windsor Castle is a must. Just to look at it realizing that humans built that with nothing more than ramps,scaffolds and winches! Then going inside and seeing the opulance(sp?), the splendor, the armor. Its a great thing to see. The Tower Bridge, The Tower itself, the old Roman wall across from the Tower, the Royal Stables, changing of trhe guard, Pettitcoat lane, Westminster, parliament.

Oh BTW there is a WONDERFUL Italian restaurant across the footbridge from Windsor in Eton called Anticco's.

There used to be a Tapas house in the mall directly across from the castle as well.

. Not to mention the chance to just walk around talking to your daughter while you're doing all this.

[MFAFF]

Indeed, where to start.

The usual history visits are enough of a choice...deserve time.

In London however there is also another side of life here that your daughter may be interested in...its a growing national pasttime.. enjoyed by millions, every week end...its called shopping...

As a way of seeing people rather than things its a worth while task...so try the Kings Road (in Chelsea, starting from Sloane Square) nad wnader down.. playing spot the celeb if you want...wander down from the tube 'til you get to the Fire Station and then a bus back up...

Or Camden Markets at the week end... see a seedier side of London... but one with great atmosphere and diversity...you can spend hours just wandering around....get there early, have breakfast at the Camden Lock Market and go from there...

If you want posh shops.. Oxofrd Street and Bond Street, prices to make even Rodeo Drive blush....

Once you have done that... personnlay it should take, say 5 mins in all..you can then get down to some serious hard core activites...the Science Museum, Natural History Museum and Victoria and Albert Museum in South Kensington. The British Museum is worht a wander as well.

Outside you should try not to miss Brooklands, for both the cars and the planes.. not only is it the world's frist purpose buitl race circuit, there is a spanking new MBZ centre there... they uilt parts of Concorde there and they have one you can visit...plus a vast amount of other 'anorak stuff'...

The RAF Museum at Hendon is OK.. not a patch on NASM or Wirght Pat.. but interesting nonetheless....

Duxford, near Cambridge (take the M25 northbound to the M11) a coupel of hours drive away has a better aircraft museum....

Also Farnborough has its own small museum on site (FAST) and being the one of the most important global locations in aviation history has its own charm and interest.

[livi]

My number one priority would be Kew Gardens, The Royal Botanic gardens.

But then I am a tree fetishist..

[StevoRocket]

Pm me - I live 20 minutes from Farnborough - give me your email address - be happy to help.

[StevoRocket]

Having read all the above and your pm I would construct a list so she can choose herself - but depending upon your availability and budget add these two - Amsterdam and Paris, the first by cheap flight and the second by train (186mph) via the channel tunnel from Waterloo to the centre of Paris.

[Flatbutt1]

BTW I believe that as a tourist any VAT paid by you may be refundable.

[StevoRocket]

Note that London has congestion charging for drivers on weekdays - far better off on the train and tube.

http://www.cclondon.com/infosearch/dynamicPages/WF_ZoneCheck_W.aspx

[Walter_Middie]

Thanks for all the suggestions - these will really help. I am staying near a train station for the main purpose of going to London. I would only use the car to get to locations outside of London.

And as for this comment:

Oh yes - enjoy those damned roundabouts!

It always kills me to come back to the States after driving in England. It is amazing how much better the traffic flow is with roundabouts. Most people in the States probably can't imagine going to work in the morning, or just out to a store, and not having to stop at every intersection. In England, you only need to slow down a bit a the corners. I typically travel 10 to 15 minutes to work, and don't have to stop once.

[mjohnson]

Seconding Selfridges on Oxford street over Harrods.

Harrods doesn't have Agent Provocateur, either...

We travel to Reading/Aldermaston often for business. I love to take an early train/tube to regents park and walk to Soho on a Sunday morning. Catch the Maryleborne farmer's market and a snack at the nearby cheese shop (walkin cheese coolers!). Soho is a trip early in the morning, too. Surreal with the pubs, fancy shops and "adult stuff" mixed together.

Just wandering around is great, and cheap if you eat from the markets and grocery stores.

Milroys whisky shop in Soho is nice. Free tastes of lots of good stuff. You'll get better prices at the duty free at Gatwick though.

I think there's a museum of steam technology or some old industrial age stuff down near Kew Gardens. Never been there but that's on our short list.

Greenwich is great, so is Oxford. The NYT had a travel section on Oxford last sunday - you should be able to get it for free through this weekend.

Mike
'78 SC (planning next trip to the UK...)