3 Days in London

[dmjg 4,061]

Hi All,

We have three days free in London for a flying visit for the BIL's wedding. It's just the two of us as the kids are staying in Melbourne.

We have already done all the touristy things like The Tower, Big Ben, Belfast, Cruise, Bus Loop, Hamleys, Hyde Park, Greenwich etc.

Other than a trip to Harrods we have no other needs. What do people suggest for something out of left field? Short or whole day? Staying in Leytonstone.

Ta, Dan

[amibovered 1,252]

Pop out to Windsor?

https://www.thetrainline.com/nearest-station/windsor-castle

Edited August 29, 2017 by amibovered

[Keith and Linda 2,477]

3 minutes ago, dmjg said:

Hi All,

We have three days free in London for a flying visit for the BIL's wedding. It's just the two of us as the kids are staying in Melbourne.

We have already done all the touristy things like The Tower, Big Ben, Belfast, Cruise, Bus Loop, Hamleys, Hyde Park, Greenwich etc.

Other than a trip to Harrods we have no other needs. What do people suggest for something out of left field? Short or whole day? Staying in Leytonstone.

Ta, Dan

Plenty of great museums including the Wax works, could do one of the  walking tours day or night , we did a ghost walk very informative and enjoyable. A river cruise, Hampton court, Windsor castle.

[dmjg 4,061]

Cheers Keith, forgot to put all the museums in my list of 'done'

[Guest241083 10,769]

https://www.timeout.com/london/things-to-do/quirky-and-unusual-things-to-do-in-london

 

.........try something different......?

[Briar 79]

Hampton Court, Richmond Park, Kew Gardens, Portabello Market, Borough Market, concert at the Albert Hall.... will Buckingham Palace be open to the public during the time you will be there as that is well worth a visit.

[Guest]

If you can then head to the Harry Potter studio tour over Watford way. You must book online well in advance (it books out weeks ahead) but it's super organised and well worth the visit. We loved it. Great day out. Go for an earlier time slot so you can spend a full day or at least from late morning onwards, 

https://www.wbstudiotour.co.uk/experience

I'd take that over most of the sights if you've already seen them before, 

[Quokka2005 3,236]

Yeah the Harry Potter studio was cool, if you're a fan then you would really like it.   Go see the lion king musical and secretly film it for me 

[blondie 66]

we just came back from a week-end and went to The Globe Theatre to see a brilliant production of Much Ado About Nothing.  How about Brick Lane for a decent curry, or a west end show, St Paul's Cathedral just before official closing time and you can listen to the service at the end of the day.  Adult only nights at the museums (google which one and when)  Hampton Court is amazing, Tea at the Savoy or The Ritz.  Try the new alcohol free bars.  Google walking tours.  

[ScottieGirl 1,216]

If it's  nice weather a day trip to Cambridge or Brighton or a bit nearer Richmond and walk along the river.

If it's  wet catch some movies or a show. Go to the cheap tix stall in Leicester Square.Shoreditch has some cool places to eat and drink and on the weekend go to Brick Lane Market 

[VERYSTORMY 3,405]

the Proms are on and most concerts have some tickets.

how about a special food thing? Tea at the Ritz or a very special restaurant?

Would also second Windsor. The castle and St Georges are spectacular.

[deryans 62]

Leytonstone is not that far out at all,   if it's just the two of you, I'd definitely do a few of these:    Have a drink in the Bar at the top of the Shard at London Bridge,  go for a snack or two at Borough Market  nearby  - Pint of Harveys at he Market Porter - it really is good,  you can walk off the calories by walking along the southbank from southwark cathedral towards the tate, across the millennium bridge to St Paul's , hang a left and walk towards the strand,  along fleet street, just behind he Punch Inn (which is rubbish)  there is St Brides, aka the wedding cake church well worth a look, ,  its about a further 15-20 min walk along the strand past the royal courts of justice - also worth a look inside - by now you should be thirsty enough to pop into the american bar at the savoy just before charing X  (apparently it's been revamped so I can't say its the same superb art deco) after that  you should really try the National Gallery on trafalgar, it's busy but not crazy and since the tourists always flock to the picasso or other famous,  you'll be left in relative peace to take in the other paintings, it's a super gallery and most of what I've said here is free.   

The Gerkin also has a bar at he top, (just off grace church if you are walking across from london bridge) and the leaden hall market nearby as been used harry potter, just across the street in st michaels lane is the Jamaican Wine house - one of the oldest coffee houses dating from the 1600's,  

If you are inclined, I can definitely recommend the Pink Floyd exhibition at the V&A,  it is something else, well worth the 25gbp

We too went to Harrods, and it's changed quite a bit,  I joked to my wife that maybe they should change the name to Harab's ....   bit tacky and less impressive.

[Quoll 6,241]

Not sure what time frame you are talking about but it's Open House London on 16/17 Sept https://openhouselondon.open-city.org.uk/ which offers some interesting places which aren't usually open. The Great London Yarn Crawl on 9 Sept (if you are yarn minded) with a pop up wool show at the Central Hall Westminster. 23/24September is Walk London with some very interesting free walks around unusual places. 

Otherwise, Greenwich is good - Cutty Sark, Royal Naval College Cable car across the river and Markets. Combine with some mudlarking on the banks of the Thames (if the tides are right). Cabinet War Rooms, lunch or dinner on Bateau London, cocktails at The Ice Bar in Soho.

[vickyplum 204]

if you want something local, pay a visit to the William Morris House/Gallery in Walthamstow. 

or have a walk around Canary Wharf, down to Mudchute via the park, and through the foot tunnel to Greenwich. Lots of places for a drink or lunch etc on the other side. 

Edited August 30, 2017 by vickyplum

[dmjg 4,061]

On 29/08/2017 at 21:08, Quokka2005 said:

Yeah the Harry Potter studio was cool, if you're a fan then you would really like it.   Go see the lion king musical and secretly film it for me 

Saw that in Melbourne, it was fantastic

[bunbury61 4,216]

On ‎29‎/‎08‎/‎2017 at 08:50, dmjg said:

Hi All,

We have three days free in London for a flying visit for the BIL's wedding. It's just the two of us as the kids are staying in Melbourne.

We have already done all the touristy things like The Tower, Big Ben, Belfast, Cruise, Bus Loop, Hamleys, Hyde Park, Greenwich etc.

Other than a trip to Harrods we have no other needs. What do people suggest for something out of left field? Short or whole day? Staying in Leytonstone.

Ta, Dan

they reckon LITTLE VENICE , Camden market and the zoo

we often take the rube to oxford circus ...walk down regent st ..carnaby st , piccadily circus onto Leicester sq , then onto Covent garden

you could then take in a host of world class shows .

if the weather is decent ...we often grab a coffee and ride the open top bus .

they often throw in a free river tour ticket

London eye ?

the museums ?

st Paul's ?

the shard ?

tower of London ?

loads of things to see and do

[simmo 21,948]

regents canal boat trip.

[Wadeo1974 10]

You could go to the planetarium at Greenwich, ride the new cable car over the Thames, take a trip up the shard and see about getting some lunch up there.

Sent from my D5803 using PomsinOz mobile app

[dmjg 4,061]

Back now.

OH got there a few days ahead of me, and I had to battle across London in peak hour by myself. With 36 hours sans sleep, the OH dragged my into Oxford street to find a suit for the wedding. Got back eight hours later....One hour to try and buy my suit and six for her to try on shoes!

Across London for five hours to Boden for her to buy a dress and shoes... Then back east to dump shopping and back east to a game at Wembley.

Into Covent garden for the day followed by Aladdin at some theatre or another. Drinks in bar under London bridge.

Family day and hen/bucks do next in Clapham.

Full day to Bombay Sapphire Distillery which was great, did the cocktail masterclass.

Wedding day then off the next day. Nice little food market in Belham on the Sunday served up a nice brunch before having to  leave for Heathrow.

London in less than a week.

 

[Parley 7,918]

Thats the trouble with asking for ideas isn't it ?

You get so many different opinions and just end up ignoring it all in the end and do what you feel like.

I'm the same way.

[dmjg 4,061]

I tried to convince her to go to Windsor, but she preferred more shopping......

[amibovered 1,252]

3 hours ago, dmjg said:

I tried to convince her to go to Windsor, but she preferred more shopping......

I think us men have all suffered a variation of that scenario