In London with a few days to kill

[twhite80]

It has been about 6 years since I was last in London and even then I just did some of the main tourist things: changing of the guard, london tower, etc. I want to go to the imperial war museum, but what else should I definitely do? Any good hobby shops that are easily accessible? I will be staying on the north side of Hyde park. Very much looking forward to going back to the UK!

[geedubelyer]

Enjoy your stay in Blighty. I hope the weather is kind to you.

My family and I really enjoyed a "flight" on the London Eye. Great views over the capital on a good day.

Cheers,

[pigsty]

You should leave London. The bits that are tolerably picturesque are geared to tourists (including the prices); the bits that aren't geared to tourists are either forbiddingly up-market or are armpits. Half an hour on the train will take you to much nicer parts of England where you can relax and avoid the noise and crowds. If you're north of Hyde Park, you can get easy access to the Thames Valley via Paddington Station* and to the Chilterns via Marylebone Station.

You may have guessed I don't like London much.

Good hobby shops are surprisingly rare. For reasonably easy access frmo the centre, there's Muddlezone on High Holborn (nearest Tube- Holborn, and head back towards Oxford Street) and Hannants out near the RAF Museum (nearest Tube - Colindale). Not a lot else, unless you want a bit of a trek. Or you can combine the two ideas and take a trip to Dorking (from Victoria) for one of Britain's most authentic old-fashioned model shops.

* named after the bear

[twhite80]

Well actually I will be in London before I head down to Cornwall to relax for a week. I want to do the London Eye for sure! I would like to visit Hannants perhaps. Where is the RAF Museum?

[mongo]

Take the Northern line to the Colindale station and walk 15 minutes to the left to the RAF Museum; you'll need at least a day for that. Take your camera with extra batteries and an empty card. If you have any time (and money), keep walking another 10 minutes past the museum to Hannants, the nirvana for the modeler.

In London, take in a play or see the National Portrait Gallery. St Martin-in-the-Fields offers inexpensive classical concerts in a great setting just off Trafalgar Square. Go to Greenwich and see the Maritime Museum; Cutty Sark was there before it burned.

If you are in need of books take the train to Tunbride Wells; about an hour (?) SE of London to the Aviation Bookshop; it's about a two minute walk from the rail station. They have just about any aviation book on any subject, new and OOP that you could desire.

If you're headed to Cornwall DO NOT miss St Michael's Mount; time your visit to walk the causeway! On the way try to stop in Bath and see the Roman Baths. If you're driving, don't miss Stonehenge; everybody's gotta stop to see that pile of rocks. Also, if you're diving, about 30 miles south of Bath is the FAA Museum at Yeovilton; half-a day for that.

Jeff "Mongo" Cramer

Cincinnati

Well actually I will be in London before I head down to Cornwall to relax for a week. I want to do the London Eye for sure! I would like to visit Hannants perhaps. Where is the RAF Museum?

[MikeC]

Motor Books in Cecil Court always used to be worth a visit when I worked in London, it's a small walk from Trafalgar Square.

http://www.motorbooks.co.uk/

If you're into ships, HMS Belfast is one place I still haven't been but is bound to be worth a visit.

RAF museum and Hannants I also recommend. iirc Colindale from Leicester Square takes about 30 minutes, and make sure you get on a train going up the correct branch of the Northern Line - the tube map will explain it better than I can.

Edited April 30, 2010 by MikeC

[Cloggy]

Personally I wouldn't bother with the London Hannants - the last few times I've gone there it's been very sparse indeed. I'd go to The Aviation Hobby Shop in West Drayton instead - it's half the size of Hannants but has twice the stock!

The RAF Museum is excellent however and well worth a visit as there are some rare and beautifully preserved aircraft there plus it is informative without being turned into a children's playground. Then there's the Science Museum in South Kensington. This is linked to the Natural History museum and also incorporates what used to be the superb Geological Museum; certainly a good day out with some excellent exhibits but it is more of a children's playground than the RAF museum. Just around the corner is the Royal Albert Hall and Hyde Park, or (for the girlies) just across the road is the Victoria & Albert Museum.

Have fun!

[tornado64]

Motor Books in Cecil Court always used to be worth a visit when I worked in London, it's a small walk from Trafalgar Square.

http://www.motorbooks.co.uk/

If you're into ships, HMS Belfast is one place I still haven't been but is bound to be worth a visit.

RAF museum and Hannants I also recommend. iirc Colindale from Leicester Square takes about 30 minutes, and make sure you get on a train going up the correct branch of the Northern Line - the tube map will explain it better than I can.

if going to the tower of london H.M.S. belfast is a must not miss it is just across tower bridge i have a huge photo file of her absoluteley terrific few hours and i wasn't even intrested in ships at that time !!

much to my ww2 R.N. fathers disdain !!

[twhite80]

This stuff is so great! Thanks! What else?

[AX 365]

I just got back form London and France on Saturday. IMW - budget at least a day to see everything properly. There is a very moving and informative display regarding the Holocaust. Well worth the time and effort. Admission is free. Get off at the Elephant and Castle station (Bakerloo Line IIRC) and it's a 10 minute or less walk to the museum. Opens at 1000 hrs.

The London Eye was amazing. We were there around 1800 hrs and there was virtually no line up. I'm kinda kicking myself in the butt we didn't go up at dusk or at night. That would have been much more impressive, I think. Having said that, the line ups are longer at dusk. You can pay en extra few pounds to avoid the long line ups but it might not be worth it. Personal choice.

The US Embassy is on the west side of Grosvenor Square, opposite the Canadian High Commission.

We took a tube ride to Camden Town and walked through the market. Most of the market is converted horse stalls dating back to the 17th century. It's very impressive but it can be an asylum at the same time. We then walked back to our apartment along Regents Canal and then through Regents Park to Baker St where we saw the Sherlock Holmes Museum at 221B Baker St. We didn't go in.

Although I didn't go, one of the friends at the Cdn High Commission recommended the Britain at War experience. Scott said it was very well done. If you take one of the 'Hop on, Hop Off' tours - the Blue Route - it stops very close to the exhibit.

My wife took one of tours that included a boat tour up the Thames. She has a photo of herself with one foot on either side of the GMT meridian.

Friends dragged me to a hole in the wall, The Golden Hind, for fish & chips. It's not far from where we stayed on York St, not far from the intersection of Baker St and Marylebone Rd. Also had a great dessert sampler - sticky toffee pudding, chocolate cake and ice cream - at the Captain's Cabin, a stone's throw from Picadilly Circus.

I took a day trip up to the RAF Museum at Cosford. Virgin Train from Paddington Station to Birmingham New St station and then London and Midlands Train (final destination Shrewsbury) and got off at Cosford. It's about a 15 minute walk to the Museum.

I did do a lot of walking, from the apartment to the High Commission at Grosvenor Square - met the missus for lunch - then on to Green Park, saw the Canadian War Memorial, looked at Buckingham Palace, the Victoria Memorial, up The Mall to the National Police Memorial, to Trafalgar Square and back to the apartment.

I don't know if you're prepared to spend the money, but you can do an overnight in Paris by taking the Eurostar train from St. Pancras Station to the Gare du Nord in Paris. Nothing like seeing Paris form the top of the Eiffel Tower at night...or day.

[HOLMES]

Mike ..

Gald you and Teri had a great time

The photos are STUNNING especially of PARIS....

HOLMES

[Kalashnikov-47]

British Museum.

Awesome.

Free.

I SOOOOOOOO miss living there!

Edited April 30, 2010 by Kalashnikov-47

[GEH737]

A relatively short train ride - Duxford museum is awesome. RAF Hendon (RAF / Battle of Britain) museum is a must see (as already mentioned). In the vicinity of the Tower of London (well worth the time) - there's (I believe it's called) "Churchill's War Room" and "London Blitz" museum - extemely well done. For me, the "Imperial War Museum" is nice - but given a choice, I'd go back again and again to Hendon or Duxford. The "Tube" is teriffic for getting around - get the biggest range day pass and you'll pretty much be able to go anywhere around the city you need to. There's so much to do, it's really tough to try and narrow it down...

Hitch

PS, Hitchin, England is a short train ride outside of London ;)

[vince14]

I work in one of the buildings in this picture.

But I'm not telling you which one.

Vince

[Kalashnikov-47]

PS, Hitchin, England is a short train ride outside of London ;)

Been there.... :P

[geedubelyer]

I work in one of the buildings in this picture.

But I'm not telling you which one.

Vince

:huh:

You work in the London Aquarium Vince? :blink:

:D

[turnerdad]

I live just north of London, and it's a pretty cool city, but then I havn't got that much to compare it too, can be a bit tourist trappy like all places. For non airplane/modern military etc, you really should visit the British Museum, it has an incredible variety of amazing artifacts that span our global history. You could easily spend a week going through it and still be surprised. I'd recommend getting there around 9.30-10, and wandering round till you are too tired to continue. Natural History museum is cool too, but don't go out of your way to visit it. Hendon is a must, worlds only surviving Typhoon for a start (thanks to you Yanks-we scrapped all ours!). Battle of Britain hall is genuinely historical, but take a decent flash if you want to get good pics of the exhibits, as the lighting is subdued. Walk through a Sunderland too! Try and visit the Graham White Hall, full of WW1 aircraft (Vickers Vimy replica among them), though check opening times before you visit, for some reason it has different opening times to the rest of the museum.

Duxford too, but take a day to drive around the backwaters. Hire a car maybe, and drive out to the villages, there are loads of pretty villages beyond Londons walls with nice pubs where hopefully you can soak up a little atmosphere.Many of the old Eigth Air Force bases are still there, though some with new housing estates tucked into a corner etc. People moan about the UKs tourist sites sometimes, but dig a little and you'll find genuine history. Plus, all our national museums are completely free! (Smaller private ones can charge)

Of course, we have literally thousands of country houses too, that's where we Brits go on a bank holiday. And Cornwall and the West Country, were do I start? (Avoid Glastonbury!!!)

Edited April 30, 2010 by turnerdad

[tornado64]

:huh:

You work in the London Aquarium Vince?

:D

nope it's the not very secret service !!

[ron]

I've spent many weekends in London and surrounding area over the years. Must see's in no special order

Science Museum (has many historical planes)

Imperial War Museum

Churchill's war room

Tower of London

HMS Belfast

British Museum

RAF Hendon (highly recommended)

West Minster Abbey

St Paul's Cathedral

If you can get out of London

Cambridge University area

When in Cambridge go to the Imperial War Museum Duxford (an all day event)

Bath is nice, loads to see there.

Stone Henge

Pool is a nice area with a few old castles to visit

[MikeC]

(I believe it's called) "Churchill's War Room"

Just checked - "Cabinet War Rooms" - head down Whitehall towards Parliament Square, take a right down King Charles St, it's at the end.

Hitch

PS, Hitchin, England is a short train ride outside of London

I know, when I worked in London I went through it on the train every day.

Edited May 1, 2010 by MikeC

[twhite80]

How good is the London Aquarium? Thanks again for all the suggestions!

[geedubelyer]

How good is the London Aquarium?

Hmmm,....on a scale of 1 to 10 I'd give it a 6.

From what I remember the layout is all indoors and spread over a couple of stories. You walk down and around it in a spiral with views into the main tank as you go. There are plenty of fish to see including a number of pretty big sharks and you can pet some rays too.

All sorts of things from sea water to tropical. It passes an hour or two.

HTH

:(

Edited May 1, 2010 by geedubelyer

[Heyjoe]

A relatively short train ride - Duxford museum is awesome. RAF Hendon (RAF / Battle of Britain) museum is a must see (as already mentioned). In the vicinity of the Tower of London (well worth the time) - there's (I believe it's called) "Churchill's War Room" and "London Blitz" museum - extemely well done. For me, the "Imperial War Museum" is nice - but given a choice, I'd go back again and again to Hendon or Duxford. The "Tube" is teriffic for getting around - get the biggest range day pass and you'll pretty much be able to go anywhere around the city you need to. There's so much to do, it's really tough to try and narrow it down...

Hitch

PS, Hitchin, England is a short train ride outside of London

concur...take train to Cambridge and hop on bus to Duxford (start early and check on last bus scheduled). Hendon is also a must do as is Imperial War Museum. If you're near Hyde Park, walk to Grosvenor Square that is flanked by US Embassy with Eagle Squadron monument in center. Go late in day and check out Piano Bar in Millenium Hotel and Pubs down street towards park. Look for Spy and Counter Spy stores (and MI6)

[twhite80]

Which is better if I only had 1 day: The RAF museum or the Imperial War Museum?

[ron]

Which is better if I only had 1 day: The RAF museum or the Imperial War Museum?

If your an airplane nut then RAF Hendon is better. If you like all things related to British military history (planes, ships, guns, uniforms, knives, hats, flags....) then the IWM.