A day to kill in London, any tips please?

[Adenauer]

I'm coming to London for a few days with Mrs A and one of our daughters. They're both going to friends on one day and I have that day to do as I please, just not sure what really.

I've got a ticket for the F1 exhibition at the Excel but that'll probably take care of an hour or two at the most.

So any other tips on what I can do or visit for the rest of the day? I don't really want to spend it all in a pub.

[Actual]

For whatever you do try to use busses to get around and try to get the front seat on the top deck. It is great feeling seeing London coming towards you. You will see all the sights and watching London at work is fascinating.

[HTP99]

There is literally thousands of things to do, galleries, museums, exhibitions, download an all trails walk (we do this fairly often as you tend to see parts of London you wouldn't normally see), food markets, just wander about.

[Adenauer]

To add a little more info, I've done all of the touristy stuff in London already so really looking for something that's maybe not so well known to go an have a look at / explore.

Pretty sure the Excel is Docklands way but I have an Oyster card so can go wherever really.

[HTP99]

Adenauer said:

To add a little more info, I've done all of the touristy stuff in London already so really looking for something that's maybe not so well known to go an have a look at / explore.

Pretty sure the Excel is Docklands way but I have an Oyster card so can go wherever really.

The wife went to Highgate cemetery recently, she said it was really interesting, many famous and notable people are buried there.

[Regbuser]

From Excel you could take a look round the docks, then get on the IFS cloud cable car over to Greenwich peninsula.
Have a wander around there, then head down to Greenwich, taking in the meantime brewery then cutting through to the riverside path.
Arrive at Greenwich and pither around there a bit, maybe even the park and observatory if it's nice.
Then take the Greenwich foot tunnel over to the island, and have a good explore, making your way back into the city via Wapping and st Katherine's dock.

[GetCarter]

Always worth a visit:

https://www.iwm.org.uk/visits/iwm-london

[anonymous-user]

If it was me:

Excel for the F1 exhibition first.

DLR back to Canary Wharf, walk through to the Pier and catch the River Bus (RB1 or RB2) to Tower Millenium Pier.

Marvel at the Tower of London, wander round St Katherines dock then walk over Tower Bridge.

Walk along the South Bank, past HMS Belfast, to Millennium Bridge. Shakespeare's Globe and the Tate Modern there if either takes your fancy.

Walk across Millennium Bridge, up to St Pauls Cathedral and pay a visit to the F1 cafe for burger and coffee/beer.

You could walk from there back East to the Sky Garden in the Walkie Talkie (but you do need to book in advance) or Duck and Waffle so some amazing lunch with even better views.

From there I would probably walk West via Fleet Street and the Strand to Covent Garden/Theatreland and Trafalgar Square then Buckingham Palace, or jump on the tube and head out to Mayfair/St James/Hyde Park for some carspotting.

So many options and it really depends what you enjoy. Personally I love walking round London and stopping for a coffee (or a cigar in St James) and could happily spend a day doing just that.

[Collectingbrass]

Mail Rail at Mount Pleasant

https://www.postalmuseum.org/visit-us/what-to-expe...

Vinyl shopping

https://www.timeout.com/london/music/londons-best-...

Clothes shopping

https://luxurylondon.co.uk/style/his/jermyn-street...

[Adenauer]

Now we're getting there, thanks so far, great stuff.

We did Highgate Cemetery last time, and the Imperial War Museum.

[AC43]

MrBig said:

If it was me:

Excel for the F1 exhibition first.

DLR back to Canary Wharf, walk through to the Pier and catch the River Bus (RB1 or RB2) to Tower Millenium Pier.

Marvel at the Tower of London, wander round St Katherines dock then walk over Tower Bridge.

Walk along the South Bank, past HMS Belfast, to Millennium Bridge. Shakespeare's Globe and the Tate Modern there if either takes your fancy.

Walk across Millennium Bridge, up to St Pauls Cathedral and pay a visit to the F1 cafe for burger and coffee/beer.

You could walk from there back East to the Sky Garden in the Walkie Talkie (but you do need to book in advance) or Duck and Waffle so some amazing lunch with even better views.

From there I would probably walk West via Fleet Street and the Strand to Covent Garden/Theatreland and Trafalgar Square then Buckingham Palace, or jump on the tube and head out to Mayfair/St James/Hyde Park for some carspotting.

So many options and it really depends what you enjoy. Personally I love walking round London and stopping for a coffee (or a cigar in St James) and could happily spend a day doing just that.

I'm just quoting this as it cover 80% of what I was going to say.

[Gixer968CS]

Cabinet War Rooms is mind blowing. The control centre for WW2, a large underground complex in Westminster (under the Treasury so exit at Westminster Underground). Essentially the staff got up, walked out of the War Rooms at the end of WW2, took nothing with them, turned off the lights and locked the door, only for it to be opened again decades later. It's a time capsule - tea cups on the desks etc, maps on walls, books laid open everything totally untouched. Fascinating.

[Countdown]

HTP99 said:

There is literally thousands of things to do, galleries, museums, exhibitions, download an all trails walk (we do this fairly often as you tend to see parts of London you wouldn't normally see), food markets, just wander about.

What HTP99 said.

I'm a big fan of the galleries, museums etc (mainly because they're free ) recent ones I've visited

National Gallery
National Portrait Gallery
British Museum
Natural History Museum
Imperial War Museum

[Blib]

AC43 said:

MrBig said:

If it was me:

Excel for the F1 exhibition first.

DLR back to Canary Wharf, walk through to the Pier and catch the River Bus (RB1 or RB2) to Tower Millenium Pier.

Marvel at the Tower of London, wander round St Katherines dock then walk over Tower Bridge.

Walk along the South Bank, past HMS Belfast, to Millennium Bridge. Shakespeare's Globe and the Tate Modern there if either takes your fancy.

Walk across Millennium Bridge, up to St Pauls Cathedral and pay a visit to the F1 cafe for burger and coffee/beer.

You could walk from there back East to the Sky Garden in the Walkie Talkie (but you do need to book in advance) or Duck and Waffle so some amazing lunch with even better views.

From there I would probably walk West via Fleet Street and the Strand to Covent Garden/Theatreland and Trafalgar Square then Buckingham Palace, or jump on the tube and head out to Mayfair/St James/Hyde Park for some carspotting.

So many options and it really depends what you enjoy. Personally I love walking round London and stopping for a coffee (or a cigar in St James) and could happily spend a day doing just that.

I'm just quoting this as it cover 80% of what I was going to say.

I agree.

An excellent series of suggestions.

[TwigtheWonderkid]

If you're at Excell, get over to North Greenwich and take the riverbus up to Westminster. It's cheap, and brilliant.

[Adenauer]

Brilliant, thanks everyone. I like the idea of the riverbus.

I had also pondered with having a look at Westminster Abbey, I‘m not religious in any shape or form but it looks pretty impressive. Worth a shout?

[Tom8]

Thread title quite apt these days.

[Your Dad]

Horizon22 if you don’t mind being high up.

Taller than Sky Garden by quite a way, and free unlike the Shard.

[Adenauer]

Thanks to you all for your help.

Our hotel is the Radisson Blu Grafton on the Tottenham Court Road so bearing that in mind, does this look like a reasonable day based on a lot of the suggestions?

Tube to the Excel F1 exhibition.

DLR to Canary Wharf.

Walk through to the pier and catch Riverbus RB 1 or RB2 to Westminster.

Walk to the Cabinet War Rooms.

Walk to the British Museum.

Walk back to hotel.

[Jordie Barretts sock]

Tom8 said:

Thread title quite apt these days.

Not just me then.