London Trip in April

wenpop

DIS Veteran
Joined
Jun 28, 2002
Anyone know any good tips on trips to London? We are planning on going in April next year to catch a game at Stamford Bridge, catching a Chelsea game, Seeing some sights, Looking for any tips on Hotels, transportation and activities... Never been and my son is really looking forward to going for his Graduation present.... thanks for any tips....
Going to Disney in Sept, so really need some savings..... :)
 
How exciting.

Tell us more about you and your son's interests and your budget and we may be able to help. But for now ...

I don't know a lot about football but Chelsea is a very popular team - get your tickets early and remember that fans are segregated in English grounds so you need to get a ticket for the correct end.

The nearest tube station to Stamford Bridge is Fulham Broadway on the District Line. I'd prefer to stay more centrally and travel to the match. Somewhere near Leicester Square might be a good place to start looking.
 
We will be there for about 5 days, we would like to see the popular sites Big Ben, London Bridge, changing of the guards, London Eye, things like that, anything free, we are really just there for the game and see a few sites. Oh, and the weather, Guessing it would be very cold....
 
April can be very hot or it can snow! Usually it is cool and showery - April Showers got their name for a reason! Bring a raincoat.

It is also the start of the main tourist season and the UK schools mostly have a fortnight's holiday then - but it depends on when Easter falls. (Our school just outside London has the first 2 weeks of April off next year.)

The Premier Inn at County Hall is well located for a lot of what you want to see.
http://www.premierinn.com/gb/en/hotels/england/greater-london/london/london-county-hall.html
(The Leicester Square one isn't as nice)

The strangest thing about London is that most of the museums are free to visit but some of the churches aren't!

Some things we've enjoyed for little or no cost:-
http://www.westminstercathedral.org.uk/tower.php
https://www.ricksteves.com/watch-read-listen/audio/audio-tours/london
http://britishmuseum.org/ there used to be free volunteer led tours here worth checking at the info desk when you arrive
http://changing-guard.com/times-routes.html even if you can't see through the railings it is quite impressive to see the soldiers arrive and leave

The open topped bus tours can be frustratingly slow and clogged up with traffic. Take a guided boat trip to Greenwich instead and you will see and learn a lot (get the fast clipper boat back).

This site might be useful to plan your own walks http://www.londonforfree.net/walks/


Happy planning
 


We went to London for Spring Break this past April and we stayed at the Hilton Angel in Islington. It isn't a far walk from the Angel Tube stop (Northern Line) and only a few stops from Leicester Square and Kings Cross. If you book an Executive Room or Suite, it includes breakfast every morning, a small bottle of wine in the room, and the executive lounge is open daily for tea and biscuits, as well as an evening reception with snacks/apps, soda, wine and beer. http://www3.hilton.com/en/hotels/united-kingdom/hilton-london-angel-islington-LONISHN/index.html

If you are Harry Potter fans and planning to go to the Warner Brothers' Studio Tour please know that it books up quickly and I'd recommend that you purchase tickets sooner, rather than later. Friends of ours waited until a few weeks before their trip and they were unable to visit as it was completely sold out. https://www.wbstudiotour.co.uk/

We'd also recommend London Sky Garden for beautiful views (if the weather cooperates) looking down over the city. Tickets are required, but are free. You just need to reserve online approximately 1 month ahead of your visit. https://skygarden.london/sky-garden

If you post any other info on specific interests, I'd be happy to offer advice if we have done anything that you are interested in. Enjoy your trip! We LOVE London!!!!
 
April 2nd Fly to Boston, Then Fly to London
April 3rd Arrive in London, Go to Hotel, Museum of London, Jack the Ripper Tour
April 4th The London Eye, London Dungeon, West Minister Abbey Big Ben
April 5th Tower of London, Tower Bridge
April 6th Buckingham Palace, Changing of Guards, Chelsea Tour
April 7th Go to Chelsea Game
APril 8th Hampton Court
April 9th wake up, Fly to Boston, then on to ATL

Preliminary plans.... other than restaurants, am I missing anything important????
 
April 2nd Fly to Boston, Then Fly to London
April 3rd Arrive in London, Go to Hotel, Museum of London, Jack the Ripper Tour
April 4th The London Eye, London Dungeon, West Minister Abbey Big Ben
April 5th Tower of London, Tower Bridge
April 6th Buckingham Palace, Changing of Guards, Chelsea Tour
April 7th Go to Chelsea Game
APril 8th Hampton Court
April 9th wake up, Fly to Boston, then on to ATL

Preliminary plans.... other than restaurants, am I missing anything important????
National Gallery, Kew Gardens, British Museum Windsor Castle.
I am not sure why you are doing London eye and london dungeon which are not free.
I would see west end shows as Harry Potter and Cursed Child, Hamilton and Matilda
http://www.theatre.com/shows/tickets/?page=2.

As for hotels I would need to have a budget. I would do this trip with the most you can afford. I am not saying going to fat duck or anything. But do try to look for something special. Because this might be your only trip.
 
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National Gallery, Kew Gardens, British Museum Windsor Castle.
I am not sure why you are doing London eye and london dungeon which are not free.
I would see west end shows as Harry Potter and Cursed Child, Hamilton and Matilda
http://www.theatre.com/shows/tickets/?page=2.

As for hotels I would need to have a budget. I would do this trip with the most you can afford. I am not saying going to fat duck or anything. But do try to look for something special. Because this might be your only trip.
and just to confuse you you could even do Paris!!!!
 
[QUOTE Slightly less boring I would consider a visit to Greenwich![/QUOTE]

I never been, but its a timely reminder that Greenwhich has a lot of history. Maybe I should get a compass.
 
If you've any spare time after seeing the Tower of London, the MBNA Thames Clipper pier is right there so you could take an boat to Greenwich, or if you prefer Westminster in the other direction.

Last time I travelled on the Thames Clipper there was a tour guide with a group of people. Not sure how you book this but maybe worth looking into as he was pointing out so many fascinating details that would otherwise be missed.
 
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If you've any spare time after seeing the Tower of London, the MBNA Thames Clipper pier is right there so you could take an boat to Greenwich, or if you prefer Westminster in the other direction.

Last time I travelled on the Thames Clipper there was a tour guide with a group of people. Not sure how you book this but maybe worth looking into as he was pointing out so many fascinating details that would otherwise be missed.

Ah, yes the Thames Clipper is the name of the commuter boat. They take Oyster but they don't normally (or at least in my experience) do tour guides - and you need to be quick at the docks! But the boat is great, fast and a bar onboard ;)
 
My daughter and I just got back from London, Paris and Edinburgh. A fabulous trip overall. My daughter did run into some health issues and we spent our first full day there at St Mary's Hospital which was very stressful but I must say that we were treated SOOOO well by everyone there. I have nothing but praise for the staff! We nearly came home but pushed through and took things very slowly (not the manic trip I had planned) and she was much better by our second week there thank goodness. We saw all the highlights that we had booked such as Harry Potter and The Cursed Child and the Warner Tour. Both just amazing!! Saw quite a few other shows as that was our primary reason for going (huge theatre junkies!). Saw Our Ladies of Perpetual Succour, The Play that Goes Wrong, The Woman in Black, School of Rock, Apologia and Bat Out of Hell (my absolute favourite!!!)
As far as tourist things in London we toured Kensington and Buckingham Palaces and did the Imperial War Museum. If I can answer any questions just shout!
 
My daughter and I just got back from London, Paris and Edinburgh. A fabulous trip overall. My daughter did run into some health issues and we spent our first full day there at St Mary's Hospital which was very stressful but I must say that we were treated SOOOO well by everyone there. I have nothing but praise for the staff! We nearly came home but pushed through and took things very slowly (not the manic trip I had planned) and she was much better by our second week there thank goodness. We saw all the highlights that we had booked such as Harry Potter and The Cursed Child and the Warner Tour. Both just amazing!! Saw quite a few other shows as that was our primary reason for going (huge theatre junkies!). Saw Our Ladies of Perpetual Succour, The Play that Goes Wrong, The Woman in Black, School of Rock, Apologia and Bat Out of Hell (my absolute favourite!!!)
As far as tourist things in London we toured Kensington and Buckingham Palaces and did the Imperial War Museum. If I can answer any questions just shout!
If Cursed Child does not win the Tony I will eat my sorting hat
 
I was looking up a trip to London earlier in the year and found it really expensive and confusing when it came to hotels/airports and transport in general so I gave up researching.
 
I was looking up a trip to London earlier in the year and found it really expensive and confusing when it came to hotels/airports and transport in general so I gave up researching.
London can be very dear. But keep looking. I do high end hotels. So cannot be any help. But frommers can help
 
I was looking up a trip to London earlier in the year and found it really expensive and confusing when it came to hotels/airports and transport in general so I gave up researching.
just wondering what hotels / place to stay where you looking at.
 
just wondering what hotels / place to stay where you looking at.
I can't remember now as it was a few months ago we were looking. We had planned to go the last week of August but it was working out at crazy prices
 
I can't remember now as it was a few months ago we were looking. We had planned to go the last week of August but it was working out at crazy prices

Cheapest hotel brands in the UK are Premier Inn and Travelodge. Travelodge is very basic and can be hit and miss. Premier Inns are very good and I always use them religiously. They don't appear on sites like booking.com etc. so you have to check their website directly.

Also don't be too afraid to stay away from the centre. Transport is very good, despite everyone moaning about it lol, in London so if you are near a Tube/Overground or Train station you can get into the centre of London.

The airports are not in the city and there are lots of ways to get to the centre. If you are flying to heathrow you can take the Underground (Tube) and it is very cheap compared to the train which is a total rip off.

If you are flying to gatwick do not take the gatwick express. It's very expensive and it's no faster than a "Regular" train that can take you though the city. You can get discounts if you are a group etc. This website is pretty good at explaining things. https://www.seat61.com/UK-train-travel.htm

Other general tips
  • I would avoid using any tourist buses. They are overpriced and painfully slow. You can walk almost everywhere in central London, in particular around the central area.
  • Personally, I think the London Eye is a waste of money and time. Even more so on a rainy or misty day. There are lots of other free places you can go to get great views of the city.
  • Get an oyster card and when you have finished it you can get your £5 deposit back.
  • A lot of tube stations are quicker to walk between (for example Leicester Square to Covent Garden) is quciker walking.
  • There are lots of free museums that are very good. Science Museum and Naural History Museum in Kensington, The Museum of London at Barbican and the Bank of England musium are a few.
  • Food can be expensive but there are lots of reasonable places to eat also. I would say look and ask around. The general rule is tourist areas are going to be very expensive.
 
London can be very dear. But keep looking. I do high end hotels. So cannot be any help. But frommers can help
Hi, I am newly planning a trip for my birthday in June. Yay! Do you have any opinions on either the Royal Horseguards or Landmark hotels? Or do you have any suggestions? It's my fortieth and just me and my husband(no kids), so a nicer hotel within walking distance to touristy stuff is what I'd prefer. Thanks for any help!
 
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