London Help

maggiesoup

Hi all,

Have booked a 4 day trip to the Big Smoke and looked at various sight seeing sites on the web but there's SO much to do don't know where to start. Have been on the London Eye and Madam Tussauds but that's about it. Can anyone suggest the "must sees" for myself and 12 yr old son (he's not too keen on museums) without breaking the bank. We're staying in Hammersmith but I take it the tube's easy to get around?

Once again, thanks for all help.

black-saturn

The London Aquarium (right next to the London eye)

London Aquarium

London Zoo

London Zoo

This is pricey but it's well worth the charge and is really fun. It's a vehicle which is amphibious (sp?) and goes along the roads and the water:

London Duck Tours

Heres the visit London site:

Visit London

maggiesoup

Did a quick search on the Days Out link and spotted the 2for1 deals which also gives lots of info for London. Will check it out but still keen to hear if anyone has other suggestions. Thanks.

weedav

A great Friday morning out would be a trip to The London Dungeon (hunt around, you can usually find pre-order 2for1 deals - AND you get to skip the queue). Your 12 year old would love it - I did and I'm 25! Then have a walk around the Borough Market to grab a quick and tasty lunch.

alanrowell

Start with the London Top 10 attractions

fatboyonadiet

If you're doing the London Eye book it online you get a small discount (think it's 5%) http://www.londoneye.com/ you can pick a time but feel free to turn up early if it's not busy they'll let you on

black-saturn

Theres also quite a few cheap tickets for the London eye on ebay at the moment.

mgw99

Hi

There's a promotion on in London at the moment where you get discounts / promotions if you have a tube ticket including 2 for 1 on the London Eye - take a look at http://www.tfl.gov.uk/tfl/everyones-london/index_flash.asp Some of them are for oyster cards only but you just have to pay £3 deposit (I think that's right) and then you can use them as a prepay ticket while you're in London, or put a travelcard on them. I think Martin posted about this somewhere for the London Zoo...

Also, there is a free bus from Hammersmith across the bridge to the London Wetland Centre http://www.wwt.org.uk/visit/wetlandcentre/

mgw

mgw99

sorry - forgot about another one. I've taken visiting friends and family on the riverboat from Tower Bridge to Westminster. Last time I went it was less than £4 if you have a travelcard. It takes about 1/2 hour and although there's officially no commentary the drivers (is that the right word) will tell you all about the local sites you go past and are probably a lot more amusing than some of the 'official' boat tours. Highly recommended!!

Also have a wander near the Tate Modern and across the wobbly (Millenium Bridge) to St Pauls. There's usually something good in the Turbine Hall at the Tate even if looking round all of the galleries would be a bit much.

And in Hammersmith - take a wander down by the river. It's about 10 minutes walk from the centre / tube station. There are some nice pubs for lunch or dinner and it's beautiful in the day or at night.

avi_3

mgw99 wrote:

Hi

Some of them are for oyster cards only but you just have to pay £3 deposit (I think that's right) and then you can use them as a prepay ticket while you're in London, or put a travelcard on them.
mgw

Hi - Can you please explain how this works. Thanks

waster_2

An Oyster Card is basically a smart card that you swipe over the reader as you enter a station or a bus. For prepay you need to “buy” an Oyster Card for a £3 deposit. You then charge it up with a minimum of £10 and off you go. The good thing now is that the amount that is taken off your card is the maximum you would ever had paid that day had you bought a travelcard. So if you only use it for say one bus journey in a day it will only take that bus fare off. whereas if you use it for multiple tube, bus, DLR, tramlink and train services in London it will only ever take off the maximum that you would have paid had you bought a travelcard.

In fact with Oyster Card some fares are actually cheaper than pay as you go with cash. And in central London you have to buy your tickets before you board the bus now anyway, so an Oyster Card means you do not have to worry about cash for the ticket machine.

The only downside for visitors is if you do not use all the money you have put on the card you cannot get it back But you can always keep the card for your next trip. You can get an Oyster Card at all underground Stations and lots of other outlets too. Check out here:

http://www.tfl.gov.uk/tfl/fares-tickets/2005/index.asp