The wife and I are going for a week in July. We are spending 3 nights in the Cotswolds with friends and probably end the last two nights in London. Any advise for the two night between?

Following because we will be in London for 3 nights in late July

--Windsor Castle
--Tower of London & Tower Bridge
--The Shard
--Wimbledon
--Changing of the Guards
--Westminster Abbey
--Churchill War Rooms
--Greenwich ( Cutty Sark )

Txgunrnnr said:

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--Windsor Castle
--Tower of London & Tower Bridge
--The Shard
--Wimbledon
--Changing of the Guards
--Westminster Abbey
--Churchill War Rooms
--Greenwich ( Cutty Sark )

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These are all great - one bit of advice. The best place to see the changing of the guard is actually at Windsor Castle as compared to Buckingham Palace (I think its Tue/Thur/Sat, but verify). You can get so much closer and see everything.

We watched the change then toured the Castle. Came out and they were changing the individual guard in one of the guard spots. Watched that and could have easily walked with the detachment as they walked to the next guard post.

Other spots:

Borough Market
National Gallery
British Museum
Imperial War Museum
Victoria & Albert Museum
National Portrait Gallery
Wallace Collection
John Soames House
National History museum

There is just so much to do in London that you could stay there for a week and not do it all.

Following, will be there in early June.

Search the travel forum for threads with "London" in the title. There are several ones with a lot of good information. I second, spend the whole time in London.

Be sure to see Oxford whilst in the Cotswold area.
You won't regret more nights in London.

The Royal Oak Pub , Marylebone area of London

George Inn Pub , southward area of London

Masters Superfish for Fish & Chips

I will agree with everyone else and say to spend 4 nights in London for sure!

Spend the remaining time in London. I would advise treating the trip as a traveler and not as a tourist.

https://www.hrp.org.uk/tower-of-london/whats-on/ceremony-of-the-keys/#gs.j8jbp4

If your going to be in London during Wimbledon tournament, your going to need a full day getting there and returning. It will be very crowded.
Otherwise in the short period you will be in London, I'd take the hop on and off bus just to see the sights.
Churchill war rooms is worth the time.

Shiner79 said:

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I'd take the hop on and off bus

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When my wife is with me she always wants to do the Hop on Hop off bus. It stops at Harrods.

I did this with my Mom who is 83. Great way for her to see London without having to walk much.

Big Shoulders said:

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Some of the best golf courses in the world are within 30 minutes from Heathrow. Just sayin'

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Nobody needs to go to the UK to play heathland or parkland courses.

Shiner79 said:

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Churchill war rooms is worth the time.

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The Imperial War Museum is the way better stop in my opinion.

The Milkman said:

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Big Shoulders said:

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Some of the best golf courses in the world are within 30 minutes from Heathrow. Just sayin'

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Nobody needs to go to the UK to play heathland or parkland courses.

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I am not sure where "need" comes into the equation. I am just saying that Sunningdale, Swinley Forest are among the best courses in the world, in my opinion of course.

Checking in as we will be there in early June as well. I've got quite the list put down but we are doing a full week in London. Wife has already been once.

We have a trip to London planned (staying in Kingston on Thames). I will be utilizing public transportation as best as I can with my two kids. What is the easiest way to book train travel? Any safety concerns I should be aware of (female traveling solo with two children)? For context-I have zero issue with using the subway in NYC outside of tourist areas.
I have done zero planning and would love any tips or tricks for us to make the most out of our 6 days there!

ladyfriend said:

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We have a trip to London planned (staying in Kingston on Thames). I will be utilizing public transportation as best as I can with my two kids. What is the easiest way to book train travel? Any safety concerns I should be aware of (female traveling solo with two children)? For context-I have zero issue with using the subway in NYC outside of tourist areas.
I have done zero planning and would love any tips or tricks for us to make the most out of our 6 days there!

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Generally no big safety concerns. Way safer than NYC.

Why are you staying in Kingston on Thames? It's a nice area… but it is out there.

Spouse is going for work and we are tagging along.
I'm also interested in anything in that area that I can get to via public transportation. We are the type that are up and out early to fit as much in as possible.

Look on the tfl website. That may have tain and other transport links.

Personally I would look in Wikipedia for transport in that place and follow those links as well.

Also just a Google search for where you want to go and changing transport method from driving to transport will show options.

mefoghorn said:

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I have to disagree. Churchill War Rooms are fantastic. Any man over 40 who doesn't admire Winston Churchill is uneducated or an idiot. The War Rooms are a unique trip back into WW2 history - to literally the nerve center of where he & Britain pretty much saved Western Europe from tyranny before the US woke up to reality. Nowhere else can you see the maps, equipment and unique furnishings exactly as they were during such an important conflict.

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To be clear, this isn't a knock on the man or what he did and the War Rooms are a great museum. I've been to both many times. The War Rooms are always incredibly overcrowded and I think the Imperial War Museum shows a way more complete picture of modern warfare than the War Rooms do.

The way I'd put it is the War Rooms are more akin to the Presidential libraries here where the Imperial War Museum is widely considered one of the 2 or 3 best military and war museums in the world.

ladyfriend said:

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Spouse is going for work and we are tagging along.
I'm also interested in anything in that area that I can get to via public transportation. We are the type that are up and out early to fit as much in as possible.

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That area is attached to the SW Rail. You are looking at either a decent trek in to Waterloo then grabbing the Tube to places or getting to Richmond via SW Rail to jump on the district line which takes forever to get to central and from there is flighty.

There are some cool things over there like Richmond Park, Kew Gardens, and Hampton Palace. Just know that area is probably a 45 minutes to an hour from all the stuff you will no doubt want to see in London.

Imperial War Museum was better before they adopted the digital trend. So many artifacts have been removed for the sake of screens.

I want to see the uniform not a video of it that could be posted on YouTube.