Page 1 of London Advice

My daughter and her partner are coming down for the Ministry gig at the Astoria next month and are making a 3 day long weekend of it.
It`s a long long time since I`ve been to London, so I wondered if anyone would suggest places for them to visit and any tips would be welcome
All travel will be on public transport and already on the agenda are the Zoo, the Aquarium ,shopping of course and off it are Tussauds, London dungeon and probably the museums ( time factor )

P.S Daddy is paying for all of this so nothing too extravagent.;-))

Thanks guys and gals

This item was edited on Friday, 17th January 2003, 14:04

This is a MUST see but ends 9th Feb :/
http://www.bodyworlds.com/en/home.asp

Also go on the Millenium Wheel if you can, but book tickets in advance to cut down the waiting time.

Go to the zoo if you must, but personally I think its a bit disappointing.

Took the kids there a couple of months ago (hadn`t been back to London Zoo for a few years), and it was all a bit depressing really. Most of the enclosures were empty, with signs saying `Relocated to Bristol Zoo`.

No elephants, couple of lions and tigers who had obviously gone insane, and a giant bear enclosure with one bear in it. My Mrs is totally against Zoos, and after that trip I could see her point.

However, don`t want to put a dampner on your trip, and it may have just been an off day. Maybe others can advise ?

Whatever you do, have a good time.

Cheers.

have a drink with me! (while the girls go shopping) :-).....I agree that the wheel is worth a visit (but as has been said, book in advance)..the London Aquarium is near the wheel aswell, and well worth visiting.

I wouldn`t bother with the zoo either. It`s become too depressing over the years. The larger animals have been moved to the larger enclosures at Whipsnade so there are no elephants or zebras here. The tiger has lost the plot, but apparently he was imported from the Czech Rep. where he lived in a cage and all he could do was pace up and down. Poor thing.

Plus it`s cold. Do you really want to see some animals in this weather? Some animals have the sense to stay indoors, away from visitors.

Bodyworlds, London Eye, aquarium, all good attractions. :-)

I`m all to much in agreement with you about the zoo, depressing places at best and I would need to be dragged kicking and screaming into one.
Your info is hard evidence to drop that visit. Thanks.
Alan I would have liked that very much but do you REALLY think I would be going to a Ministry concert ?.;-))
Afraid not, this is a daughter and boyfriend exclusive with muggins`s paying for the trip
I`m grateful for the feedback and any other tips you may want to pass on.
Thanks again P.
.

I would say the best place to go is The Tower of London, out of all the things to see this was really interesting!
Make sure you get a tour with a beefeater though. excellent day!
Also stay clear of Oxford street - not much cop nowadays, neither is Carnaby street, or leicester Sq.
Still if you wanna keep costs to a minimum just go and look at Buck Palace, and the parks (if its not raining)

After London Eye (essential), they can walk along the South Bank past loads of culture places to Tower Bridge & the Design Museum (good restautant above it with views over the river) - via Hays Galleria for shops if they like that kind of stuff. And end up at Tower of London.

And if you want to keep costs down, make them go to the national museums & galleries which are free. And if they`re not interested in the contents, it`s worth going to, at least, Tate Modern - amazing bit of architecture, with a decent (& not too expensive) cafe at the top offering great views over London. They can then walk over the Millennium Bridge (now non-wobbly) to St Paul`s (entrance fee).

British Museum is free & the Great Court is a great new space. Crap cafes though.

The Zoo is now one of the most depressing places in London - second only to Leicester Square...

A couple of places off the main tourist trail for people with short attention spans (like me):
if they`re anyway in Kensington for shops & want a break, check out Leighton House, Holland Park Road. A tiny museum built by the Pre-Raphaelite artist as his entertaining pad. Full of really beautiful rooms decorated with Arabic tiles & his own art;
a bit further out, the Geffrye Museum, a museum of rooms & furniture from different ages. Which sounds dull, but isn`t.

Info on central London museums & galleries at:
www.exhibitionsnet.com/museum/content.html

and of course, if they time it right, they can enjoy the scenes of utter carnage as people try and avoid the congestion charge :-)....and apologies about the confusion...I read it that your daughter and your partner were coming down.....there`ll always be another time mate!

I`d agree with the south bank suggestion.

Also for museums, go to

the museum of London (Barbican, free).
the imperial war museum (Lambeth North, free, kids can look at the tanks)
London transport museum (covent garden, free?)