Few days in London-- advice please??! :)

[bvonro01]

hi there..
so im planning a trip to europe for this summer and need some advice (so ill be posting a lot) and ANY advice I could get would be great...

background- my friend and i (both female) will be 23 and looking to do as much as possible in our short trip.. so touring, off the beaten path, partying, meeting people- anything. we love all different kinds of activities and we really value ANY suggestions people have

this post is about London and here's my plan...

Arrive on July 7th (AM) -- does anyone know which is typically cheaper to fly into from NY (gatwick or heathrow?)

7th- go to Hostel (any feedback on the following hostels that i've narrowed down to: London Central, Holland Park, Earl's Court, St. Pancras, Astor Museum Inn, Palmer's Lodge, Astor Hyde Park, St.Christoper's Village)
then just wing it and explore the rest of the day

8th- do touristy activities (possibly Big Bus London Tour?)

9th- DAY TRIP (any suggestions, will have most of the day) then probably party/bar at night (suggestions?)

10th AM- do touristy stuff alone (not in organized tour or anything), possibly markets (heard Portobello in Notting Hill on SAT??), then party maybe (if we arent dead!)

11th- leave AM- fly to Amsterdam (any advice on the cheapest airlines and which airport to fly out of?


Also- for all this, does it pay to have an Oyster Card? and How much money should we put on it? was reading up on them on this site:

www.visitbritaindirect.com/en-us/detail.aspx?ProductCode=TV105

and would 20 or 30 pounds be a good amount each for the stuff we want to do.
I think I'm just a little nervous about the size of the city (from a small town) and wondering if it is easy to get to all of london on transportation...

I appreciate any help anyone can offer!! Thanks! happy travelling!

[cristin]

An oyster card is essential if you want to take the tube or buses (which it sounds like you definitely do). Tube fares are more than doubled if you buy tickets on the spot with cash. Buses are also half price with an oyster card. As to how much to put on, I would say go with a conservative estimate since you can always add more money to your card if you start to run out. Many convenience stores do this. If they do there will be a blue oyster stop sign in the windows.

I could be wrong but I think tickets to Gatwick and Heathrow are genrally comparably priced. I don't think you can get direct flights from the US to Gatwick though, if that's what you're looking for.

Also, some day trip options might be Brighton, Bath, Oxford or Windsor Castle.

[Eagle]

bvonro01,

A few thoughts on your most recent questions....

You'll have to check with a Travel Agent or online flight sources such as kayak.com (or others) to determine which London airport is "cheaper". I'm not too familiar with the flight options from the NYC area. If there's a choice, I'd suggest choosing Gatwick / LGW as it's a smaller airport and much easier to get around. Travel into the city is also very easy via the Gatwick Express (train), which takes about 30-minutes to London Victoria Station. Fare is a bit pricey though, about £15 each (unfortunately the UK is expensive). Be sure to mentally calculate what that £8 Burger at McDonalds or Burger King is really costing you.

I can't offer any suggestions for a Hostel as I usually use budget Hotels in London. You might have a look at www.cartrefhouse.co.uk for one example of a B&B Hotel. Not luxurious but very comfortable and the owners are wonderful. The neighborhood is excellent - there's a small Wine Bar across the street and it's within easy walking distance of London Victoria station. Of course it won't be the same as "the Hostel experience".

If you plan well, a day trip to either Bath (National Express Coach from Victoria Coach Station) or York (via Rail) should be possible. Both cities are incredible and beautiful. Visiting York Minster is awesome but on a day trip you probably won't be able to take in an "evensong service".

For the "touristy stuff" you could visit the British Museum, ride the BA London Eye, visit the Tower of London, browse along the south bank of the Thames, visit the Tate Modern Art Museum (located across the Millenium Bridge), visit St. Paul's Cathedral, watch the Changing of the Guard at Buckingham Palace, visit the Cabinet War Rooms or the Imperial War Museum, see a musical in the evening (I really enjoyed Mamma Mia!). This is only a small portion of the activities available in this world-class city!

For travel from London to Amsterdam, you could either take the EuroStar (under the Channel) or use budget airline from either Luton or Stanstead. EasyJet is the carrier I'd use (RyanAir offers cheap prices but they typically tack on lots of extra but compulsory charges). Which is "cheapest" will depend on when you book, as the prices typically increase as the flight fills up. Be sure to read the terms & conditions carefully, as often there are no changes or refunds possible.

Having an Oyster Card will make travels around London much easier, as it covers not only the Tube but also Buses and the Docklands Light Railway (as I recall). A deposit is required for the card (which I believe is £3.50) but you can get a refund of that plus remaining time if you turn the card in.

Good luck with your planning!

[bvonro01]

Thank you so much! this stuff really helps! i feel like im abusing this forum but you guys are just so knowledgeable and Im plannign this ENTIRELY on my own-- THANKS AGAIN!

[kayling05]

you can fly into gatwick from the US (delta does it I know, because I have looked into Atlanta-London flights before and gatwick came up as a direct option, along with heathrow). So surely you will be able to fly into gatwick from NYC too. They are around the same price, gatwick MIGHT be a little cheaper depending on the dates, but gatwick seems to be less hectic of an airport to deal with so I would fly into there if you've got the option.

As for day trips, there are plenty you could do. A good guidebook will talk all about possible day trips from london. If you get up early enough, you could even make it out to stonehenge and back in one day.