London Updated

[joshhasbighands]

2 hours ago, Virgil said:

I was hoping to make a "London Essentials" thread once I actually get tickets.  Just to provide a list of things to think about for anyone travelling overseas, or things our England friends can help us with.  

 

For Example:

Passport - Currently a 3-4 month wait on getting them issued

Cell phone Options - Is it cheaper to just buy a sim card or rent a hot spot when you get there, or use an international plan

Power Outlets - What type of converter will you need to bring with you

Transportation - What's the best for getting around the City or if you want to travel outside the city

Tourist must see's and things to avoid - What are the lesser known places and what might take you all day due to lines

Currency - Is it better to use a bank card or just get a bunch of cash once you are there (don't forget to let your bank know you are travelling)

Soccer Games - What sections to avoid, what to wear, kid friendly, best way to get tix?

 

The London Eye is good, the lines actually move very quickly. Lots of free things to do, like visiting Hyde Park, Buck Palace, the Tate Modern, things like that. When I went to NY I did the same thing, went to the Brooklyn Bridge, Central Park etc.

 

Better to carry a card these days, lots of places arn't even set up for cash now (annoyingly)

 

Get a tube pass, that's such an easy way to get around. 

[Augie]

2 hours ago, TBBills Fan said:

 

2 seats, if you include the one you are buying for me

 

As I said, I only need the one ticket! How bad could it be for ONE TICKET?  😋

[TBBills Fan]

48 minutes ago, Augie said:

 

As I said, I only need the one ticket! How bad could it be for ONE TICKET?  😋

Thank you kind sir!  We will have fun at the game together!

[BritBill]

14 hours ago, Fleezoid said:

 

Remember to "Mind the Gap." And pay attention to signs on the sidewalks. Look "Right" when crossing the streets. 

 

Most of the "mind the gap" announcements are digitally produced but there is one still played with the original voice actors voice. I think it may be Tottenham Court Road tube station but can't be 100% sure of that. Anyway, the gentleman who voiced the original announcement died and for years after his widow would regularly visit the just station to hear his voice.  

13 hours ago, Gunvald's Husse said:

Victoria tube to Seven Sisters and a bus to the stadium (or a shortish walk). Easy as pie

 

This.

 

It's about a 20 minute walk straight up Seven Sisters Road but you'll mingle with lots of other fans. 

[BritBill]

14 hours ago, Virgil said:

I was hoping to make a "London Essentials" thread once I actually get tickets.  Just to provide a list of things to think about for anyone travelling overseas, or things our England friends can help us with.  

 

For Example:

Passport - Currently a 3-4 month wait on getting them issued

Cell phone Options - Is it cheaper to just buy a sim card or rent a hot spot when you get there, or use an international plan

Power Outlets - What type of converter will you need to bring with you

Transportation - What's the best for getting around the City or if you want to travel outside the city

Tourist must see's and things to avoid - What are the lesser known places and what might take you all day due to lines

Currency - Is it better to use a bank card or just get a bunch of cash once you are there (don't forget to let your bank know you are travelling)

Soccer Games - What sections to avoid, what to wear, kid friendly, best way to get tix?

 

 

Passport - that's a thing for between you and your governing body.

Cell phone - probably best to get in touch with your cell plan provider and see what they can do for you.

Power outlet - you'll need a 3 pin plug adaptor - https://www.amazon.co.uk/Adapter-VINTAR-Travel-Suitable-America-White/dp/B0BBRLP4DD/ref=sr_1_1_sspa?crid=149UW10Q7EGJ&keywords=us+to+uk+plug+adapter&qid=1687851845&sprefix=us+to+uk%2Caps%2C137&sr=8-1-spons&sp_csd=d2lkZ2V0TmFtZT1zcF9hdGY&psc=1

 

Transportation - as mentioned by creek, the tube is the most efficient way to get around. If your debit/credit card has a contactless pay option you don't need an Oyster Card. Just scan your credit/debit card each time you enter and leave a station and at the end of the day, the cheapest way for you to have travelled on the Tube will be calculated and deducted from your account. The most you can pay is the amount for a day travel card in whatever zones you travel in. If going outside London then train is probably your best bet. Always cheaper to book tickets in advance if you know where you're going and when beforehand. 

 

Tourist things - look online and see where you fancy going. Some places you can buy a tourist card which will give you discounted entry for a number of sights. One thing I enjoyed doing a few years ago was a Jack the Ripper walking tour. You get taken around the nooks and crannies East End and told stories of the crimes of Jack the Ripper. It takes you off the beaten path for a couple of hours. 

 

Currency - I use a travel card when I go abroad. A debit card which links to my bank account and helps to provide good exchange rates when making purchases. Something you'll need to assess yourself as it will be a personal choice. A note on this is Spurs Stadium is completely cashless so if you intend of buying food and drink in there you'll need a debit/credit card. 

 

Soccer games - although some teams have a reputation for giving a safer experience than others there isn't one ground I'd never go to. Especially with kids. The important thing is probably ensuring you go in the correct part of the stadium depending on who you want to support that day. And even then some clubs fans are a lot more tolerant than others. If you let us Brit guys on here know which games you'd like to go and see I'm sure we'd be able to give you some specific help and suggestions to make it an enjoyable and safe experience. 

 

 

[GunnerBill]

18 hours ago, CNYfan said:

Islington 

 

Love Islington. If money were no object it is the place in London I'd live. Walthamstow where I actually live is like Islington but 15 years behind on the curve. 

 

Tube from highbury and islington to seven sisters and then a 15 minute walk is your best route to the stadium. 

32 minutes ago, BritBill said:

 

Passport - that's a thing for between you and your governing body.

Cell phone - probably best to get in touch with your cell plan provider and see what they can do for you.

Power outlet - you'll need a 3 pin plug adaptor - https://www.amazon.co.uk/Adapter-VINTAR-Travel-Suitable-America-White/dp/B0BBRLP4DD/ref=sr_1_1_sspa?crid=149UW10Q7EGJ&keywords=us+to+uk+plug+adapter&qid=1687851845&sprefix=us+to+uk%2Caps%2C137&sr=8-1-spons&sp_csd=d2lkZ2V0TmFtZT1zcF9hdGY&psc=1

 

Transportation - as mentioned by creek, the tube is the most efficient way to get around. If your debit/credit card has a contactless pay option you don't need an Oyster Card. Just scan your credit/debit card each time you enter and leave a station and at the end of the day, the cheapest way for you to have travelled on the Tube will be calculated and deducted from your account. The most you can pay is the amount for a day travel card in whatever zones you travel in. If going outside London then train is probably your best bet. Always cheaper to book tickets in advance if you know where you're going and when beforehand. 

 

Tourist things - look online and see where you fancy going. Some places you can buy a tourist card which will give you discounted entry for a number of sights. One thing I enjoyed doing a few years ago was a Jack the Ripper walking tour. You get taken around the nooks and crannies East End and told stories of the crimes of Jack the Ripper. It takes you off the beaten path for a couple of hours. 

 

Currency - I use a travel card when I go abroad. A debit card which links to my bank account and helps to provide good exchange rates when making purchases. Something you'll need to assess yourself as it will be a personal choice. A note on this is Spurs Stadium is completely cashless so if you intend of buying food and drink in there you'll need a debit/credit card. 

 

Soccer games - although some teams have a reputation for giving a safer experience than others there isn't one ground I'd never go to. Especially with kids. The important thing is probably ensuring you go in the correct part of the stadium depending on who you want to support that day. And even then some clubs fans are a lot more tolerant than others. If you let us Brit guys on here know which games you'd like to go and see I'm sure we'd be able to give you some specific help and suggestions to make it an enjoyable and safe experience. 

 

 

 

 

Top tourist tip - do NOT do the Tower of London. Complete waste of money to walk around with people dressed up as ye olde worlde knights of the realm to look at plastic replicas of the crown jewels behind glass. 

34 minutes ago, BritBill said:

A note on this is Spurs Stadium is completely cashless so if you intend of buying food and drink in there you'll need a debit/credit card. 

 

 

Completely classless.... totally classless..... oh and cashless. Yes. That also. 

Edited June 27, 2023 by GunnerBill

[Gunvald's Husse]

1 hour ago, GunnerBill said:

 

Love Islington. If money were no object it is the place in London I'd live. Walthamstow where I actually live is like Islington but 15 years behind on the curve. 

My sister lives just off Finsbury Park so walking distance to the Library and my mother near Tottenham Hale so far too close to the New Shite Hart Lane.

 

I have to get vaccinated just to visit either of them #MOT #WACCOE

 

[eball]

2 hours ago, GunnerBill said:

 

Love Islington. If money were no object it is the place in London I'd live. Walthamstow where I actually live is like Islington but 15 years behind on the curve. 

 

Tube from highbury and islington to seven sisters and then a 15 minute walk is your best route to the stadium. 

 

 

Top tourist tip - do NOT do the Tower of London. Complete waste of money to walk around with people dressed up as ye olde worlde knights of the realm to look at plastic replicas of the crown jewels behind glass. 

 

Completely classless.... totally classless..... oh and cashless. Yes. That also. 

 

Thanks for the tip on Tower of London.  We were going to do that but I’ll now try and convince Mrs. E-ball not to.  Planning to go to Oblix at the Shard for tea…good choice?

 

[GunnerBill]

10 minutes ago, eball said:

 

Thanks for the tip on Tower of London.  We were going to do that but I’ll now try and convince Mrs. E-ball not to.  Planning to go to Oblix at the Shard for tea…good choice?

 

 

Never had a sit down meal there but did attend a private drinks event with hot buffet. The food was excellent and the views are amazing. 

 

If Mrs E wants a royal history fix Westminster Abbey is the place to visit. Where Kings and Queens are crowned, the Queen's funeral, Wills and Kate wedding etc. You have to book in advance and the queues can be long but it is free to go in and is a genuinely worthwhile experience. 

 

You can do a lot of really great stuff in London for free. All the main galleries and museums are free to enter. You can go also into Parliament as a visitor for free and watch a debate (although they don't sit at weekends and it might still be conference recess anyway the week of the Bills game). You do have to pay for a Parliament tour however. Obviously you can go and watch the changing of the guard for free outside Buck House every day at 11. But get there a bit before if you want a decent view because the crowd can build on days when the weather is nice.

 

The Churchill Imperial War Rooms are the paid attraction I'd most recommend. I think that is about £25 to enter from memory. They are the actual underground bunkers from where Winston Churchill held Cabinet and commanded our war effort in WWII.  The other one that I have always meant to do and never done is the underground tour of abandoned tube stations which I am told is brilliant. 

 

Tower of London is just a tourist trap for Americans and Chinese tourists. 

[BritBill]

As a tight-arsed Yorkshireman I've used this site before - https://www.londonforfree.net/

[GunnerBill]

14 minutes ago, BritBill said:

As a tight-arsed Yorkshireman I've used this site before - https://www.londonforfree.net/

 

Removed the unnecessary words. 

[SoCal Deek]

We love the glass enclosed Sky Garden observation deck at the top of one of London’s skyscrapers. It’s free (or at least it used to be) but you’ll need to make a reservation for a specific day and time online. It’s the best view looking over all of London and there’s a bar up there to get a drink. They don’t care how long you stay and the garden itself is amazing! 
 

We’ve never actually gone inside the Tower of London, but if you’re a first time tourist you pretty much have to take an iconic picture outside with the Tower Bridge in the background. 
 

Lastly, I highly recommend Roast for a true London proper lunch. Roast beast and Yorkshire pudding. It’s in Burroughs Market at the base of the Shard with a view across the river to the dome of the cathedral. 

[Fleezoid]

6 hours ago, BritBill said:

 

Most of the "mind the gap" announcements are digitally produced but there is one still played with the original voice actors voice. I think it may be Tottenham Court Road tube station but can't be 100% sure of that. Anyway, the gentleman who voiced the original announcement died and for years after his widow would regularly visit the just station to hear his voice.  

 

This.

 

It's about a 20 minute walk straight up Seven Sisters Road but you'll mingle with lots of other fans. 

 

Cool back story. Thank you for that. 

[plenzmd1]

3 hours ago, eball said:

 

Thanks for the tip on Tower of London.  We were going to do that but I’ll now try and convince Mrs. E-ball not to.  Planning to go to Oblix at the Shard for tea…good choice?

 

E, couple of suggestions.

 

1) As @GunnerBilland @BritBill suggest, Tower is okay to miss .I am a history guy, did it first time to London, would not again

 

2) I love walking tours, and have been using this company since i first starting going to London in the 90's. Never had a really bad tour, but did a ghost tour with the kids and would skip that. They are great for the historic sites like Parliament and Westminster, but to me excel at the neighborhoods. Maybe you wife loved Notting Hill when it came out and may appreciate a guided tour around that neighborhood for instance. Olde Marlebone has been mine favorite over the years, granted it been a good 15 years since i have done that. Walks everyday of the week.

 

https://www.walks.com/

 

2) Think Gunner mentioned Imperial War Rooms...top notch if you love history. Get yourself there. That is part of the Imperial War Museums, and the IWM in London is prolly the best museum i have ever visited. Might be a bit much for wife if she not all into when combined with the Churchill rooms.

 

https://www.iwm.org.uk/visits/iwm-london

 

3) London eye to me just a giant Ferris wheel. Plenty of views to be had around London...another one i would skip for sure

 

4) I am more of a history guy than an art guy, but the Tate Modern pretty freaking awesome. Free and paid exhibits.

 

https://www.tate.org.uk/visit/tate-modern

 

5) Prolly dont have to mention, but there is some real junk stuff on the south bank where Tate Modern/Globe Theatre are located. Crap like the The Clink Prison Museum and such....you would get more satisfaction and enjoyment lighting your pounds on fire.

 

6) Last, we love to just spend some time wondering around neighborhoods, popping into place's off the beaten path for bite and a adult soda, finding great little shops and boutiques, and just whiling the day away. No need to have plans, jst $$$$$ 😜

 

 

[BritBill]

plenz makes a good point. It's good to decide which part of London you want to see, get the tube there and just wander around. You'll stumble upon all sorts of sights and places with interesting stories. 

 

We once walked from Kings Cross to the West End theatre district instead of getting the Tube and on the way we passed through Carnaby Street and came across a Banksy mural in the space of half an hour. Hadn't planned to see them but glad we did. 

 

You're never far away from a Tube station if you feel you're starting to get a bit lost. And there aren't many places in central London where you'd feel uncomfortable.  

[Augie]

4 minutes ago, BritBill said:

plenz makes a good point. It's good to decide which part of London you want to see, get the tube there and just wander around. You'll stumble upon all sorts of sights and places with interesting stories. 

 

We once walked from Kings Cross to the West End theatre district instead of getting the Tube and on the way we passed through Carnaby Street and came across a Banksy mural in the space of half an hour. Hadn't planned to see them but glad we did. 

 

You're never far away from a Tube station if you feel you're starting to get a bit lost. And there aren't many places in central London where you'd feel uncomfortable.  

 

To each their own. We were in Paris and Italy a month ago and the wife had a long list of things to see. I had had enough of museums and cathedrals, but she was determined to see the statue of David. We had seen a replica somewhere (the Louvre?) and since I couldn’t tell the difference, I figured I had that covered. While she saw museums and cathedrals in Florence, I saw FLORENCE! We both had a blast!

 

I’ll be talking my more casual approach to being a tourist, avoiding long lines wherever possible. One of the things I most enjoyed was a dinner cruise on the Seine. Since I’ll be traveling alone, that might not be ideal, but is there something more like a booze cruise on the Thames you might recommend? I like seeing cities from the water for a different perspective. 

[plenzmd1]

54 minutes ago, Augie said:

 

To each their own. We were in Paris and Italy a month ago and the wife had a long list of things to see. I had had enough of museums and cathedrals, but she was determined to see the statue of David. We had seen a replica somewhere (the Louvre?) and since I couldn’t tell the difference, I figured I had that covered. While she saw museums and cathedrals in Florence, I saw FLORENCE! We both had a blast!

 

I’ll be talking my more casual approach to being a tourist, avoiding long lines wherever possible. One of the things I most enjoyed was a dinner cruise on the Seine. Since I’ll be traveling alone, that might not be ideal, but is there something more like a booze cruise on the Thames you might recommend? I like seeing cities from the water for a different perspective. 

No booze cruise for grandpa’s like yourself. Maybe a morning porridge cruise for you and your ilk?

[SoCal Deek]

59 minutes ago, Augie said:

 

To each their own. We were in Paris and Italy a month ago and the wife had a long list of things to see. I had had enough of museums and cathedrals, but she was determined to see the statue of David. We had seen a replica somewhere (the Louvre?) and since I couldn’t tell the difference, I figured I had that covered. While she saw museums and cathedrals in Florence, I saw FLORENCE! We both had a blast!

 

I’ll be talking my more casual approach to being a tourist, avoiding long lines wherever possible. One of the things I most enjoyed was a dinner cruise on the Seine. Since I’ll be traveling alone, that might not be ideal, but is there something more like a booze cruise on the Thames you might recommend? I like seeing cities from the water for a different perspective. 

You and I very much alike. I don’t spend much, if any, time on the intricate details of each place. Especially if it’s my first time in town. I’d far prefer to get an overview of the major sights. As this will be our fourth or fifth trip to London, we’ll be digging a little deeper. It’s your first time I highly suggest the walking path itinerary I outlined above. It’s a bit of walking but well worth the day (assuming the sun is out).

[eball]

4 hours ago, plenzmd1 said:

Last, we love to just spend some time wondering around neighborhoods, popping into place's off the beaten path for bite and a adult soda, finding great little shops and boutiques, and just whiling the day away. No need to have plans, jst $$$$$ 😜

 

This is our standard M.O. when traveling in general.  We only do tours and exhibits if they are truly "must see."

 

[BritBill]

21 hours ago, SoCal Deek said:

 

Lastly, I highly recommend Roast for a true London proper lunch. Roast beast and Yorkshire pudding. It’s in Burroughs Market at the base of the Shard with a view across the river to the dome of the cathedral. 

 

£16.50 for a "full" breakfast 🤑