Me and my father are trying to plan a trip to London England. I have bene looking on line for things to do but don't know where to start. Has anyone delt with a travel agent that is good? I don't want to get screwed out of my money by some idiot travel agent.

If anyone has been there let know where youstayed what you did etc.
I am trying to get some ideas of what all to do. I should say what tours should i take what sites should i see etc.

 

Hey. I studied for four months about two hours north of London.

One thing: if you are going to travel all the way over there, do not limit yourself to London only. Granted, it's a GREAT city, but there are so many more cool places close by, and not just in the UK. Paris has a ton to offer. Ireland is amazing, Germany rocks, and the list goes on. You might try

http://easyjet.co.uk/

and

http://www.ryanair.com/site/EN/

for some flights around Europe. I flew many, many times around Europe for well under $40 roundtrip (including England to Italy) and had some flights for $7 roundtrip.

Loads to see. Pick up one of those travel books. They're worth their weight in gold. I had a "Let's Go Europe" but the Lonely Planet books are good as well.

Have fun!

 

if you go to london, you simply MUST take some time to see Harrod's Knightsbridge. It's a hugeeee store (like two city blocks) and it has something of everything inside it, including a nice restaurant, bakery, and grocery store. It's an everything department store that's a sight to behold, even if you don't like shopping much.

Pick up a Fodor's travel guide for ideas of unique places to visit in London...and pack a raincoat! it can get damp and rainy, which is unpleasant at times Barnes and Noble or the like should have any number of versions pertaining to london.

I think the last flight we took to london was british airways. International flights are harder to find these days but if you fly a major carrier from a big airport you should be able to get an OK deal.

Hotels, I can't recall, but a quick stop by travelocity or orbitz should give you an idea of what the per-night rate is.

 

As far as location to stay within the city... don't worry. The public transportation there is so streamlined - as is everywhere in Western Europe - its amazingly easy to get around. I flew United coach into Heathrow - free drinks!

I think Heathrow is a little easier to get to the city from, as opposed to Gatwick. There's a Tube/Underground/subway station at the airport. One train gets you to the heart of the city (King's Cross) for a couple lbs.

 

Be sure to go to some convienaince stores. You find the most amazing sweets and chips. (Absolutely Starving is one) We found chips that were lambchop flavored.

The general attractions are fun to see and the tube will get you around to anywhere you need to go. Taxis are also available, on new years eve we got into the same exact taxi twice! (Out of the 2.5 million taxi cabs that day)

I wouldnt waste time on the 'changing of the guards'...its just a couple of people walking to take their turn to stand for hours on end. wooo.

As an fyi, everthing in London is the same price here...except its in pounds. i.e. A dinner here is $10, in London its 10 pounds. But 1 pound is like 2+ bucks now so watch out.

 

First, you MUST BUY a Rick Steve's guidebook (ricksteves.com). He has a book specific to London, another for all of England, and you can get one for all of Europe too. They are all awesome. These books are the best! I swear by them. These books destroy all other guidebooks!!!

The book is the best investment you can make. They are so easy to read and will really enhance your experience. They will really help you to make good use of your time plus learn to save a lot of money while keeping you away from the tourist traps. Everything is written from Rick Steves's firsthand experience and he updates them every year. These books are especially great if you like art, history, culture, food, etc.

Second, think about spending a day or two in Paris. It's just a 3 hour train ride under the Chunnel.

Thirdly, I don't know how particular you are about hotels, but don't spend too much money on a hotel with lots of fancy amenities. You'll only spend a small amount of time in the hotel anyways. You just need a safe, clean plce to sleep and shower.

Fourth, pack light! You won't need as much as you think and it'll make travelling much easier and enjoyable!

Good luck and have fun. I'm hoping to visit Europe this summer as well!!

 

spring break 05' i went to london and paris... i have to say that i loved london but i absolutely despised paris..... i got mugged but a little kid (he came at me with a knife and a 2x4), there are gypsies everywhere, and (not to be stereotypical) everyone is very rude... but as for London... i loved it

 

Oh man that sucks. I'm sorry you had a bad experience in Paris.

Remember though, Paris is a big city like New York, so there are some shady characters especially in the outer arrondisements and or/tourist traps. I witnessed a few pick pockets and thugs out in the suburbs. It's really easy to let your guard down because walking around Paris makes you really feel like you are living in a fantasy. Generally, if you stay close to the city center, Paris is mostly elderly people and young affluent people.

Another tip for going to non-English speaking countries: Try your hardest to learn their culture and language. People will see your efort and trt you much nicer.

 

WOA! MAn you guys are a HUGE help! I would like to go somewhere else besides england. were flying into england and staying there for at least a few days. I will definately stop in harolds. Shopping is all good with me. I want to try to get to some other countries as well.

 

Bring peanut butter and hidden valley ranch mix. You can sell it to the Americans in boarding school over there and pay for at least half your trip.

Oh, and the French love Fritos.