M8 AND 8 SERIES
BMW Garage BMW Meets Register Search Today's Posts Mark Forums Read
BIMMERPOST Universal Forums Off-Topic Discussions Board Traveling to London with my family....need suggestions

Post Reply
 
Thread Tools Search this Thread
      01-30-2020, 05:04 PM   #45
M_Six
Free Thinker
M_Six's Avatar
United_States
16537
Rep
7,447
Posts

Drives: 2016 MB GLC300 4matic
Join Date: Jan 2009
Location: Foothills of Mt Level

iTrader: (0)

They call it The Underground for a reason.
Attached Images
 
__________________
Mark
markj.pics

"There is no shame in dropping fruit in your glass."
-UncleWede
Appreciate 1
vreihen1614885.00
      01-30-2020, 05:19 PM   #46
c1pher
Primo Generalissimo
c1pher's Avatar
United_States
4546
Rep
3,995
Posts

Drives: All of them
Join Date: Jun 2009
Location: DC area

iTrader: (0)

Garage List
Stay out of the no go zones and wear phonebooks around your midsection. Otherwise, enjoy!
Appreciate 0
      01-30-2020, 06:22 PM   #47
P1
Lieutenant General
P1's Avatar
11542
Rep
11,128
Posts

Drives: 2004 3/4 ton Duramax
Join Date: Aug 2007
Location: United States

iTrader: (1)

Always loved the Imperial War Museum, the London Dungeon and Camden Market.

Last edited by P1; 08-30-2020 at 06:35 PM..
Appreciate 0
      01-30-2020, 06:27 PM   #48
DC X3M40i
Captain
DC X3M40i's Avatar
663
Rep
767
Posts

Drives: 2023 X3 M40i
Join Date: Jul 2014
Location: Long Island ny

iTrader: (0)

Quote:
Originally Posted by c1pher View Post
Stay out of the no go zones and wear phonebooks around your midsection. Otherwise, enjoy!
Trying to interpret what this means.
Appreciate 0
      01-30-2020, 06:32 PM   #49
kscarrol
Brigadier General
kscarrol's Avatar
United_States
8776
Rep
4,105
Posts

Drives: 2021 X3 M40i, 1974 2002 Tii
Join Date: Jun 2010
Location: Greenville, SC

iTrader: (0)

Bad joke about knife crime in London?
__________________
2021 X3 M40i
1974 2002tii, Inka, 5 sp manual
BMWCCA # 327475
Appreciate 0
      01-30-2020, 06:33 PM   #50
P1
Lieutenant General
P1's Avatar
11542
Rep
11,128
Posts

Drives: 2004 3/4 ton Duramax
Join Date: Aug 2007
Location: United States

iTrader: (1)

Quote:
Originally Posted by DC F97 View Post
Trying to interpret what this means.
Knife crime in London is at an all time high.
Appreciate 0
      01-30-2020, 07:09 PM   #51
vreihen16
Recovering Perfectionist
vreihen16's Avatar
Ukraine
14885
Rep
938
Posts

Drives: 2015 BMW i3 BEV
Join Date: Jun 2019
Location: Orange County, NY

iTrader: (0)

Garage List
I second the Transport Museum, since it was the only reason why I went to London almost 20 years ago.

Although probably not attractive to young kids, I found these sites interesting:

Paddington Station, and anything else by Brunel.

The Greenwich Foot Tunnel under the Thames. Gotta walk under the river!

St. Paul's Cathedral. Pay respect to Sir Christopher Wren's greatest work. Lector, si monumentum requiris, circumspice ("Reader, if you seek his monument, look around you").

Piccadilly Circus. London's Time Square.

The London Science Museum had all kinds of interesting stuff when I was there almost 20 years ago, including a BMW Isetta, ancient steam locomotives, and the Apollo 10 command module (which is to this day holds the record as *the* fastest manned vehicle ever).

Whatever you do, don't get run over on the sidewalks! We habitually look left, right, and left again before crossing a street. With them driving on the "wrong" side of the road, it's right, left, then right again. Some of the crosswalks in touristy areas had "look right" reminders painted on the pavement, but don't count on them and say out loud look right, left, and right again at every intersection just so you and your group remember.....
__________________
2015 BMW i3 BEV, Giga World (Lodge interior), Tech/Driving Assist Packages, 30K miles
Appreciate 2
kscarrol8775.50
DC X3M40i663.00
      01-30-2020, 07:23 PM   #52
NemesisX
Captain
317
Rep
905
Posts

Drives: '19 Infiniti Q60S
Join Date: Jul 2009
Location: TX

iTrader: (0)

Gymkhana is a 1 michelin star indian restaurant and among the top 2 indian places I've ever eaten at (the second place is a place called Vij's in Canada)
Appreciate 0
      01-30-2020, 08:05 PM   #53
Alfisti
Brigadier General
6453
Rep
3,009
Posts

Drives: 2008 Saab 9-3 Combi
Join Date: Nov 2014
Location: Toronto, Canada

iTrader: (0)

Actually jokes aside, there are quite a few members here constantly packing/carrying, how do you go when in say England or Australia etc where guns are virtually non existent, you must feel naked?
Appreciate 0
      01-31-2020, 03:36 AM   #54
SenorFunkyPants
Brigadier General
SenorFunkyPants's Avatar
United Kingdom
2510
Rep
4,381
Posts

Drives: 2019 M5
Join Date: Mar 2009
Location: UK

iTrader: (0)

You are pretty safe in the UK.
There were 537 homicides in the UK in 2014 and 14,249 murders in the US. That comes out to a rate of 0.9 homicides per 100,000 in the UK and 4.6 homicides per 100,000 in the US.

Unless you are a drug dealer or a gang member you are statistically far more likely to win the lottery than be murdered in the UK.

Last edited by SenorFunkyPants; 01-31-2020 at 03:41 AM..
Appreciate 1
kscarrol8775.50
      01-31-2020, 06:09 AM   #55
DC X3M40i
Captain
DC X3M40i's Avatar
663
Rep
767
Posts

Drives: 2023 X3 M40i
Join Date: Jul 2014
Location: Long Island ny

iTrader: (0)

Quote:
Originally Posted by vreihen16 View Post
I second the Transport Museum, since it was the only reason why I went to London almost 20 years ago.

Although probably not attractive to young kids, I found these sites interesting:

Paddington Station, and anything else by Brunel.

The Greenwich Foot Tunnel under the Thames. Gotta walk under the river!

St. Paul's Cathedral. Pay respect to Sir Christopher Wren's greatest work. Lector, si monumentum requiris, circumspice ("Reader, if you seek his monument, look around you").

Piccadilly Circus. London's Time Square.

The London Science Museum had all kinds of interesting stuff when I was there almost 20 years ago, including a BMW Isetta, ancient steam locomotives, and the Apollo 10 command module (which is to this day holds the record as *the* fastest manned vehicle ever).

Whatever you do, don't get run over on the sidewalks! We habitually look left, right, and left again before crossing a street. With them driving on the "wrong" side of the road, it's right, left, then right again. Some of the crosswalks in touristy areas had "look right" reminders painted on the pavement, but don't count on them and say out loud look right, left, and right again at every intersection just so you and your group remember.....
My wife's colleague has a sister who lives in London. One of the first things she said was "train yourself to look right first...then left...then right again" honestly it wasn't something that even crossed my mind.
Appreciate 1
vreihen1614885.00
      01-31-2020, 07:38 AM   #56
vreihen16
Recovering Perfectionist
vreihen16's Avatar
Ukraine
14885
Rep
938
Posts

Drives: 2015 BMW i3 BEV
Join Date: Jun 2019
Location: Orange County, NY

iTrader: (0)

Garage List
Oh, and if you *do* get run over, dial 999 in London or 112 in Europe for help. 911 is primarily a North America standard.....
__________________
2015 BMW i3 BEV, Giga World (Lodge interior), Tech/Driving Assist Packages, 30K miles
Appreciate 0
      01-31-2020, 08:16 AM   #57
DC X3M40i
Captain
DC X3M40i's Avatar
663
Rep
767
Posts

Drives: 2023 X3 M40i
Join Date: Jul 2014
Location: Long Island ny

iTrader: (0)

Quote:
Originally Posted by vreihen16 View Post
I second the Transport Museum, since it was the only reason why I went to London almost 20 years ago.

Although probably not attractive to young kids, I found these sites interesting:

Paddington Station, and anything else by Brunel.

The Greenwich Foot Tunnel under the Thames. Gotta walk under the river!

St. Paul's Cathedral. Pay respect to Sir Christopher Wren's greatest work. Lector, si monumentum requiris, circumspice ("Reader, if you seek his monument, look around you").

Piccadilly Circus. London's Time Square.

The London Science Museum had all kinds of interesting stuff when I was there almost 20 years ago, including a BMW Isetta, ancient steam locomotives, and the Apollo 10 command module (which is to this day holds the record as *the* fastest manned vehicle ever).

Whatever you do, don't get run over on the sidewalks! We habitually look left, right, and left again before crossing a street. With them driving on the "wrong" side of the road, it's right, left, then right again. Some of the crosswalks in touristy areas had "look right" reminders painted on the pavement, but don't count on them and say out loud look right, left, and right again at every intersection just so you and your group remember.....
piccadilly circus.. one of my least favorite maps on the new call of duty.. lol

anyways.. thank you for the suggestions.. the transport museum is definatley on the list. science museums are always a good time for the kids.

i do have a question if anyone can answer it for me. My current cell phone plan allows me to use my phone in london for 10 dollars a day (per phone... so if my wife uses her.. and my son uses his... thats 30 a day in total) wondering if it would be cheaper to buy some sort of prepaid type of thing out there and use that. or i can sit in a coffee shop with wifi and mooch off of that.. lol
Appreciate 0
      01-31-2020, 08:19 AM   #58
CANGRKE70
ΜΟΛΩΝ ΛΑΒΕ
CANGRKE70's Avatar
Canada
814
Rep
172
Posts

Drives: 2012 BMW X5
Join Date: May 2015
Location: Toronto

iTrader: (0)

I was there last week. Love going to London.

I've stayed at the Mayfair Hotel (very swanky area, if you please), The Caesar hotel (Queen's gardens) close to Bayswater underground and Hyde Park. Both areas are safe, but you're going to pay through the nose to stay in Mayfair. I actually liked the neighbourhood feeling of the Caesar hotel in Queen's Garden.

Things to do:

-Tower of London, get the Beefeater tour, they are ex-military and hilarious.
-Borough Market (great food options) Lots to buy and take home. We got lots of spices, olive oil and olives from Greece. The fresh food cooked in front of you is amazing.
-Do the hop on hop off for 2 days as it's a great way to get around the city to the major sites. Uber still works, but can get pricey if you're taking it all the time.
-Camden Market has tons of shops offering different things. Good to get there early.
-not sure if you're kids are into Harry Potter, but there are tons of Harry Potter themed tours to do.

Things to note:
-Big Ben is under construction with scaffolding everywhere.
-London eye was closed for 2 weeks, not sure if it's open now.
-Day trips out of London can be expensive if you book with a tour company. If you're going to do one maybe one that goes to bath, cambridge or oxford. Stonehedge is lame, windsor castle is not so bad. Or you can take the train out of London for the fraction of the price.

Have fun!
Appreciate 0
      01-31-2020, 08:28 AM   #59
DC X3M40i
Captain
DC X3M40i's Avatar
663
Rep
767
Posts

Drives: 2023 X3 M40i
Join Date: Jul 2014
Location: Long Island ny

iTrader: (0)

Quote:
Originally Posted by CANGRKE70 View Post
I was there last week. Love going to London.

I've stayed at the Mayfair Hotel (very swanky area, if you please), The Caesar hotel (Queen's gardens) close to Bayswater underground and Hyde Park. Both areas are safe, but you're going to pay through the nose to stay in Mayfair. I actually liked the neighbourhood feeling of the Caesar hotel in Queen's Garden.

Things to do:

-Tower of London, get the Beefeater tour, they are ex-military and hilarious.
-Borough Market (great food options) Lots to buy and take home. We got lots of spices, olive oil and olives from Greece. The fresh food cooked in front of you is amazing.
-Do the hop on hop off for 2 days as it's a great way to get around the city to the major sites. Uber still works, but can get pricey if you're taking it all the time.
-Camden Market has tons of shops offering different things. Good to get there early.
-not sure if you're kids are into Harry Potter, but there are tons of Harry Potter themed tours to do.

Things to note:
-Big Ben is under construction with scaffolding everywhere.
-London eye was closed for 2 weeks, not sure if it's open now.
-Day trips out of London can be expensive if you book with a tour company. If you're going to do one maybe one that goes to bath, cambridge or oxford. Stonehedge is lame, windsor castle is not so bad. Or you can take the train out of London for the fraction of the price.

Have fun!
thanks!
i think my wife just finalized the two hotels we will be staying at. I think the first will be the Amba @ Charing Cross. Then we will be spending a few nights at the Hard Rock near marble arch.

Harry Potter? My kids are OBSESSED...we actually have tickets to the harry potter warner brothers studio tour booked. Just have to figure out transportation to get there from london.

My younger one also wants to go to the legoland that is west of london... i'm trying to talk him out of it.. cause we have been to each one in the US.. and they are opening one in new york this year so it will be a quick drive for us. i'm not flying 6 hours to go to a legoland... i honestly think its a waste of a day and a half of our london vacation.

my wife and i have all of the stuff marked on the map that we want to see. also have to look into the london pass as well as i know alot of the stuff is rolled into it.
Appreciate 0
      01-31-2020, 08:43 AM   #60
kscarrol
Brigadier General
kscarrol's Avatar
United_States
8776
Rep
4,105
Posts

Drives: 2021 X3 M40i, 1974 2002 Tii
Join Date: Jun 2010
Location: Greenville, SC

iTrader: (0)

Quote:
Originally Posted by DC F97 View Post
i do have a question if anyone can answer it for me. My current cell phone plan allows me to use my phone in london for 10 dollars a day (per phone... so if my wife uses her.. and my son uses his... thats 30 a day in total) wondering if it would be cheaper to buy some sort of prepaid type of thing out there and use that. or i can sit in a coffee shop with wifi and mooch off of that.. lol
Not sure if same company but we are w/ Verizon and they offer that $10 per day plan. Be careful of that because we did that for my son when he went back packing 2 years ago and he also managed to ring a sizable data bill!! The $10 per day is for cell service only. As was suggested earlier you can buy a sim card and swap it out for use while in the UK, that's what we do when there. You used to be able to by older Nokia-style phones where you basically buy a sim card with 25 pounds on it and you get the phone for free. For pure cell phone needs we found this a better option. These are easily found around London.

It's been 4 years since we've been back so maybe others will have more recent experience
__________________
2021 X3 M40i
1974 2002tii, Inka, 5 sp manual
BMWCCA # 327475
Appreciate 0
      01-31-2020, 09:14 AM   #61
M_Six
Free Thinker
M_Six's Avatar
United_States
16537
Rep
7,447
Posts

Drives: 2016 MB GLC300 4matic
Join Date: Jan 2009
Location: Foothills of Mt Level

iTrader: (0)

Quote:
Originally Posted by DC F97 View Post

i do have a question if anyone can answer it for me. My current cell phone plan allows me to use my phone in london for 10 dollars a day (per phone... so if my wife uses her.. and my son uses his... thats 30 a day in total) wondering if it would be cheaper to buy some sort of prepaid type of thing out there and use that. or i can sit in a coffee shop with wifi and mooch off of that.. lol
I mentioned earlier that you can stop into any telco company store there (We like EE.) and get a SIM for each phone for around 15 British Pounds. That gives you way more calling, texts, and data than you'll use in a week. I think that works out to less than $10/day/phone.

On the wifi thing, almost every store there has local wifi and it tends to override the data access on your phone. So even if you do have a SIM with a data plan, the store's local wifi usually is what the phone will use instead. No shortage of free wifi there as long as you're in a commercial establishment. But I'm not sure how wifi works with phone to phone texting. I think iMessage will work, but SMS texting won't.
__________________
Mark
markj.pics

"There is no shame in dropping fruit in your glass."
-UncleWede
Appreciate 0
      01-31-2020, 09:25 AM   #62
DC X3M40i
Captain
DC X3M40i's Avatar
663
Rep
767
Posts

Drives: 2023 X3 M40i
Join Date: Jul 2014
Location: Long Island ny

iTrader: (0)

Quote:
Originally Posted by M_Six View Post
I mentioned earlier that you can stop into any telco company store there (We like EE.) and get a SIM for each phone for around 15 British Pounds. That gives you way more calling, texts, and data than you'll use in a week. I think that works out to less than $10/day/phone.

On the wifi thing, almost every store there has local wifi and it tends to override the data access on your phone. So even if you do have a SIM with a data plan, the store's local wifi usually is what the phone will use instead. No shortage of free wifi there as long as you're in a commercial establishment. But I'm not sure how wifi works with phone to phone texting. I think iMessage will work, but SMS texting won't.
ahh yes...i jsut saw that.. thank you for that. I have verizon wireless. and according to the travelpass details, for 10 bucks a day in the UK i have access to all of my current plan interms of data, talk and text. i have unlimited data so i don't think overages will be an issue. my wife had traveled to morocco and portugal two years ago and used the travel pass feature and IIRC it was a flat 10 per day.

however.. looking into a local SIM solution (especially if its even cheaper) is a good way to go...i will look into that as well M_Six thank you so much
Appreciate 1
M_Six16536.50
      01-31-2020, 09:27 AM   #63
DC X3M40i
Captain
DC X3M40i's Avatar
663
Rep
767
Posts

Drives: 2023 X3 M40i
Join Date: Jul 2014
Location: Long Island ny

iTrader: (0)

Quote:
Originally Posted by kscarrol View Post
Not sure if same company but we are w/ Verizon and they offer that $10 per day plan. Be careful of that because we did that for my son when he went back packing 2 years ago and he also managed to ring a sizable data bill!! The $10 per day is for cell service only. As was suggested earlier you can buy a sim card and swap it out for use while in the UK, that's what we do when there. You used to be able to by older Nokia-style phones where you basically buy a sim card with 25 pounds on it and you get the phone for free. For pure cell phone needs we found this a better option. These are easily found around London.

It's been 4 years since we've been back so maybe others will have more recent experience
i have verizonwireless as well.. travel pass gives me access to my data (which is unlimited) so overages shouldn't be an issue. I am going to look into what M_Six recommended abt popping into a local telecom shop to get a sim and prepaid data as well.
Appreciate 0
      01-31-2020, 10:16 AM   #64
vreihen16
Recovering Perfectionist
vreihen16's Avatar
Ukraine
14885
Rep
938
Posts

Drives: 2015 BMW i3 BEV
Join Date: Jun 2019
Location: Orange County, NY

iTrader: (0)

Garage List
Maybe my old fart is coming out, but can I make a crazy recommendation that you put all of your phones in airplane mode at JFK Airport and just enjoy the experience?????
__________________
2015 BMW i3 BEV, Giga World (Lodge interior), Tech/Driving Assist Packages, 30K miles
Appreciate 1
upstatedoc7555.50
      01-31-2020, 10:44 AM   #65
DC X3M40i
Captain
DC X3M40i's Avatar
663
Rep
767
Posts

Drives: 2023 X3 M40i
Join Date: Jul 2014
Location: Long Island ny

iTrader: (0)

Quote:
Originally Posted by vreihen16 View Post
Maybe my old fart is coming out, but can I make a crazy recommendation that you put all of your phones in airplane mode at JFK Airport and just enjoy the experience?????
when having meals and stuff.. phones go bye bye... for me at least and my older son. my wife however is constantly glued to it. when we travel my phone is my personal guide... for directions... research.. yelp.. uber...
when i travel the last thing i think about is keeping up with instagram and facebook and all that crap.

also i have my home security notifications pushed to my phone so i like to keep tabs on whats going on with my humble abode when im away..

im 44 years old.. so not old.. but not young... and it annoys the hell out of me trying to navigate new york city on my way to work when im constantly having to dodge people with their faces buried in an electronic device... but thats a topic for a different thread
Appreciate 1
vreihen1614885.00
      01-31-2020, 11:10 AM   #66
kscarrol
Brigadier General
kscarrol's Avatar
United_States
8776
Rep
4,105
Posts

Drives: 2021 X3 M40i, 1974 2002 Tii
Join Date: Jun 2010
Location: Greenville, SC

iTrader: (0)

Quote:
Originally Posted by DC F97 View Post
i have verizonwireless as well.. travel pass gives me access to my data (which is unlimited) so overages shouldn't be an issue. I am going to look into what M_Six recommended abt popping into a local telecom shop to get a sim and prepaid data as well.
So do I... My son was there for two weeks and the bill was well above the roughly $140 we expected. Don't recall the details but maybe there were a bunch of taxes and other fees. Either way the local sim is the way to go...
__________________
2021 X3 M40i
1974 2002tii, Inka, 5 sp manual
BMWCCA # 327475
Appreciate 0
Post Reply

Bookmarks

Thread Tools Search this Thread
Search this Thread:

Advanced Search

Posting Rules
You may not post new threads
You may not post replies
You may not post attachments
You may not edit your posts

BB code is On
Smilies are On
[IMG] code is On
HTML code is Off



All times are GMT -5. The time now is 10:25 AM.




m8
Powered by vBulletin® Version 3.8.11
Copyright ©2000 - 2024, vBulletin Solutions Inc.
1Addicts.com, BIMMERPOST.com, E90Post.com, F30Post.com, M3Post.com, ZPost.com, 5Post.com, 6Post.com, 7Post.com, XBimmers.com logo and trademark are properties of BIMMERPOST