London: Museums and Stores

PassPorter Articles

Planning

Disney Dreaming
What Keeps Us Coming Back
Disney for Veteran Visitors
Rumor Round-Up
Finding Answers
Best Disney Trip Advice
Getting Your Disney Fix
How Young Is Too Young?
Top Ten Disney Questions
Tipping (Gratuities)
Timeshare Vacation Offers
Disney World on a Budget
Credit Cards 101
Money-Saving Strategies
Preparing Kids For Disney
Taking Toddlers to Disney
Planning Trips for Others
Convincing Others To Go
Importance of Being Lazy
Preparing For Your Disney Cruise
Ten "Must Pack" Items
Touring With A Group
Chaperoning A Group Trip

Traveling

Ten Travel Tips
Luggage Tips
iPhone, I Travel
Driving to Disney
Driving With Kids
Child Safety Seats
CARES Harness Review
Rental Cars
Amtrak Auto Train
Airline Security
Flying With Kids
Surviving Long Flights
Surviving Bumpy Flights
Surviving Bad Vacations
Surviving Long Airport Waits
Staying Healthy
First Aid on Vacation
Solo Travel
Pregnant at Disney
Dress For Travel
Traveling With Pets
International Travel
Taking A 'Greener' Trip to WDW
Orlando Sanford Airport

Lodging

Choosing a Resort
On-Site Lodging vs. Off-Site Lodging
Disney Resort Primer
Reserving a Room
Key to the World Card
Fun at Resort Hotels
Disney Vacation Club
All-Star Movies
All-Star Music
All-Star Sports
All-Star Vacation Homes
Animal Kingdom Lodge: Perfect for Teens
Villas at Animal Kingdom Lodge
Beach Club
BoardWalk Inn & Villas
Contemporary Resort
Ft. Wilderness Camping
Old Key West
Wilderness Lodge
Home Sweet Home
Grand Californian #1
Grand Californian #2
Grosvenor Resort
Hilton Resort
Orlando Airport Marriott
Priceline.com
Radisson Resort Parkway
Shades of Green
Westin Century Plaza
Making The Most of Bell Services at Disney's Deluxe Resorts
DVC's Old Key West Resort

Cruising

Preparing For Your Disney Cruise
New Ships!
Cruise Security
International Port Security
Convincing a Husband to Cruise
Palo Dinner Review
Vow Renewals Onboard
Cruising With Special Diets
Cruising St. Martin
One in a Million Cruise
Zip-A-Dee-Zip-Line: A Canopy Adventure
A 'Magic' Time In The Mediterranean
A Wrap-Up From DCL's Inaugural Mediterranean Cruise
DCL: Not Just for Kids!
Spa Villas Review

Touring

Laugh Floor Comedy Club
Mickey's PhilharMagic
Fantasyland For Adults
Mission: SPACE
Rock 'n' Roller Coaster
Star Wars Weekends
Animal Kingdom
Expedition EVEREST
Surviving the Parks as First Time Parents
Surviving the Holidays
Overcoming Kids Fears
Planning Park Days
Four Parks in One Day
Touring with Toddlers
A Kid's Perspective
A Teen's Take
Educational Epcot
Flower & Garden Festival
Mickey's Not So Scary Halloween Party
Scary Places (Halloween)
Playing "Millionaire"
Winning "Millionaire"
A Day With Allie
Past Attractions at Magic Kingdom
Meeting Mickey
Disneyland at 50
Future of Disneyland
Beyond the Disney Parks
Disney's Hollywood Studios
Monorail System
California Adventure
Expanding Disney's California Adventure
10 Reasons to Love Disneyland
A WDW Veteran's First Trip to Disneyland
A Disneyland Veteran's First Trip to Walt Disney World
Disneyland Homecoming
Walt Disney World With Pre-Teen Boys
Keys To The Kingdom Backstage Tour
Pirates & Princess Party
WDW with Teens? Absolutely!

Dining

Disney Dining Plan
More Dining Plan Tips
Dining Plan Revisited
Dining Plan Answers
Advance Dining Reservation (ADR) Strategies
Artist Point Review
California Grill Review
Nine Dragons Review
Spoodles Review
The Turf Club Review
Crystal Palace Review
Yak & Yeti Review
Tutto Italia Review
Character Dinners
Dine With A Disney Imagineer
Eating Healthy at Disney
Food Allergies
White Water Snacks
MurderWatch Mystery Theatre
Disneyland Dining: Yamabuki
Disneyland Area Dining: Pirate's Dinner Adventure
Party For The Senses
Artist Point
1900 Park Fare Dinner Review

Making Magic

Romance At Disney World
Beating The Post Trip Blues
Discovering the Magic
Magic of Slowing Down
Unexpected Treasures
Wishes Fireworks Cruise
Backstage Tours
Epcot's Segway Tour
Epcot's International Food & Wine Festival
Taking Great Photos
Taking Great Fireworks Photos
Digital Photo Q & A
Souvenirs on a Budget
Pal Mickey
Birthdays at Disney
Reunions and Gatherings
Holidays (Christmas)
More Holidays
Disney Intimate Weddings
Disney Vow Renewals
Custom Events
Scrapbooking
Preserving Memories
Scrapbooking Supplies
Finding Scrapbook Supplies at WDW
Memories and Milestones
Scavenger Hunts
Geocaching
Hidden Mickeys
Hidden Mickeys Book Review
Richard Petty Experience
More Richard Petty Rides
Ft. Wilderness Trail Ride
Disney Podcasts
MouseFest 2006
Cirque du Soleil: La Nouba

Sharing

Making of PassPorter

Rest of the World

United States:
Big Apple Greeter
City Pass Cards
Hawaii
Hilton Head Island #1
Hilton Head Island #2
Celebration, Florida
Key Largo & Islamorada
Miami, Florida
Pensacola, Florida
St. Augustine, Florida
Space Coast, Florida
Tampa-St. Petersburg
WonderWorks (Orlando)
Knoebels, Pennsylvania
Las Vegas
Los Angeles
San Diego
San Francisco
Anza-Borrego Desert
Grand Canyon
The Poconos
New York City
New York Splash Tours
New York City Dining
New York: Antiques
New England
New Orleans
Nashville, Tennessee
Adventures by Disney: Wyoming
Fort Sumter, South Carolina
Zoos of the World
Universal Studios Orlando
New Attractions at Universal Orlando
Seuss Trolley Train Ride at Universal Orlando
Sanibel & Captiva Islands
Universal: For Non-Thrill Seekers?
Madison County, Iowa
The Great Smoky Mountains
Yosemite
Discovery Cove (Orlando)
Busch Gardens Africa: SheiKra Coaster Review
NASCAR AllState 400
Michigan's Upper Peninsula
Niagara Falls, New York
Blue Horizons at SeaWorld Orlando
International Travel:
London
London Museums
London's Globe Theatre
Kent, England
Bath, England
Great Britain via Harry Potter
Stonehenge
Ireland
Paris
Marseilles
Rome
Stockholm, Sweden
Helsinki, Finland
Quebec City, Canada
Prince Edward Island
South Africa
Leeds Castle
Pompeii
Windsor Castle
Wimbledon
Menorca
Dover Castle
Florence
Monaco
Niagara Falls, Ontario

London: Museums and Stores

By Cheryl Pendry, PassPorter Feature Columnist and Message Board Guide

Historic buildings, Royal palaces and river trips aside, there are plenty of other ways to spend your time in London. As you'd expect from one of the most popular tourist destinations in the world, there's a museum for just about every taste.

Victoria and Albert Museum celebrates the decorative arts, with displays including furniture, photographs and ceramics, and is housed in a beautiful building in South Kensington, dating from 1862. In fact, South Kensington is really London's museum alley, with the Science Museum just across the road in the appropriately named Exhibition Road. That's also home to the National History Museum which is housed in another breathtaking building. Once inside, there's something for everyone, but the displays you are guaranteed to remember for many years are the dinosaur skeletons and the life size model of the blue whale. The second you see it, it's immediately clear that it's the world's largest creature ever. Both these museums are free to visit, an unusual situation in London, where most attractions charge admission

Art Galleries -- If you are an art lover, there are plenty of galleries to pick from in London. The Tate is the home of British and international modern art, but if you're more traditional, then the National Gallery, with its collection of paintings from across Europe and the National Portrait Gallery, which contains portraits of famous British men and women, may be more to your taste.

Madame Tussauds -- Something bound to appeal to the younger audience, which concentrates on celebrities as well as historical figures, is Madame Tussaud's Wax Museum. The collection is constantly changing to reflect today's celebrities, but the British Royal family, top film stars and politicians from around the world remain amongst the newer additions. The Chamber of Horrors is a favorite for many, but if it's not your idea of fun, then don't worry -- there is a chicken route which avoids this section! Linked to Madame Tussaud's is the London Planetarium, which offers a fascinating journey to the stars. And trust me; if the Chamber isn't your idea of fun, then you'd do well to avoid the London Dungeon. It's an experience definitely only for those with strong hearts and stomachs!

Parks -- If your idea of fun is as simple as a stroll in the park, then you won't be disappointed by London's parks. Despite the fact that London is home to more than seven million people and is one of Europe's most densely populated cities, there are still surprisingly large stretches of parkland all over the capital, many of them Royal parks, steeped in history.

St. James Park, set right in the center of London, near to Buckingham Palace, Westminster and 10 Downing Street, is a lovely place to walk through and perhaps stop to enjoy a sandwich if the weather will allow, before continuing on your way.

Kensington Gardens contains Kensington Palace, the home of the former Princess of Wales. Featuring the Royal ceremonial dress collection, this impressive array of gowns and dresses includes a selection of outfits wore by Diana, Princess of Wales.

But perhaps my favorite park in London is right next door to Kensington Gardens. Covering 350 acres, Hyde Park is home to many events throughout the year -- most recently the Live 8 concert was held here. Perhaps now best known for the Diana Memorial Fountain, the park offers a pleasant walk between two of London's finest shopping areas. Starting at Kensington, you can visit some of the capital's most exclusive stores, including Harrod's. Billing itself as the world's most famous department store, if you only visit one shop in London, then it should be this one. The attraction is not just for shopping, but also for the beautiful architecture inside. My jaw dropped when I first saw the food halls and the Egyptian escalator.

At the other end of the pleasant walk through Hyde Park is the beautiful Marble Arch, which marks the start of London's famous Oxford Street. This one and a half mile long road contains most of the UK's finest shop names and some superb department stores. In particular, Selfridge's, which will celebrate its centenary in 2007, is well worth a look. With its imposing pillars at the front of the building, it's a well known landmark.

We prefer to head down Oxford Street as far as Oxford Circus and then turn into Regent Street, for located along this street is what can be described as the answer to every parent's prayer. However, things could quickly turn sour when your children refuse to leave Hamley's toy store. There really is something for every youngster -- and many adults too and you may be wise to allow yourself more time in here than you think you need. That's always our experience every time we go in here!

At the end of Regent Street is another part of London that is well worth seeing -- Piccadilly Circus. Perhaps the best way to describe this area is that it's London's very own Times Square. Buzzing with life at all times of the day and night (and not just because of the traffic flying past), it's home to a range of restaurants and cinemas.

Not far away are two more famous London landmarks -- firstly, Trafalgar Square, with Nelson's column and the four giant lion sculptures at its base, and Covent Garden is just a short tube (subway) ride away. Full of street entertainers, unusual shops and restaurants, this indoor market, which once used to serve fruit and vegetables, is the centerpiece of the area. It's a great place to spend an evening -- and there is certainly no end of possibilities for your evening plans in the city.

Restaurants -- With more than 6,000 restaurants, covering every cuisine imaginable, you'll never go hungry in London. Many visitors are more interested in sampling a slice of traditional British life at a London pub -- and there are almost 4,000 to pick from. If this is something you'd like to try during your visit, then a good place to start your research is http://www.pubs.com/ which offers a wealth of information on good places to sup your pint.

West End Shows -- One other London tradition not to be missed during any stay in the Capital is a West End show. Just like on Broadway, tickets can be purchased months in advance or on the same day, sometimes at greatly reduced rates. The TKTS ticket booth in Leicester Square offers last minute bargains and used to be a regular haunt of mine in my student days. Some of the most popular musicals currently showing are Chicago, Mamma Mia, featuring a range of ABBA songs, Disney's Lion King, and Chitty Chitty Bang Bang, both based on the popular films.

There's so much to enjoy in London that it's been hard even fitting the details into two articles. Perhaps the best way to understand how vibrant this capital city is is to start planning your visit. From most tourists I've spoken to, one thing is clear. One visit is never enough!

About the Author: Cheryl and husband Mark live in England and love to travel, particularly to America.

This article originally appeared in our August 5, 2005 newsletter -- subscribe to our popular newsletter today for free!

Related Articles:

London: Insider's Guide

Kent, England

Rome

Return to PassPorter.com | Visit the PassPorter Message Boards

Updated 02/20/07

Read additional articles from PassPorter.com

Subscribe to our free e-mail newsletter, PassPorter News, published for more than 58,000 opt-in subscribers worldwide. As an added bonus for subscribing, you will receive a 20% discount coupon for the PassPorter Store -- no catch!