Touring London, suggestions?

Heading out on a trip for our 25th anniv.

Starting in London for 2.5 days. Half of one day of which will probably feature the wife and daughter going to the shopping district -- with orders to me to amuse myself in the interim.

So... what suggestions have you for me for about 4 hours in London that are NOT likely to be on all the typical guide books etc. THOSE I can get to or view (many of them with the wife and daughter), but are there some obscure but interesting choices I might look up and consider?

Suggestions appreciated!



NOTE: Seamus is an avid history buff, esp. militaria. Art etc. is fine, but I do NOT have a love for modern or performance art. I adore pubs with character. Fan of things Irish and Celtic traditional. Mimic accents well, but I will be dressed as a yank and I am not looking for a fistfight for entertainment.

There's a great military musuem, the best I know. Taking the tourist tour at the Tower is a solid recommendation as well. As for the rest just wander around without any plans

Tower is already on the list. The girls will want to do that too.

London Dungeon, maybe?

Four hours isn't a long time in London, between the two, the from, the getting lost...

Take two hours off just to get there and back to the airport, you have two hours to spend that's all that remains

I will be in London. I am looking to fill the half day my gals will be in the shopping district. Will be touring the more obvious sights with them at other times.

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Originally Posted by Seamus Fermanagh

I will be in London. I am looking to fill the half day my gals will be in the shopping district. Will be touring the more obvious sights with them at other times.

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Spend some time at the Imperial Museum. Bum about St. James' palace, maybe pop into Churchill's war rooms. For a pub with character, try the Grenadier in Belgravia

Not quite a pub with character, but the JD Wetherspoons next to Trafalgar Square should be a convenient meeting place. Trafalgar Square being, of course, the spiritual centre point of London, with a fair few sights on routes radiating from there (one one side, you have Westminster and Buckingham Palace, with the pub itself being on Whitehall, while on the other side, you're heading towards Shaftesbury Avenue and Oxford Street). The pub itself should stock some guest beers as well as the best known ones. If you want to experience multicultural London, go towards Oxford Street and you'll pass by Soho And Leicester Square. A genuine London experience should involve meeting up at Trafalgar Square and sitting down in Leicester Square.

Like SwordsMaster says, for militaria in London, the Imperial War Museum is the place to go. However, if you want to climb on a tank, there's a T-34-85 in south London.

Churchill's War Rooms are impressive - but it's quite a long tour to do. (or long for me because I took my time and read the info around!)

Ride in the London-eye for your girls also seems like a given to me, it's as iconic for London as the Eifel-Tower is for Paris. Girls like selfies so it's bit of a must

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Originally Posted by Fragony

Ride in the London-eye for your girls also seems like a given to me, it's as iconic for London as the Eifel-Tower is for Paris. Girls like selfies so it's bit of a must

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We may, but it isn't notably high on our list, having done the Orlando Eye already.

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Originally Posted by Seamus Fermanagh

We may, but it isn't notably high on our list, having done the Orlando Eye already.

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Are you autistic or something similar. It's the most memorable thing you can provide, your daughters will will agree me. Thank me
later for listiting

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Originally Posted by Fragony

Are you autistic or something similar. It's the most memorable thing you can provide, your daughters will will agree me. Thank me
later for listiting

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If Seamus wants to combine a high view with something that isn't an Eye, perhaps he can go up The Monument. Get off at Cannon Street, go up the Monument for a view, then pop over London Bridge to London Dungeon and the Britain at War Experience. Tower Bridge is the next bridge on the river.

Hmm, my map is out of date. It's been a while since I went t'dungeon.

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Originally Posted by Fragony

Are you autistic or something similar. It's the most memorable thing you can provide, your daughters will will agree me. Thank me
later for listiting

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You clearly don't understand my relationship with my wife. Outside the boudoir, it is I who follow orders, not she. So if they wanna go, it will be fine by me. So far, they are being pretty ho hum towards the idea. And there was no need to be snarky frags, I am not Husar.

Didn't mean to be snarky, sorry if it looked like that

So it turns out there is a good chance I will be in London for some of the first week of July. My father was asked to speak at Oxford and I might be tagging along. This thread has been very helpful! Also down to meet with any Orgahs in London.

We should do a Org beerfest, even if I dont drink alcohol.

EDIT: it didnt