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London: Overwhelmed with all the options! Long...
Hello, all! I have been lurking here for quite a while, and recently signed up with a new nest name to be more anonymous (DH and I are considering TTC in the near future, but want to keep that under wraps).
Anyway, DH's company has granted him (I'm his plus one) an all expense paid trip to London this May--I am so excited! The flights/accommodations and some meals are covered, and some excursions are offered though their travel service. I am going to paste in all of what is offered below (I have bolded/italicized the ones that look interesting at first glance through them). Here is where I would love your help--what do you think of the list? What is a must-do for London first-timers? Are these prices reasonable? I do want to check out the theater district (not on this list) and do some shopping at Harrod's.
Our trip will be from Sunday/Monday (travel day--will arrive late morning on Monday) to Sunday (travel day)--so I have Monday-Saturday to play with.
Half-Day Tours
Afternoon Tea at the National Portrait Gallery
TheNational Portrait Gallery is one of the world?s most popular art galleries. Toooften ignored in favor of the National Gallery next door, this fascinatinggallery recounts Britain?s development through portraits of its maincharacters. Its collection of portraits of important British men and womenconstitutes an extraordinary survey of historical and contemporarypersonalities. A national pantheon of great figures from Henry VIII to Paul McCartney,the gallery?s collection includes likenesses of political, artistic, scientificand royal figures, including the controversial portraits of Prince Charles andthe Princess of Wales.
Therewill be an opportunity to view the collection before afternoon tea in therestaurant.
Wednesday,May 2 ?Depart Hotel: 1:15 p.m.?Returnto Hotel: 5:00 p.m.
Friday,May 4?Depart Hotel: 1:15 p.m.?Returnto Hotel: 5:00 p.m.
Cost:$104.51 per person
DoubleDecker Bus Panoramic Tour
This isa panoramic tour of London covering both the West End and the Old City, and isa great tour to familiarize yourself with all the well-known monuments ofLondon. During this fun and informative tour, you?ll pass by all the familiarsights, such as Trafalgar Square, Buckingham Palace, Westminster Abbey, StPaul?s Cathedral and more.
Thetour will be conducted in an open-top double decker bus and will lastapproximately two-and-one-half hours.
Thistour is an absolute must for first-timers to London and even a nice refresherfor those who have been before. Although there will be photographicopportunities, there will be no stops or interior visits.
Tuesday, May 1?Depart Hotel: 9:30 a.m.?Return to Hotel: 12:00 noon
Cost: $49.80 per person
Half-DayTour to Greenwich with River Cruise
TheNational Maritime Museum comprises three sites: the Maritime Galleries, theRoyal Observatory and the Queen?s House. Together, these constitute one museumworking to illustrate for everyone the importance of the sea, ships, time, andthe stars and their relationship with people. After a short drive to the RiverThames, you?ll board a boat for a cruise down river to Greenwich, birthplace ofQueen Elizabeth I. There will be time to roam around the ?village,? visit theMaritime Museum and the Royal Observatory, and to straddle the GreenwichMeridian, where East meets West.
Wednesday, May 2?Depart hotel: 8:45 a.m.?Return to hotel: 1:30 p.m.
Friday, May 4?Depart hotel: 1:15 p.m.?Return to hotel: 5:30 p.m.
Notes: Wear comfortable walking shoes. Bringyour camera.
Cost: $57.05 per person
Kew Gardens
Internationallyrenowned and primarily a botanic research institution collection serving andexchanging plants from all over the world, Kew?s delightful and varied gardensand grounds of more than 300 acres have something for everyone.
InMay and June the Bluebell Wood, Lilac and Water Lily houses are at their best,with the roses not far behind. Other pleasures include the Palm House, theTemperate House and the Princess of Wales Conservatory, with itscomputer-controlled microclimate. The Rose Garden is quite formal and there isa delightful rock garden. The Filmy Fern House should also not be missed. TheQueen?s garden (in the style of a 17th century garden) has been renovated andreopened. The Japanese Gateway has also been completely renovated. The huge glasshousesshould not be missed, with their huge collection of exotic and unusual plants,ranging from banana trees to giant water lilies.
Wednesday,May 2 and Saturday, May 5?Depart hotel: 8:45a.m.?Return to hotel: 1:00 p.m.
Notes:Wear comfortable walking shoes. Bring your camera.
Cost:$71.72 per person
LondonMarkets
Londonis justifiably proud of its markets, most of which date back to medieval times.They tell the?history of London: Borough Market, the oldest, has lost itsmedieval clamor but retains its Dickensian air?it?s currently seeing a revivalas an organic produce market and film lot. Depending on the day of the week orthe area of interest there is a London Market to explore?below are just a fewof the London markets available.
Borough: One ofLondon?s trendiest markets, mainly for its unspoiled Victorian architecture andits?location in ?Booming Borough? under the railway as it leaves London BridgeStation. A film location manager?s dream, there?s rarely a month when a filmisn?t being shot here. On Saturdays, there?s a bustling farmer?s market whereyou can pick up fresh and organic produce, as well as the kind of homemade foodthat?s difficult to come by in your local supermarket?organic seasonal fruit,confectioneries, mushrooms, chutneys, jams, and an array of different breadsand cheeses.
Portobello Road Market: We remember this market in the late 1960s when people dressed in Sgt.Pepper costumes and antiques could be picked up for a song. Sadly, thestallholders are now much wiser, and the prices steeper, but if you?re aftersomething special you?ll find it here (remember to haggle!). It?s a great placeto browse for antiques, jewelry, inexpensive and second-hand clothes, withhandmade designer garments, vintage denim and leather goods.
Leadenhall Market: This restored Victorian food market is a fabulous place to pick up luxuryfoods at a fraction of shop prices. It features a huge variety of gourmetingredients and fine wines that are especially good with cheese, seafood, meatand poultry, game and rarer meats. The glass roof and cobbled alleys make it aparticularly picturesque slice of Old London life, and the many nearby marketbars are a great place to enjoy some time over a pint of London Pride and atraditional ploughman?s lunch.
Saturday, May 5?Depart hotel: 7:45 a.m.?Return to hotel: 12:00 noon
Notes: There will be time at the market toshop and purchase goods. Wear comfortable walking shoes.
Cost: $44.01 per person
PanoramicBus Tour of London with a Ride on the London Eye
This isa panoramic tour of London by bus, covering both the West End and the Old City,and is a good tour to familiarize yourself with all the well-known monuments ofLondon, such as Trafalgar Square, Buckingham Palace, Westminster Abbey, St.Paul?s Cathedral and more. This is an absolute must for first-timers toLondon?and a good refresher course for those who have been before. There willbe a couple of stops for photographs on the tour before arriving at the LondonEye, which at approximately 450 feet high, is the world?s highest observationwheel and the city?s fourth-tallest structure. This unique attraction willoffer unrivalled views and a totally new perspective of London?s landmarks. Theride lasts for 30 minutes in a totally enclosed capsule.
Tuesday, May 1 ?Depart hotel: 9:00 a.m. ?Return to hotel: 12:00 noon
Notes: Bring your camera!??Cost: $101.87 per person
Tour of The Queen?s Gallery and The Royal Mews
TheQueen?s Gallery at Buckingham Palace is dedicated to changing exhibitions ofitems from the Royal Collection, a wide-ranging collection of art and treasuresheld in trust by The Queen. Constructed 40 years ago on the west front ofBuckingham Palace out of the bomb-damaged ruins of the former private chapel,the Gallery was redeveloped and reopened by The Queen in 2002. The Gallery isapproached through a striking portico leading to a soaring double-heightentrance hall and staircase.
TheRoyal Mews at Buckingham Palace is one of the finest working stables inexistence, and provides a unique opportunity for visitors to see the daily workof the Royal Household department that provides road transport for The Queenand members of the Royal Family by both horse-drawn carriage and motorcar. Thecurrent Mews first started in its present location in 1760, when George IIImoved his carriage collection from a site near Charing Cross to his new house,which he had purchased from the Duke of Buckingham?now Buckingham Palace. Thereis a permanent display of State vehicles, including the magnificent Gold StateCoach used for Coronations and those carriages used for Royal and Stateoccasions. Other carriages and motor vehicles used for The Queen?s official andceremonial duties are also on display.
Monday,May 1 and Thursday, May 3 ?Departhotel: 8:45 a.m.?Return to hotel: 1:00 p.m.
Notes:Wear comfortable walking shoes. Bring your camera.
Cost:$79.87per person
Tower of London, Crown Jewels and St. Paul?s Cathedral
Akeep, a prison and still a fortress, the Tower has served as a palace and placeof execution, and in its time has housed the Royal Mint, the Royal Observatory,the Royal Menagerie and the Public Records. Now it is famous for the BloodyTower, Traitors Gate, the Ravens, the Yeoman Warders and, of course, the CrownJewels (including the First Star of Africa, one of the biggest diamonds in theworld). Although the Crown Jewels have been displayed in a number of differentlocations within the Tower, in 1994 the Jewels were rehoused in a magnificentnew treasury within the Waterloo Barracks. Guests enter the Jewel House throughthe impressive Hall of Monarchs. This room displays a royal crest, representingevery British monarch dating back to William the Conqueror.
Afterwardyou will visit St Paul?s Cathedral. The current Cathedral (the fourth to occupythis site) was designed by the court architect, Sir Christopher Wren and builtbetween 1675 and 1710 after its predecessor was destroyed in the Great Fire ofLondon. Its architectural and artistic importance reflect the determination ofthe five monarchs who oversaw its building?that London?s leading church shouldbe as beautiful and imposing as their private palaces. As the Cathedral of thecapital city, St. Paul?s is the spiritual focus for the Nation. This is wherepeople and events of overwhelming importance to the country have beencelebrated, mourned and commemorated since the first Service took place in1697. Over the centuries, St. Paul?s has changed to reflect shifting tastes andattitudes. Decorations have been added and removed, services have been updatedand different areas have been put to new uses. Today, the history of the Nationis written in the carved stone of its pillars and arches, and is celebrated inits works of art and monuments.
Tuesday,May 1 and Thursday, May 3?Depart hotel: 8:45a.m.?Return to hotel: 1:00 p.m.
Notes:Wear comfortable walking shoes. Bring your camera.
Cost:$112.47 per person
Westminster Abbey and Cabinet War Rooms
WestminsterAbbey?An architectural masterpiece ofthe 13th to 16th centuries, Westminster Abbey also presents a unique pageant ofBritish history?the shrine of St. Edward the Confessor, the tombs of kings andqueens, and countless memorials to the famous and the great. It has been thesetting for every Coronation since 1066 and for numerous other royal occasions.Today, it is still a church dedicated to regular worship and to the celebrationof great events in the life of the nation. Neither a cathedral nor a parishchurch, Westminster Abbey is a ?Royal Peculiar? under the jurisdiction of aDean and Chapter, subject only to the Sovereign.
CabinetWar Rooms?The Cabinet War Rooms are anintriguing underground suite of 19 rooms used by Winston Churchill and his WarCabinet from August 1939 to September 1945 as a meeting, planning and informationcenter. On display is the original hotline with scrambler used by Churchill incommunication with President Roosevelt, Winston?s Bedroom and the desk fromwhich he made some of his famous war-time broadcasts. ?Additionally, theChurchill Museum, the world?s first major museum dedicated to the life ofWinston Churchill, is a permanent exhibition housed within the unique settingof the War Rooms.
Tuesday,May 1 ?Depart hotel: 8:45 a.m.?Returnto hotel: 1:00 p.m.
Friday,May 4?Depart hotel: 1:15 p.m.?Returnto hotel: 5:30 p.m.
Notes:Wear comfortable walking shoes. Bring your camera.
Cost:$103.50 per person
WindsorCastle
WindsorCastle, in peaceful Thames Valley, founded by William the Conqueror in the 11thcentury, is still a Royal Residence and the largest inhabited castle in theworld. It is the favorite residence of Her Majesty the Queen and frequentlyused to host state visits. A visit will be made to the magnificent StateApartments (schedule permitting), which are lavishly furnished world-famousmasterpieces, from paintings by Holbein, Rubens and Van Dyck, to a masterpiecein miniature?Queen Mary?s Doll?s House. You will also be able to visit St.George?s Chapel, one of the finest examples of gothic architecture in thecountry. This remarkable building has been the setting for many royal weddingsand is the burial place of 10 monarchs, including Henry VIII and Charles I.
Tuesday, May 1 and Thursday, May 3?Depart hotel: 8:45 a.m. ?Return to hotel: 1:00 p.m.
Notes: Wear comfortable walking shoes. Bringyour camera.
Cost: $82.31 per person
Tate Britain and Tate Modern
Yourday starts with a visit to Tate Britain. Then, you will be transferred by riveron a state-of-the-art catamaran, featuring Damien Hirst?s artwork, which linksTate Britain and Tate Modern. The journey takes 18 minutes.
TateBritain continues to be one of the most important art galleries in London,holding the world?s largest collection of British works from the 16th to the20th centuries. In the adjoining Clore Gallery is the magnificent TurnerBequest, left to the nation by the landscape artist JMW Turner himself. TateModern holds one of the world?s premier collections of 20th century art, whichnow has a home worthy of its importance in the classic power station designedin 1947 by Sir Giles Gilbert Scott, the architect behind Waterloo Bridge andLondon?s red telephone kiosks. Until 2000, the collection shared the TateGallery Millbank (now known as Tate Britain) with the national collection ofBritish Art.
Friday,May 4 and Saturday, May 5 ?Depart hotel: 8:45a.m.?Return to hotel: 1:00 p.m.
Notes:Wear comfortable walking shoes. Bring your camera.
Cost:$83.94 per person
Walking Tour of Aristocratic London
Thedistricts of Mayfair and St. James have, for centuries, been the home andplayground of the aristocracy. In this tour you?ll walk around this veryfashionable and elegant area, and see some of its mansions and palaces,including the ancestral home of the Princess of Wales. You will also see somevery exclusive gentlemen?s clubs and shops, which have been serving thearistocracy and the Royal Family for centuries. You?ll also visit a shop wherethe assistants still wear tail coats, and a shopping arcade built in 1819 thatis still patrolled by top hatted beadles, whose job is to stop anybody"whistling, singing or hurrying."
Thursday,May 3 and Saturday, May 5?Depart hotel: 1:15 p.m.?Return to hotel: 3:00 p.m.
Notes:Wear comfortable walking shoes. Bring your camera.
Cost:$26.08 per person
Walking Tour of Legal London
Theareas occupied by the legal profession include some of the most picturesque andhistoric parts of London, yet they remain hidden and unknown to most visitors.During the walk, you will visit the Royal Courts of Justice, the Inns of Court(societies founded in the 13th century to train lawyers), the Old Bailey, whichis the most famous criminal court in the world, Middle Temple Hall, if open, abeautiful 16th century dining hall, and to the Temple Church, a magnificent12th century round church. You will learn about the English legal system andthe peculiar practices of the profession.
Friday,May 4?Depart hotel: 8:45 a.m.?Returnto hotel: 11:00 a.m.
Notes:Wear comfortable walking shoes. Bring your camera.
Cost:$38.30 per person
Walking Tour of Political London
For900 years Westminster has been the home of English Government, with kingsexercising political power here since 1063, and Parliament meeting here since1265. You?ll walk along Whitehall, see Downing Street, home of the PrimeMinister, see the remains of the Palace of Whitehall, including the magnificentBanqueting Hall where Charles I was beheaded, and see the Palace ofWestminster, home of Parliament. The tour ends with a walk around ParliamentSquare to learn about some of the great politicians of the past?not necessarilyall British!
Tuesday,May 1 ?Depart hotel: 1:15 p.m.?Returnto hotel: 2:30 p.m.
Notes:Wear comfortable walking shoes. Bring your camera.
Cost:$26.08 per person
Full-Day Tours
Full-DayTour to Bath and Stonehenge
Driveto the Georgian city of Bath, often described as the Florence of England. Uponarrival in Bath, a visit will be made to the Roman Baths, the best preservedRoman remains in Britain. The Romans transformed Bath into England?s first spatown in the 18th century, and it is now a beautiful town. You will have time toexplore the Roman baths and have lunch at your leisure after the tour.
Afterlunch, you?ll drive to Stonehenge to visit this ancient and mysteriousmonument, built in several stages from about 3000 B.C., and Europe?s mostfamous prehistoric monument.
Wednesday, May 2 and Friday May 4?Depart hotel: 7:45 a.m.?Return to hotel: 6:00 p.m.
Notes: Wear comfortable walking shoes. Bringyour camera. You will have time in Bath to stop for lunch and shopping.
Cost: $125.51 per person
Full-Day Tour to Blenheim Palace, Cotswold and Oxford
Drivewest of London to the village of Woodstock for a visit to Blenheim Palace, thehome of the?Duke of Marlborough, and accidental birthplace of Sir WinstonChurchill. Participants will be able to tour the State Apartments beforevisiting the gardens and grounds at leisure. There will then be time to havelunch and explore the charming Cotswold village of Woodstock with itsdelightful shops. Before returning to London, you will visit Oxford, the cityof dreaming spires, where a visit will be made to one the colleges.
Wednesday,May 2 and Friday, May 4 ?Depart hotel: 7:45a.m.?Return to hotel: 6:00 p.m.
Notes:Wear comfortable walking shoes. Bring your camera. You will have time inCotswold to stop for lunch and shopping.
Cost:$127.95 per person
Chartwell House
Chartwell,near Westerham in Kent, was the family home of Sir Winston Churchill and hiswife, Clementine, from 1924 until the end of his life. Winston Churchill isregarded by many as the greatest Englishman of all time: a great, but flawed,man. He was often, simultaneously, politician, soldier, writer, historian,artist and some-time bricklayer. To Churchill, Chartwell was his refuge, aplace visited at his lowest ebb during the Second World War and one that heloved as much as any other in his life. Yet, even as he saw out the later yearsof his life, Chartwell belonged to the British nation, ordained to become ashrine to his memory. Churchill was delighted and his spirit inhabits the houseto this day.
Thehouse and extensive grounds have magnificent views over the Weald of Kent. Therooms are left as they were in Sir Winston and Lady Churchill?s lifetime,including his famous cigars. The museum and exhibition rooms contain displaysand sound recordings with a superb collection of memorabilia from his politicalcareer. Two of the highlights are the dining room and Churchill?s study. Thedining room is the family (and public) heart of Chartwell Manor. Chartwell ismore than just an English Country house. The gardens, inspired by the Arts andCrafts movement, are delightful. Between the visitor center and house, a slopeoverlooks a fishpond of huge proportions, and woodland glades are set into thehillside. On the other side of the house, Churchill?s famous wall bordersClementine?s rose garden. At the bottom of the garden you can see Churchill?s studiojust as he left it. His palette, still covered in paint, lies alongside hiseasel and, in a small room by the door, unfinished canvasses and completedworks are piled to the ceiling.
Tuesday,May 1 and Thursday, May 3?Depart hotel: 8:45a.m.?Return to hotel: 3:00 p.m.
Notes:Lunch at leisure. Wear comfortable walking shoes. Bring your camera.
Cost:$100.24 per person
Full-DayTour of the Kent Countryside (Including the Famous Cathedral, a Farmers Marketand an Ale Tasting)
Kent issteeped in history and heritage, and is also rightly renowned throughout theworld as the Garden of England. Discover its captivating essence winding alonglanes past lavender fields, orchards and vineyards in England?s oldest county.Begin the day with a visit to Canterbury, where you will visit the gloriousCathedral, continue with a visit to the farmers market, have lunch and thenvisit Shepherd Neame brewery to discover how ale is made.
CanterburyCathedral?s history goes back to 597AD, when St. Augustine, sent by Pope Gregorythe Great as a missionary, established his seat (or ?Cathedra?) in Canterbury.In 1170 Archbishop Thomas Becket was murdered in the Cathedral and, ever since,the Cathedral has attracted thousands of pilgrims, as told famously in GeoffreyChaucer?s Canterbury Tales.
TheCathedral stands within its own walled precinct
Re: London: Overwhelmed with all the options! Long...
First thoughts: I would never pay $50 to go to the markets. They're free take the metro and wander around.
You have an open top bus tour in bold and then there is another bus tour along with the London Eye.
The things that are must dos you don't have in bold - tower of London, St. Paul's, the crown jewels, the royal mews.
Way too many trips outside the city for the few number of days you have. Skip Greenwich, Windsor is easily accessible on your own with the train. Pick between Kent (my choice) or Stratford upon Avon.
Other must sees: British Museum, Buckingham Palace, Westminster Abbey, Big Ben
You can do most of that stuff for way less than the cost that the tour company charges,.
Get an Oyster card to get around the city. There is a small fee/deposit (I think its still GBP $5 for the card) and you can load it up with $$. The advantages is that it will only charge/deduct up to a set amount per day so you can use it as many times as you like. It also works on the Thames Clipper. You can take the Thames Clipper to Greenwich to check out the prime meridian.
Do afternoon tea at The Orangery at Kensington Palace. Take the tube to the High Street Kensington station and walk. Its maybe a 10 minute walk (when you get out of the station turn right and keep walking til you see the palace and the park). Afternoon tea will run about GBP $15-$20 per person.
Buy your Tower of London tickets online. There is a small discount if you purchase them online and pick them up at will call. Get there when the Tower opens and definitely do the Yeoman Warder tour.
Borough Market is free. Do NOT pay some tour company to take you there. You can combine it with a visit to the Tower of London. Do the tower in the morning and head over to Borough Market for lunch.
Umm....British Museum?!?!?!? Its not on your list and that is seriously a must see in London. We spent about 4 hours there and didnt even make it through an entire floor. I cannot wait to go back.
Harrods- I've got mixed feeling on Harrods. Its great for browsing but they are seriously overpriced on stuff. The food halls are impressive although they are on the small side. There is a Laduree and their macarons are to die for! It can get a bit crowded with tourists so if you really want to visit Harrods go early.
We did the London eye on our last trip. It was ok and the only reason why we did it was because it was a clear night and there was no line.
Check out the schedule for Royal Albert Hall; it is an amazing venue and if you get the opportunity to see a performance there you should do it.
I agree with the other posters that most of these tours can be done on your own for much cheaper. If you want to do a few tours, check out London Walks. I thought they were great and very inexpensive. Here is the website:
http://www.walks.com/
Thanks for the advice--I highlighted the things I was interested in (without bothering with time constraints or overlapping days--just wanted you all to get a feel for what was interesting to DH and me, which is why the bus tours were both highlighted, the market, etc.)
Definitely won't sign up for the "market tour"--we'll wander there on our own
Didn't put Tower of London, St. Paul's, the crown jewels, the royal mews in bold because I knew we could do it cheaper; thanks for the suggestions about the British Museum, Buckingham Palace, Westminster Abbey and Big Ben.
Awesome--Added the Orangery to the list (Both DH and I are really looking forward to afternoon tea--as I was going over the list, he told me to make sure someone suggests a good tea place
British Museum is on the list.
Will buy the Tower of London tickets online, look into the Oyster card and what is going on at Royal Albert Hall.
Thanks so much for your advice!
Thanks for the website! I have glanced through my Rick Steve's guide, and London walks seem like a great idea.
ETA-repetitive
Great! Do you think the company is offering a reasonable deal with the trip to Oxford, or should we find our own way of getting there?
Thanks!
everything on your list you can do for much cheaper, you just won't have a guide.
afternoon tea at the National Gallery? Just get on the tube or bus and go there yourself. The museum is free entry and you can certainly get tea and cake for less for $200! I just looked at the website and afternoon tea with champagne is ?21.50 per person. So total for that activity on your own- about $60.
bus tour? Again, hop on hop off is like ?25 p/psn and the ticket is valid all day so you can use it to get around the city.
queen's gallery? like ?10 per person if you do it on your own
every single item on your list is doable without the tour guide and will save you loads of money if you do it on your own.
Take the train to Oxford and do it on your own
Thank you everybody! I suspected that the tour company would overcharge--looks like I have some planning to do! Thank you for helping me confirm that there are better options out there.
I'll probably post an itinerary in a few days to get the double check from you all
This and the market is not open everyday, just an FYI. This was one of our highlights. I highly, highly recommend the London Eye. We weren't going to do it because I figured it was just a tourist trap attraction. It was incredible and offered such wonderful views. We did it on our last full day and were able to identify all the places we visited throughout our stay.
Like a PP said, you can combine Borough Market with the Tower of London. I'd start with the Tower of London in the morning, head to Borough Market and then walk along the Thames to see the Globe and the other little treasures along the way. You can walk across the Millennium bridge over to St. Paul's. Westminster Abbey was absolutely incredible. If there is any way to get one of the guided tours in there, I'd recommend it. We did the audio tour, but it just isn't the same and there is so much history in there. The lines can look long, but move fast. They move faster if you have cash and can stand in the cash only line.
I also don't know if you realize, but a large number of museums and galleries in London are free. So, like the markets, some of the tours you may want to take off your list. You can look online for free audio tours (I downloaded a ton from Rick Steve's over the weekend for our upcoming trip). Here is a list of the "best" free London Museums.
Also, if you want some exercise instead of a walking tour, consider a bike tour. My parents are in London right now and just did Fat Tire's Royal London tour after having used the company for a tour in Paris.
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I've used the Oxford Express before. It is really easy to use, and reasonably priced.
http://www.oxfordbus.co.uk/main.php?page_id=27
They drop you off at convenient locations in Oxford, so you can just walk everywhere.