Looking for interesting/offbeat things to do in London

[bif]

We'll be in London next month for a week. We've been to the city numerous times and have done all the major tourist things. The last couple times we were there we did some different things like the Postal Museum, The Imperial War Museum, and the orphanage that Handel was a patron of (can't remember the name) and the museum of advertising.

So if you have any ideas of unusual sites, I welcome your suggestions. We're also going to be in Edinburgh, Lincoln, and York. So if you have any suggestions for those city!

[ProudMNDemocrat]

1. London Walks tours...

On my next trip, I plan on taking the Jack the Ripper evening tour in the White Chapel district. A friend of mine nd her husband( who is Britidh)did that and loved it.

Hubby and I loved the Churchill War rooms too. Took us over 3 hours to get it all in.

Have fun.

[3Hotdogs]

9. I've done Jack-the-Ripper tours with a couple of different London Walks guides. Each was different

but interesting...


Having done about 20, I've always had good London Walking tours.

York. There are boat tours out of York. We took one that was a trip to a restaurant on a boat that had taken part of the evacuation of Dunkirk.

Saturdays at Camden Yards. (Watch out for pickpockets.)

Ceremony of the Keys at London Tower. You need to write in advance for tickets. Tickets may also be available to walk on the floor of the House of Lords. I read about these in one of the tour guide books I bought a couple of months before we left for London.

Definitely Churchill's War Room and Imperial War Museum.

Greenwich Observatory.

[sinkingfeeling]

2. Don't recall the name of the place, but we did 'rubbings' of ancient stone carvings. Also, we

visited a torture museum. That was way back in 2004.

[Irish_Dem]

3. Take a picture of yourself standing in a red phone booth in London.

Send it to your kids and grandkids and ask them to guess what you are standing in.

[TreasonousBastard]

4. I had fun at the Torture Museum in Edinburgh.

[CanonRay]

5. We toured Churchill's underground command post

and found it fascinating. Just like he left yesterday.

[farmbo]

6. Try Churchill's War Room in Whitehall.

Recently restored and open to the public, Its a complex of underground offices, sleeping quarters, and a communication center where the Prime Minister, his Cabinet, and military commanders planned and executed Britain’s path to victory in World War II. At any given time, up to 100 people, from the PM, and his Senior commanders to secretaries and clerks, were living and working in the complex, while the Luftwaffe rained bombs down on London above.

And if you’re in Edinburgh around the first week in August, don’t miss the Festival, the Military Tattoo, and the Fringe.

[MLAA]

7. Oldest continuous pub in England. I asked a cabbie for a recommendation of a traditional pub.

Loved it and went twice during the same trip.

https://www.greeneking-pubs.co.uk/pubs/greater-london/prospect-of-whitby/?utm_source=g_places&utm_medium=locations&utm_campaign=HT_pubpage

[T_i_B]

12. In terms of boozy suggestions

The Southampton Arms in Kentish Town is my favourite London pub.

York has a fantastic real ale / craft beer scene, with Brew York being a big personal favourite.

I think the Strugglers Inn is the place I've liked in Lincoln. Cosy backstreet local.

For Edinburgh I would probably suggest going to The Bow Bar and having a few of their single malts. Although if others want to suggest somewhere less touristy for your whisky needs that's fine by me.

[MLAA]

14. I'll keep this list handy, thanks.

[bif]

15. I quit drinking

So pubs aren't high on my list. I did enjoy them back in the day. Just curious, is NA beer and ale a thing in the UK? Do they serve them in pubs?

[T_i_B]

16. Non alcoholic is a thing and increasingly popular

Our German friends have been very good indeed at it for a while.

IMHO, I would still avoid non-alcoholic gin though

[bif]

17. A friend of mine bought some of the NA gin

And said it was garbage. Virtually undrinkable.

[bif]

8. We did the Churchill War rooms.

The torture museum sounds different!

[Tetrachloride]

11. if you want more Ediiburgh suggestions, i can ask my Scotland friend

[bif]

13. Thanks for the suggestions all!

We're not leaving until the second week in May. So if anything else occurs to you, post away! Cheers!