An American PRS Fan in London

[drdoom8793]

Visiting London and Dublin next week for the first time. Any recommendations for things to do/places to eat? I love to hit the less touristy spots where the locals go.

Really wanted to hit up Andertons but it's not that close to London. Any good music stores right in London that I can scope out?

 

[Reynewan]

Ive been number of times in London for short Holidays. Even if its crowded-just visit Camden-Town. Great artistic atmosphere there.There are many locals as well. Many good pubs and some Clubs with live Music.
You should find a lot of different Pawn Shops as well.

 

[alantig]

I know it's touristy, but the Tower Of London was great. I did one of the double-decker bus tours (recommended by a friend - you can get a ticket to let you use it as much as you want for 24 hours). The guide on the bus said he loved the Tower and went a couple times a year for 4-5 hours a visit. I looked at the place as the bus came off Tower Bridge and said no way. 4-5 hours later... I really wanted to go because I'd been watching the Tudors. As it turned out, they had a Henry VIII display for his 500th anniversary, so good timing. The Beefeater's guided tour there is mandatory.

Walk the south bank of the Thames. Lots of street performers. I saw a juggler there who performed on a unicycle. Pretty funny. He did one bit, then said, "Now I'm going to do that routine as an American." He started the routine again, and about 20 seconds in said, 'That's right. It's exactly the same, but I think it's much better."

I was there for a week, out every night after work plus the weekend before, and I felt like I barely put a dent on it. I tried to avoid the American chains for food as much as possible - I like to eat different places when I'm on the road. The pubs were definitely the best places I ate. I was staying at the end of Blackfriar's bridge, so I hit Blackfriars and the Albion a couple times each. Oddly enough, one of the meals I remember most fondly? A fish & chips place just outside the Tower, near the gift shop.

 

[Collywobbles]

One of the things I've enjoyed while I've been in London was climbing up the inside of St Paul's dome to the Golden Gallery right at the top - it's around £20 per person but was worth it.

https://www.stpauls.co.uk/history-collections/history/explore-the-cathedral/climb-the-dome

I also enjoyed climbing to the top of the monument to the Great Fire. It's a bit like climbing up the inside of a giant candle, but again great fun and much cheaper.

http://www.themonument.info:

HMS Belfast is worth a visit if that's your sort of thing - I enjoyed looking around it:

https://www.iwm.org.uk/visits/hms-belfast

I'd also suggest the Tower of London and the river walk around around there. The Tower is right by Tower Bridge, which is always fun to cross. Walking back the other side and crossing over the wobbly bridge makes a nice walk too - you'll pass lots of old buildings, a reconstruction of Shakespeare's Globe Theatre and end up by Tate Modern, which is housed in the old Bankside power station. Cross the wobbly bridge and you're back at St Paul's.

https://www.hrp.org.uk/tower-of-london/

http://www.tate.org.uk/visit/tate-modern

https://www.visitlondon.com/things-to-do/place/442404-millennium-bridge


The Royal Observatory out at Greenwich is fun too, and Greenwich is really nice. I know it's an artificial line unlike the equator but I always find crossing the Greenwich Meridian fun.

https://www.rmg.co.uk/royal-observatory

Even better you can get to Greenwich on a water taxi:

http://content.tfl.gov.uk/river-bus-tours-map.pdf

Cutty Sark is there too, which is fun if you like old boats:

https://www.rmg.co.uk/cutty-sark

Central London is really quite small so you're never far away from stuff. The Tube is pretty good too.

Guitar shop wise most of the central London shops are on Denmark Street or very close on Charing Cross Road. The Tube stop is Tottenham Court Road. Not a lot of PRS though. I also like New Kings Road guitars, which is vintage stuff.

Never been to Andertons, but it's in Guildford, which is around 30 mins out of Waterloo on a fast train (and an hour on a slow one).

I think the best PRS shop in England is probably World Guitars, in Stonehouse. It's a long train ride out of London (but the shop is near the station) but could be a stop off if you went to Bath, which is lovely.

If i can think of anything else I'll add another post. But it's a bit like suggesting films to watch - your taste might be different to mine.

Enjoy your trip

 

[Collywobbles]

Oh and a vote for Kew Gardens. I'm not much of a gardening fan but I enjoyed looking round and the tree-top walk is great...

https://www.kew.org

 

[Collywobbles]

Oh and the British Museum is rally fab. I prefer this to Kew if I didn't have much time.

http://www.britishmuseum.org

The Assyrian Lion Hunt frieze and the Egyptian Gallery alone are both fabulous to see and demand a visit. I love the Lion of Knidos in the foyer too.

And then there's the Elgin Marbles, which we 'borrowed' from our Greek friends...

 

[Collywobbles]

And.... I think the John Ritblat Gallery at the British Library is worth a visit too. It's free and has all sorts of things in there. Not least copies of the Magna Carta as well as hand-written copies of various Bealtles songs.

https://www.bl.uk/events/treasures-of-the-british-library

 

[alantig]

I'll second the St. Paul's climb. It's well worth it - the views are spectacular. But also stop in the Whispering Gallery - it's an acoustic wonder.

I did not know you could climb the monument to the Great Fire. I didn't have time, anyway, but that would be really cool.

I toured Westminster Abbey - and sat at the tomb of Mary, Queen Of Scots. While listening to Monty Python's "The Death Of Mary, Queen Of Scots".

 

[rugerpc]

In Dublin you need to visit both the Jameson Distillery and the Guiness Storehouse. The same day is recommended - you can easily walk from one to the other.

taste testing various brands vs Jameson in the distillery

Guiness Storehouse

learning to pour the perfect pint

6 shots of whiskey and 2 pints. All before noon.

 

[Alnus Rubra]

Have a great trip. I could make suggestions for London, but it looks like you’ve got a busy itinerary already!

 

[drdoom8793]

Sweet, thanks for all the suggestions!

 

[Collywobbles]

I toured Westminster Abbey - and sat at the tomb of Mary, Queen Of Scots. While listening to Monty Python's "The Death Of Mary, Queen Of Scots".[/QUOTE]

I'll add this to my list of things to do I've been past the Abbey many times but not been in. I also want to go to the National Portrait Gallery to see 'Men of the Docks' by George Bellows but haven't recommended the gallery as I've not been yet.

 

[Bill SAS 513]

Loved everything about London. .cool thing is most of the main "touristy things" are pretty close together. The London Hard Rock ( the first one) was awesome , if the Vault is still open. My wife and I did alot of castles and ruins in the outskirts! Kenilworth, Windsor, ...went to Freddie Mercury`s house. Religious experience for Queen fans!


Oh, yeah...stay off the moors!!!

 

[Alnus Rubra]

Loved everything about London. .cool thing is most of the main "touristy things" are pretty close together. The London Hard Rock ( the first one) was awesome , if the Vault is still open. My wife and I did alot of castles and ruins in the outskirts! Kenilworth, Windsor, ...went to Freddie Mercury`s house. Religious experience for Queen fans!


Oh, yeah...stay off the moors!!!

Watch out for Rik Mayall in a pub!

 

[Whitecat]

Places to eat - I can help. What do you like/what kinda budget?

Most generic “chain pub” food is awful. There are a handful of “gastropubs” that are awesome but they tend to be scattered/not that central.

I can recommend anything from great Neapolitan-style pizza to French-inspired modern British cooking to high-end steakhouses... but it would help if I knew where your interests lie so I don’t list anything pointless as far as your views go.

I know a few places in Dublin too... but London is my bag, baby.

 

[JJJ]

I visited London in 2014 from Australia

I loved everything there. The best way to see it is to spend a whole day or two on foot walking around the whole thing. I saw everything that way, the palace, all of the aprks and gardens, the museums are probably the greatest thing there if you are into that kind of thing.

Of all the cities I visited in Europe it is right up there with Amsterdam as one fo my favourites and I'd like to go back soon

 

[Alnus Rubra]

I visited London in 2014 from Australia

I loved everything there. The best way to see it is to spend a whole day or two on foot walking around the whole thing. I saw everything that way, the palace, all of the aprks and gardens, the museums are probably the greatest thing there if you are into that kind of thing.

Of all the cities I visited in Europe it is right up there with Amsterdam as one fo my favourites and I'd like to go back soon

I couldn’t agree more. The walk from Trafalgar Square, past Whitehall, to the Parliament buildings is always special for me.

So much history and an atmosphere that is great.

 

[JJJ]

I couldn’t agree more. The walk from Trafalgar Square, past Whitehall, to the Parliament buildings is always special for me.

So much history and an atmosphere that is great.

Things like the monuments to the fire of london, the churchill war rooms, all the old historic buildings in the middle of the city, all great to see on foot

And don't forget, nearly every church there is open with free access to their crypts. I randomly visited a few as I encountered them and many had authentic roman pavement adn other artefacts just sitting there downstairs, couldn't believe it. There simply isn't history like that where I live

 

[László]

And don't forget, nearly every church there is open with free access to their crypts. I randomly visited a few as I encountered them and many had authentic roman pavement adn other artefacts just sitting there downstairs, couldn't believe it.

Living history - it’s amazing, right?

 

[CVS]

Take in a play at one of the many old theaters in the theater district (and of course, visit a pub before & after)
Caution - Do not attempt this if still jet lagged...