The Natural History and Science Museums, you could stop off at Harrod’s too, it’s only a few blocks away.
However, after having returned just recently from my England trip, I need to say: was it just me, or is food horribly expensive over there? Not just London, but even in small-town pubs. Might be something to keep in mind, mouthbreather, so you don’t experience the sticker shock over the menu.
Well, it’s 45 minutes to Heathrow airport and then an hour to Amsterdam or Paris
Sorry, Englishman here entirely failing to understand why anyone would want to visit the armpit of the universe otherwise known as my country
Go to Victoria bus station and take a ride to York, much less flustered and busy, with lots to see.
I love London. When I was there I went to the Tate (still all in one at the time) and recommend that. Also the National Gallery and National Portrait Gallery.
I saw The Mousetrap. Not bad. (I’d been in it in high school so it was a sentimental thing.)
One thing I highly recommend is just wandering around. You never know what you’ll find. There are all those plaques that tell you who lived where and when; I found a part of the old Roman wall that’s still intact after almost 2000 years. It’s just a really cool city to look around in.
As to travel, the Tube was easy to use. You can get anywhere and the maps are actually fairly easy to follow. After the Chicago system I was amazed at how deep some of the tubes are.
One thing, when crossing a street always remember to look left. It’s easy to forget and some of those cars are literally so small you can look right over them.
Excellent sight-seeing reccomendations. I second the Globe theater. Here’s a few places to eat that are fun. I can only recommend the ethic restaurants because I’m not a huge fan of British cusine, if you can call it that.
Wagamama- Communal seating japanese noodle house. Everything is good, but be sure to get their specialty fruit drink. I think it was called ‘100% Pure’ or something trendy like that.
Yo Suhi- This place is a lot of fun. You sit in front of a converyor belt that travels around the whole room with plates of sushi on them, just take what you want. There are two in London, but the one in the Harvey Nichols dept store has a Tuesday night deal, all you can eat for 15 pounds. I used to stack my plates 30 high.
Daphne’s- Some of the best Italian food in London. Princess Di used to eat here.
Well, that’s “eat” in one of its looser senses.
Wagamama is good. There are a lot of them around too.
Most of the stuff I usually recommend to people has already been recommended – the Globe (rent a cushion if you’re going as a non-Groundling – the seats are hard!), the British Library, the Soane museum, Tate Modern, London Eye. Unlike many, I really disliked the Tower of London, as so much of it is Victorian reconstruction that it offends the historical purist in me. If you want London history, try the Museum of London instead, near St. Pauls.
I’ll also second the A-Z, Time Out and TravelCard recommendations. And whatever you do, don’t drive in London if you can at all help it. Take a bus, take a black cab (avoid the minicabs if you can), take one of those bicycle rickshaws, but don’t rent a car unless you’re planning on travelling outside of London. And even then, consider taking the train.
A boat ride down the Thames can be fun, as can the tour buses (the hop-on, hop-off ones offer the most flexibility) and the walking tours.
For my off-the-beaten-path tip, I’ll recommend the Chelsea Physic Garden, a tiny little botanical garden just off the river. There is an admission charge, and opening hours are EXTREMELY limited (last time I went they were only open Sunday afternoons), but if you’re here before the weather gets cold it might be worthwhile.
Places to eat: Muhib on Brick Lane for Indian food. There are also places up by Euston that do really good Indian cuisine, but I’ve forgotten the names. Paul on Bedford Street near Covent Garden Market for sinfully good omelettes. Ikkyu on Tottenham Court Road for Japanese food (a bit smoky, though). And a friend who visited recently went gaga for Pret A Manger’s sandwiches, which I also like but which can be pricy. And they make a crap cappuccino.
Outside London, both Bath and York are doable as day trips by train (<cough>when the trains run<cough>). (Speaking of which, casdave, how long does the coach trip to York take? It’s two hours by train!) Hampton Court is also an easy train ride from Waterloo and a great day out. Oxford is a cheap and easy 90-minute coach ride from just outside Victoria (but be aware the town closes down in th early evening, so leave London early).
That’s probably enough to keep you busy. Oh, and check out the Half-Price ticket place on the south side of Leicester Square.
really wants to go back to London now 
Try the famous echo in the British Museum Reading room (or any Public Library).
Traffic is legally obliged to stop for tourists, especially if they then unfold a map in the middle of the road.
Remember to ask everyone why Leicester Square is not pronounced ‘Lei - cester’.
Speak especially loudly in crowded public transport (you do have a stereotype to live up to 
).
Wear brightly coloured shorts (see above).
Ask Londoners if there are any historical buildings around (i.e. older than 100 years)
Try our famous cuisine - McDonalds, Kentucky Fried and Starbucks…
When collecting your laundry, everyone over here knows ‘pants’ are trousers, not underwear.
The charming name Randy has a special connotation in the UK (which you will discover if you say to a member of the opposite sex “Hi, I’m randy!”)
We are all grateful to the US for winning WW2 for us.
Specialist WW2 subject:
We are especially impressed by the boarding of a sinking submarine by US troops to get a copy of the German code books for us.
We are proud to be the carefully-consulted allies of the wise President Bush :eek: 
:wally :smack:
For all you need to know, go to…
Then > The Vault, Reference Library section > Visiting London. All the info you could need or want.
*London A-Z *cannot be emphasized enough. Buy one.
Take in at least two shows while there, I recommend The Lady in Black as one. Order tickets early and pick up at box office in afternoon. A lot easier that way.
Go to at least one jazz club.
HMS Dublin across from the Tower of London is worth a visit.
The Victoria and Albert Museum is good.
Stonehenge is over visited. Bath is very commercial but worth a visit. If you want touch standing stones take a day tour that includes Avebury.
If you are interested in books, walk the streets from Charing Cross to Covent Garden.
For transport, buy a weekly pass zones 1-5…you’ll need a passport sized photo. They are easily available in Victoria Station (where we get ours since we usually stay at a B&B in Bromley for 25 pounds a night total).
Have a great time there.
I was there this summer, and I would suggest going to see the Tate Modern museum and the British museum, both of which are free and are among the nicest museums I’ve ever been to. The Tate Modern also has a great audio tour that wasn’t to expensive (1pound, i think).
If you’re a Shakespeare fan, you can see a play at the Globe theatre, and if you’re not, you can walk by the burnt out Rose theatre.
And bring your wallet to london, it’s really expensive.
To help your search that would be The Woman in Black. I enjoyed it too.
That would be HMS Belfast. Please, please, please don’t get those two cities mixed up - there are very good reasons why there isn’t an HMS Dublin.
Oooops.:smack:
The Globe Theatre seems to be a particular favourite. Unfortunately, its current season ends later this week so mouthbreather shouldn’t expect to be able to see a play there. You can however still visit the exhibition and tour the theatre.
You won’t need a Zone 1-5 pass unless you’re heading out of the centre of London (in which case a single extension to a Zone 1-2 pass will be cheaper in the long run). You can buy passes from any underground station, any large overground station and many newsagents and ticket outlets.
I’d spend a couple of hours in the National Portrait Gallery, start at the top in the 15th and 16th centuries and work down right through to today.
Bookshops on the Charing Cross Road are great, and you can get all sorts of books there 
!
I didn’t see anyone mentioning London’s Parks which have got to be worth a visit, at least a walk-through on the way somewhere else.
Shame about the closing season at the Globe, I was going to say that you can turn up on the day and get in for £5 as long as you’re willing to stand (just don’t go to watch Hamlet!).
Have a great time (and hold onto your wallet on crowded Tube trains).
N.
Just a quick second for Kew Gardens, aka The Royal Botanic Gardens, Kew - http://www.rbgkew.org.uk/. It’s a little way out west, but magical on a sunny day. Beautiful Victorian greenhouses, and a lovely peaceful place to wander around for a couple of hours. Especially if you like, you know, trees and nature and stuff.
And while you’re in Kew, you can take a walk down the river, stopping off for a pint at one of the hostelries there. Head for Strand-On-The-Green, (other side of Kew Bridge), there’s 3 or 4 lovely pubs there, right on the river.
Great stuff, all. Thanks a bunch.
Theatre isn’t my cup of tea. While I would like to see the Globe, I’m not too upset that the season has ended.
Looks like we will be headed to Bath on the first day – we are going to rent a car and spend the night down there. Day 2 we will head back to London to turn the car in and meet up with my friend.
Keep the advice coming!