UK Trip Planning

[303 Gunner]

The stars have finally aligned and I’m going to be able to make a trip to the UK in a few weeks. The first portion will be work related (still sneaking in Edinburgh Castle, the Victory, and the Tower as official visits), but I’ll have about 5 quality days to myself on the back end with a couple days up in the Midlands (going to hit up the Green Howards Museum over the weekend and Royal Armouries Museum on the trip south) and the remaining 3 days in London.

While I’m in London, I’m planning on the Churchill War Rooms, the RSAF Interpretation Center, and the IWM. The toss up is between the Guards Museum, the National Army Museum, or the British Museum. Any thoughts/recommendations? Anything I’m missing that you’d recommend instead? If you can’t tell, the interest is British Army history and British small arms.

[StratA]

The stars have finally aligned and I’m going to be able to make a trip to the UK in a few weeks. The first portion will be work related (still sneaking in Edinburgh Castle, the Victory, and the Tower as official visits), but I’ll have about 5 quality days to myself on the back end with a couple days up in the Midlands (going to hit up the Green Howards Museum over the weekend and Royal Armouries Museum on the trip south) and the remaining 3 days in London.

While I’m in London, I’m planning on the Churchill War Rooms, the RSAF Interpretation Center, and the IWM. The toss up is between the Guards Museum, the National Army Museum, or the British Museum. Any thoughts/recommendations? Anything I’m missing that you’d recommend instead? If you can’t tell, the interest is British Army history and British small arms.

The national army museum is a worthwhile stop.

[55recce]

miss the IWM. Not worth it IMHO.

Highly recommend a day trip to Bovington Tank Museum. Take a train to Wool and either walk (about 40 mins) or taxi to the museum. Its a full day there. Fantastic exhibits decent gift store and restaurant.

[42rocker]

If seeing the HMS Victory, and the HMS Warrior just a few hundred feet away. Visit the Dover castle as well. There is a nice WW2 area in the castle. Look at the White Cliffs of Dover that so many Bomber crews waited and wanted to see.
Visit Bovington Tank Museum.

Enjoy

Later 42rocker

[Sapper740]

Highly recommend a day trip to Bovington Tank Museum.

^^^^^This^^^^^

[MAC702]

I made it to Dublin, Edinburgh, and London two years ago.

Spent an entire day in the Guinness brewery. Worth it.

Edinburgh Castle was another full day that was worth it. Be there for the 1 o'clock gun firing ceremony.

Tower of London worth another full day.

The Imperial War Museum was kind of a let down from what I hear it used to be like. I was actually not all that impressed.

But one of the big highlights of the trip was a day trip to take the train to Bletchley Park and tour the Codebreaking Museum. That was WAY more than I expected. Highly recommended.

[303 Gunner]

Thanks all for the inputs! That's disappointing to hear about the IWM. I was figuring it for a high point of the trip!

[42rocker]

Ok, off military subjects.
Book this from the States before you go over, 2 reasons CHEAPER and NO lines.
If going to London, Book the London Eye, does not take long and it's a neat thing to do. Also, you get to see London from a birds eye view. With our booking it we received a "free" boat ride up and down the Thames river, 2004 thing. If you have seen The Changing of the Guard at Arlington Cemetery in the States skip the Changing of the Guard in London. Nice but. Try to watch the Horse Guard on their way out while near the Memorial to their Coast Guard Navy. We were within a few feet of the horses as they went by, No major crowds either. Near #1 Downing St, Wellingtons house if I remember right from 2004.

If into Military ships visit the HMS Belfast, near the London Bridge. Visit HMS Belfast - Plan Your Visit | Imperial War Museums

You will never have enough time. LOL

Later 42rocker

[Surpmil]

Changing of the Guard was an embarrassment when I last saw it in 2012; probably hasn't improved since then. London Eye; not worth the time IMHO. If you want a view climb to the top of St. Paul's Cathedral and kill several birds as it were; the 17-19th C graffiti on the inside of the dome is interesting. Westminster Abby is worth some hours for those interested in history. Houses of Parliament: debatable. Only an early Victorian construction after all.

British Museum is sensory overload, but the same is true of the others such as V&A, National Portrait Gallery, Tate etc. The Science Museum might be more enjoyable for most of us.

I suggest you plan out your steps as completely as you can: for example even where you will eat and when. Trip Advisor for recent feedback and info. There are many good places, but so many mediocre (as is true everywhere) that it's worth doing the research rather than missing out and time is clearly of the essence when overseas. Even if you don't care so much about what you eat, what kind of place you eat it in, how long it takes to get there and to get served and what it costs, can be very different indeed.

Even more true for transport and accommodations.

[Roy W]

When at HMS Victory you can also do the Mary Rose, on the same site. Also the Royal Marines Museum is now within the Historic Dockyard as well.

A 5 minute ferry ride from next to the Dock Gates (Gosport Ferry) will take you to Gosport where there is the Submarine Museum, with a guided tour on a Diesel Sub.

If travelling North, then the Pattern Room at Leeds will be the finest collection of small arms in the UK.

There is the Combined Services Military Museum in Malden, Essex.

Peninsula Barracks in Winchester has several museums.

The National Rifle Association has a museum at Bisley in Surrey. Small museum, but a timeless location.

Most Regiments/Corps also have their own museums dotted around.