Best piece of advice I've ever received about visiting London:

You will never train yourself to look right before crossing a street, so just make sure you look both ways.

London is franking awesome. Most museums are free.

Don't waste your time visiting Buckingham Palace, unless you are strolling the Mall.

British Museum is a must.

I love the City of London Museum. Gives you a much better picture of how the masses lived, instead of just the kings, queens and upper classes.

Imperial War Museum is great, but a bit off the beaten path. Interesting trivia: used to be St. Mary's of Bethlehem Hospital - a home for the mentally ill - that's where we get the word "bedlam."

Cabinet War Rooms are also unbelievable if you are a WWII history buff.

Tower of London is probably a must for a 1st timer.

Go to Covent Garden to just walk around and poke your head in shops.

My favourite pubs:

The Cheshire Cheese: REALLY IMPORTANT NOTE: the pub is pretty forgettable, unless you go into the basement (not always open). It's like walking back 300 years.

The Blackfriars: right outside of Blackfriars tube station. Really neat decor.
- Atomic Wedgie

Thanks Wedgie!

Are all those listed museums free?

Seriously though.

In London, as long as you stay away from Tottenham, Edmonton, Brixton, Peckham and Hackney you are laughing. You're likely to get killed there.

All the usual tourist attractions are great. Tower Bridge, London Eye, Madam Tussauds, London Dungeon, Tower of London. Not the cheapest of things, but they can give you an insight into the gruesome and violent history of London.

Shopping, you want to be in and around Knightsbridge, Piccadilly, Oxford Street, Bond Street/Mayfair, King's Road.

When near Oxford Street, gotta make your way (5 mins walk) down Carnaby Street. The birth of the mod scene according to legend. Great pubs/bars, coffee shops, shops, scooter shops. Visit Lambretta.

If you wanna see stuff from movies where all the hipsters live, get yourself to Notting Hill, Covent Garden, Canary Wharf etc.

If you are flying from Toronto, you probably want to head in Heathrow if possible. It's easier to get into the city. Just get the shuttle into Paddington or St.Pancras (can't remember which one it goes to, St. Pancras i think), then just catch the underground to wherever. Underground is really well laid out information wise, but probably stay out of rush hour traffic.

If it goes to Gatwick you;re probably looking at an hour train ride to Paddington (or wherever if you need to get off before).
- walshyleafsfan

The british version sucks just as bad eh?

Seriously though.

In London, as long as you stay away from Tottenham, Edmonton, Brixton, Peckham and Hackney you are laughing. You're likely to get killed there.

All the usual tourist attractions are great. Tower Bridge, London Eye, Madam Tussauds, London Dungeon, Tower of London. Not the cheapest of things, but they can give you an insight into the gruesome and violent history of London.

Shopping, you want to be in and around Knightsbridge, Piccadilly, Oxford Street, Bond Street/Mayfair, King's Road.

When near Oxford Street, gotta make your way (5 mins walk) down Carnaby Street. The birth of the mod scene according to legend. Great pubs/bars, coffee shops, shops, scooter shops. Visit Lambretta.

If you wanna see stuff from movies where all the hipsters live, get yourself to Notting Hill, Covent Garden, Canary Wharf etc.

If you are flying from Toronto, you probably want to head in Heathrow if possible. It's easier to get into the city. Just get the shuttle into Paddington or St.Pancras (can't remember which one it goes to, St. Pancras i think), then just catch the underground to wherever. Underground is really well laid out information wise, but probably stay out of rush hour traffic.

If it goes to Gatwick you;re probably looking at an hour train ride to Paddington (or wherever if you need to get off before).
- walshyleafsfan

I fly Toronto to Heathrow. Hotel is in East Putney, about a 45 minute drive from the airport. Just what I need after a 7 hour flight and 12 hour time difference from when I left YYZ

I will be based out of that area for the entire duration of my trip as my office is a 5 minute walk from there