Popping down to London for a night......

Hey ya'll, My wife and I are driving down to London for a night this weekend.  We got theater tickets for Saturday night in Soho.  We are excited.  We figure we will get into London around 1 PM.  I booked us a room at the Travel Inn that is in Kensington.  It's about a 10 minute walk to the History Museum where we can get on the "hop on, hop off" bus.  Anyone stayed in that area at all?  The room is only 65 pounds and another 25 for the parking.  I thought it was pretty good since most hotels are charging 40 per night for parking, if they have it available at all.  So we'll ride around on the bus, grab dinner (any suggestions for that area) then take a taxi to the theater.  We are seeing "Who's afraid of Virginia Woolf" with Kathleen Turner.  Anyone seen it?  Then the next day do some more stuff on the bus tour since it's a 24 hour pass, then get back to the car and head back North.  It's a lot of driving for one night, but the train is to expensive and her company pays for petrol so we might as well take advantage.  Does this sound like a nice little trip to anyone else?  I'm horrible at planning stuff and the whole thing has been left up to me.  Sound OK?  Any suggestions of must sees or can't miss attractions we can get to from the tour bus?  Thanks a lot everyone.

My suggestion is to ditch your stuff at the hotel and after some sight seeing on the bus head straight to Leicester Square since your theatre is right there on Shaftesbury Avenue.  There's loads of Resurants around there.  Or go to Covent Garden where there's a really good Mexican Resturant(Cafe Pacifico).  You won't need a taxi, but get a London A-Z.  Everything around there is in easy walking distance.  Just find your theatre so you don't panic at the last minute and have fun. 

 I think Mindy's idea is a good one, dump your stuff at the hotel and head into town.   As Mindy says there's loads of restaurants in that area, including the whole Chinatown thing.  The area where your hotel is doesn't have as many eating out choices, it's mainly museums & sandwich shops around there.

There's even a Starbucks on Leicester Square that's open really late if you're looking for a coffee afterwards. 

That sounds like a great night! Have fun!!

thanks for the suggestions, but what is an A to Z?  I figured after some touristy stuff and then getting ready back at the hotel, a taxi back to the theater area would be the quickest.  Is this not true?  Will I need to make reservations at any of the restaurants?  Or are there so many that one will not be needed.  Thanks everyone.

an A to Z is a must have for any city you may live in/visit.  It is a road atlas.  a good map in London is essential.

http://www.a-zmaps.co.uk/

ahhhh, thanks love, can i get one of those at the local book store?  I don't feel like ordering on off the internet.

You can find them everywhere!

For my boyfriend's birthday yesterday, i invested in the london pass(£34 each)and includes a travel pass for zones 1-6, which entitles you to loads of places, often free entry, so you save...

We went to the Tower of London(free), Tower Bridge(free), Monument(free), Namco(games and 6 free tokens for bumper cars), London Aquarium(free and got to hop the queue!)....etc etc...

check it out!

http://www.londonpass.com

PS...why dont you bus it to london as opposed to by car?  You would save money.  Check out MegaBus and National Express...

you can also get a lot half price or two-for-one if you have a train ticket.

For my boyfriend's birthday yesterday, i invested in the london pass(£34 each)and includes a travel pass for zones 1-6, which entitles you to loads of places, often free entry, so you save...

We went to the Tower of London(free), Tower Bridge(free), Monument(free), Namco(games and 6 free tokens for bumper cars), London Aquarium(free and got to hop the queue!)....etc etc...

check it out!

http://www.londonpass.com

PS...why dont you bus it to london as opposed to by car?  You would save money.  Check out MegaBus and National Express...

It wouldn't cost us anything because my wife has a company car and gas card.  So driving there is free.  The only cost we incur is 27 pounds for the parking at the hotel.  It is not a bad deal though, I checked megabus and it's pretty cheap, like 25 pounds for 2 tickets, but there are not any hubs close to us.  We would have to drive like an hour to Leeds just get on the bus.  At that point we may as well drive the whole way.  I don't know where half of the towns are that the hubs leave from anyway and i didn't see a way to search out the closest one.

The hop on and off bus is great, even if you just stay on! One even has a one way cruise on the Thames. Plus you even get a handy FREE London map with all the sights clearly marked so an A-Zed is not necessary if you can get yourself to the hotel and out to the motorway again. Plus, public maps are on the entrances to the tube stations and bus stops in that area. Mindy gave great advice about finding the theatre first then find a place to eat. It is a great location for restaurants in Soho. Try to stay off the Piccadilly line on a Saturday though!

I saw Kathleen Turner in The Graduate in NYC with Jason Biggs and Alicia Silverstone. You will have a great time.

check out this website for info, customer feedback and to see where your seats are.

http://www.theatremonkey.com/APOLLObooking.htm

British Science Museum is having a Pixar exhibiting if you're into that.

 If you like silent movies Charlie Chaplin will be aired at Sadler Wells and I think it's the London Philharmonic will be playing alongside the viewing

the everyman cinema in Hampstead is GORGEOUS place to watch a film in style

the Benjamin Franklin House just opened this year is by Trafalgar sq

You gotta go to the Aint Nuthin but the blues club by Soho

Have fun whatever you do