London - any recs?

If WWII history is a top priority, go across the channel to Normandy. Base in Bayeux and take an Overlord Tours tour of the DDay beaches. That is an awesome experience.

In London, be sure to visit the Churchill War Rooms.

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Into WW2 history and beer

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Don't sleep on WWI. If you go towards the Netherlands to hit up Arnhem, etc., you'll be passing through Belgium, and there is a lot of cool shite to explore (Bastogne, Verdun, Ypres, etc.) And for sure, hit up any American Cemetery you see (Meuse Argonne is sort of on the way to Bastogne from Paris.) You'll see the one at Normandy, obviously, but we have them all over Europe, including in the middle of nowhere like the Meuse Argonne, and they are beautiful.

Beer in France isn't great. It seemed to be all 1664 and Kroonenberg. Belgium for the Trappist variety!

ETA: Meuse Argonne (there's more to it than this obv)

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Never knew this. I took the Eurostar from London to Paris definitely a nice system they have.

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Rome2Rio is a good system to figure out train routes between countries. It lays bare the difference between the express trains that take 3 hours, and the local connecting trains that take 11 hours between the same cities without reserved seats.

Sign up for the Ceremony Of The Keys at the Tower of London as early as possible.

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Rome2Rio

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I like Omio as well

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Bermondsey beer mile for drinking

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This looks amazing - thanks

Nice, easy and cheap way to see London by water is Uber Boats. It's an up branded dock-to-dock scheduled passenger ferry. You can get a phone app for a narrated tour. Like all London transport, just tap a credit card. Road traffic is terrible, take the tube.

Traditional pubs are in the country. London has expensive "gastropubs". Due to very high food costs, cheaper fast food places are everywhere. Try what looks good to you. Some are quite good.

If you want to experience shopping for mens' clothing where service and quality are still valued, Hackett is a small chain with better prices.

Great day tours out of London are Cambridge one day and Stonehenge another. You should research tours that use rail. Traffic can really mess up bus tours these days.

Brits think their train service has ups and downs. The abundance of stations makes careful planning mandatory. 1st class to Paris is very 1st class. Regional trains drop and add cars. Keep asking conductors if you are on the right car.

Many museums, some crowded. Personal favorite is Victoria & Albert, seldom crowded, an interesting mix of arts and history. Natural History can be exceedingly crowded. Ditto British Museum.

Very cautiously I'll recommend Nell Gwynn House Apartments in Chelsea for lodging. I've always found it suitable at a good price. Not everybody has. It's a coop of privately-owned small units renting to tourists. Units vary greatly in appointments.

Whatever you do, use extreme caution crossing streets. The car that hits you isn't where you expect it to be.