Getting There
You can reach London by air from any one of the city's five airports. While most flights from the U.S. arrive at Heathrow, you may also get to London via Gatwick, Stansted, London Luton or London City Airports. Whichever airport you choose, you'll need to decide how you'll get from the airport into London itself. In most cases, you'll take a train or the Tube (subway) from your airport to the area of London you're staying in.
You can also travel by Eurostar ("Chunnel") train from the European continent to London, by British Rail from other parts of Great Britain or by ferry from Ireland or the Continent to England.
Plan to use public transportation and / or taxis to reach your London hotel. Not only is traffic intense during rush hour, driving on the left side of the road is best learned on a quiet country lane, not in the UK's largest city. Parking is expensive and the city imposes a "congestion charge" for the privilege of driving in certain areas.
Getting Around
London's public transportation system includes an extensive bus network and the famous London Underground (the "Tube"). While all of London's buses, except for a few Heritage Route buses, are wheelchair accessible, the Tube is not yet very wheelchair- or slow walker-friendly. This situation is slowly changing; Transport for London is systematically upgrading Tube stations and expects that all 274 Tube stations will be fully accessible by 2012. Transport for London publishes several downloadable accessible travel guides to London which have up-to-date information about Tube stations and accessible public transport within the city.
Whether you travel by bus or Tube, consider using an Oyster Card to pay for your trips. Transport for London introduced this prepaid travel card, good on buses and the Tube, as an alternative to printed tickets. Paying for your travel with an Oyster Card is less expensive than using traditional tickets, and the Oyster Card is easy to use.
London's famous Black Cabs are a local, if somewhat pricey, tradition. You'll really feel like you've seen London once you've bounced and slid across the back seat of a Black Cab. Minicabs are less expensive but also less convenient. You can hail a Black Cab on the street, but you'll have to telephone a minicab office if you'd rather use this less expensive option.
Senior-Friendly Attractions
London is full of wonderful park pathways, amazing historic buildings and incredible museum exhibits. Most visitors to London find they're so fascinated by each place they visit that they can't see everything on their list. Many of London's most famous sights and museums are free to the public; you can fill your sightseeing itinerary with 20+ attractions, walks and activities and keep all of your money safely in your money belt.
The British Museum is not only free but also wheelchair accessible. It's easy to spend an entire day here, taking in the Rosetta Stone, Elgin Marbles, Assyrian relief carvings and artifacts from ancient, medieval and Renaissance Europe. The British Library Gallery's permanent collection includes the Magna Carta, a Gutenberg Bible and other famous manuscripts and musical scores. London's renowned art museums, most of which are free to the public, are great late-afternoon sightseeing destinations because many offer late opening hours once or twice each week.
Many visitors to London head for famous buildings, including the Tower of London (a must-see), Buckingham Palace and Westminster Abbey. Others prefer strolling through London's many parks and gardens, including Regent's Park and Hyde Park, home to the Diana Memorial Fountain. I highly recommend a leisurely walk through a London park; you'll become part of pathways back through history, made famous by kings and queens, as well as see modern Londoners relaxing and enjoying their city's green spaces.
Events and Festivals
London is known for its royal pageantry, especially for the Changing of the Guard ceremony. Other London rituals, while less formal, are equally famous, like lining up for half-price theater tickets in Leicester Square. If you visit London in mid-May, don't forget to set aside time for the Chelsea Flower Show. Celebrate the Queen's birthday with the locals in June (even though her birthday is really in April). The City of London Festival runs from mid-June to early August, with free outdoor concerts and ticketed indoor events. November's Guy Fawkes (or Bonfire Night) celebrations light up the late autumn sky with fireworks displays.
