Hi Jenny

First, make sure you request assistance from the airline when you book the tickets, as then you will have help with a wheelchair to and from boarding. This makes a huge difference.

We really enjoyed a play called Wooster and Jeeves in the west end when we were in London last time, and I noticed that they have cheap tickets now. Check http://info.seetickets.com/interface/external_view_email.php?A783030254602815521165

Also, ask the hotel about facilities with disabled access - they may be able to recommend and book things for you in advance.

good luck, hope you have a great time

Juliane

Just a short note to add to the advice about hotel booking:  be sure to explain the exact nature of any disability.  For example, a wheelchair user will need lower-height furniture whereas a mobile person with, say, hearing or visual impairment will need a different type of assistance.

In any event, I would say that a walk-in shower is a “nust” for most senior citizens.

Hope you all have a wonderful time,

R.

Hi Jenny - as an ex-Londoner with many a visit from aged parents, I suggest.  

Go on the Big Red Bus tour - sit on the upper deck (if it's fine and he can make it up the stairs) and listen to the, usually very interesting, commentary.

And/or take a boat trip from Victoria Embankment to Greenwich.  You'll get hilarious/interesting commentary along the way - will see the London Eye, Monument, St Pauls, Tower Bridge, St Katherine's Dock, HMS Belfast, the Millenium Dome, Canary Wharf and end up at Greenwich where there is a short walk to the Observatory and the Cutty Sark.  

You can either get the boat back again or take the Docklands Light Railway back into town.

Another nice trip - if you want to see art galleries - is the "Tate to Tate" boat trip which takes you from Tate Modern (which is worth a visit just for the architecture) on Bankside to Tate Britain in Pimlico.

Also a lovely place for lunch is the National Portrait Gallery.  Apart from it being my favourite gallery - they have a great restaurant on the top floor, looking right out at Nelson's Column and the Houses of Parliament.  It's not cheap, but it's really nice and you have to book at weekends. 

If you want Afternoon Tea - go to Fortnum's in Picadilly - it's much classier than the ghastly Ritz, or Brown's Hotel (Mayfair) is also lovely.

Whilst the Tube is convenient - be warned that changes at either Bank, Monument, or Green Park can involve LONG LONG walks and the Tube is NOT senior-friendly.  That's why all the old folks in London use the buses!

And don't forget to buy Oyster Cards as soon as you arrive (pre-paid transport cards which give you massive discounts all over London).

Gosh - after all that, I wish I was coming along!! 

Me too !

Thank you so much to all of you for your replies !!

Can't wait to be there :-)

Cheers !

Don't forget to consider taking in a 'View from the Shard' to enjoy a real birds eye view of the City from 800' up.  The Shard is right next door to London Bridge railway station/tube and offers amazing views of Tower Bridge, St Pauls, Tower of London, Buckingham Palace, the Gerkin, Tower 42, the 'Walkie Talkie' plus views over London and out to Wembley, Kent etc.  My wife and I did this a couple of months back - as a couple of Londoners I can tell you the views are breathtaking.

Access to the viewing gallery is via 2 high speed lifts so no major stairs to negotiate.  There is even a champagne bar up there if you fancy a little tipple (£10 a glass / almost as expensive as Geneva LOL). Tickets bought on the day are expensive at £29.00 each but it looks like there are deals to be had on lastminute.com.  Link here: 

http://www.lastminute.com/site/entertainment/event-product.html?eventID=921833410-1

The views are much better than the London Eye - take some binoculars for added detail.

It is not clear if he is in a wheelchair but if not have you considered hiring one?  More effort for you but it will enable him to get around a lot more. 

Whatever airline you fly try to get seat as close to door as pos in order to cut down walking distance which could be stressful in a plane

If you ask the airline for assistance, preferably well in advance, you will be allocated seats near the door.

Having assistance to and from the aircraft is very worthwhile, saves an awful lot of legwork.  And riding in one of those little buggies and waving to the foot-sloggers as you whiz by is part of the fun.

I’ve been there and done that –

many times!

R.

I would also recommend booking into Paramount if you like a good view in a relaxing environment. It is a restaurant and bar (with 360 degree views of London) on top of the Centrepoint building at Tottenham Court Road. The bar is free with an advanced booking from Sunday to Thursday in the evenings - just call +442074202900. Avoid Friday and Saturday as they charge 100s for a table. My personal fav is going 45 mins before sunset and buying a drink to relax and enjoy the 360 degree views of London both before and after the sun goes down. This view of London by day and night has never failed to make an impression for me to date! If you go in the evening just make sure you don't get stuck at the restaurant level - go up to narrow bar to walk full loop. Alternatively you could aim for a brunch. Trust me - it's awesome and one of London's best kept secret spots! Have fun :-)

Have you gone already?

Hi.

i have just moved to geneva from London and there is soo muchyou can do. It depends on what your grandfather likes. 

Look at lastminute.com for theatre tickets and restaurantS.

The website "londontown" has a lot of info on there too. The south bank has a lot of different things happening on weekends over the summer which will be on the website. The south bank is where the London eye is. 

If you have not been on the London eye before I would recommend that or the shard. A bus or boat tour is well worth the money. The cutty sark is definitely worth a visit. If your grandfather is into history I would recommend the Tower of London.  There are a lot of stairs in the white tower, but you could do a chapel and Crown Jewels tour which is all on one level.

For museums I would recommend the British, natural history and science museums. But they do tend to get busy in the holidays. The science and history museums are near hyde park and Kensington gardens. Two of londons royal parks. You could also see Kensington palace while your there too.

visitlondon and londonpass are two other websites you could look at. Londonpass also has discounts on attractions.

Emma

Yes I've been to London a couple of times and I know he went there too, ages ago though ! ;) 

He walks with a cane but I will definitely consider the idea of a wheel chair even for a couple of hours or so.

I don't know yet if he has special wishes of things he wants to see or do, it was more to get some ideas from locals/travelers to prepare this week-end with attention as we have to be careful considering his age !

Thanks to all for your great rercommandations !

Take him to Trafalgar square on a good day and feed the pigeons ! memory will stay with him a while