If you are going, stay in London so you can take the time to see what it's really like to live there. It's a great city. I generally use Airbnb, and once I even stayed with somebody who lived there just to see what it was like. Avoid the west side with all the Chelsea bums, haha. Actually, my favorite part is closer to the east side, closer to the West Ham bums. I've stayed in Bethnal Green the last couple of times I've gone to London. Anywhere in the Hackney/Bethnal Green/Shoreditch area and there are plenty of pubs and other stuff. The south bank is underrated. I stayed there once with a friend in Brixton. It's definitely not as touristy on that side of the Thames. Pubs I enjoy include The Hung, Drawn And Quartered (Tower Hill) The Old King's Head (Shoreditch). I agree on avoiding the touristy stuff, though I would recommend Churchill's War Rooms. But honestly, all you have to do is just walk around London and you'll find something. There's no way to be bored. I might recommend a day trip to Oxford. 45 minute train ride from London. Turf Tavern is my favorite watering hole there. You can do that and still have time to do some London stuff as well because it's a quick trip. When you're in Yorkshire, go to York. Great market town that is totally encloses inside medieval walls. What days will you be there? I'm arriving on May 9 this year.