As a life-long Sherlock Holmes fan, I find I will be in London in the
next couple of weeks and wonder what are the essential sights and
memorabilia that a Sherlock Holmes afficienado can not afford to miss
on such a visit.

Hello vancouver2010,

What is essential, of course, is a matter of personal taste.  (Some
might even consider the museum at 221b Baker Street to be
non-essential, especially if it is not the "real" 221b.)  Still, there
are some sites that are frequently mentioned by Sherlockians.

Despite the parenthetical caveat above, most Holmes fans couldn't
resist a visit to the Sherlock Holmes Museum at 221b Baker Street:

The Sherlock Holmes Museum
http://www.sherlock-holmes.co.uk/

Across from the museum, at 230 Baker Street, is The Sherlock Holmes
Memorabilia Company, "the largest Sherlock Holmes memorabilia shop in
the world."

The Sherlock Holmes Memorabilia Company
http://www.sherlockholmes.co.uk/

Another key site is the statute of Sherlock Holmes, outside the Baker
Street station:

"The Sherlock Holmes Statue"
The Sherlock Holmes Society of London
http://www.sherlock-holmes.org.uk/The_Society/Statue/The_Statue.htm

You will likely wish to visit the Sherlock Holmes Pub, a/k/a Sherlock
Holmes Public House and Restaurant, or simply The Sherlock Holmes. 
It's located on Northumberland Street, near Charing Cross Station. 
The pub used to be the Northumberland Hotel, where Sir Arthur Conan
Doyle wrote many of the stories, and which appeared in "The Hound of
the Baskervilles."  Mysteriously, its web site has gone missing.  You
can view an archived version here:

Cache of http://sherlockholmespub.homestead.com/ (Oct. 22, 2003)
Internet Archive
http://web.archive.org/web/20031022002843/http://sherlockholmespub.homestead.com/

Also in the realm of food and drink, there is Simpson's-in-the-Strand
-- on the Strand, naturally -- at which Holmes and Watson were
patrons:

"Simpson's-in-the-Strand"
Savoy, A Fairmont Hotel
http://www.fairmont.com/svy/simpsons/

Further off the beaten track is the Sherlock Holmes Collection, a set
of books, journals, and other materials at Marylebone Information
Service (Marylebone Library) on Marylebone Road.  It is accessible by
appointment only.

"Sherlock Holmes Collection"
City of Westminster
http://www.westminster.gov.uk/libraries/special/sherlock.cfm

If the collection is not available or whets your appetite for books,
you should visit Murder One on Charing Cross Road.  It calls itself
"Europe's largest crime and mystery bookshop," and naturally has a
large section on Sherlock Holmes.

Murder One
http://www.murderone.co.uk/

Back near Baker Street is James Taylor & Son, on Paddington Street. 
It was shoemaker to Sherlock Holmes, and offers the Sherlock Holmes
Collection among its current lines.

James Taylor & Son
http://www.taylormadeshoes.co.uk/

"The Sherlock Holmes Collection"
James Taylor & Son
http://www.taylormadeshoes.co.uk/Bespoke/SherlockHolmes.htm

There is much more to see -- and luckily, there are a few good guides on the Web:

"The London of Sherlock Holmes"
The Sherlock Holmes Museum
http://www.sherlock-holmes.co.uk/library/londonwalk/londonwalk.htm

"The London of Sherlock Holmes," by James Leavey
FORCES International
http://www.forces.org/writers/james/files/sherl.htm

Google cache of "On the Trail of Sherlock Holmes," by By Tom Huntington [4 pages]
Historic Traveler
http://64.233.167.104/search?q=cache:YG3kRf5RXSUJ:historictraveler.away.com/primedia/arts_arch/sherlock_holmes_1.adp
http://64.233.167.104/search?q=cache:1ld4tMgjeFgJ:historictraveler.away.com/primedia/arts_arch/sherlock_holmes_2.adp
http://64.233.167.104/search?q=cache:xPlVHOS4E7wJ:historictraveler.away.com/primedia/arts_arch/sherlock_holmes_3.adp
http://64.233.167.104/search?q=cache:N7ebUgE0S7sJ:historictraveler.away.com/primedia/arts_arch/sherlock_holmes_4.adp

Also worth noting is this outline of a Holmes walking tour:

"Highlights of the Sherlock Holmes Walk"
Louis London Walks
http://www.llwalks.co.uk/Pages/sherlock.html

In addition to your own tour, you might take a guided tour:

"Sherlock Holmes - 221 B Baker Street"
London Walks
http://www.walks.com/index.aspx?PageId=11#103

"In the Footsteps of Sherlock Holmes"
London Walks
http://www.walks.com/index.aspx?PageId=13#138

"Contact Us"
London Walks
http://www.walks.com/index.aspx?pageId=-1

I hope that all of this information is helpful.  Please let me know if
you need any clarification to this answer.

- justaskscott


Search strategy --

First searched on Google for:

"sherlock holmes"

Then added or substituted various search terms, including most of the
key terms mentioned in this answer (e.g., "simpson's in the strand")
as well as site names and URLs.

Also searched for defunct URLs on Internet Archive (http://www.archive.org/).

I am watching the Return of Sherlock Holmes (with Jeremy Brett) right
now, it's on ITV3 on Sunday evenings. There's another episode at
3pm/6pm next week; thereafter check schedules at www.itv.com

Owain

What a splendid answer! You've really made an old Holmes fan drool, justaskscott! 

My favorite quote from the Canon:

"A man should keep his little brain attic stocked with all the
furniture that he is likely to use, and the rest he can put away in
the lumber-room of his library where he can get it if he wants it."