Visiting London - this week, with kids?
Discussion
Thinking of taking the kids for a trip to London this week, probably Weds to Thurs. Just me and my older two, who are 7 and 5 (they're country bumpkins, never been to a big city before), travelling from the south west. I don't think it's going to be practical to try and get up there and back in a single day, so expecting to stay overnight somewhere.
So far, plan is to drive up (A303 or M4) to arrive mid morning. Will need accommodation for one night (relatively cheap, AirBnB or similar), near tube, and with parking would be ideal. Otherwise park on outskirts somewhere near a tube, but that'll mean lugging overnight stuff around, so not ideal.
Thinking of doing typical tourist stuff for kids - changing of the guard, Natural History Museum, Hamleys, somewhere high up (Tower Bridge, London Eye, Shard)? I had previously ruled out the Shard as too expensive due to the cost of their kids tickets (at least £20 each), but I've just seen they have a 'kids go free' offer on this week, making it much more reasonable. Any other suggestions (I'm sure there's loads of cheap, simple 'off the beaten path' things that most of us don't know about). Equally, anything/places to avoid?
Will be travelling back evening/night of the second day (Thursday), don't want to try and squeeze too much in. My youngest would probably be entertained just jumping on and off the tube all day anyway!
So far, plan is to drive up (A303 or M4) to arrive mid morning. Will need accommodation for one night (relatively cheap, AirBnB or similar), near tube, and with parking would be ideal. Otherwise park on outskirts somewhere near a tube, but that'll mean lugging overnight stuff around, so not ideal.
Thinking of doing typical tourist stuff for kids - changing of the guard, Natural History Museum, Hamleys, somewhere high up (Tower Bridge, London Eye, Shard)? I had previously ruled out the Shard as too expensive due to the cost of their kids tickets (at least £20 each), but I've just seen they have a 'kids go free' offer on this week, making it much more reasonable. Any other suggestions (I'm sure there's loads of cheap, simple 'off the beaten path' things that most of us don't know about). Equally, anything/places to avoid?
Will be travelling back evening/night of the second day (Thursday), don't want to try and squeeze too much in. My youngest would probably be entertained just jumping on and off the tube all day anyway!
Sky Garden is high up and free (need to precook though). Lots of free stuff to do, wander around Traf Sq, Covent Garden (watch the busker shows), Leicester Sq (there is an Xmas thing on iirc), Piccadilly Circus, pop into M&M World. Platform 9 ¾ at Kings Cross (bit out of the way) is free but maybe busy. The tube is exciting for country bumpkins. Eat burgers at 5 Guys (plus 1 small fries will feed 3 kids).
Look into day tickets to Panto shows either direct at theatre or queue at TKTS in Leicester Sq,
Avoid Winter Wonderland, Tower of London, London Eye, Oxford Street, rickshaw taxis. Wear stout shoes, you'll walk a lot.
Look into day tickets to Panto shows either direct at theatre or queue at TKTS in Leicester Sq,
Avoid Winter Wonderland, Tower of London, London Eye, Oxford Street, rickshaw taxis. Wear stout shoes, you'll walk a lot.
jump on one of the guided bus tours that allow you get on and off where you like
ice skating at natural history museum
changing of the guard at buck house
Hamleys
http://www.bigpantoguide.co.uk/london.php
boat trip down the Thames
ice skating at natural history museum
changing of the guard at buck house
Hamleys
http://www.bigpantoguide.co.uk/london.php
boat trip down the Thames
Sky Garden needs to be booked but is free, Monument is free, Tower Bridge is good, I prefer the British museum to the the Natural History or even Science museums. The SM has good exhibits but both are rammed and feel claustrophobic, you'll queue for the dinosaur room. The BM has loads of kids stuff to do.
Platform 9 3/4 is just a photo stop with a queue.
Hamleys will be horrific.
Greenwich and the Royal Observatory are great, and the river trip down is good.
You'll need to be early for changing of the guard but it's worth it.
Our lot never got bored with the tube/double deckers, and even taxis.
Platform 9 3/4 is just a photo stop with a queue.
Hamleys will be horrific.
Greenwich and the Royal Observatory are great, and the river trip down is good.
You'll need to be early for changing of the guard but it's worth it.
Our lot never got bored with the tube/double deckers, and even taxis.
Tate Modern has 10 stories with a good view and last time I was there there was a large carpeted slope for rolling down. It is a good walk from St Paul's though.
Trafalgar Square has a lot of street performers that seem to facinate small kids.
Top deck and at the front of a double decker bus is good for those tired legs.
Mummies at the British Museum, but perhaps slightly older kids appreciate it more.
I always see massive queues at the Natural History Museum if they are too much the science museum is just beside it.
Trafalgar Square has a lot of street performers that seem to facinate small kids.
Top deck and at the front of a double decker bus is good for those tired legs.
Mummies at the British Museum, but perhaps slightly older kids appreciate it more.
I always see massive queues at the Natural History Museum if they are too much the science museum is just beside it.
If you are going to the London Eye (and even if you're not) a stroll along the south bank is always interesting and fun, good street performers etc. There are also a few kids friendly restaurants near the South bank centre (Giraffe for example).
The duck tour(www.londonducktours.co.uk) is fun, I would definitively recommend that!
The duck tour(www.londonducktours.co.uk) is fun, I would definitively recommend that!
thepeoplespal said:
Tate Modern has 10 stories with a good view and last time I was there there was a large carpeted slope for rolling down. It is a good walk from St Paul's though.
Trafalgar Square has a lot of street performers that seem to facinate small kids.
Top deck and at the front of a double decker bus is good for those tired legs.
Mummies at the British Museum, but perhaps slightly older kids appreciate it more.
I always see massive queues at the Natural History Museum if they are too much the science museum is just beside it.
Another vote for the Tate - it's free and there are very good views of London from the top. The only downside are the lifts - don't take the lift from the first floor as it'll be full before you get there and you'll be waiting for 10-20 minutes if not more - make sure you go right to the bottom to catch it.Trafalgar Square has a lot of street performers that seem to facinate small kids.
Top deck and at the front of a double decker bus is good for those tired legs.
Mummies at the British Museum, but perhaps slightly older kids appreciate it more.
I always see massive queues at the Natural History Museum if they are too much the science museum is just beside it.
Don't forget that the V&A museum is also right by the NHM and Science Museum, so there's another place to try if queues are bad.
You can also pre-book entry to the NHM dinosaur exhibit for free online which is fantastic for queue jumping when it's busy.
Bill said:
Monument is free, .
Point of order - it's not free, about £3-4 p.p.Definitely worthwhile, and some pictures will come in handy for a future school project on the Great Fire. Might be tiring for little legs, though - 311 steep steps, and the same on the way back down.
Skygarden's really close to this, and also very good - there's a bar at the top with food and drink (inc. booze).
If you're going to the NHM or SM then Harrods is just round the corner, in Knightsbridge. Always nice to look round and has a lot of Christmas lights!
Oh and if your kids are into cars then Knightsbridge is full of supercars.
I wouldn't bother with 9 and 3/4 unless they are massive on HP. I frequently go to KC and it's always queued there and there's a long old walk to and from the tube just to get there.
Best of luck with the cheap room with two days notice!!
Oh and if your kids are into cars then Knightsbridge is full of supercars.
I wouldn't bother with 9 and 3/4 unless they are massive on HP. I frequently go to KC and it's always queued there and there's a long old walk to and from the tube just to get there.
Best of luck with the cheap room with two days notice!!
TwigtheWonderkid said:
Get to Westminster and just look at London Eye, Houses Of Parliament and Big Ben, then Jubilee line direct to Canary Wharf, change on to DLR to Cutty Sark (sit at the front, no driver, goes under the river, kids love it,) and then river bus back to Westminster.
Cheap and cheerful.
Variation on the theme. Tube to Tower Hill. DLR to Royal Victoria Docks. Emirates Airline (Cable Car) over the river, to Dome. Then Tube to Canary Warf. DLR to Cutty Sark. River Bus back to LondonCheap and cheerful.
Sounds complicated, but not so bad, and loads of stuff to catch the kids interest.
Christ, some pretty harsh museum suggestions for 7 & 5!!
Natural history for the dinosaurs, or science museum since they've got loads of interactive kids stuff.
hamleys will be insanely rammed, but they're kids and it is literally nirvana for them, if they're country bumpkins they'll be telling their school friends how there's a dude with slime coming out of his face there, and the guy juggling, and the magician and and and, so suck it up and go.
Millenium wheel, prebook.
I hate winter wonderland with a passion, but they're kids, book some ice skating there (or maybe somerset house if they're doing it) and go. Check opening times, and go the minute it opens and you'll be ok (ish).
Duck tour is a great idea to be honest. Check the hop on hop off busses too, the tickets are valid for 24 hours so with some planning you can fit in quite a lot of attractions with them.
Natural history for the dinosaurs, or science museum since they've got loads of interactive kids stuff.
hamleys will be insanely rammed, but they're kids and it is literally nirvana for them, if they're country bumpkins they'll be telling their school friends how there's a dude with slime coming out of his face there, and the guy juggling, and the magician and and and, so suck it up and go.
Millenium wheel, prebook.
I hate winter wonderland with a passion, but they're kids, book some ice skating there (or maybe somerset house if they're doing it) and go. Check opening times, and go the minute it opens and you'll be ok (ish).
Duck tour is a great idea to be honest. Check the hop on hop off busses too, the tickets are valid for 24 hours so with some planning you can fit in quite a lot of attractions with them.
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