London Visit with Children?
Discussion
Afternoon gents,
I'm after some advice for a visit to London with my two small boys age 4 and 7 (going on 20). This summer is devoid of holidays due to all things COVID so we've decided to finally make use of my brothers offer to come and stay with him in Peckham for a few days in the first week of August.
We're based in the South west and planning to drive up on the Wednesday and back on Saturday morning to avoid weekend madness. My wife and I have travelled plenty in London but not since producing offspring and the plan was to go 'full tourist' with the boys for this one trip.
So far the list includes the Science Museum, the Lego store, Hamleys, walking the South Bank from Big Ben to the London Eye and riding the Tube....
Any other suggestions to visit? Transport museum? Open Top bus ride? Boat ride? Cutty Sark? The zoo and the aquarium are both off the list as we have pretty good versions of these down here already. Any interesting child-friendly places to eat that don't cost a bomb beyond the soul-crushingly predictable McDonalds?
Cheers in advance (and yes we know it's going to be stressful!)
I'm after some advice for a visit to London with my two small boys age 4 and 7 (going on 20). This summer is devoid of holidays due to all things COVID so we've decided to finally make use of my brothers offer to come and stay with him in Peckham for a few days in the first week of August.
We're based in the South west and planning to drive up on the Wednesday and back on Saturday morning to avoid weekend madness. My wife and I have travelled plenty in London but not since producing offspring and the plan was to go 'full tourist' with the boys for this one trip.
So far the list includes the Science Museum, the Lego store, Hamleys, walking the South Bank from Big Ben to the London Eye and riding the Tube....
Any other suggestions to visit? Transport museum? Open Top bus ride? Boat ride? Cutty Sark? The zoo and the aquarium are both off the list as we have pretty good versions of these down here already. Any interesting child-friendly places to eat that don't cost a bomb beyond the soul-crushingly predictable McDonalds?
Cheers in advance (and yes we know it's going to be stressful!)
Our boys really enjoyed a trip which was something like:
- Get on the Thames Clipper at the London Eye > The O2.
- Get the cable car thingy over the Thames to ExCel.
- Get the DLR back to the Tower of London / Bank, ideally sitting at the front with no driver.
- Double decker back to the town centre. (After looking at the Tower of London and Monument.)
We didn't do it all at once, we stopped to look around places and so on, but this was basically our whole day.
- Get on the Thames Clipper at the London Eye > The O2.
- Get the cable car thingy over the Thames to ExCel.
- Get the DLR back to the Tower of London / Bank, ideally sitting at the front with no driver.
- Double decker back to the town centre. (After looking at the Tower of London and Monument.)
We didn't do it all at once, we stopped to look around places and so on, but this was basically our whole day.
The natural history museum is next door to the science museum so between them you have a full day covered.
My wife has family in sunny P too, and took a recent trip with our similar age kids to meet them on Peckham Rye common. It’s just a park with some added bits but they keep asking to go back!
As you’re already that way I’d do Legoland on the way home.
My wife has family in sunny P too, and took a recent trip with our similar age kids to meet them on Peckham Rye common. It’s just a park with some added bits but they keep asking to go back!
As you’re already that way I’d do Legoland on the way home.
You already have some great ideas there - I wouldn't attempt more than one of them per day (apart from the tube). London is TIRING.
The number 24 bus is a good bet rather than an open top tour. Goes past lots of the sights - Horseguards Parade was always a favourite of my two when they were small. https://www.visitbritainshop.com/world/articles/to...
If it's a hot day, the Diana Memorial Fountain in Hyde Park is a great place for the kids to splash and cool down.
And while Covent Garden is a hell hole, the street performers are fascinating for kids if they've not seen that kind of thing before.
Finally, use the CityMapper app. It's free, and it's an absolutely invaluable way to plan how to get around town.
The number 24 bus is a good bet rather than an open top tour. Goes past lots of the sights - Horseguards Parade was always a favourite of my two when they were small. https://www.visitbritainshop.com/world/articles/to...
If it's a hot day, the Diana Memorial Fountain in Hyde Park is a great place for the kids to splash and cool down.
And while Covent Garden is a hell hole, the street performers are fascinating for kids if they've not seen that kind of thing before.
Finally, use the CityMapper app. It's free, and it's an absolutely invaluable way to plan how to get around town.
The V&A is also opposite the science museum and has a fountain courtyard which kids can paddle in
If you go to the British museum there is a a excellent little Korean cafe called Bim Bim Bap just around the corner from the front entrance, which my older kids really seem to like
For cheap curry, I would recommend the Indian YMCA. Not sure if your kids would be up for it though
If you go to the British museum there is a a excellent little Korean cafe called Bim Bim Bap just around the corner from the front entrance, which my older kids really seem to like
For cheap curry, I would recommend the Indian YMCA. Not sure if your kids would be up for it though
Edited by oldbanger on Wednesday 21st July 17:42
louiebaby said:
Our boys really enjoyed a trip which was something like:
- Get on the Thames Clipper at the London Eye > The O2.
- Get the cable car thingy over the Thames to ExCel.
- Get the DLR back to the Tower of London / Bank, ideally sitting at the front with no driver.
- Double decker back to the town centre. (After looking at the Tower of London and Monument.)
We didn't do it all at once, we stopped to look around places and so on, but this was basically our whole day.
I’d do it slightly differently but in the same vein,- Get on the Thames Clipper at the London Eye > The O2.
- Get the cable car thingy over the Thames to ExCel.
- Get the DLR back to the Tower of London / Bank, ideally sitting at the front with no driver.
- Double decker back to the town centre. (After looking at the Tower of London and Monument.)
We didn't do it all at once, we stopped to look around places and so on, but this was basically our whole day.
Drive and park at North Greenwich and do a circuit of the cable car.
Get Thames Clipper from North Greenwich to Westminster and do South Bank, Parliament.
Jump on District Line to South Ken for Musueums. Short walk to Hyde Park for picnic of walk a bit further (or jump on a bus) and find something around Piccadilly.
Go home and sleep….heavily.
Can’t get the front of a DLR at the moment as that area is sectioned off for staff.
We have Merlin passes so doing London a couple of times was a must for us. Apart from the Merlin stuff (Tussauds, Eye, Shrek, Dungeon, SeaLife) we tried the Science museum, be prepared to give it a complete swerve, when we went it was full of school trips (probably not now with bubbles etc) and was far too crowded for my two to get a look in, so we abandoned, Agree with the other comments on the river stuff and cable car.
Avoid places like RainForest Cafe, or at least go in with the knowledge that 75 quid for 4 bang average meals is what you'll pay. Find a Nando's instead, or whatever your kids like.
Leicester Sq is ok, the Lego shop is worth a visit and you can walk through china town.
My kids thought Hamleys was boring. Humph.
Avoid places like RainForest Cafe, or at least go in with the knowledge that 75 quid for 4 bang average meals is what you'll pay. Find a Nando's instead, or whatever your kids like.
Leicester Sq is ok, the Lego shop is worth a visit and you can walk through china town.
My kids thought Hamleys was boring. Humph.
Agree with not trying to pack too much in - just around the southbank there's loads to do in one place so make that a day. SciM / NHM another.
Eating - don't think you'll find many at the cheaper end that aren't kid-friendly with a dedicated menu. As said, pick what you like. On the day you visit NHM, take a packed lunch - there's a big basement picnic area (usually used by school groups in term time), much better option than the restaurants in there. Kensington Creperie just down the road is worth a visit after though.
Eating - don't think you'll find many at the cheaper end that aren't kid-friendly with a dedicated menu. As said, pick what you like. On the day you visit NHM, take a packed lunch - there's a big basement picnic area (usually used by school groups in term time), much better option than the restaurants in there. Kensington Creperie just down the road is worth a visit after though.
From by the Cutty Sark you can walk under the Thames in a tunnel. Kind of cool - not sure if it's open in Covid times or if it's advisable though.
Definitely take the clipper. It's my favourite way to get around London if I can.
Leicester Square is a bit of a hole, but I used to like it as a kid. Shame the Trocadero is no more!
Edit - +1 for maybe doing either Chessington or Legoland on the way back. Both are more or less on your way home.
Definitely take the clipper. It's my favourite way to get around London if I can.
Leicester Square is a bit of a hole, but I used to like it as a kid. Shame the Trocadero is no more!
Edit - +1 for maybe doing either Chessington or Legoland on the way back. Both are more or less on your way home.
toastyhamster said:
My kids thought Hamleys was boring. Humph.
It’s funny how things change, going to Hamleys was beyond exciting for us 25 years ago and I might even have described it as the highlight of a two week holiday. Possibly has something to do with shopping being just so much more accessible online so there’s less surprises.Me from 25 years ago is also incredibly excited about the Lego store!
Thank you for all the advice. The cable car and HMS Belfast are both great shouts. We’ve promised ourselves we’re not going to make it a big stress and just try and hit a few key places rather than going mental and rushing everywhere on a timed to the minute itinerary!
Question about travel; I’m just getting the Oyster Card set up on my phone/watch for the Tube/Bus, am I understanding right that kids are free? Do they walk through a gate when we do or do they need their own card they swipe or what?
Question about travel; I’m just getting the Oyster Card set up on my phone/watch for the Tube/Bus, am I understanding right that kids are free? Do they walk through a gate when we do or do they need their own card they swipe or what?
Under 11s are free, just go to the manned barrier (the wider one for wheelchair users or people with luggage, etc), each parent beeps through, children go with them.
Can get a kids oystercard so they can beep themselves through but you apply in advance and pay £10 for it, you may not find the extra convenience worth it.
11-15 are free on bus/tram, discounted for rest. Either buy a paper ticket child travelcard for your stay or use a normal oystercard and get ticket office staff to set the discount on it - then you can use in the normal way with fare capping and the like.
Can get a kids oystercard so they can beep themselves through but you apply in advance and pay £10 for it, you may not find the extra convenience worth it.
11-15 are free on bus/tram, discounted for rest. Either buy a paper ticket child travelcard for your stay or use a normal oystercard and get ticket office staff to set the discount on it - then you can use in the normal way with fare capping and the like.
For full tourist, add Tower Bridge and the Tower of London - both sights to see to say you’ve been to London. The Beefeater tour of the tower is pretty good, and they’ll see the Crown Jewels too.
Think you can do a tour of the bridge as well, but haven’t been for years so can’t comment on it. Was worth doing to walk across the top between the towers and see the mechanism for opening the bridge.
Think you can do a tour of the bridge as well, but haven’t been for years so can’t comment on it. Was worth doing to walk across the top between the towers and see the mechanism for opening the bridge.
MiniMan64 said:
Thank you for all the advice. The cable car and HMS Belfast are both great shouts. We’ve promised ourselves we’re not going to make it a big stress and just try and hit a few key places rather than going mental and rushing everywhere on a timed to the minute itinerary!
Question about travel; I’m just getting the Oyster Card set up on my phone/watch for the Tube/Bus, am I understanding right that kids are free? Do they walk through a gate when we do or do they need their own card they swipe or what?
You don’t need an Oyster card, just use your contactless card/phone/watch on the readers (one per adult). It will still ‘cap’ at the appropriate day travel card rate.Question about travel; I’m just getting the Oyster Card set up on my phone/watch for the Tube/Bus, am I understanding right that kids are free? Do they walk through a gate when we do or do they need their own card they swipe or what?
As said, kids under 11 are free and use the wide gate that’s for wheelchairs, prams and whatnot as you have more time to get through with these gates but make sure your missus also taps in (easy mistake you make with the wide gates).
Remember the masks are still compulsory on TfL services unlike the mainline where they’re advised only. (Not creating an argument here but op may not be aware). Also, download the TfL Go app as it’s handy on advising routes and stuff.
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