OT - who knows London well?

[Feltwell]

I'm taking my 2 eldest offspring "darn sarf" to London this week for a short visit, just for 1 night. Bearing in mind their ages (6 and 7) and that we'll only really be there for 1 afternoon and 1 full day, does anyone have any suggestions for "must see" places to go?

So far the ideas are:-

Open top bus tour - the "hop on hop off" type
London Eye - I reckon they'll find it boring but my daughter really wants to go
Natural History Museum - Dinosaurs! Plus my daughter loves all things to do with nature
Science Museum - my favourite childhood museum, the kids will love it I'm sure, they like the similar but much smaller museums of this type that we have round here.

That's probably enough to fill the time we have but I'd like to know if there are any gems for kids that young that you lot are aware of. It's their first ever trip to London.

Thanks in advance!

 

[Zebra]

When I was small what I really wanted to go to in London was the London Dungeon.....................
No?
Just me then?

 

[MdB]

My immediate reaction was the London Dungeon too. However, I think 6 and 7 is a bit young. 10 to 12 would be the ideal age for that trip.

 

[JoceAndChris]

I know London well and I think your proposed plan sounds wonderful, though you might not get it all done. The Natural History museum is astonishingly good!

( I probably don't know kids' London terribly well, if you said you were treating Mrs F and leaving the kids in charge, I'd say you can't do better than lunch in the Gary Rhodes restaurant, at the top of Tower 42, the tallest building there, a stroll along the South Bank, and then the show " One Man Two Guv'nors", which we both thought about the best comedy you could get.)

 

[FamilyWiggs]

Feltwell - sounds a great tour, but for a day and an afternoon it might be too much for little feet/minds. Think of this as a taster for many future visits. You don't want to over do it.

I would do the bus tour above anything else (they really are brill) hopping off at a couple of places (Buck House, Trafalgar Sq, Hamleys, etc). Tower of London is a good place to hop off as you can walk down to the river and get a boat back up to Embankment or close to Parliament which is fun and usually included in the bus price.

I would definitely do the Natural History museum in preference to Science Museum, as I doubt you'll manage both properly in a day, although the Science Museum is also very very good.

Minellium bridge (not so wobbly now) might be good for views too.

2 other places for small kids (and parents who like architecture) - Covent Garden tube station is cool because it is so deep, and you pop out right next to Covent Garden itself, which is fun to wander round for a bit as it will have lots of street entertainers (and a traditional sweetshop in the market building itself) for the kids.

For younger folk, this place is good fun to eat at http://www.therainforestcafe.co.uk/ but booking is probably essential. On second thoughts, I'd say this is a definite must for 6 & 7 yr olds.

It's never too young to educate (by which I mean brainwash your kids) - 2 statues to stop at and teach them a bit: Cromwell outside Parliament - democracy, Civil War, cancelling of Christmas by the Puritans, big warty thing on his face, etc. Darwin on the steps inside the Natural History Museum - evolution, questioning orthodoxy, scientific theory, "your sister has descended further from monkeys than you have, my son!", etc

If you can squeeze in a trip inside the Abbey as well - then you've covered secular, democracy, history, architecture, religion and celebrity (Royal Wedding kids?) all within a few stops.

I've never been to the London Dungeons, but there's always queues and it is eye-wateringly expensive. But always has rave reviews. Remember you can pre-book most things with timed tickets online.

Have a fab time - whatever you do, they'll love it I'm sure.

 

[Flyfisher]

I'd also be careful not to try to see too little of too much - there's simply too much to cover in just a day and a half. Both museums would, I think, be ambitious and I'd opt for the dinosaurs at the Natural History museum. A bus tour is essential as it'll cover a lot of the main sights without having to walk far - an important consideration with youngsters - and I'd also include a river trip, which should be fun in itself but will also give many iconic views, as will the London Eye.

Have fun!

 

[oversteer]

I am not sure a 6 and 7 yo would appreciate an open top bus tour, plus you never know with the weather

How about a Duck Tour instead?

 

[FamilyWiggs]

In my experience, the 6 & 7 yr olds want to sit up top in all weathers, whilst the adults pine for the comfort of a coffee shop in anything less than 30 degrees. 8)

But a Duck Tour would be cool...

 

[Nigel Watts]

The basement of the Science museum has all kinds of play areas and interactive stuff for kids - mine used to love it. On other floors there is an Imax, various flight simulators and other thing which kids enjoy, but if it's half term it will probably be heaving and the queues may be long.

For adults I would recommend the Lucian Freud exhibition at the National Portrait Gallery. Zoffany at the Royal Academy is on my list of things I want to see; Damien Hirst at Tate Modern isn't.

 

[LadyArowana]

If you have girls then for heavens sake do not go past Harrods when it's all lit up like a birthday cake. You may lose them forever to the bright lights and fast cars of the big city. :wink: ( trust me, I know )

 

[Feltwell]

Thanks everyone!

Yes, the "don't do too much" had occurred to me as well, and the Science museum may end up not getting visited But then again I've never been to the Natural History Museum either, even though it feels like I have from watching "One of our dinosaurs is missing" umpteen times at the end of term whilst at primary school in the 1970's! The hotel is not far from the museum so we'll go there for opening time and go to the dinosaur hall first, as I've heard the queues can be horrendous later in the day.

Darwin is a must Family Wiggs - he's a local chap to here, he was born just down the road from us.

Open top bus tour will definitely appeal to my two, remember how young they are - just going on a double decker bus is exciting, we only have single deckers out here in the provinces! The Duck Tour would be good fun but it was already booked up and only available right at the end of the day. Still, the bus tour includes a trip on a river boat as well, which we may well do. They're definitely too young for the London Dungeon - my son especially is a rather sensitive young chap (much like his father :wink: ) and would get spooked by that. Rainforest Cafe sounds intriguing, I shall investigate further.

I'll be safe with Harrods LadyA, but Hamleys would be a different matter altogether :wink:

 

[FamilyWiggs]

I'm getting excited just thinking of your trip... you will come back here and report back with pics, won't you?!

 

[oversteer]

Yes, forgot to mention but the NH museum has terrible queues to get in, it would be a shame to waste the day queuing.Definitely try to get in first thing.

The science museum never seems too bad though.

 

[LadyArowana]

I'll be safe with Harrods LadyA, but Hamleys would be a different matter altogether :wink:

Ah, you have boys, I understand. In that case since you will be staying nearby may I recommend the Lamborghini showroom. It is at the junction by South Ken Subway Station. On many occasions I have had to wend my way through the chaps with noses pressed to the glass, I have even seen a Veyron drive down that road, although it was white, which I found a tad dull.

 

[Feltwell]

I'm getting excited just thinking of your trip... you will come back here and report back with pics, won't you?!

:lol: I'm excited too! I think it's the first time I've been to London on a pleasure trip, rather than business, since I was about 9. Even though I lived there very briefly about 15 years ago (for 3 months) I didn't really get to see much. I haven't told the kids yet, they'll find out tomorrow morning. They will be absolutely shattered by the time we get the train back on Thursday night - as will I, especially as I'm going to have to share a double bed with one of them on Wednesday night, and it's hard to say which one is the least wriggly.....

Yes, forgot to mention but the NH museum has terrible queues to get in, it would be a shame to waste the day queuing.Definitely try to get in first thing.

The science museum never seems too bad though.

Hmm. I think the best plan is to get the NH for 10:00 prompt (which is when it opens), go to the dinosaur hall, and see how it goes from there. If the queues are too horrific later for other parts of the NH then we can always go to the Science Museum next door - or the V&A, although I don't think that would be their thing.

Thanks again!

 

[Feltwell]

I'll be safe with Harrods LadyA, but Hamleys would be a different matter altogether :wink:

Ah, you have boys, I understand.

My eldest is without doubt a girl, a girlie one at that! But I shall be a cruel father and not tempt her with the delights of Harrods. We may well go in Hamleys, if so I shall reinforce the wallet in readiness for a battering......

 

[tobydog]

I only gave all the responses a quick glance (busy day back) so I apologise if it's already been mentioned, however, you could always give the London Aquarium a look given that it's pretty much next door to the London Eye.

 

[LadyArowana]

My eldest is without doubt a girl, a girlie one at that! But I shall be a cruel father and not tempt her with the delights of Harrods. We may well go in Hamleys, if so I shall reinforce the wallet in readiness for a battering......

You wouldn't want to venture inside Horrids, it's always packed with people looking at it rather than shopping, driving past when it's illuminated is much nicer! Some parts of the V and A are wonderfully girlie!

 

[FamilyWiggs]

[
Hmm. I think the best plan is to get the NH for 10:00 prompt (which is when it opens), go to the dinosaur hall, and see how it goes from there.

The NHM has a side-door that not many people know about. It is on the road to the right of the building if you are looking at the front. I *think* it may be an assisted entrance - but the last couple of times we have been, there has been no problem going in there. It is close to the cafe and you enter the main hall from the right-hand side and so miss the jaw-dropping moment as you survey the front of the building and enter the main hall - but it may save some queuing. If they challenge you, just say the kids are about to wee themselves as it close to the loos too!

If it opens at 1000, then planning to get there at 1000 will involve queuing - even 15 minutes earlier will save quite a bit of time during half-term I imagine.

The dino hall is fab - but prepare your youngest for the roraring animatronic T-rex at the end; we had tears from my youngest when he was about that age!

 

[michael]

If the kids are the adventurous type - and - if you have plenty of wonga - then - I've been told this is great fun
http://www.londonducktours.co.uk/