London visit

[Tanyia]

Hi everyone! Dh must come to London for a week for work so 17 mth old dd and I are tagging along. We've both been to London/ UK a couple of times before but it was before 2001. We are from the states, but are fairly well traveled. Please don't throw tomatoes , but I've been hearing rumblings that London and the surrounding area are not nearly as safe as they once were and I need to be very careful when DD and I are out and about for the day. Can anyone give me more info about which areas I should stick to and which I should avoid? Any help would be greatly appreciated.

[Earlybird]

I have no knowledge of it being any less safe here. Where will you be staying - presume your husband's company has arranged a hotel?

[suzywong]

Basically just avoid the entire area south of the river - am I right , fellow North Londoners, or am I right?

Just teasing. The basic urban rules apply to London as to anywhere else; no dark alleys, don't have your money/purse on show, don't talk to dodgly looking strangers and makesure you stick to the beaten tourist paths. You'll have a ball.

[mummydear]

Probably anywhere you go in the world is not as safe as it used to be ! But I would say that London is perhpas more safe .

Just follow commen sense as suzy said , don't have your purse hanging out your bag, keep your belongings safe etc. You will have a lovely time in London.

[NotQuiteCockney]

I live in London and don't think there's anywhere I'd be nervous during the daytime. (Ok, maybe Brixton? I don't know Brixton. But I suspect Hackney has just as bad a reputation, and I'm perfectly comfortable there.)

If it's terrorist stuff you're worried about, we had one spate of incidents last summer. And horrible as they were, they didn't affect that many people.

[arfishymeau]

Hi Tanyia,

If you are tourists you will be quite safe. I assume you're not going to be trawling for drugs or prostitutes after midnight?!

Has your DP's company booked him a hotel? Where is it (I also assume that they haven't booked him a hotel in the middle of the red light district like my company did last time I visited Frankfurt )?

You'll have a great time. Do you need any tips on London with a 17 month old?

I'm living away from home at the moment and REALLY looking forward to taking my toddler home to see the guards at Buckingham Palace, Hamleys, the swans and the double decker buses!

Enjoy your trip. Perhaps you could nip over to Paris too

[Tanyia]

Thanks everyone...I thought dh was over reacting to some thinfs he;s read, but I know he worries about 'his' girls when he isn't there to protect us, kwim? We're staying at the Grange City Hotel, on Cooper's Row. From my understanding it's near the tower of London. I've got kensington gardens, science museum, zoo, and kew gardens lined up. We had talked about going to diggerland but suspect it might be too old for dd. Any idea for a whole family outing that we'd enjoy? Are any of the things I have planned too crazy? I read someone was just talking about a place near the mayoral building (testicle?grin) that had in the ground water fountains? I know dd would LOVE that so if you could direct me there, that would be great. Thanks again for being so helpful and not throwing tomatoes. I loved visitng England last time and I am certain we'll have a blast this time as well.

[suzywong]

Don't bother with Digger land it's bloody miles away and you'll probably be able to find a realy live working digger along the banks of hte Thames somewhere.

Do bear in mind that little kids have short attention spans and don't really care where they are as long as you are both having fun, so what i mean is go and do a couple of things together that are really for YOU and give her a bun (or a sausage roll and a bottle of coke) and be attentive to her, IYSWIM

[phillip]

London Eye worth a go

[NotQuiteCockney]

Oh, it was me talking about the water fountains next to the testicle. They're just west of the testicle, right next to the thames, on the south side. Very enjoyable. You could combine them with a south bank walk, hitting the Tate Modern as well, I think.

[Tanyia]

So can anyone tell me of a close-ish grocery store to the Grange hotel we're staying at? DD loves canned beans, fresh fruit and veggies, and sometimes it's way easier to buy it at the grocery than try to 'order' it at a restaurant. Any help is appreciated.

[Earlybird]

Someone else may know a specific store to recommend, but the hotel should be glad to direct you to whatever is close.

[Twiglett]

suzywong

anybody who lives outside any area that has ever been the citim of a terrorist attack always gets a skewed idea of how safe it it

there is a higher police presence (good thing . .less opportunistic crime)

there is higher level of vigilence on the tube network (again a good thing .. fewer opportunities for terrorist attack)

nothing to stick to, nothing to avoid

and suzywong .. you're just jealous of the sarf

[Twiglett]

if you're near Tower Bridge its 20 mins by cab to Horniman Museum (South London ) .. fab place .. off the beaten tourist track but worth a visit .. lots of toddlers around

also on Old Kent Road there's a place called the Livesey Museum .. but that might be a bit old

think the London Eye is over-rated

the London Aquarium is nice but over-priced

Tower of London probably a must-see for US tourists

Walk down the river, particularly the south side of the river .. its quite pretty and there's the Mayor's Assembly and things go on outside in the ampitheatre

take a river boat through to Greenwich and go round the markets .. check out Greenwich meantime and the view (there's a maritime

[Twiglett]

Horniman Museum

Livesey Museum

Take a train from London Bridge to Herne Hill and go to Brockwell Park .. there's a lido but more importantly if you head up the hill away from the lido and over the other side, through the tennis courts you'll find a big duck pond to the right of which is a huge paddling pool (great for little kids) .. take a picnic

[WideWebWitch]

Hello Tanyia, just had a look at your hotel and it's a great location for the Tower of London and the river and looks good (5* so they ought to look after you.) They also have a childrens menu and babysitting so I reckon you can call room service if you want beans for your daughter!

London honestly isn't a dangerous place imo, no more than any other major city as long as you follow basic safely rules as others have said. And a whole week, you'll have a lovely time. I agree with everyone who says do what you want to do and don't worry abut your daughter, she'll be happy just being with you. this looks good too

[poisson]

cana nyone recommend good family friendly restaurants maybe?

i so get oyu on the kdis and food thing

[WideWebWitch]

Tanyia, Tesco locations here put in the hotel postcode, which is EC3N 2BQ and there are several.

[peachygirl]

On the food front keep your eyes open for Marks and Spencers they have good food sections and now have 'snacky' portions of fruit which would be great for your toddler. There are branches of just food ones in most big stations.
the national ( also on the south bank has lots of free music on during the summer so you old go there and listen / dance, and the stoop which is outside the london assembly building puts on free stuff too

[Posey]

Very quick message for now as going out, but there is a Waitrose very near the tower. Think its in Thomas Moore Square (used to be Safeway)
Will check later for you but know I'll forget if I don't put something here now!

[mousiemousie]

Relax, its not south central LA!

[sis]

Hi, I am sure you will have a lovely time in London - it is a beautiful city. As you are going to be near Tower Bridge, it may be worth checking out if the bridge is going to be lifted during your stay - it is lovely to watch it going up - it only takes about 10-15 minutes. You can check out times of bridge lifts here

[mother3]

hI NOTSOQUITECOCKNEY.i AM FROM HACKNEY TOO.wHEN WE GO OM HOLIDAY SOME TIMES PEOPLE ASK WHERE WE R FROM .hACKNEY THATS A DANGEROUS PLACE.WOULDNT GO THERE.FEEL LIKE HITTING THEM.WOULDNT LIKE TO LIVE IN MURDER MILE[CLAPTON]THAT DOES MAKE ME FEEL NERVOUS.BETTER THE DEVIL YOU KNOW.