London visit with children

[nicsnac]

We are staying in highgate for February half term with 3 children, 3,7 & 9. Looking for fun things to do locally as well as in the city. Is it easier and cheaper to travel tube of bus? We are very flexible and will probably do the normal tourist stuff...Buckingham palace, london eye, river tour, Tower of London. We also want to live like locals too and want the kids to have a great time too. Any ideas?

[Crunchybadger]

Travel - kids go free under 11, tho if your 9yo looks older you might need to get them a zip oystercard. Get yourself an oyster card then you can hop on tube/bus whatever.

Visit list: definitely natural history museum and science museum. NHM you can book a dinosaur hall slot free in school holidays so you don't have to queue (look on their website).

South bank centre usually has school holiday things on (some free) and is good for a mooch around the area- just down the river a bit by the Eye there's a little playground (if it's not snowing) plus kiddy friendly eating places (wagamama etc).

Tate modern ditto with mooch/activities. Free to wander around. Also if weather not freezing, both Tate and South Bank Centre have bridges across The Thames next to them. You can get a cheapish boat between tate modern and tate Britain - the latter isn't so good for kids but they do try. You can pay for the boat with your oyster card!

Have fun :)

[cosmicglittergirl]

I'm guessing you won't be far from Hampstead Heath, that's a lovely place to visit or a walk in Highgate Woods.
The 214 bus goes from Highgate village to Camden from where you can walk to London Zoo.
Hopefully some people with similar aged people will have some more suggestions.

[cosmicglittergirl]

Similar aged children, sorry.
And yes to restaurants in Muswell Hill and Crouch End.

[tribpot]

Museum of London is great and has loads of stuff on for kids in half term. You can walk down from there past St Paul's and over the Millennium Footbridge (i.e. bridge from Harry Potter) to see the Globe Theatre. My ds hates Tate Modern but they do good pencil sharpeners in the gift shop!

Bus is cheaper than Tube, btw - definitely get an Oyster card. The Emirates cable car thing is great fun - utterly pointless as a form of transport but fun nevertheless. Esp as you get the DLR out to where it is and can pretend to drive the train.

[barristermum]

Nice foody pubs nearby - the spaniards inn is great after a tramp on the Heath and the wrestlers or the flask or the bull in Highgate are good.

The chicken shop in Kentish town is fab with kids too.

If doing the tower you have to go on a beefeater tour. You can go on their website and apply for tickets to the ceremony of the keys when they lock the tower up each night which is properly cool. Nearby the tower bridge tour is also fab.
The London eye is expensive. Much cheaper and a fun climb which kids enjoy is the monument (on northern line) where although not as high you are closer to major buildings so have a better sense of scale. Cool stuff about the great fire too.
Camden market is fun but manic at weekends.

[nicsnac]

Thanks for the responses, all have been noted, my eldest will definitely like the Harry potter bridge. Fingers crossed for dry weather as it's been nearly 20 years since I last went to the Heath!
Crouch End sounds lovely too so getting quite excited about this trip and introducing the children to London.

[Cedar03]

Greenwich is lovely. You can get a boat down the Thames or catch the train.
There's parks the national Maritime museum, the Cutty Sark and the Royal Observatory there.

Try to avoid tube travel during the height of the rush hour as all London commuters are in a world of their own and will mow down small children! (I am one so I know!)