DS1 8yo & DS2 5yo day out in London

[thequietone]

Hi there, I really need some advice from experienced Londoners. Both sons celebrate their birthdays the same week so we like to treat them together. 2011 was bowling then slap up meal afterwards. Last year was Rainforest Cafe then Stomp. Stumped for this year. DH suggested Shard viewing then a good pizza restaurant ( not Pizza Express...yawn). I thought maybe London Eye or Duck Tours?

If anyone has any suggestions for fun special event/thing to do plus restaurant that'd be great.

Thanks so much - the birthday week is so stressful!

Science Museum? London Dungeon?

I think this is a bit expensive, but I've always fancied doing this

www.medievalbanquet.com

You also have the Trocadero in Piccadilly Circus. There is also Ripley's Believe it or not Museum, full of weird and wonderful things.

Hamleys near Oxford Street, and they can choose a toy each, maybe?

Aren't they a bit young for the London dungeon? It's reopened & Very scary!

museum of childhood. Fabulous and free.

I did the medieval banquet years ago. It was brilliant! I remember there being some kids there - they were on the same table so we could get on with being raucaus. Mix of tourists, birthday celebrants and people out for a good time. Back then we had a voucher for it (Discount London rings a bell) so it was about £15-20 each.
Someone from the table would be dressed accordingly, there was entertainment and the food - oh the food!

Ahem - getting a bit over excited there, apologies.

Either way, a great finale to a day out. What about the Tower of London?

London Transport Museum is good and in Covent Garden which is great for restaurants. Or Cutty Sark and Greenwich for restaurants? Or HMS Belfast and then South Bank for a meal?

London Zoo is a good day out.

Not in London exactly but I have heard the Warner bros Harry potter tour in Watford is good. Legoland Windsor is excellent and not that far from London by car.

Boat rides on the Thames always go down well.

I'd do a boat ride from Tower Bridge or Westminster Pier down to Greenwich, spend a couple of hours at the Maritime Museum (don't miss the hands-on section on the top floor) with a walk up to the Meridien line, then onto the DLR (Docklands Light Railway), trying to grab the front carriage so you get a driver's view of the journey back to Westminster.

I'd buy sandwiches in the town before going to the Museum though as it's rather pricey.

Alternatively take the DLR to the Museum of London Docklands, which has some excellent mock-ups of 19th century streets (for that matter the Museum of London at London Wall is also excellent).

Do look at the www.daysoutguide.co.uk/2for1-london for downloadable vouchers if you're using the train to get to London. You can save loads that way (and that's the only way to do the London Aquarium, which is excellent, but exorbitant at full price).

HMS Belfast was a hit with DS1 (11)
Educational and a good workout going up and down all the steps as you wind your way through the ship.

This threads brilliant, DS is only 5m, but I want a day out with him and DH before I go back to work.

My kids loved the Tower of London, they were aged 9, 8 and 5, and we were there for over 5 hours. It was great. Then we went to Hamleys and the M&M shop. It was a great day out.