Chelsea and kesington

[doormatof]

Visiting London next week and on day 1 we want to visit portabello market and Kensington palace, just looking for recommendations of nearby places to visit?
we have 2 DC 6 and 4

Which day exactly will you be there? It's the Notting Hill Carnival over the bank. Holiday weekend. Avoid Portobello on those days.

Portabello is heavily commercialised, caters for tourists. Very over priced. The locals don't touch it.

If you're visiting Kensington Palace take some unsalted nuts. The squirrels in the gardens - and the wider Hyde Park - come running when they hear a bag rustle. You can hand feed them, which DC love - and adults like me love!

Another no for portobello. It's pretty much tourist tat and fruit n veg stalls. And horribly busy.

The Diana Park in Kensington Gardens is good for kids and a picnic lunch.

The Science Museum and Natural History Museum are a short walk from Kensington Palace. Personally I'd give Portobello Market a miss with such youndg DC.

Princess Diana garden in Hyde park is nearby.

If you like indoor stuff then kidzania is in Westfield shopping centre which isn’t far.

I think the Diana memorial in Hyde Park is still closed (homeless people were washing in it).

I think the Diana memorial in Hyde Park is still closed (homeless people were washing in it).
Presumably that's just the water feature thing, though. The Diana Memorial Playground is probably fine. It's got a pirate ship and teepees and everything.
Portobello would be a bit of a long way down my list given the ages of your DC. Science Mus and Nat Hist Mus are brill.
Harrods not too far, either.

The Notting hill carnival is next weekend, 25th to the 27th I think so a lot of the roads will be closed off and everywhere will be mega busy. Kensington gardens are lovely to sit in, there's Hyde park next door where you can take a rowing boat on the serpentine river. The science and natural history museum's are not too far to walk. Kensington church street is good for antiques and nick nacks.

sorry it's the weekend after next.
I will give Portobello a miss then based on what you've said and thank you for the advice abiut taking nuts for squirrels, the DC love love animals so will be happy with that.
Not sure about the museums only because we've done a lot of them recently.
Rowing boats are a good shout.
I think we may head into central or Shoreditch after that.
I did go to Broadway market many years ago, is that still any good?

Transport museum in Covent Garden was always a hit with DS.

Diana memorial fountain/water feature was open for paddling this weekend and is excellent got kids

As well as the memorial fountain there's the Princess Diana playground up at the Notting Hill end of Kensington Gardens. Peter Pan's in the middle of these. Take bread for feeding the ducks there, fruit for the parakeets. The squirrels won't touch anything but good quality nuts.

The squirrels are little thugs! Try parakeet spotting too (loads near the Peter pan statue).

There is a carousel and one other fairground ride (I think £2 a go) by the Diana Memorial playground (not the fountain) as something else for kids over the summer - I think it comes down first week in Sept. The playground is great.

There used to be an amazing soft play area in the Army Museum - just off Sloane Square - which was great for kids - although not sure if it was being redone.

I had no idea there were parakeets in London! I'll be sure to take fruit thank you.

St James Park is nice to visit and walk round, children’s play area, lots of green space, also can see the guards at Buckingham palace etc. Depending where abouts your staying. It’s a short tube ride district or circle line to st James Park station.. park within 5 mins walking distance.

Also battersea Park is nice too, they have a funfair on atm but that part can be avoided. Play area for children. Again lots of green, they have peddle boats which are just £3 each for children and £6 for adults.. much cheaper then Hyde park. They also have pitch and putt there, a little zoo for children.. additional costs but again can be avoided. 452 bus goes straight there too.

Do not feed bread to the ducks or take nuts for the squirrels Bread is bad for ducks, and the squirrels are viscous beasts.

Diana Memorial Playground is great, but can get very, very busy so it's best to go early. The Holland Park Adventure Playground is less busy and also great - it may be getting refurbished at the moment though.

For fountains - you can either go to the paddling pool and fountains in the centre of the V&A museum (South Kensington), or you can also try Granary Square - this is a new area but very chic with lots of cafes and a great way to kill some time with the kids playing in the fountains.

For markets, Borough Market is much nicer than Portobello Market, although it's in Borough and not Kensington. It's mainly food though rather than tat. Maltby Street Market is also nice, but much, much smaller.

If you do go to Kensington Palace, you can visit the Orangery for a nice cup of coffee. Pedalos on the Serpentine are also possible, but that's the City side of Hyde Park.

squirrels are vicious beasts? , my DC were looking forward to doing this now I'm not so sure. I wouldn't feed the ducks bread but I was going to take fruit for the parakeets.
is the Emirates airliner worth it?
and what about the flower market in east london?

name change fail . oh well.
thanks for the suggestions so far.

Squirrela are thugs! They menace you for nuts and sometimes run up your legs. I've had one chase me when I was jogging, trying to bite my ankle!

Best to throw the nuts and watch them rather than hand feed them.

Cute little hooligans! 🐿🐿🐿

ah we shall throw the nuts and keep our distance then .

oh and one more question, one of my DC loves graffiti/street art, I've been told to take him round Shoreditch to see some (recommended by his teacher) but is there anywhere specifically or is it all dotted around?