Express visit to London with dd. What are the Most Dos?

[BernadetteRostankowskiWolowitz]

Dd is nine and we are going up to London next week arriving 11am day one and leaving 7pm day two. It's her first trip, and while I have been a couple of times before I've never gone with dc in mind.

I'm thinking natural history museum, she will want to see Buckingham Palace. Any great parks we can have lunch in/with stuff to do? Want to keep fairly central so didn't fancy going out to say Camden Market etc unless it's recommended. She isn't a shopper.

I'm not sure I would recommend Greenwich to a wheelchair user, it gets rammed and the pavements are very narrow, I seem to spend my time walking in the gutter every time I go! If you stay on the riverfront you'd be OK but the town centre would be difficult, I think.

Took my ds aged 9 to London last week and we went up Tower Bridge. It was great - only cost about £12 for both of us, was just the right amount of learning but the best bit is the glass walkways hundreds of feet above the river! It actually wasn't at all busy and everyone is able to lie on the walkway and have their photo taken

Like the look of the clipper boat so day 2 I think we will start at Tower of London for it opening, maybe zip and see the jewels first. Then clipper down to maybe London Eye or Battersea - is Battersea park any good?

It's a lovely park and there's a Go Ape! in there, and a little zoo.

@BernadetteRostankowskiWolowitz

If you like modern art. But look at visitlondon.com as it includes temporary exhibitions at the museums and galleries.

www.visitlondon.com/things-to-do/sightseeing/london-attraction/museum/best-london-museums-for-kids might be useful. I would go for a more interactive museum for a child than the Tower. I wasn't that impressed by it at 9/10 when my Nan took me. Especially if it's busy.

www.google.com/search?q=tourist+map+of+london&oq=tourist+map+of+London&aqs=chrome.0.0l3.10014j0j9&client=tablet-android-samsung&sourceid=chrome-mobile&ie=UTF-8#imgrc=DPHEyD_qANL2AM: If the weather's good, I would do a walking tour.

DS7 and I just went to see the Frank Bowling exhibition at Tate Britain today and it was absolutely fantastic. He doesn't usually get too excited about painting but is now buzzing wanting to paint something as soon as we get home. We got some great art books and resources in the shop too and he has been drawing non-stop.

Ok I have a rough itinerary:-
Day one arrive 10am, tube to Buck Palace have a look (is it worth going in?), walk to Hyde Park and have a good wander round it, grab some lunch there. Head to V&A after lunch, maybe spend 2-2.5 hrs there. Tube to Covent Garden for a good wander and dinner.

Day two get to Tower Bridge for it opening, stay for 3 hours or so. Lunch nearby after it. Clipper down to Battersea, afternoon in the park, finishing up around 3.30/4. Tube back up towards Kings Cross, so we are close by. Is Granary Square ok to kill time? Then dinner near or in the station before back on the train for 6.30pm.

Buckingham Palace doesn't open till July.
I would not bother with battersea Park, you're leaving Central London only to come back. St James pRk or regents Park would be better if you think 2 parks in 2 days are needed. I'd replace v and a with science museum or British museum . My kids don't find v and a very interesting!

The Tate Modern!
I'm clutching my pearls, at the very thought of it!

Go direct to the Crown Jewels when you get into the Tower of London.

Buckingham Palace is at the end of St James's Park which is nicer than Hyde Park and has a lake with various waterfowl. Also you can try to spot the spies having top secret meetings (mostly actually civil servants having some fresh air!)

The V&A has a nice cafe next to the courtyard with huge paddling pool, so could do part of the NFM and then go to the V&A to escape the crowds. The Science Museum next to them is much less crowded.

Tower of London is a fab day out - recommend eating packed lunch in the queue for the Jewels as it's less long at lunchtime.

DLR and that end of the Jubilee line should all be wheelchair accessible but best to check #tflaccess on the day.

Borough market, cross bridge to st Paul's, museum of London is fabulous very interactive ( once part stone age bit) loads about great fire, plague, then Georgians.. amazing garden from India colonial time, then 70's, war.... old dance hall Etc it's brilliant. I'd do that rather than NHS because you're so close to it.

St Paul's, museum London then back over bridge... your have Tate modern, globe theatre... maybe keep strolling down... to wheels, Westminster and ...

CityMapper app (every Londoner’s fave) has finally got wheelchair accessible route planning on it, so should be v useful for wheelchair using PP. I agree that the Thames Clipper boats are probably the easiest sightseeing option in a wheelchair - as I recall they’re entirely ramp based, but do check the website because I’m only speaking from pushchair knowledge.

Definitely the Tower of London.

Museum of London is free btw

At risk of being spoil sport, my dds ( one just 12) like v and a but it's not interactive or fun for younger children at all.
. I wouldn't go there on special one off trip. .. getting boats to Battersea Etc is also quite a stretch of time.

I'd also suggest China town for dinner then wander to covent garden.

Tate modern has amazing free view area ..right at top

Some of these suggestions are way out!! Museum of childhood and it's tiny!!

Agree about Greenwich and wheelchair. Stay compact. You'll see loads, there's lifts by all those bridges to and from st Paul's...see a good cross of London there ,st Paul's, globe, Tate modern,the wheel , Westminster... some gorgeous views,the viewing gallery and next day be more central, covent garden, China town, maybe Soho. Keep it simple.

Don't go out to places like Greenwich on short trip. You don't need to you'll have utterly fabulous time with that suggestions above.

I do find that there’s a slight tendency on the London threads for people to recommend slightly more offbeat things that are great to entertain local children during the long summer hols. I personally love Museum of Childhood, the Greenwich museums and Princess Diana playground for but actually if your spending your first 48 hours in London at the age of 9 then I’d keep it really basic and hit all the tourist cliches.

Trafalgar Square, Houses of Parliament, Changing of the Guards at Buck House, Eye/Shard/Skygarden/Monument/Tower Bridge walkway for a view, Globe, Belfast, Golden Hinde, St Paul’s (walk past the last four, not visit unless they’re her favourite things), Clipper along the Thames, Wobbly Bridge, Tower of London, See Tower Bridge opening up if poss.

And then reserve half a day for something that she’d be particularly interested in: whether that’s theatre, ballet, Lego, dinosaurs, Harry Potter, science, dead bodies, zombies, fashion, ice cream ......

(Please excuse SPAG on last post - cut and shut sentences have made a mess of post but I hope you get my drift)

How about a noat trip, along Thames, or a barge at Camden?

The Diana playground looks brilliant- she will definitely love a run around that after being on a train.

Is big Ben still under wraps?

Placemarking as well to comb back through and take notes!!

My son loves the Lego shop. He’s 15 now but still goes every time we visit London. Harrods toy dept is nicer than Hamleys (my two are autistic soHamleys was a bit much).