London for a beginner....

[gingajewel]

I need some help please mumsnetters! I have never been to London before and so me and the OH (who has also never been) are planning to take two DC (3 and 9) in October overnight. Please can i have some planning help! We are coming from the Midlands, would train be better/more cost efficient than driving? Are there any cheapish travelodge type places in the centre that would be worth staying in? Or is it better to stay in a hotel a bit further out of London with parking and catch the tube in? Once i get my head round this i can start planning our actual trip! Oh also money is extremely tight so the cheapest way to do this would be brilliant!

[Bowsy5]

You do not have to register your bank/debit/credit card with anything. Just use it as you would use contactless.

[YogaLite]

Check if National Express can get u into London Victoria cheaper than a train.

[Bowsy5]

Useless facts I learned on a London bus tour

1. Ring a ring a rosie the song for kids? It's actually about the plague, where whenever someone sneezed it meant they had contracted it.

1. Learned a lot about the fire of London and where and how it started (can't remember now).

1. The only place in London where you'll find ravens (humongous crows) is the Tower of London. Crown jewels were quite the sight

The history of London is fascinating (and I'm Irish!).

[MrsPnut]

You can walk from Waterloo station to the south bank and do the London eye and then walk across Westminster Bridge to see the houses of Parliament and then along birdcage walk to Buckingham Palace.

[sleepwhenidie]

Plan your time wisely - don’t overdo it!

One day could start with HoP/Big Ben then walk over the bridge to London Eye and along the South Bank, have lunch, take boat trip which will take you past/to Tower Bridge, London Bridge and Tower of London. ToL is great but will use nearly half a day.

Covent Garden would be good in the evening, loads of places to eat at pretty much all price points. What food would you like to go for and what kind of budget?




Tbh Buckingham Palace isn’t that exciting unless it’s changing of the guard so I’d put that on B list...along with Hamleys imho.

[LynetteScavo]

@Lindormilk You don't need to register your card to use the tube... you just use it as you would contactless.

OP, as at your station about the best ticket, I usually get a cheap ticket which includes a day travel ticket in London when I go with DD from the midlands, we only go for the day, but it's definitely worth asking.

[sleepwhenidie]

No need to ask about tickets, as long as you use the same contactless card you will get the cheapest travel price. You will need a zip card for teenager though, in order to get cheaper fares for them (free on buses) tfl.gov.uk/fares/free-and-discounted-travel/11-15-zip-oyster-photocard#on-this-page-1. You can load cash into this for your stay.

[sleepwhenidie]

Actually - this one is better if just visiting tfl.gov.uk/travel-information/visiting-london/visitor-oyster-card#on-this-page-7

[sleepwhenidie]

Day 2 I would start in Camden Market which your DC’s will probably love / especially CyberDog...get there by 10, avoid the hordes of people then from the Lock, walk down Regent’s Canal and through Regents Park (divert slightly up to the top of Primrose Hill for the views if you like). Then walk through Regents Park to Baker St and get 274 bus to Selfridges (Oxford St nr Hyde Park Corner) or if you don’t want to walk as far, get the 88 from Gloucester Gate (Regents Park) to Oxford Circus (right next to Regents St and Hamleys).

[deplorabelle]

I agree with previous posters you need to stay central and don't try and do Greenwich etc on your timescale. However if you do decide to do the Emirates airline beware of one gotcha: on normal Oyster journeys under 11s go free but they have to pay from age 5 on the cable car. That means you CAN'T bypass the ticket queue with your oyster card if you have a child age 5-11. (Though if you had a spare contactless card I guess you could bleep the child through for an adult fare)

[AdelaideK]

Big Ben is all covered up as work is being done on it so it looks so disappointing.

The tower is amazing and my kids loved Covent Garden and the Lego shop in Leicester Square.

[WarmSausageTea]

I know it’s been mentioned once already, but do get the Citymapper app; it’s free and brilliant. Really is a godsend at times.

Also, never forget that the tube map isn’t to scale; some stations are far easier to walk between than mess about with changing lines and platforms. For example, Cannon Street and Bank are a one minute walk. Again, Citymapper is your friend as it takes all of that into account.

The 15 bus has old routemasters running from the Tower of London to Charing Cross. It’s not every bus on the route, but if you can get one, they’re a lovely way to see the city and the route goes past some iconic sights. Worth checking the TfL website to see if it’s timetabled, as opposed to random.

Have a great time!

[MakeLemonade]

I did one of these recently and it was actually really fun - I’m a Londoner and still enjoyed it and found some bits of the City I’ve not explored before. Could be a fun way of getting your children engaged beyond just walking around the sights: www.inthehiddencity.com/ I did a daytime one but the evening ones look pretty too.

[DianaT1969]

Don't pay to go in to the Tower of London - it's just as good to walk around the outside and read the plaques.
Southbank walk from London Eye to Tower Bridge is very interesting and best around 6pm. You'll see Shakespeare's Globe and some of the best bridges.

[HundredMilesAnHour]

Don't pay to go in to the Tower of London - it's just as good to walk around the outside and read the plaques.

I totally disagree with this!! Going inside, listening to the Beefeaters' stories, going inside the chapel, walking the walls, seeing the Crown Jewels.....yes, they're just as good as reading the plaques outside lol. Inside is definitely worth it. Just go early in the day before it gets really busy. I should add that I live within walking distance of the Tower and I go on a fairly regular basis. I learn something new every time. It's an amazing experience. Especially if you manage it before the hoards descend and it's relatively quiet.

[Emma9876]

If trains are really expensive we sometimes drive and stay at the premier Inn at Edgeware. It's a 5 minute walk from the tube and 30 minutes into Central London! No congestion chargers and really easy to get too straight off the M1 x

[MrsPnut]

Our favourite hotel is the Holiday Inn at Watford, there is a train to Euston every 20m and the fast train takes 20m. You can also use your Oyster card for journeys.

[AndromedaPerseus]

The Tower of London is fascinating if you’re interested in history and worth paying for where else are you going to see the Crown Jewels in all their glory and the Beefeaters do a fab job of giving you a synopsis of the Towers history

[AndromedaPerseus]

There are lots of Wetherspoons dotted around central London always reasonable places for a sit down meal which are family friendly

[Lindormilk]

I was told i had to! Anyway 🤷🏼‍♀️

We found the few Wetherspoons in London too full and never got a seat. Prefer the Greene King pubs. Much nicer.

[growlingbear]

There are loads of places to eat in London cheaply.

Camden, Spitalfields, Borough and South Bank food markets all do fabulous hot food from about £5. Cote chain does a brilliant 2 course dinner for £11. Itsu, Wasabi, Leon etc - all the good, healthy, tasty fast food chains have plenty of choice at around £6. For breakfast Pret does lovely filter coffee for 99p and you can buy warm croissants from supermarkets.

[growlingbear]

OP, you can do a lovely walk if your DC don't mind walking. Start at Houses of Parliament and Big Ben (by the way you can get free tours inside if they are interested. Just write to your MP and ask, telling them the dates you're in London and they put your names down for a free tour.) Then walk up Whitehall. Show DC where PM lives and where King Charles 1 got his head chopped off. Then say hello to the mounted horse guards, walk through Horseguards yard into St James Park and through the park or up the Mall to Buckingham Palace.
If they aren't knackered yet, walk through Green Park onto Piccadilly and visit Fortnum and Mason for the most stunning displays of sweets and cakes you have ever seen. Then catch a bus down Piccadilly onto Regent Street and get off at Hamleys. All these are quite near each other. You will have walked only about 3 miles in all this. (I think. I lose track as I love walking around central London.)

[Aridane]

If you’re going to Petticoat Lane, see you also to neighbouring Spitalfields Market!

[Aridane]

Oh - and train it, don’t drive. And don’t stay in the suburbs and commute - yo want the feel & sounds etc of the city at night

[Aridane]

Dont come to London ,its dirty and smelly and to full of snowflake liberals here ,cant wait to move north

There’s always one!