Suggestions for a few spare hours in London with 2 DC?

[QforCucumber]

We have booked to go to Legoland in a few weeks, I checked the train times/prices instead of a 5 hour drive and we have got ourselves a bargain return train - arrive in Kings X at 1:30pm after a 2.5 hour journey from the NE, intend to go to Pizza Express around the corner but then will have a few spare hours before we get the train to Windsor to check in to hotel ( I gather this is about an hour) 2 days at Legoland then back to London for the train home.

We have a 2 year old and 6 year old (who wants to see Buckingham Palace) is this doable in that few hours? It's been such a long time since I was in London, and I didn't have to appease kids then!

If not, some suggestions of things to do with them would be great, Thanks!

After going to Pizza Express, I'd go to Argyle Garden (36 Argyle Square, London WC1H 8ER). The adults can sit on a bench, and the children can run around to burn off some energy before the next train journey.

Should be very doable, get on the Victoria Line at Kings Cross, get off at Green Park, walk through the park to the Palace. Let them burn off steam in the park before heading back to the train.

Yes you could definitely do that. From Kings Cross, take the Piccadilly Line tube to Leicester Square, then walk (about 5 mins) down to Trafalgar Square. There will be buskers and street artists. You can then cross the square and walk down The Mall to Buckingham Palace which is about 15 mins walk, I think. Or walk along the edge of St James Park. There are pelicans and herons and exotic ducks if DC like that sort of thing.
From there, walk through Green Park to Green Park tube and get the Victoria Line back to Kings Cross. It's a round trip of about 1.5 to 2 hours depending on walking pace and how long you spend looking at Buckingham Palace. You can also walk through horseguards' parade ground and get to see the horse guards in their gorgeous uniforms on Whitehall.

I would take the 390 bus

Thankyou this is all great help for my planning needs!

We travel down on a Wednesday, will the train out to Windsor be extremely busy at commuting kind of times midweek? (trying to figure out when's best to head to the hotel) It feels like much less hassle than driving as DH and I can start to enjoy our time off too, but I still like to be organised and know where we need to be and when!

Gingerhills' suggestion is great. Or take the number 91 bus to Trafalgar Square and walk up along the Mall from there. If the weather is nice it'll be exciting for your eldest to see Nelson's Column and the lions and the Buckingham Palace fountain is very bling. If you're travelling with DP then one of you can stay at the bottom of the bus with the pushchair and DC1 can sit upstairs.

Granary square is great for a run about, <a class="break-all" href="https://media-cdn.tripadvisor.com/media/photo-s/0f/9f/00/fb/granary-square.jpgcdn.kingscross.co.uk/media/20191119234625/P_KXC_ECA_GSQ_N3536_webview-445x600.jpg" rel="nofollow" target="_blank">media-cdn.tripadvisor.com/media/photo-s/0f/9f/00/fb/granary-square.jpgcdn.kingscross.co.uk/media/20191119234625/P_KXC_ECA_GSQ_N3536_webview-445x600.jpg

coram fields are a short walk away too
www.coramsfields.org/park-playground/

And Uber would be about £12 from kings X to Buck Palace

If you aim to get a train at around 5pm you will be just ahead of the commuters.

This is all really helpful thankyou, the days of old, wandering around aimlessly looking for the next bar feel like a lifetime ago, Travelling with 2 kids is more a military operation!

Get the Citymapper app, it’s brilliant for working out the best route around town, and the step-free option is fab if you’re travelling with a buggy.

I second getting the 91 bus then you can walk from Trafalgar square down the Mall to see Buckingham Palace, take the DC to St James's Park which has a nice little playground that end of the lake on the south side and they can look at the waterfowl. Walk down that side of the lake and you are pretty well in Parliament Square to look at Big Ben and you can walk over Westminster Bridge to Waterloo or take the tube (1 stop on the Jubilee Line).

If you have a bit more time to kill then the Royal Mews museum at the back of Buckingham Palace is fairly small but the DC would have a chance to see some of the carriages and there are usually a couple of horses around too.

London is easy to travel around (well I say that - public transport is great but I do think you need a degree in it if you aren't a Londoner )

The thing id be taking into consideration is what luggage you'll have with you to drag around. Bare in mind you'll need swim stuff for Lego land and spare changes of clothes as well as toiletries, nightwear etc. That's for 4 people (well swimwear for 4 if you're in the legoland hotels and plan to swim otherwise just for the kids and splash park)

Plus what time can you check into the legoland (or whatever) hotel? If it's 3 why can't you do pizza and head there and spend time looking around Windsor castle instead? At least you'll not have bags to lug around with you!

Thankyou @itsgettingweird, Am hoping I can do it all in a hand luggage sized case, we aren't in a Legoland hotel and we travel light :)

We travel down Wednesday, Legoland Thursday and Friday then home Saturday afternoon so intend to Look around Windsor Saturday morning while we have some time to kill before the journey home.

There’s a big pizza express just off Trafalgar Sq on the Stand opposite Charing X station - you could go there rather than near Kings X then down the Mall.

As you walk down the Mall you can duck into Horseguards or walk back up from Parliament Sq along Whitehall.

Which station are you using for Windsor?

www.frenchbrothers.co.uk/

If you fancy a boat trip in Windsor

on the Strand

Which station are you departing from to get to Windsor, and what time?

Chazs suggestion of Pizza Express near Trafalgar Square is a good idea, although it means you would eat later.

If you're getting the train from Waterloo and if you and the kids are up for a long walk, you could walk from Buckingham Palace through St James' Park, Parliament Square (see Big Ben), across Westminster Bridge and along the river to Waterloo station.

@Plexie @ChazsBrilliantAttitude I've not yet booked so options of either Waterloo or Paddington to get to Windsor - by the sounds of it Waterloo will be the most sensible.

Those boat tours look great, Thankyou all again for your help!

Check which Windsor station is nearest your hotel - though they are not too far apart. If you go from Paddington you change at Slough for a train that shuttles between there and Windsor.

Waterloo is probably easier

@QforCucumber

Thankyou *@itsgettingweird*, Am hoping I can do it all in a hand luggage sized case, we aren't in a Legoland hotel and we travel light :)

We travel down Wednesday, Legoland Thursday and Friday then home Saturday afternoon so intend to Look around Windsor Saturday morning while we have some time to kill before the journey home.

It's definitely worth it. Ds and I held season passes for legoland for years and loved doing a weekend up there (we are closer 1.5 hours drive) and exploring.