London on a budget

[HowManyMoreTimes]

We’re finally taking the kids (13 & 9) to London for a few nights, but our budget isn't as healthy as our enthusiasm!
We're staying in a hostel in Bayswater and we'll do plenty of wandering and looking at the obvious sites, but I'm hoping for recommendations for cheap or free things to do that may be a little different.
Thanks!

You're in luck because all the major galleries and museums are free.

If you're travelling here by train there are some really good 2 for 1 deals on many of the attractions. Tesco Clubcard and the current Kelloggs cereal free adult ticket are also helpful for stuff like river boat / London Eye.

Some stuff is free but you need to book in advance like Sky Garden, London Mithraeum.

Many of the major property holding companies run a programme of free events, where I live that'd be Broadgate, Canary Wharf. Not sure what the equivalent would be in West London. Also many of the institutions have the occasional thing on, eg RIBA family day.

Pop along to the tate modern and head up to the viewing gallery. Thats all free and a great spot. A wander a long the river and you can hop on the river bus and you can use an oyster for that. You may want to consider purchasing an oystercard for the trip for you all.

visitorshop.tfl.gov.uk/en/london-visitor-oyster-card
As PP said the major museums are free so natural histoy and science are worth a visit. Downing street to Trafalgar square and wander down the mile to buckingham palace and then to hyde park. ( diana fountain is there too)

The Too Good To Go app might be useful to you too. I pay close attention to the reviews and go to independent places over chains.

Use your oyster on the Thames clipper and get a river boat ride for free. Go up to Greenwich on it and there is a gorgeous view from the top of the hill where the royal observatory is. Also the meridian line there is free.

The Emirates Cable Cars are really good and affordable. The view is amazing as the sun starts to set and again, you can use an Oyster card for that.

The area near Greenwich University is lovely too - even towards the end of my degree I was always mesmerised by the views. You can get on the DLR which takes you there through Canary Wharf.

All of these things are local-ish to each other so you could make a day of it^.

Love that someone else mentioned Greenwich too! 👍🏻😍

What sorts of things are you interested in?

Also, do have a browse in the topic, as there are quite a lot of threads there you might find useful (cruise through the most recent 3 or 4 pages)

https://www.mumsnet.com/talk/london?

https://www.mumsnet.com/talk/london/4372778-The-Ultimate-Collection-visiting-London

As a local with a small budget I like walking over to Brick Lane and picking up beigels from the beigel shop. Spitalfields city farm is nearby and free to look around too.

agree about the emirates cable cars. Great fun and greenwich on the river bus is a must.

Mudchute farm also free

Free concerts at the royal naval college at Greenwich and lunchtime concerts at St Martin in the fields church in Trafalgar Square also free or donation

Download today tix app for cheaper theatre tickets

Aside from hotel/eating/getting around London is one of the best places to do on a budget.

All the major museums are free. You can walk around lots of places - parks, Westminster, South Bank and so on just looking at stuff.

My top tip is to try to do things that are actually near each other, and to plan to eat there too. Despite actually knowing London well I managed to plan a London holiday where we ended up schlepping about the whole time to see things we really wanted to but were completely opposite ends of town. The place is massive and v spread out.

Next time we'll just stick to one spot and stay there. As you are in Bayswater I'd stick to South Ken museums, Hyde Park, Westminster stuff. For something different then Portobello Market (google for the right day and the right bit), Museum of Brands, trip round Knightsbridge - might be in to Arab season at the start of June so if any of you are in to cars you might get the supercar watching.

if you are sightseeing in Westminster you can see the guards on their horses on whitehall

are you able to pay for any visits? Wondering if you can then maybe choose one that is good for everyone

walking between free galleries and museums if you find a good route can be full of surprises and interesting finds

I would recommend the one of the city farms, Vauxhall, Mudchute on DLR or Kentish town close to Hampstead Heath. Golden Hinde is about £8 I think and is worth a look, near london bridge. Thames clipper boats are reasonable if you get the kids an oyster. Greenwich we just had a look around outside of Cuttysark and booked planetarium which was quite reasonable. If 9 year old will still play in playgrounds there are lots of great playgrounds pools playground at Victoria park is amazing, many london parks have great kids playgrounds. There can be cheap theatre at one of the london borough theatres worth a check but I am a bit out of date re. kids theatre for that age range as we moved out of London. But unicorn is not too expensive.

There's quite a few free museums outside of the usual big names. An internet browse will find some that suit what you like. We like the Imperial War Museum. There's also the Museum of the Home in Hackney, which I haven't been to but we might head there this summer.

Also look at treasuretrails.co.uk There's loads in London (we've only done them elsewhere) but they're really good fun and you do see all sorts of little things you'd miss otherwise. You need to buy them in advance so you can print them at home (or get them posted to you) and remember to bring a couple of pens.

Have a look on groupon too and see if any good deals on food, we got Hard Rock Cafe on a groupon and it was super cheap.
they do some good set early bird menus in the restaurants near the theatres, just need to book in advance.

we walked everywhere, we stayed on the south bank and walked our socks off so
to speak!

Edgware Road has a large Middle Eastern population with lots of restaurants that are reasonably priced for central London.

Greenwich is nice but miles away from Bayswater. TFL is putting it as an hour on public transport.

Also am wondering if a city farm is quite as interesting if you aren't from London?

From Bayswater you can walk over to Portobello Rd, or over to Hyde Park and have a look at the Italian Fountains and Kensington Gardens.

I love getting up early and walking via Mayfair to Soho and having a pootle about while it's still quiet

You can see a lot of the sites from the top of the double decker buses which are free for the kids. 211 goes from Waterloo through Westminster/Victoria/Kensington for instance so you could do stuff on south bank in the morning then get that, and walk down to the museums.

Thames clipper down to Greenwich - loads to do there - stops loads in central london.

All the big museums and galleries are free and have picnic areas so you can bring lunch

The best views of the city are from the parks - primrose hill, hampstead heath, even ally pally if you trek a bit further. If it’s warm it’s great to go at sunset.

Granary square/coal drops yard (by kings cross) is great for lunch - loads of street food stalls, fountains to cool off in, regents canal.

Lots of people recommending the city farms - as a Londoner I take my toddler but I can’t see 9 and 13 year olds from outside the city being that impressed

It's not free but this is one of THE best museums I've been to in a long time. postal museum
You can also check out the new station at Farringdon which is nearby and ride the Queen Elizabeth line. Coram's Fields is a free playground nearby (Russell Square) with a zipline and some farm animals, picnic area. Franco Manca is also nearby- cheap but delicious pizza.
This area is up near the British Museum which is also free. I like the area because it's a lot more peaceful than the touristy West End.

Seconded re. The Middle Eastern restaurants in Edgware Road. Also the viewing platform at Tate Modern.

Just wanted to add that even though a lot of museums are free, last time I was there you still had to book a time slot online. I was able to do this on the spot for Tate Modern and the National Gallery, but I saw long lines at the Science and Natural History Museums.

There's also a boat that goes from Tate Modern to Tate Britain, which I think may possibly be free. It's a short trip, but I'm sure the kids will enjoy it.

Some of the more interesting bus routes are an excellent way to see London:
#15 from Museum of London to Trafalgar Square,
@#11 from St. Paul's via Westminster and Victoria to the Kings Road, and
#9 from Aldwich/Covent Garden via Trafalgar Square, Hyde Park Corner and the Royal Albert Hall to Kensington High Street.

Sky garden / oxo tower for views
various galleries
st James / mall for changing the guard
covent garden street entertainment
Any of the museums
buses for great views without tour prices

I agree with this. As a starting point, explore what’s near you. I’d walk through Hyde Park (enter at Queensway - exit at South Ken) and go to museums via Diana Fountain.

On another day I’d do Portobello.

You are well placed for public transport. Some great tips already for further afield. Personally I like either a wander down Carnaby St for window shopping or walk down south bank from Waterloo to Tate modern then over the bridge to St Paul’s and back towards Embankment / Covent Garden. You can spend as much or as little as you want to doing that.

These are all brilliant, thank you!
Sorry I’m so late replying, but I’ve been taking notes and getting excited now that we’ll have plenty to do without breaking the bank!