London mumsnetters, I need help!

[Madwife123]

We are visiting London this December (first time) and finding it hard to work out via Google what is close to each other to work out activities.

If I list what we plan to do can a kind mumsnetter tell me the best way to plan them to make the most of being close by?

Friday - Arrive. Hotel in central London. Going shopping, is London eye near shopping area?

Saturday - Hyde Park. Is Buckingham Palace near? If not how about London eye?

Sunday - Harry Potter studios. Free afternoon so anything child friendly worth visiting?

Monday - Either London dungeons if kids will brave it or wax works if not. Head home

That’s the rough plan but I don’t know if that means lots of back and forth and it’s better being re-jigged?

Agreed. I would choose John Lewis Oxford street, their children’s section is lovely, as are the food halls and cafe after a long day.

You've still got time so order the kids Oyster cards from the TFL website, which will give them free/discounted travel (you may need to load some money on them at any station). For adults just go contactless with your bank card.

HP studios is a) VAST and b) not close to the station, so you'll need to get a shuttlebus there (lots available) and I would really dedicate the whole day to it rather than booking anything else to get back for.

If the 12 year old doesn't look too old you can take both through the buggy and wheelchair gates. Children under 11 are free and don't need an oyster card so go through those.

Oxford street is really run down and not nice, but the kids might like the lights. They'll love Camden for shopping. For Xmas lights You could get off at Oxford Circus, go down regents street, cut off to carnaby street and walk down to picaddilly circus. Those are the main lights and they're pretty. You will walk past hamleys too just before cutting left onto carnaby street. From picadilly circus you could walk down to the river, it'll be a long walk but you see most sights within a square mile.

Oh, and if you think they'll like Christmas windows in big shops, Harrods and Harvey Nichols aren't far from the South Kensington museums and usually have excellent displays.

Re travel - if you use the same debit/credit card for all travel, there's a cap of I think £8.90 per adult per day, that covers all travel on buses and tubes. More info here: tfl.gov.uk/fares/

Yes you can use an Oyster or contactless at Watford Junction.

I don’t understand this? Buses are free to children if they’ve got a Zip Oyster card but the Tube and Overground aren’t.

10 and 12 year olds don't love Camden market. It's shabby, grim and overwhelming.

Oxford street Christmas windows are pretty good.

I also think the South Bank is fun with kids of that age.

I wouldn't bother with Oyster cards, just pay on your phones and take your kids through the buggy gates with you. Unless your 12 year old is hulking, it will be fine.

Sorry I should clarify - 10 and 12 year olds who are not from London. Kids who grow up in London think that Oxford street is a bit shit and Camden is great. Kids from outside think the opposite.

@Camdenish kids under 11 are free on all. They don't need oyster cards unless travelling on trains outside zone 3. They will be fine unless the 12 year old is huge.
Just take them both with you through the buggy gates op.

With busses you just walk on. Tap in and usher the kids through Infront of you. The driver won't even ask, and if he does, they are 9 and 10.

I would seriously reconsider bringing your car unless the Airbnb has parking it will just cost you a fortune to park and Islington is horrible to drive around.
If you're close to Highbury and Islington you can get the Victoria Line straight to Green Park and from there you can go to Fortnum and Mason; also walk through the Park down to Buckingham Palace.
Easy to get the 38 or 19 bus down to the British Museum also from Islington. Lots of mummies!

Disagree! It's a suburb in the north that no visitor would go through unless visiting it for a specific purpose.

Don't drive - it's a nightmare and you will have to pay congestion charges . If you really need to drive - leave the car at a station outside the ULEZ.

And I would do HP on the last day before going home.

I know in theory younger kids are free but if you’ve got to explain their birthday every time you go in and out of a Tube it gets very warring! I’ve never been believed and it’s distressing for the kids to keep being questioned. I’ve been talked at by TfL staff since the kids were 7 or 8. Admittedly the school did say that DC was the youngest Zip card they’ve ever been called to sign for! And 11 year olds aren’t free.

@Madwife123 I recommend Google MyMaps: www.google.co.uk/maps/about/mymaps/

You can make your own personal map showing everything you plan to visit, so you can see how close they are. I do it for most of our holidays.

Thank you. It’s absolutely not central London, it’s a residential area at the end of the Holloway Road.

Foyles bookstore is great children's section ground floor and their cafe top floor is lovely (also toilets) it's 5-10 minutes up Charing cross road from Trafalgar Square,

If they're into sci-fi and fantasy, Forbidden Planet is about five minutes from Foyles - books, comics, merchandise.

I wouldn't bother with the tourist buses, just jump on and off the ordinary red buses. No.11 or No.15 going east from Traf Squ are good ones. Not sure if it's still the case, but pre Covid sometimes the No.15 would be an old Routemaster.

Islington's a big borough - the King's Cross/Angel end might be reasonably close to parts of the centre (as in, walking distance), but other parts of it are a long way.

And give them a street map and a Tube map and let them plan journeys - at 10 and 12 they're old enough.

@Madwife123 here is a map with everything you mentioned on it: www.google.com/maps/d/u/0/edit?mid=1v-QsE2JiN-RdxnATZdjZHqOg2X96i9g&usp=sharing

The Harry Potter Studio Tour is the obvious outlier.

Yy to downloading city mapper & HP not being in London (you'll need a coach or something)
London dungeons is really quite scary, it's dark & there are effects such as a voice whispering in your ear (from a hidden speaker in the chair) something blowing on your neck, things touching you etc. The actors are great but I don't think it's for a young 10 year old. DS (13) was terrified & we had to leave part way through

I would seriously re consider bringing your car. Check if its ULEZ compliant first.
Plus there's very little non resident parking tfl.gov.uk/modes/driving/check-your-vehicle/

Also don't stray into the inner congestion zone when driving, its £15 a day.
tfl.gov.uk/modes/driving/congestion-charge/congestion-charge-zone

Get the train, easy transport links to Islington.

There's some rough estates in Islington, you're safe enough around Angel and Upper street though.

If you are not from London and used to the hustle/bustle, eyes everywhere for who's behind and in front of you, I'd go for the Oyster card option for all of you and wear them on lanyards so you are not fumbling in bags/pockets in very busy areas.

If your DC are into HP I think it would be worth taking them to Leadenhall Market in the City where The Diagon Alley scenes were filmed. Turn left towards bank and show them the real Bank of England where the "Goblins" work. From there I'd walk to the Monument and count the steps, then over the river for a walk along the South Bank to the London Eye.

For shopping I'd stick to Regents' Street where Hamleys and Liberty are, and walk down to the bottom to turn right onto Piccadilly for Fortnums. Personally I'd leave Fortnums via the back entrance, turn right and then left down St James's Street, past the soldier in his sentry box, into St James's Park for a beautiful view towards Buck House. Keep walking and you will come to the Winter Wonderland. (Take a flask with some mulled wine warmed in the microwave at your hotel) to avoid the eye watering prices.