2 hours to kill near King's Cross

[User5653218]

Me, dh, ds aged 10.

We misjudged our train times and have 4 hours between getting off one train in King's Cross and getting on the Eurostar. Eurostar says 1.5 hrs for check it so that gives us 2.5 hours extra.

Any suggestions for what we can do? We don't have masses of luggage.

Thank you!

Get pictures at platform 9 3/4?
Grab something to eat?
Have a wander around St Pancras?
I wouldn't plan anything too specific in case of delays

What time?

Go to the British Library, which is a 2 minute walk. They usually have a fascinating free exhibition.

British Library Treasures room or other exhibition there? It's just along from St Pancras. Or one stop (i think) on the Piccadilly line to Russell Square and a quick look in the British museum? Might be queues though. Camley Road nature reserve around the back of Kings Cross? It's free.

British library exhibition or champagne bar depending on your inclinations.

Almost next door - the British Library (just the permanent free exhibitions, or if time there's then the Animals: art, science, sound summer exhibition)

The British Library - The British Library (bl.uk)

Or a bit further down the Euston Road The Wellcome Collection

Wellcome Collection | A free museum and library exploring health and human experience

Both have good cafes. Not sure about cloakrooms for luggage, but I expect so

You could make a quick trip to Covent Garden, but it would be very quick.

Lightroom in Coal Drop’s Yard

Go up to Coal Drops yard, lovely redevelopment around the canal.

There is lots of shopping in St Pancras station itself plus if you go round the back & across the bridge over St Pancras basin there is Coal Drops Yard which amongst other places has the Samsung Flagship store with lots of interactive tech stuff on display.

I’d go to Granary Sq or Coal Drops Yard for a drink or something to eat

Coal drops yard is minutes away, has shops for browsing, loads of restaurants and there are normally summer holiday type activities.

They have free film at the moment on the regents canal just by coal drops yard, perhaps not the weather at the moment! Went past the other day on my lunch break and they were showing Wimbledon on the big screen but it was a very hot day and it looked blissful!

You could very easily kill that much time in Granary Square and Coal Drop’s Yard, which are both just behind King’s Cross Station.

There’s an interesting book shop in a barge on the canal there. You could spend some time looking in the shops and going to a cafe. There’s great people-watching thanks to the nearby Central St Martins campus.

You could also have a quick look around the small nature reserve between Kings cross and St Pancras. It’s a lovely spot: https://www.wildlondon.org.uk/nature-reserves/camley-street-natural-park

Laughing at all the CDY recommendations all coming through at the same time 😂
good shops though and some really nice places to eat. I like the gas station!

The wellcome collection isn't far (by Euston station) not as busy as most museums

Have a look here:

https://www.kingscross.co.uk/whats-on

Definitely would not go too far away or anything like British Museum. We were queuing 2 hours for Eurostar at half term and they ended up delaying the train as there were loads of people still behind us. If you have Harry Potter fans with you then a visit to platform 9 3/4 and the shop there is great- otherwise I'd do cafe/shops/wander round Coal Drops yard depending on what you prefer.

It seems pretty unanimous, we'll walk to Coal Drops Yard. Massive Samsung shop is right up ds's street. We've been 3 hours on the train to London then 2.5 hrs to Paris so walking around would be good.

https://www.samsung.com/uk/explore/kings-cross/visit-us/

Just noticed they are closed on Wednesday

We're going today. Ds is very excited. Shame he's wasted all his pocket money on Panini football stickers so can't actually buy anything. Although probably none of us will be able to afford anything in there.

British Library directly opposite the station or Lightroom, ten minute walk from King's Cross have immersive Hockney exhibition on. Only fifty mins long to do the full loop and has a cloakroom where you could leave your luggage.

Grab food at sandwich street kitchen! Favourite spot to eat around there

Another vote for the Wellcome Collection. There's usually something interesting going on, plus the permanent collection is brilliant.