London for dummies

[MrsTaytodarling]

Coming from Ireland with DH and 13 and 16 year olds for 3 nights in August. We've never been, in fact never really been anywhere and so not used to travelling etc...staying in Shoreditch area. We know nothing!!! Any tips/must sees?

I always say on these threads go to the Orbit slide in the Olympic park. Also the Emirates airline from Royal Victoria to North Greenwich and back.

Get the hop on hop off bus. it's worth it if you don't know what you want, get a 24 hour ticket and get your bearings.

Uber boat on the Thames, go down to Greenwich and back up you will see all the landmarks.

Shoreditch has lots of street art and just has a nice vibe.

Kids might like Puttshack, climb the 02,?

I think something depends if you have never been to London what you want to see. If you want to see "the sights" - get a bus tour , you will have seen a lot by the end and probably 1/2 a day & saves a lot of walking - then you can research which other things you might want to see If I were going to a major large city I might do this.

Walking along the south bank from the houses of Parliament is great. There's always buskers. Book a show - https://officiallondontheatre.com/kids-week/ if you happen to be that week. Or use the TKT office in Leicester Square.

YOu can tap on and off buses and the underground.

Dowload citymapper which will save you ours of faffing around trying to work out the Tube.

The hop on and off buses are great for a first visit.

Don't try and do too much - so maybe just pick one of the big museums if that's your thing. You could spend a whole day in the Science Museum alone.

Use your contactless card or an oyster card to get around. London is a very walkable city as long as you break it in to sections.

City/South Bank/Borough Market
Soho/Covent Garden/Mayfair
Knightsbridge/Chelsea/Kensington

Brick lane market (5 mins walk from Shoreditch) on a Sunday is worth a peek. Lots of food, vintage clothes, art, etc

Borough Market on a Friday or Saturday is hectic but great for food and a mooch. Get there early.

St Pauls is free every day at 4pm (I think). Its very beautiful and you can pop in for 20 mins. Then cross the millenium bridge over to the Tate Modern and the Southbank.

The area around Bank has a Puttshack (crazy golf but not that cheap) or an F1 arcade (also not cheap) if the kids are in to that.

St James Park is my fav London park for relaxing but Greenwich park is also great and you can tag on Greenwich market too.

Rooftop cinema in Stratford.

British Museum is my fave.

Thank you. Will check these out

London is big and there are loads to see. Decide what sort of stuff you want to see and plan your itinerary around that. Most people do the Tower of London, Buckingham Palace, Piccadilly Circus, borough market, Camden.

outside this i would suggest the cable cars over the Thames at Stratford, the cutty sark using Uber boats and Highgate cemetery

I would go and see all the sights. The places you see when there is any ceremony on the TV. They are all easily walkable, and you just need to be looking at the outside so it won't cost you.
Places such as Houses of Parliament, Westminster Abbey, Downing Street (nothing really to see there, since they stopped people being able to go into the St, years ago, but you walk past it), Marble Arch, The Mall, Buckingham Palace, Horseguards Parade, and so forth. I mean, it is quite a lot of walking but it is compact enough to do in one of the days.

The first time we visited London we used the tube a lot, I'd def say use the bus instead, you see far more.
I was surprised at how close all the big landmarks were together, it's a lot of walking but easily doable.
And finally every single person we asked for directions or help in anyway were beyond helpful, I was a bit wary as all you hear is how unfriendly a city it is, I found it to be the exact opposite

Brick lane market is brilliant

What do you want to see? History? Culture? Museums, shopping? The main tourist sites or slightly different ones. So much to see if you've not been before.

Download the ‘Today Tix’ app if you want to see a show. Loads of last minute deals. Just went to see ‘The Wizard of Oz’ tonight at the palladium. Stalls seats at £25 a ticket. Was fab. Choose an Everyman cinema if you want to see the big movies this weekend. HOP and Buckingham P are less than a mile apart on foot and Trafalgar sq on the same triangle. Tower of London always a good call. Avoid St Paul’s/ Westminster Abbey as very expensive. If there is a HOP tour, I’d highly recommend it ditto the Ghost Bus Tour if your kids are 12 or older. Overhyped: The Shard, London Eye, London aquarium and the London dungeons….

If you can get tickets for the sky garden I'd recommend that. It's free but tickets are released 3 weeks in advance

Don’t bother with Madame Tussauds - eye wateringly expensive and really not worth it.
South Kensington museums are free.
The Uber boats are great.

Easy sightseeing walk
Start at Trafalgar Sq
Go through Admiralty Arch down the Mall
Pics in front of the Palace
Cut through St James’s Park to Houses of Parliament
Walk back up Whitehall to Trafalgar Sq past the Cenotaph, Downing St and Horseguards

If you are in Shoreditch then it’s close to Spitalfields market which is worth a look.

What dates are you going OP ?

Shoreditch is not traditional tourist London (and none the worst for it!) It has gentrified a lot over the last two decades but it can still be a bit tatty and grimy around the edges and is very busy on Friday and Saturday nights as it is a big place for going out.

You can get in to the centre of town quickly and easily, there are lots of buses or got one stop from Shoreditch tube to Whitechapel and get the Elizabeth line - that takes you to central London fast!

You can also easily walk in to the City of Londo which is interesting from a history point of view.

London is massive so it is good to have a plan of the sorts of things you want to see and do otherwise it can be a bit overwhelming!

Stand on the right! On the tube and other mainline train escalators, stand on the right and don't let your kids, luggage or anything else be on the lefthand side. The lefthand side is for those who want to walk up or down the escalator.

Have a browse in the topic

London Forum - Discuss Living in London | Mumsnet | Mumsnet

It's not the liveliest topic, unfortunately, but there's loads of advice on getting around, places to eat, things to see and do if you scroll through

If you come back with a list of things you would like to see and do OP or things you are interested in, we can advise in a bit more detail.

Generally though:

Public transport is extensive, safe and easy. Get Oyster cards and load them up with money. You can use them on the buses, tubes, trains, trams and DLR.

London is generally very safe but it is busy so make sure you know where you are going keep your phone and valubles in a secure bag. If you need to stop try and step away from the main pavement.

Contrary to what you hear Londoners are broadly friendly and are often happy to help with directions and advice. Do be careful as with any major city London has its fair share of beggars, pick pockets and aggressive drunks.

London can be very expensive but equally there are a lot of free attractions and if you do your research you can find good value places to eat and drink. Don't have your head turned by the first place you see in a tourist area.

Londoners walk .... a lot. So wear comfy shoes and bring a rain mac.