DD's first trip to London

[Windflower92]

Just wanting to run this plan by you lovely people as it's been a long time since I've been to London, and I've never been with kids! So we're going next Sunday for my DD's 7th birthday. We're thinking we'll start at the science museum and then grab a mcdonalds for lunch after. Head over to Hyde Park and then hop on the tube to Westminster to see London Eye etc. Potentially then walk up to Buckingham Palace, and then walk over to Regent Street as they will want to go to Hamleys! Does this sound like a doable plan, or too much walking? We'll have her 5 year old sister in tow as well who is likely to moan at walking for longer than 5 minutes. My DD doesn't have anywhere she specifically wants to go, she likes the idea of the science museum and just wants to 'see' London. Any opinions for me? 😁

Hyde park and Buckingham palace are in the same area so I’d do Thais together then head to Westminster after. Maybe take a boat trip from there which is lots of fun. It is about of walking regardless though If 5 yo not keen. Temps may still be pretty high.

Hamleys isn't the most pleasant of shops.
It's always very crowded and noisy.
If you are going to the Science Museum they have a nice gift shop if you want to treat them to toys.
To be honest I wouldn't bother with Regents St.
There is only a small McDonald's near Science Museum so if that's a must eat you might need to find a better one.

Way too much! Don’t do the science museum. Way too much walking for the rest of it too. Buck house is boring. Just nothing for a child to see. Ditto Hyde park too.

Id start at Westminster. Looking round the Abbey costs money (but iconic) but you can see the clock tower and cross Westminster bridge and go on the Eye. Loads of restaurants on the south bank. Do you reality want a MaccyD? Honestly!?

The boat trips from Westminster Pier go to the Tower of London. Great for history and you get to see Tower Bridge too. Or do the itinerary in reverse. Sitting down on the boat is bliss!

Don’t just turn up at the Science Museum, go on the website & book timed entry tickets. Expect it to be heaving.

If you haven’t been to London for a while, it might be useful to know that most tube stations have a wide gate you can take your kids through, & make sure they know to stand on the right on the escalators.

The South Bank is likely to be heaving too, but at Westminster you could get the classic tourist photo of a red phone box with Big Ben in the background if that’s something they might enjoy posing for.

I wonder if the hop on hop off bus might be a better option? Or an ordinary bus! I haven't got it before but I think it does sound a lot of walking.

London eye to Buckingham palace would be a nice walk as you go past Big Ben and through the park where you could stop for an ice cream. It is 30 mins walking though so I don't think you would then want to add 25 mins walking to go to hamleys. Plus walking all round the museum.

I agree with other poster that Buckingham palace might be a bit boring unless you time it to watch changing of the guard.

Why Hyde Park?

Yes to Buckingham Palace, it's iconic. But approach from the front. St James' Park is lovely and not massive. A lake and lots of water birds. Look for the pelicans.

So maybe from Westminster walk up Whitehall, pass Downing Street, through Horse Guards, then through St James' Park and onto the Mall for the approach to Buckingham Palace.

It would be quite a walk from there to Hamleys.

Thats way too much. If you want to see the science museum then go to Hyde park, don’t waste time going to McDonald’s. Hyde park is just up the road and super close. I’d either take a picnic or go to the cafe at the museum . After Hyde park take a bus to Westminster and London eye

Why Hyde Park? It’s lovely but is there something specific you want to see?

Are you going to go on the London Eye? It’s not worth just looking at for sure, tho imho it’s not great to ride on really. But if you have booked then all good.

My dc preferred the Nat Hist museum (dinosaurs) but maybe yours is not keen on that?

Hamleys is great but v busy and don’t buy anything haha. Buck House is iconic too. But just an ohh look! Big Ben and H of P are better for that and yes can combine with boat trip. How far are you actually walking? Can you do any of it by bus - exciting being on the top deck!

Agree St James Park is way nicer than Hyde Park. You can walk through SJP between BP and Westminster. Also agree with others that you’ve got a lot in that. Does it have to be the Science Museum? Other than Wonderlabs on the top floor with the hands on experiment (costs money though) I think Natural History is better. Agree with PP who said for either you must book a timed ticket for any museum as you’ll otherwise be waiting in queues for ages. Hamleys is amazing but as PP have said will be heaving and DO NOT under any circumstances buy anything there as it’s way more expensive than any other toy shop. If your DC are at all into LEGO I really recommend the LEGO store on Leicester Square. You will have to queue for that but the queue moves fast.

Personal view - Hyde Park is a bit boring!

I would suggest:

Start at Science Museum.

District line South Kensington to St James Park, then 10 minutes walk to see Buckingham Palace.

Walk through St James Park - much nicer park with lots of birds, e.g. pelicans.

Other end of the park is Westminster - see Big Ben, Westminster Abbey, Downing Street, all within a short walk of each other. Would not go inside the Abbey after already going around the science museum, that would be a lot of “looking at”, but it’s a beautiful building to see even outside.

Stand on/next to/cross over Westminster Bridge for views of the river, skyline, London Eye.

Take bus 12/159/453 from Westminster Bridge all the way to Hamleys.

Agree with others that St James Park is nicer than Hyde Park.
There's nothing in Hyde Park.
Kensington Gardens is ok ish.

From the science museum, if you want to then go to a park isn’t Kensington Gardens the more obvious choice?
St James’ park can be unpleasantly busy at a weekend.

The other place to consider in conjunction with the science museum is the V&A - not all of it obviously as it’s huge but the jewellery rooms are fabulous, and it’s generally not too busy.

We’ve not done it ourselves but bus might be better than the underground for actually seeing things en route if you want to see different parts of London. I found the underground quite scary when I was about 5 and it’s way busier nowadays. Or consider splashing out on a taxi - they have good visibility, we’ve really enjoyed a few rides we’ve done recently.

Science museum isn’t great for children. It’s not very interactive. Natural history museum is far better IMHO.

nice playground in St. James’s Park, within sight of Buckingham Palace

If you are doing the science museum, book the Wonderlab. It's really interactive and has loads to do.

I wouldn't do Buckingham Palace or Hamleys. The first isn't very interesting when it isn't the changing of the guard and the second isn't a pleasant experience.

Maybe not for a first, seeing London visit, but the mail rail and postal museum are great for that age. Also not far from Coram Fields.

Agree - Hyde Park is gigantic and a rather boring very long walk. St James's Park has the Serpentine lake, loads of water birds and tame squirrels who'll try and nick your packed lunch. One had it away with my fruit cake once. Trafalgar Square and Horseguards Parade are fairly close by too.

Re the science museum the best bit for a 7YO is by far and away the wonderlab which is paid for and requires pre booking. Power up is also decent if there’s any interest in gaming, again you would need to book and pay. There isn’t a lot else that my kids (8 and 5) like now they’re too old for the garden preschooler play bit and since the space gallery was redone and isn’t as good. So don’t just turn up without having pre booked those exhibits. Afterwards I would do 5 Guys for burgers then a play in Kensington gardens. Then Harrods for the toy department and chocolate room instead of Hamleys which is hideous.

This!

If Hamleys is a deal breaker for the dc, go there first and close to opening time. Qyick whizz to Piccadilly Circus and five stops to the Science Museum. District line back to Westminster and take a boat trip along the Thames, taking in HofP, Big Ben, Eye, the bridges and many other sights, the boatmen are fab at pointing them out, down to The Tower of London. You can ride back or hop off and get the district line back.

McDonalds is McDonalds wherever you are and there are better options, or just drop into one that you pass.

Thanks all, lots to think about so maybe back to the drawing board! I wasn't sure about Natural History Museum but if the Science museum isn't that interactive then maybe the way to go! It doesn't really have to be Hyde Park, just looking at the map it seemed to be on the way. In that case I'm thinking start at Nat Hist museum, down to Westminster and then potentially boat ride, picnic for lunch in between and then probably mcdonalds - it's a treat for a 7 year old after all! I remember going on the London Eye when I was about 9 and being so bored, so maybe it's just better to look at!

Definitely the HoHo bus for your people with little legs will tick many boxes to “see” London without the moaning! Hamleys is really nothing special - would you go to Smyths superstore on a day out? No- Hamleys really is no different!!