AIBU to even think of taking children into london during the olympics...

[PeaTarty]

We will be housesitting for some friends just outside of London, as we do each year, for the first 2 weeks of summer hols. Pretty much exactly when the olympics are on.

My daughter hasn't been into london so I'd quite like to take her in, do a "duck" tour and go on a double decker bus. She's a pre-schooler so just want to be "in" London and do Londony things.

Is that an unreasonable ask? Will it be horrid in London or extra friendly?!

Also wondering this.
What dates are the Olympics, exactly?

I think it will be fine - as long as you're staying away from the whole Olympic site area.

London in August is always ram-packed anyway - I can't see how it can be any worse!

I'd avoid it if possible, but that's just me (hence my name!) The Olympics are around the end of July, beginning of August (I think they start when the kids break up)

Avoid the tourist buses that are available to everyone. We took a foreign visitor to London with the idea of using one of them. The cost for s short trip was £15 per person and I'm talking about 10 years ago. God knows what the price of that will be like during Olympic time.

The best place for a quick lunch is the Central Hall very close to the Houses of Parliament. downstairs is a cafe with sensibly priced sanmdwiches and cups of tea. If you think you can't go there for some reason, take a picnic in a shopping trolley.

Olympics are 27thish July to 12th August.

Instinct tells me to avoid BUT as we no longer live near london it seems a shame not to take my girl there for a day. Not sure where the olympic sites are - I'd like to do tourist things with her - duck tour starts about the london eye and goes down the river, double decker tour presumably goes around tourist bits in the middle too...

However when we used to live near london we didn't have children...

Olympics run July 27 through August 12?

It will be packed. Much more so than usual. But London is fairly geared up for big events so check out www.tfl.gov.uk for where the biggest transport problems are likely to be - if your only way in is through London Bridge, for example, you may want to avoid it this year. If you decide to do it, allow plenty of time for travel, have snacks and water with you, and be flexible.

x-post on dates!

i am with you! cant work out whether the tourist bits will be quieter than usual due to the fact that everyone will be at olympic venues and everyone else will be put off due to hikes in fares/hotels etc

i am put off by the hundreds of tfl messages telling us how bad it is going to be!

my dd who is 4 is happy going on a red london bus from Euston to Hyde Park, playing there and having a maccy d for lunch.

It will be busier, certainly, but a lot of tourist attractions are ready and waiting for the additional visitors. Outside of the Olympic Park, the area around Hyde Park will be busy as some of the road events start/finish there and there will be a large live screen set up too.

Avoid travel in the morning peak (which I'd advise anyway), and use the TFL website which provides live updates of hotspots. It's just a bit of planning and common sense really.

Okay - think we might travel by real train from West Ruislip at 10ish getting into london after rush hour, go on a tube from marylbone to waterloo, wander around south bank and look at the "statues". Go on a duck tour (75 mins) and then come home. Probably enough for a child...

When is best for coming home? When is the peak rush - we were thinking of coming home before it started but would it be better to stay until later until its finished or is it mad all evening.

Is it completely mad?!

I live in London and will be getting well away during the olympic period.

Book your duck tour in advance though. We found we couldn't just hop on one as it was full. I really want to go on one!

I'd take a kid to wander around St James's Park (ice cream kiosk, small play area, pond with lots of animals, Buckingham Palace at one end). Just the dates to avoid things like the Marathon

In terms of going home, I'd aim to be on a train at about 1630. Generally travelling out of London in rush hour is easier than going in.

Yep leave around 1630 - that should give you a cheap day return and avoid rush

Agree with advance booking of duck tour, london eye or anything like that

I think your plan will be fine, but if you are worried why not leave firming up your plans until a couple of days after the Olympics have started and people in London can report back on what it is like.

Thanks, I did the duck tour pre-kids and loved it! I think if we just go in and do that and have a picnic she will have "seen" a lot of london sights and got the feel for it. I might book it later this evening. She's only 4 so not really expecting to do much with her. When shes bigger I'd love to do museums and things.

When I lived nearer london and she was small we went to St James park and Hyde park and did things with her but she was far too small to remember!

ragingmull - if we near london still we would be avoiding it in summer too. BUT as we are housesitting nearby it sort of makes sense to come in then rather than book a hotel another time of year or not do it at all.

Pea, i understand and I'm sure your dc will have a lovely time. I am just horrified by the thought of two whole weeks of it.

I just saw duck tours go passed my office window.

We now live by the sea - I suspect a lot of Londoners will be coming our way to escape the Olympics. I did have to mentally check my sanity when our friends asked if we wanted to house sit at that time!

I think a lot will depend on which mainline station you will be coming into and leaving from. London Bridge and Stratford for example are predicted to be like the seventh circle of hell for the entire duration. If you can avoid the busy stations (that get ahead of the games site should help) it will be fine, I'm sure!

Leaving West Ruislip to Marylebone then tube to Waterloo is the plan.

My geography of central London is sketchy but that should be ok? We'd head back about 3.30 to be on tubes by 4 I suspect.

Thanks for the advice - mumsnet is great :)

South Bank should be not too bad, but avoid the days of a) the marathon b) beach volleyball at Horseguards.

The getaheadofthegames website has a brilliant day-by-day map which shows you which stations to avoid. Weds 1st/Thursday 2nd look like good days for you

Friday 3rd?

Friday 3rd looks worse

Grr Thursday duck tours have sold out as they are only doing 2 times and the one available one is too late!

I assume the weekend will be even worse...

We arrive to house sit Wednesday night.