So talk me through a London weekend trip with dc...

[DutyFruity]

I've just got back from London (was away with work). I've only ever travelled through London, or been to one specific venue/hotel for a night with work...I've never 'done' the touristy London thing so am a novice and know there are a lot of Londoners on here

I definitely now want to 'do' London with dh and the dc, aged 7 and nearly 5. The really typical touristy things...NHM, boat ride on the Thames, Tower of London, Hyde Park...that sort of thing.

Ideally I'd like to spend two nights/3 days. It's a 3 hour train ride from us...so I'm thinking the dc will have an illness from school one Friday ( ), we'll go up Friday morning and come back Sunday night.

What's worth doing and what's a waste of time? What's free/well worth the money and what's ridiculously expensive and avoidable?

Also, where could we stay as cheap as possible for two nights, reasonably accessible to tubes so we can get around...without spending £300 a night?

I know we won't do it on a shoestring but nor do I want to spend the equivalent of a week abroad on a two night stay

Oh and for the sticklers...AIBU to ask for advice on here?

We went a couple of weeks ago. Stayed at Park Plaza County Hall which was amazing. Great "studio" rooms with separate sitting room area and little kitchen bit.
We didn't manage to fit in nearly as much as we wanted but DC's are 3 and 6 and got tired. DH decided we would be spontaneous and go without much of a plan. This was a mistake!
Rainforest Cafe was brilliant fun but expensive, although everything in London is expensive I think.
We loved it and will probably go again in a couple of years.

Tis true rootypig, you need to have reached a certain level of inner calm before entering and you need to know that you've allowed a certain amount of time and will then be leaving and that you are not buying anything. And you need to have children who will understand and accept this.

Oooh, M and M World as well. They really enjoyed there. Chocolate heaven.

Marking my place as I'm visiting London with 8yo DS1 this weekend. I lived in London until four years ago but seem to have forgotten everything that's there!

My DD is 10 & is London mad (like her mum)!

We like the Travelodge at Covent Garden - it's basic but clean, adult breakfast is £7.50 & kids eat free iirc, and the staff have been brilliant when we've stayed there - really helpful.

DD was absolutely mesmerized by Trafalgar Square which I didn't expect last time we went. She also loves Covent Garden itself, Science & Natural History Museums & Tate Modern. The South Bank usually has lots going on especially in summer but gets very crowded - the more easterly end usually isn't quite so bad.

Choccywoccydoodah on the corner of Carnaby Street went down well last time we visited too.

Make sure you take a second mortgage if you go to M&M world - it's amazing but soooo expensive!

Just did a couple of days in London with dd aged 5. Can't recommend places to stay as we stayed with relatives just outside London and got train in each day.
We did:
London eye (Google 2for 1 days out, although you will need a national rail ticket, not just underground ticket or oyster card. Get there early to avoid queues (you can't book in advance if using 2 for one). We got there about 9.40 and only queued 5 mins to get tickets then not at all to get on. Looked busier later. You also get a short 4d film included.
Boat trip -we got this with tesco clubcard vouchers (city cruises ). We just got a one way ticket from London eye to tower of London, and that was probably enough for dd -think she would have got bored if we did a long trip. looked at Tower of London from outside only. We then got the tube back.
Science museum -packed in half term, but didn't have to queue to get in. Has an indoor picnic area if you want to get stuff in a supermarket to take in and save money. Look at the website before hand and decide what you most want to see, rather than trying to do it all.
Natural History museum -very busy. Get there before opening as queues huge later. Dinasour section and volcanoes and earthquake section both well worth seeing. At busy times such as school holidays, you can book time for Dinasour gallery online for free. Definitely do this if available, a few days before. We must have saved ourselves an hour queuing! Again, don't try and do it all, and again a picnic area -better than the science museum.
We also went to St James Park, trafalgar square and stood outside Buckingham palace. I would recommend mixing and matching bus, tube and walking for variety. One of the unexpected highlights for us was the walk from the strand over a bridge to Waterloo station to go home after evening meal (clubcard vouchers again! ) -was beautiful with everything lit up and dd enjoyed a go on a carousel on the south bank!
You can buy visitor oyster cards online beforehand to save faffing with it when you arrive. The transport for London website also has plenty of info about bus routes etc.
Have a great time! We did.