To think that sightseeing in London is incredibly stressful and not enjoyable

[EllebellyBeeblebrox]

We've just got back from a long weekend in London, using AirBNB. Kids are 5 and 9, and I'm 24weeks pregnant (which, I admit may be affecting my feelings on this matter)
We've had a lovely time, the kids thought the zoo was wonderful, enjoyed the tube, and the river taxi. I however am utterly shattered and drained and have the following gripes...

1. There was at any one time about 50 other people trying to walk in the same square metre as me. In all directions, like crazed and manic ants.
2. People just stopping in front of me randomly whilst walking to take a series of selfies in front of a lamppost.
3. Everything is horrendously expensive. £5 for a small gift shop key ring, aggravatingly underneath a sign which said "pocket money toys".
4. QUEUEING EVERYWHERE
5. Rude people pushing and barging and generally invading all personal space
6. The realisation (mainly at the Tower of London) that I have less than minimal knowledge of British history, and indeed the French family behind me in the queue knew more about various kings and queens than me. My children also seem only to be interested in historical things that are either gruesome and bloodthirsty (prisons/dungeons) or childishly amusing (Henry Viii's codpiece). Sadly the same could be said for me.
7. Big Ben looks like a building site and Westminster tube station smelled of piss.

Am I a total joyless bastard? Should I have been more enthralled at the historic and cultural sights? I'm so happy the DCs (mostly) enjoyed it but I'm utterly fucked, my feet and back are in agony after marching around for three days and not sleeping on a sofa bed. I'm so happy to be home

You’re just doing it wrong!

As a Yorkshire person I bloody love London for a city break, just like I love NY or any other major city. For a weekend.

You cant expect to drag a five year old round whilst pregnant and find it a joy! Take them when they are teens it’s far more enjoyable.

As far as I am concerned, and I have been to cities like NY (three times), Paris (twice), Venice, Rome, Berlin, Amsterdam, Sydney, Melbourne to name a few, London is up there at the top, fabulous place.

YABU for preferring Barking to anywhere! It's also technically in Essex as well as being a London borough. Hence the IG postcode rather than NSEW like London proper......

@notacooldad
I went to Vilnius last week, beautiful city, spotlessly clean, people were lovely. Best trip I’ve had in a while.
I live in London and like others, wouldn’t venture into the centre on a bank holiday weekend.

@ZippyBungleAndGeorge Barking is in London. It's one of those places swallowed up when London expanded in the 60s. London has been expanding for centuries so much so people in parts of Kent are scared London will expand soon to swallow them up as well.

OP you need to do all tourist attractions before noon particularly with children under 11. Then find a nice park for them to play in for the afternoon.

I live in Barking. I struggle to see how you stayed here and enjoyed it more! Madness!

@ScreamScreamIceCream it's a London borough yes, but I know an awful lot of people from Barking and Dagenham who still consider themselves to be from Essex as well as London. Rainham, Upminster, Hornchurch all Essex by address, but part of Havering a London borough. I grew up in Essex but in catchment for a school in Havering. The boundaries are still blurred and Barking is still rough.

We used to love going to London but have not been since last year

1. So crowded, everyone pushing and shoving.
2. Awful traffic
3. Many place we used to go restaurants, etc have been upgraded to accommodate the rich visitors which has resulted in everything becoming far more expensive with worse food.
4. I don’t think there is a quiet season any more, there is always something on, tennis, football, etc

It's worth the trip for the Tower alone. The Yeoman Warders are hilarious.
I want to go to Hampton Court next

I hate sightseeing in crowded cities. Give me a little village any day.

Notacooldad is obviously trying to impress the ladies with how well travelled he is
Eh?
I was asked a question by *holly and gave examples of capitals I've been that are quieter than London and in my experience these places are.

oh and bibbitybobbityyhat its foolish to make assumptions about me.

I think Notacooldad is being a bit tongue in cheek. All of those places are tiny and some have fuck all in the way of tourist attractions The point is still relevant. Holly asked where was quieter than London.
You are being a bit ignorant about those places ' offering fuck all to tourists* With the exception of Tirspol they are all fabulous in their own way and have a lot to offer and I love going back over and over again. They are popular but not necessarily with Brits.

I struggle with crowds and seek out less populate places for my trips. I really would love to go to London and spend time there but last time I went I felt so panicked and pushed around I couldn't enjoy it. I would also like to go to Rome but don't for the same reason.

I don't have a problem with tourists, (being one myself obvs) I think valuing and enjoying new experiences and places is important. Like cooldad I get very anxious in crowded places, more so when those places have vey visual reminders of the world we live in today (the barriers to stop cars driving on paths like on Westminster bridge for example )
I'm just as happy to be a tourist in the Peak District, or the seaside but some of the tourists in London really do seem to be oblivious to the fact that there are other people trying to walk/live/travel/breathe there!

DH and I used to live in London.

My sister came to visit with my nephews. We did loads of fun stuff, including a trip to Lego Land. My nephews' favourite part of the trip? Seeing a squirrel do a wee in Hyde Park 😂

It makes me laugh the things kids value about trips and days out, I have been cheered by reading these! Mine were fascinated by a squirrel on the walk back from the zoo. Lions, tigers, giraffes were all brilliant but this squirrel was obviously something else

I used to live in London. We moved out to buy a house. I wish now we’d bought the flat in London instead. The house is lovely, the village/town is fine, but I miss London. A lot.

We only live 40 mins away (on the fast train), but it’s nowhere near the same as living there and it all being on your doorstep.

I hate being a ‘visitor’ & not a ‘Londoner’.

Yes it’s busy, chaotic at times, tourists photographing pidgons and every-fucking-thing-else but it’s ‘life’ and I live that (well, most of the time, I’m only human 🤣).

Cramming loads in, with 2 young children and whilst pregnant, of course it’s going to be tiring. It would be tiring anywhere, even in your home town. Don’t blame London. Have a nice cup of tea & put your feet up.

I live in london, not the centre, but I avoid tourist sites esp when it’s busy!
Big Ben is having big renovation work
Tower of London is fascinating but to go in school Hols it’s going to be v busy.
Some tube stations/underpasses smell of piss - I’m used to it!
Any capital is going to be heaving in holiday time.

Big Ben looks like a building site

The clock tower looks like a building site because it is a building site. It is undergoing extensive repairs which won't be finished until 2021.

I was in London yesterday with DD and it was exactly as I would expect it to be and exactly as it always has been.

London is a living city, with millions of people who live here and millions more who all want to look at the same things! Trying to accommodate both communities can lead to stress. If the OP was annoyed by people blocking her way, queuing and crowded transport over a single weekend, imagine what it is like living here......

But it is worth it, the history, the splendour, the imagination, the spectacle that London offers. As others have said, you have to approach it carefully, do research, plan , find things to see that are still amazing but maybe less well known and quieter. Don't try to do everything ,London has been here a long time so come back another day. And when you do go to busy, popular places then take a deep breath and remind yourself that you are making memories that will last for ever, and you will forget the bumping and bruising!

It makes me laugh the things kids value about trips and days out

It does make you wonder why you bother with the "proper" sightseeing stuff sometimes doesn't it?

I was in London yesterday for the Vitality 10k race and walking over Westminster bridge afterwards to get back to the station was hideous. Also the queue for the War Rooms - massive! I couldn't be bothered to spend half the day in that!

It's not London, it's the dawdling, photographing tourists who get in your way. It happens anywhere touristy, and places are getting busier and busier as eg the Chinese have the money to travel. There were articles recently saying that the Dutch tourist authorities are trying to encourage people to go to other cities in the Netherlands to reduce pressure on Amsterdam.

Lions, tigers, giraffes were all brilliant but this squirrel was obviously something else

I think even small children understand that zoo animals are there ‘to be seen’ and that it’s sad they’re enclosed.

Whereas a random squirrel 🐿 is just ‘there’ going about it’s own business...

Kids do find the oddest thing ‘their favourite bit’ but that doesn’t mean they don’t get an awful lot out of visiting new places and seeing new things. They also absorb more than you think. Years later I’ve had them say ‘blah blah blah’ historical/science/geographical fact ‘I knew that from when we went to xyz’ (where their favourite thing was the ice cream, the white dog or whatever. Don’t despair, it’s not all a waste of time & money! 🤣

The key though, if you want to get into places before they get busy, is to get there early. For example, get to the Tower when it opens and it will be ok until around noon when the hordes arrive.

However, if you are travelling in by train, that means paying peak fares, which makes it even more expensive. And annoying a load of grumpy commuters who don't want noisy kids in their quiet carriage...

We walked from Victoria station to the London Eye a couple years ago and Victoria’s not exactly quiet but the closer we got to the bridge the amount of people became incredible. It was not long after a few terrorist incidents and I remember thinking that it would be impossible to control who was there. We did the London Eye (get advance tickets the queue was unbelievable) and had a great time.
I love London best place in the world, but I avoid places like Oxford St (though Christmas trip is a must) for places like Kingston which has the same shops and more civilised.

I said in my earlier post that I would love to go to London and every ti.e I think about going I get overwhelmed and don't know where to start.
I get 6 consecutive days off once every 4 weeks , (this is how I've been to many European capitals as I mentioned in another post)so have got the time to do it but lose my nerve about going and end up visiting somewhere else.
I went to a gig a few years ago and was with a friend who knows the place well as she goes down many times a year. My impression was that London seemed great if you knew what you were doing and where exactly you were going. There was no time for dawdlers!
I may try again as I really do want to go!

OP you need to do all tourist attractions before noon particularly with children under 11.

Very true and for most touristy places I know. And shopping.

Another tip as a tourist is to get lost in smaller streets and to visit less advertised places.

As a parent, don't take small kids to very busy places, particularly if you don't have a one adult for one child ratio.
Eg. Don't bother queueing for the dinosaurs at the NHM when the creepy crawlies can be just as much fun (or more with less people).