London - Last minute trip before Christmas. Would you?

[Workyticket]

Madness or loads of fun?

Would be me, DH and ds who is 9. We've been before but not for years.

Wondering where we could stay / what we could get up to last minute. Maybe the 20th and 21st?

[Workyticket]

We drove last time we went to London. Think we stayed in a Premier Inn near Tower Bridge whixh had a car park.

Can't see anything about parking at Southwark

[Powertoyou]

Definitely recommend the river boats, try and get on before city lights come on, it’s magical when they light up. Just tap with debit card. Try booking the Sky garden, it’s free.
Upstairs on a London bus is brilliant as well.
Visit hamleys, buts it’s expensive. Enjoy London.

[mug2018]

Do it .. I just come back from a weekend in London and it was fabulous
Harrods was horrible though: way too busy & if you travel by train that too is crazy busy: train booked for 3.30 but couldn't get on that or the next one an hour later & apparently seat bookings didn't apply as the trains were over booked 😣

[Doughnuts68]

Does anyone know what date the decorations come down in January?

[Welcometothejingles]

Probably the 12th night so 6th Jan but best Google online to check. Loads of people ce to see the lights so they won't take them down too soon.

[MrsSkylerWhite]

Is that a weekend? Docklands Travelodge is new, clean, with SuperRooms that are very comfortable. It’s very cheap most weekends because of lack of business customers. About 10/15 minutes into Westminster on the DLR.

[jay55]

For a show, consider one of the 'goes wrong' shows, there are usually good deals on tickets and they're not massively long.
And your son is the right age for all the slapstick and silly humour.

Also go to the Lego shop as well as hamleys, although often a queue.

[Twiglets1]

@Workyticket

Is it mad busy finding places to eat *@Twiglets1*?

Ds definitely wants to go to Hamleys so we'd get up early for that. I'd love Winter Wonderland. Neither dh or ds are keen on rides but the ice thing looks lovely 😍

Re meals out, you need to make reservations where I am (Marylebone) probably the same in other central places. Thats at the weekend. You may get lucky less popular nights but I would still reserve tables to be safe

[eightlivesdown]

If you stay in the docklands and travel by DLR, try and get to the front of the first carriage - DS will enjoy the "driver's" view.

Check the TFL (Transport for London) website before you travel as there are tube strikes on selected lines on some days.

[Welcometothejingles]

Sorry wrong thread, I'll ask for it to be removed

[Doughnuts68]

Welcome - thanks. I’ve tried googling but can’t find anything.

[thesugarbumfairy]

Was in London last weekend with DS2 for a show. It was rammed, particularly in the Piccadilly area.
I didn't find it much fun but DS2 was happy - we did visit Hamleys - he's perfectly aware its very expensive in there so we weren't going to buy anything, but just having a look around was still enjoyable although it was packed and they were not restricting people going in. He's 12. The lego shop queue wasn't too bad - we didn't wait more than 10 minutes - although I find it disappointingly small when you get inside.
We also did Forbidden Planet which both mine love - its down Shaftesbury avenue so walkable to Lego shop.
I took him to see back to the future, which we both really enjoyed (but we had amazing seats, right near the front)

[Titsywoo]

If you do drive in remember you will need to pay ULEZ as well as the congestion charge now (depending on what car you have). London is fine at the moment - I prefer it when it is busy as it feels more full of life. The quietness of lockdowns and just after was depressing. If you want to do the theatre The Play That Went Wrong is very funny and not expensive. Winter Wonderland is ok to have a wander around but it will get expensive if you want to go on rides etc. I liked the Bavarian Beer Hall which has slightly odd but fun live music throughout the day.

London is my favourite place in the world and I'm very lucky to live so close - I'll be up next Saturday for some shopping and light gazing! Make sure you go to more than just Oxford St and Regent St lights which are both pretty blah compared to lots of Mayfair plus places like Seven Dials etc. The best bits of London are where you step away from the hell that is Leicester Square and check out the side streets/smaller villagey areas like Chelsea and Marylebone.

[Monsoon92]

Placemarking as this seems like a lovely idea! We have a 2yo and a 6mo so we probably won't book into anything for this year, but might go up after Christmas Day for a walk around and to see the lights. Is it likely to be busy on the bank holiday on the 28th? That's the only day I can see that we really have time for it, but unsure if it's going to be more or less busy than before Christmas

[Workyticket]

Friends of ours are stuck on an overcrowded train back from London so we'd definitely prefer to drive now!

What do I need to know about charges please? We'd literally drive to a hotel and park up (Probably Tower Bridge Premier Inn. We've stayed there before unless i can find another with parking) then the car would sit there for 2 days

[UndertheCedartree]

@eightlivesdown

If you stay in the docklands and travel by DLR, try and get to the front of the first carriage - DS will enjoy the "driver's" view.

Check the TFL (Transport for London) website before you travel as there are tube strikes on selected lines on some days.

I used to live in Beckton and it never got old sitting at the front of the carriage on the DLR!

[Flowerpower23]

I’m taking my DD5 on her birthday, through to Christmas Eve (2 nights) we are going to see the new frozen musical, do the light walk at Kew Gardens and have booked tickets for the natural history museum. Staying in cover my garden at the premier inn hub, £80 a night for a double so very reasonable!

[HundredMilesAnHour]

@Workyticket

Me and dh are both teachers in FE college. Classes of 25+ teenagers and adults unmasked. We've all had covid, we're double jabbed....blah

Just checked and there's availability for WinterWonderland. Anyone been??

Definitely booking, I woke up excited!

Oh well that's fine then. Come into crowded London and spread your germs round those of us who live here. After all, it's not like omicron is highly contagious and affecting those who are double jabbed. Thanks a bunch.

[HundredMilesAnHour]

If you do drive in remember you will need to pay ULEZ as well as the congestion charge now (depending on what car you have). London is fine at the moment

Fine apart from gridlocked much of the time. Between deliberate road closures, roadworks, tube strikes and people driving in because they mistakenly think it'll be quiet, some of the main road arteries in/out of London are horrendous. Where I live traffic is now stationary from 2pm in the afternoon. It's worse than before Covid.

[Workyticket]

I'll take that on the chin - as long as you've not set foot outside of London with your germs during this pandemic

[Twiglets1]

@Workyticket

I'll take that on the chin - as long as you've not set foot outside of London with your germs during this pandemic

Exactly ... so much hypocrisy around Covid it does my head in

[MsTSwift]

I drove on our last visit and swore never never never again. No matter how bad the train is driving is worse.

[overthethamesfromyou]

I'd probably leave your car somewhere at the top of the Jubilee line and tube it down to Southwark.

[lollipoprainbow]

Wow so many responses for you, I posted a similar thing last week and got about 10!!