London trip -what to do: city cruise, Ripley's, London Dungeons?

[hungryallthetime]

We're going to London soon with our 2 boys aged 11 and 8, I've got lots of clubcard vouchers I could use to get tickets for various attractions but could do with some recommendations please .

Looked at doing a city cruise from Westminster to London Bridge to see some sights or are the Ripleys Believe it or not and London Dungeons a bit more interesting? I don't really want to spend a long time queuing for things ( we're going 1st Sat of half term).

Any restaurant recommendations would be great too, for the adults good food, would prefer not to go to chain place but need a children's menu as they are the 2 fussiest children alive (just!) .

Thanks x

Avoid the natural history museum it was hell on earth in Oct half term.

Have you considered Bateaux London? They do Thames Dining Cruises so you can combine both restaurant and sight-seeing

I'd certainly avoid the NHM and Science Museum, unless there is a ticketed exhibition you want to see....the main parts are UTTER carnage during the holidays. We often would nip in zip round one of the quieter floors and zip out again!

You can use your clubcard vouchers for the Zoo and for the Official Bus Tours, both eye wateringly expensive otherwise imo. Also don't forget you can use them for a few restaurants too, we find that a real money saver!

What about Duck Tours? Sightseeing and river cruise! Plus the benefit of Londoners actually smiling and waving at you.

Oh and the two main bus tours are painfully slow. You usually end up just getting off and walking! Far cheaper to get a one day travel pass and hopping on and off the normal buses.

Thank you for suggestions, still not quite sure. Like the sound of the Duck tour but you can't use the clubcard vouchers, and mine need spending! Think we'll have to go for the city cruise.

There are also Thames Clipper boats that go up and down the river all day between Woolwich and Waterloo with lots of stops in between. Not sure what they cost these days but are on Oystercard system, so might be cheaper than the cruise tickets and you could visit Greenwich/Canary Wharf/Tower and other places, as well as London Bridge.

Walking along the South Bank is fun - there will be street entertainers and lots of restaurants. You could walk from London Dungeon to Waterloo, for example.

I have done the three things you mentioned with my 2 DS's and we enjoyed them all. Ripleys was better than we expected, we combined it with Rain Forest Cafe and a trip to Hamleys and then a ride in a London Taxi. I would also recommend the War Museum and walk to The London Eye via 'graffiti tunnel' which my boys found fascinating.