Something special to do in london suggestions please

[shhhgobacktosleep]

2013 has been a terrible year in which my husband died and understandably Christmas is going to be difficult this year as a result. Youngest ds (8) and I are having a weekend in London seeing a show at the end of the month and I am looking for inspiration for something special and memorable to do together on the Sunday before getting the train home.

The Emirates Cable Cars are good fun

A stroll along the South Bank (always lots to see)

Ice skating (Somerset House and Natural History Museum rinks look lovely and festive

A trip to Hamleys (if you can face it!!)

If you can give a little more info about the things he likes to do, I'm sure I could come up with some more suggestions

Thank you for your help.

I think Hamleys is out of the question, we went last year with daddy and he hated it, he's not a lover of shops and certainly not hot, noisy and crowded ones. The cable cars look fun (I didn't even know they existed) would there be anything particularly child friendly/interesting that we could do? He will probably be very tired from travelling up on Friday after a full week at school and will be having a very late night on the Saturday so I would think something lasting a couple of hours or so only would be ideal. Maybe somewhere nice/special to eat too?

He likes singing, dancing and history if that helps at all?

The London transport museum is really good and fun for kids. It's own covent garden too which is a fun place in itself! Meat liquor is a good burger place in covent garden.
Sorry you've had a bad year x

I second the transport museum.

The London eye is also very good. You could also consider a boat ride, ve been on a Thames cruise before and it was actually very enjoyable.

There is the British music experience inside the 02, I've not been so not sure how suitable it would be for an 8 year old. Lots of places to eat in there too. You could get to Royal Victoria on the DLR which is quite fun, cable car across then lunch/bme in the 02 maybe?

Transport museum is also fun although mine were much younger when we went, my DD (now 6) keeps asking when we can go back!

So sorry about your husband shhhh

I was going to suggest a show, dancing, music and you can sit down, so not tiring.

Matilda is fantastic and Charlie And The Chocolate Factory is also on at the moment.

Thank you. We are coming to London to see Charlie & the chocolate factory, this will just be an additional special thing to do (making new happy memories and rebuilding our lives) on the Sunday before catching the train home. Will look into the bme, that sounds like something he really might be interested in if it's age appropriate

Hope you have a fantastic time shhhh. It will be so bitter sweet, but you are right, it is so important to build new happy memories.

Very sorry to read about your DH.

My ds (also 8) and I are v fond of a trip to London. The cable cars are brilliant and the trip out on the DLR a bonus.

Another FAB thing (although we did it in mid-summer rather than November!) was the the Thames RIB experience, we went out to the Thames Barrier and it was fantastic.

We also went to the Museum of London, which was great. At the moment I want to go back to see the exhibition about the Cheapside Hoard. Ds says he wants to go to this although I think it's just that he loves the museum.

The Globe theatre tour is magical, he really enjoyed that last year.

Sorry to hear about your dh. Hope you and your ds have a fantastic time and are able to make some happy memories.

I'll be off to London with my 2 sons who are only a little younger than yours in December so I'd be interested to hear about how you got on and what you did of you get the chance...

www.onealdwych.com/food-drink/afternoon-tea.aspx#
This is a charlie and the chocolate inspired afternoon tea. May be booked up but you could try. I am taking dd in a few weeks.

Do you have time to squeeze in an illuminated walk through kew gardens? www.kew.org/visit-kew-gardens/whats-on/christmas/illuminated-trail/

Not sure which weekend you will be in london but there is a chocolate festival at the south bank from 13-15 December - www.festivalchocolate.co.uk/festivals/london/