London weekend your top tips

[Heels99]

Hi, going to London at end of school hols with 7 year olds. Staying 2 nights. Would love your recommendations. We arrive sat lunchtime leave Monday afternoon. Staying in islington. We have done in london before: Tower of London, boat trip down Thames, science museum, british museum ( Egyptians), natural history museum, south bank, Diana memorial playground, Hyde park, st Jame park, Trafalgar Square and buck house from outside.

Thinking of London zoo on the Sunday and will go to hamleys on Monday but that won't take up all time. So need Saturday afternoon and Monday. May need a wet weather plan for Sunday as may not do zoo if tipping it down. We won't be going to hotel to drop of luggage or pick it up, will have small backpacks with us on the sat and mon.

Eating - recommendations for eating in islington on sat and Sunday, done pizza express and various Turkish options before OR somewhere else that we can eat earlyish and then go back to hotel. Not rainforest cafe type stuff, somewhere we can all have something decent. I did fancy lobster burger but dont think there will be one convenient.

Thank you!

My DC's love it here, DH took them one day wihtout me, sounds a bit macabre (50 moles preserved in a jar for example ) but they were fascinated by it all! Would the DC's like dim sum? There's a ping pong close by on Goodge St.

You could go for Byron if you are looking for burgers...lots around, including in Islington .

oh and Camden within walking distance of the zoo if that works. I would take your own food to the zoo by the way, or eat before/after, the food there is terrible and ££ . A picnic lunch from Pret/Eat in Camden, both very close to the tube, could be the way forward.

If going to the Zoo - I would also do a walk down the canal (you could actually walk to the zoo from Islington down the canal -it's about a hours walk but there is lots to see). You go through Camden Lock without hitting all the big market areas but you walk through the foodie bit which is fun and also the canal museum, behind the new Kings cross development. See lots of canal boats, birds etc
Have you done the Museum of Childhood, Museum of London, tate and South Bank, London Transport Museum

Islington is great for food - you mention Turkish places so soudns like you have been before. There is an Ottalinghi (sp?), La Porchetta (fun big pizza great for kids), Mem and Laz is good, a few sit down fish and chip shops if you walk in the direction of Highbury!

South Bank if the weather is nice? London Eye if a clear day.

If you walk along the canal to Camden lock (or even if you get tube to Camden) then you can get on the boat there that drops you at the zoo, could be fun and gives you a rest rather than the last 10-15 mins walk to get to the zoo

we enjoy all the street entertainers at Covent garden, also a favourite is Harrods food hall.

The Shard. South Bank for entertainment and food. Theatre? Charlie and the Chocolate Factory or Matilda are first class. (Assuming they are still running!) HMS Belfast. Pleasant cafe there to watch life on the Thames. St Pauls, the Millennium Bridge and The Globe theatre. They might be a bit young for this but the whispering gallery is good in St Pauls and the bridge leading to the South Bank is excellent.

Thanks all very very much these are great suggestions. Byron is near hotel so that is dinner sorted for one of the day and will look into the other suggestions for the other night. Love the canal boat and walking along canal to the zoo suggestions and will get a picnic from pret to take.

Grants museum looks amazing, never heard of it but definitely looks intriguing. We generally end up on south bank at some point. Haven't taken them to covent garden so that could be a good option combined with transport museum. Is v and a worth a look from kids perspective? Has forgotten about St. Paul's too, thanks for reminder.

Shard we have been to but not up due to £100 price tag but may go up to the bar. Theatre we prob won't do this trip as we have got tickets for a few theatrical things already on other dates.

Also.....I have to be in London in 2 weeks time for a business meeting that doesn't start till afternoon. Will have a couple hours to kill but with laptop to haul around and business dress. Any suggestions? Going to liverpoolst for meeting

Thanks all vey much

My DC's like the costumes in the V&A, also the suits of armour. The courtyard is beautiful on a nice days and they can paddle in the pool/fountain. Of course you are also across the road from Science museums and Nat history and as all 3 are free you could do snippets from each if you wanted. Also good is the Wallace Collection, part of the national gallery but smaller and less well known so usually less rammed on busier days. Kids can try on bits of armour there.

For you, you could jump in a cab to Coq d'Argent if it's a lovely day and you want to spoil yourself. Also good is Broadgate Circle, there's a big All Bar One with a terrace you could camp yourself on for a couple of hours. Or Duck & Waffle at Heron Tower....amazing views and 24hr service.

Of course if you don't want to just sit around you could shop on Cheapside/Leadenhall market, visit St Paul's or The Museum of London at London Wall (another one the dc's might like).

Of course if you don't want to just sit around you could shop on Cheapside/Leadenhall market, visit St Paul's or The Museum of London at London Wall (another one the dc's might like).

ooh I know exactly which hotel your in - for picnics all the supermarkets are v close including a waitrose ;-)
When walking to the canal from your hotel look out for the pavement markings - kids love spotting the next one but these but very helpful as it can be a bit trick to find your way en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Islington_Tunnel images at the bottom of this article.
For you - I would perhaps suggest the Barbican ( i think they have left luggage) but also nice exhibitions a good cafe (that lots of business people use at lunchtime) but with space outside if its sunny!

Sleep, thanks all bar one was perfect.

Have plan for school holidays based on all of your suggestions so. Thanks for posting everyone

Golden Hinde?
Museum of London or Museum of Docklands, both free and great rain options. They also have often holiday activities.

Westminster Abbey and St. Paul's are closed on Saturday pm and Sundays

I personally don't like the London Zoo very much. If you have a decent zoo near home or available for a day trip I wouldn't bother.

Greenwich Maritime museum, Royal Observatory, Cutty Sark are also good ways to spend time.

Greenwich Maritime museum, Royal Observatory, Cutty Sark are also good ways to spend time.

I was going to suggest Greenwich too. The Maritime Museum is interesting (and free), Greenwich park is really nice, there's an indoor market, and a foot tunnel that goes underneath the Thames. You could have a ride on the cable car too.

I also second the recommendations for the Museum of London.