Natural history museum - help please

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Wanting to take the kids to the NHM in half term (last week of October). DH will drive down but doesn't want to drive inside the congestion zone. Does anyone have any ideas of the best way to do this? I guess we'll need a hotel (two nights) and rail transport (South Kensington is the nearest station?).

Never done London before and the options are just confusing us so much.

If you're anxious about drivng in cental London, don't do it. I live here and I prefer not to. Travelling in on the Piccadilly Line sounds a great idea to me. Forget scare stories about rush hour crowds - if you get on at the beginning of the line it is likely you will get a seat anyway. West Lodge Park is a very nice hotel close-ish to Cockfosters tube but for real convenience stay at the Travelodge at Ye Olde Cherry Tree in Southgate N14 which is easy walking distance along a pleasant and safe high street to Southgate tube station, two stops in from C/fosters. Plenty of choice of cafes and restaurants nearby, a lovely park just down the road - you won't need to use the car, and all about 5 easy miles inside M25.

Fair enough. Just checking People often assume holidays are the best time to visit, but term weekends are often quieter.

It's great advice can not thank you all enough :-)

Oh I just read full thread and see DD is in a wheelchair. Not much of the tube is very wheelchair friendly - try checking on the tfl.gov.uk journey planner before you travel.

Going to bed my heads mashed will check back in morning again thank you x

With a blue badge you can book a parking space on site which is right next to the back door so you have no queues to deal with no matter when you go.

Just for info, loads of tourist attractions do free entry for carers, which can half entry fees. We take our hospital letter as proof, plus you move straight to the front of the queue which is really helpful when your dcs struggle with queueing. Check out the museum of childhood which is ideal for chairs and buggies and is so quiet. My tribe love London! Check out premier inn Stratford it has parking underneath where you can dump the car (outside the congestion zone) there is a tube station next door to the hotel and the whole thing is attached to the Westfield shopping centre which is fab (cheap food court!) Loads of lovely shops for window shopping. All very disabled friendly. London is fab! Have a great time

How about staying near wembley stadium? its not far along the north circular from the end of the M1, there are premier inns there, an assessable tube which goes to westminster which is also assessable with a wheelchair. from there you can pick up a cab to south ken, this would avoid driving in central london and the jubilee line is a lot more rapid than the piccadilly line. south ken is a no go with a wheelchair.

There's a travel lodge in Docklands that is easy to drive to ( driving there myself from Yorkshire soon) and the a Docklands light railway is close by for easy access to Central London
We went to NHM recently and we booked online in advance for the dinosaur exhibit ( free) but to be honest it would be really hard with a wheelchair as there are lots of steps to access a walkway and there didn't seem to be a lift.
The rest of the museum would be pretty wheelchair friendly though from memory.

There is definitely a lift. On the right as you go in. Glass side

Have done nhm with a wheelchair (sn buggy).

Tbh that bit was absolutely fine. If you're dd has trouble with queuing let them know as they are really keen to help and will get you in without the queue. Also ask if you need a breakout space (more asd related). When I spoke to them they are really keen to help.

The tube is an absolute nightmare but I totally get the not wanting to drive in London. I don't know which train station you're coming into and that would alter my advice. I have found buses reasonably ok but my favourite way is to walk, well roll. Most of the drop kerbs in London are actually drop kerbs and it's amazing how much you can see.

I would consider taxi, it isn't cheap but it's not as expensive as you might imagine either. If you can get home and back within a (long) day using a taxi you save yourself the hotel room anyway.

October half term will be really, really busy, you will need to queue up to get in and queue up to see the dinosaurs once you are there. Best times to go to the south ken museums are in the mid-afternoon during school times (miss the school trips) so I would wait until your dcs get an inset day. The museums at Greenwhich are ace though