London advice for country bumpkin

[beeny]

We are going to London from the 22nd to the 27th of December.I would really appreciate some advice on how to do things affectively i.e. booking in advance on line and what is the best tube pass. My girls are 7 and 9.

Thanks in advance

i'm pretty sure transport is free for under-10s, take a look on the Transport for London (TFL) website- and look into Oyster cards for yourself. Although actually I think you can pay for buses and tubes with a debit card too. Whereabouts are you staying and what do you plan to do?

We are staying near Holborn. Is it better to book the London eye in advance

Transport is free for your DDs but they may need a photo card, check with TfL. If you have a contactless debut card you don't need an Oyster card.
I would book the London Eye.

Thanks any other suggestions we are definitely doing the natural history museum.

Be warned there is no transport on the 25th. Nothing. You are restricted to what got can drive yourself / walk / cab.

Your children can travel free on buses and tubes, they don't need a photo card. They pay on National Rail though. You can use your contactless card on buses, tubes and rail, make sure you tap in and out every time though or you will get charged the maximum fare.

You can also do the science museum while you are at the natural history.

Can you be more specific about likes/dislikes, what you are planning to do, what you definitely don't want to do? Happy to suggest things, but need to narrow down the possibilities in order to be helpful!

Any museums bit of shopping. The girls are love everything ! Thanks Mrs Bert

They might like the V&A, across the road from the natural history museum. Have a look at their website.

The aquarium v close to the Eye.
And a walk along the South Bank, from the Eye, see what free activities are going on around the Royal Festival Hall
The Museum of London is good , too.
Check the Time Out website

Thanks everyone.

to repeat that you need to think hard about Dec 25, no transport and nothing open. Find out where you can eat and plan a walking tour, and have a plan B if the weather is nasty.

Thanks will probably eat something in an indian restaurant and get a taxi.

If you're planning to go to the Natural History Museum get there early. The queues will be massive.

If you want to see a musical but not pay full price many of the theatres release tickets on the day for about 1/3 of the price. Turn up at 10am if you can to bagsy them. It's limited to 2 tickets per person though.

Another miser's tip: the cafes/ restaurants in the museums can be pricy, stock up on sandwiches and snacks, they have picnic areas.

What about a pantomime or some derive theatre or ballet?
Seeing the Christmas lights in Oxford / regents street. Hamleys. Ice skating at the natural history museum or Somerset house.

Check out the timeout website for more ideas. www.timeout.com/london/kids/activities/best-london-christmas-activities-for-children

Festive

Yet again thanks everyone keep them coming.

Nat Hist Museum - use the side entrance in Exhibition Rd, not the main entrance, queues are much shorter.

Sir John Soane museum is ear to where you're staying, quirky and free.

Geffrye Museum and Museum of Childhood in East London very good. Free.

If you're in Covent Garden go to the Pollock's Toy Theatre shop, they'll love it. Oh, and Fortnum's is beautuful at Christmas and close to the Wolsley for afternoon tea and a massive Waterstoned if you're bookworms.

Waterstoned?? Waterstones!!

From Holborn, you can walk to Covent Garden in a few minutes. The market stalls are very interesting and my DS has always loved the transport museum. After that, I recommend stopping for ice cream here: www.coventgarden.london/event/magnum-pleasure-store

I would really recommend d you book an open topped bus tour- a great way to whizz round the main sights, get your bearings and the chance to "hop off" wherever you want. It's much more interesting to travel by bus above ground where you can- download a bus app for your phone for route info etc. London Dungeon is brilliant if your kids aren't like,y to get spooked (it's actually not THAT scary) but again book in advance. Winter wonderland is v pricey for rides but worth a wander, and the Southbank has rides, stalls etc alongside a row of good family restaurants. A river trip is good too, get on a boat at the London Eye for example (you can get a joint ticket) and go up river with good commentary. If you want a day trip go to Hampton Court by train from Waterloo- really magical, and ice skating there too. Westfield in White City or Stratford good for shopping and less hellish thsn Oxford Street.

Boat trips down the Thames are fun. You can go as far as Greenwich which is a lovely place to spend a day. There's plenty to do there and lots of places to eat. Check out when the market is on as that is worth a visit.

If you do the Science Museum, your first stop should be the hands-on experiment area. Get there as it opens and go straight there, and your kids will get plenty of opportunity to have a go on all the experiments. It quickly gets busy and then you have to queue for ages to have a go on anything.

If you go to the natural history museum, you can book timed tickets for the dinosaurs online for free. That saved us hours of queueing in the summer.