Weekend in London

[Alyx80]

I’m planning to take my two oldest children to London for the weekend soon. They’re 12&9 and want to see the main sights having not been before (and I haven’t been for 20 years)

Can anyone recommend a rough itinerary please or must sees? We’ll really only have all day Saturday and possibly Sunday morning so need to fit as much as possible in!

And also a cheapish hotel that has a double and two singles in one room if possible.

Thank you!

Premier Inn family room for a hotel - dbl bed plus two singles. On Saturday, you could start at the South Bank - busy with entertainers, views of Westminster Abbey, Big Ben etc . London Eye also there for views (although expensive and long queues so book in advance). Then walk along for about 15 minutes to the Tate Modern (Free) maybe, then walk a bit further to Tower Bridge. From Tower Bridge you can get a boat to Greenwich which takes 20 minutes. Nice market there at the weekends and a great park/naval museum (free). Dinner then 10 minute train ride return to Central London

On Sunday, London Zoo or the Aquarium? Walk in Regents or Hyde Park and look at Buckingham Palace.

Ended too soon! Or on Sunday you could get on one of the 'Hop on Hop off' tourist buses which will take you around all the main sites but they're not cheap! Kids that age are free on buses and tubes but the train/boats charge. You can use any contactless card to pay on transport.

Children up to the age of 16 are accommodated free (including free breakfast) in their parents room at Novotel. I'd recommend their Tower of London branch. We found it quiet, well located and the staff were friendly.
At 10am Saturday morning, take the CityCruises boat from Tower Pier to London Eye Pier. They'll tell you about the sights on the way. You'll be able to go on the London Eye before having lunch at one of the many Southbank outlets. Head north over the Golden Jubilee Bridge and up into Trafalgar Sq and then into Covent Garden to watch the street entertainers. You'll be in time to watch a matinee West End show. When you come out, it might be getting dark which would be perfect for wandering through Leicester Square and all the cinemas and M andM world. Head north through China Town
For dinner eat your first course and Inamo (oriental fusion restaurant with space age decor and interactive table tops) and then head to Chin Chin dessert labs nearby for afters!

Novotel or premier inn hotels, what station are you coming into. Don't get the sightseeing bus, you can just get buses that take you to all the major areas, look up London bus pass site. Camden market is busy but exciting, then walk around regents park, the zoo is really expensive but you can see animals for free in st James park, Battersea park and Golders Hill Park. All the museum's and art galleries are free. What sort of things do they enjoy and what sort of food. There is a Time Out website, what to do in London page.

Brilliant, thanks everyone. We’ll probably get the train down into Euston. Will have a good look at all the suggestions and see what they fancy doing! I think they want to see Big Ben and Buckingham Palace! X

I am going with DS in July for a few days. After much searching I booked the Travelodge in Greenwich, a good price and not so out of the way for what we want to see. I also like the village sort of feel to Greenwich. On our list is :
Greenwich observatory and Cutty Sark
Combined ticket for cabinet war rooms and London eye.
Science museum
Natural History Museum
Tower of London,
HMS Belfast
Tower Bridge
Tate Modern
Imperial War Museum
London Dungeon
Trafalgar Square
Dinner in Chinatown
Fish and chips one night
Legoland 😁

Obviously too much for you OP, but some ideas my 12 year old really wants to do and see. Fish and chips and Legoland may seem a bit odd but they don't exist where we live

Big Ben is being refurbished atm and looks terrible

What about a show? The lion king is good.

We use superbreak to book trips to London. Really good value. You can book train, hotel, show, and all other bits. Last year we booked for 2 night and it’s was under £230 for return train, 2nights B and B and evening meal the first night, a show an Oyster card with £15 on and a river cruise. You can also book other attractions but if travelling by train it is worth looking for the 2 for 1 vouchers on line if you travel by train.

There's a great chippie in greenwich, the 02 isn't ar and the Emirates cable car. Greenwich has a craft market at weekends and there are the river cruises from Greenwich to some of the places on your list. The dungeon is a rip off.

We went to the chippie in Greenwich last time, about 7 years ago, one of the reasons we are staying there 😁. I also thought about an evening ride on the cable car. I can see the dungeon may be a rip off, but DS wants to go. I had already flatly refused Madame Tussauds on the rip off grounds!

The old operating theatre is not quite as gruesome, have fun