London with DD travel advice please!

[jammy28485]

Going to London with DD (who is 1) in September and would just really like some travel advice please!
We are thinking of staying in the London Euston/Kings Cross area simply because we will arrive at Euston and don't fancy the underground with all our luggage. Would you agree or do you think there would be a better area?
Also just any helpful tips for getting around London with a one year old. Obviously I will make sure we avoid peak time etc. Thanks

Sounds sensible to me. Plus from there you can easily get into Central London by bus, which would be far easier than going by tube if you've got a pushchair.

Depends what you want to do in london op? These train stations are around the corner from russell square, v nice. There are some very nice side streets around there. Its easy to get around london with a push chair on the bus. Just make sure you dont book somwhere thats noisey.

We always went on tube escalators with a buggy, it was fine - just avoid rush hour as you literally will not get on a tube.

Euston is an ok area to stay in though depends what you want to do?

Tube is fine with a buggy, just drive it onto the escalator, if there are steps then someone will always offer to grab the front of the pram. Avoid rush hour. But if you also have luggage on your way to the hotel just get a cab, you just wheel the pram straight into a black cab and apply the break, no need to even take her out. No idea about the bus, haven’t taken one since my student days and that’s not something I plan to change anytime soon. Euston is fine, not the most interesting area but centrally located and good tube links. Depends what you plan on doing and where you want to go really.

I catch buses in London frequently. The views are way better than on the tube & it's also cheaper. You'd just need to be prepared to fold / get off for a wheelchair.

Thanks everyone haven't made an itinerary yet but do hope to visit Kensington gardens (weather dependant), the science museum and the Southbank area.

As others have said, think it's reasonably easy to use public transport. If you have a small folding buggy, that's obviously ideal.

There are some beautiful quiet streets around Russel Sq and a bit to the east of there. Would be lovely and quiet but still very central.

With a 1yo my main tip for staying anywhere, London or not, would be to stay in an apartment rather that a hotel. You'll have much more space plus cooking facilities and hopefully a washing machine.

If you go to the Princess Diana playground at Kensington Gardens, look out for the Elfin Oak near the cafe while you're queuing!

Carry a cold drink around with you on the Underground, and also a fan. I never travel without either at the moment.

Second getting an apartment rather than staying in a poky overpriced hotel room

Try booking.com

YY to buses. Fewer tourists on them, better views, often less crowded

If weather good and you’re fit, much of Central London is walkable

Include some parks if weather nice - buy some nice picnic food and take a rug, sit in shade of a big tree and people watch!

i bet there is a website which tells you which tubes are accessible for buggies, ie, working lifts

alternatively buses are good.

Avoid rush hour (which actually means 7-9.30 and 4.30-6.30 minimum in London).

Travel on the bus if you can but be prepared to have to fold the buggy, or wait for the next bus to cook be along

**come along

We like to stay around Russell Square area, great links for getting everywhere on buses/tube and lots of lovely grassy areas. Although I'm not sure I would enjoy travelling on the tube with luggage and a pushchair in my own - you could get a cab from kings cross to the hotel maybe?

Euston wouldn't be a bad place to stay as nearby you have;

Regent's Park (10 mins walk)
British Museum (10 mins walk)

And nice quieter places to wander around Russell Square and the fairly recently regenerated area behind King's Cross where there are fountains etc.

10 minutes walk and you're at the top of Great Portland Street which has lots of restaurants and cafes which are more aimed at local office workers rather than tourists and if you go for meals slightly earlier (as you might do with a 1 year old) will be quiet and a break from the hubbub.

You can get one bus direct to South Bank there but getting to South Kensington for the Science Museum, Kensington Gardens, Hyde Park etc. is a bit of a pain.

Having said all that, I have a one year old DD and I would choose to get a cab from Euston to somewhere a bit quieter (huge busy road at Euston - it all feels a bit frenetic and polluted) and stay nearer South Ken or near the river.

Tube map showing step-free stations

Take a light easy foldable buggy. We went with our 1 year old and stayed by the Southbank, it was great to be based there. Lovely early and evening walks around that area

If I was in your shoes, I'd stay where I wanted to stay and was convenient for the things I wanted to visit, and splash out on a black cab to and from the station with all your luggage (if that's at all affordable).

So you could, for example, consider staying somewhere near the Southbank and then you'd be more central for the sorts of things you want to do.

I agree that staying in an apartment would be nicer and you could look at Air B and B for that. The only thing is that you're going to need somewhere that will provide you with stuff like travel cot, high chair. Some apartments/Air B and Bs have these but hotels nearly always do.