Advice for London with kids

[user1471543094]

Taking kids (8 and 10) to London for first time in July and looking for any tips!
We'll be looking to do all the usual...Eye, Tussauds, Buckingham Palace. What's the best all encompassing ticket to get that covers the attractions?

Is it worth chancing for last minute tickets for shows when there or better to book in advance (prices are eye watering but I know they would love it)

Would like to bring DD10 to Friends experience - is there anything similar DH and DS could do when we're at that?

There for 3 full days and limited(ish) budget so any must sees or secret hidden free gems would be very very helpful!

Do you know what rather than spend squillions on expensive activities, head for Coal Drop Yard, Kings Cross, South Bank or one of the big parks…. the space for the children to have a bit of freedom, water spouts, seats for picnic type food and fresh air are wonderful, my kids and now grandchildren are far happier somewhere like this…

Honestly we’ve never done any of those big ticket things and we’ve still got places we haven’t been yet!

I suppose it depends what interests your family has though. What kind of things do you and the kids like doing/seeing?

Museum of London & the Science Museum were free - but do check as things change, & you also might need to pre-book.
Both are fascinating for all ages, & the latter has buttons & levers that can be pressed or pulled.

Don’t bother with Tussauds it’s rubbish.
book Sky Garden ( free)
if you want to do Natural History or Science museum you have to book a slot. The Wonderlab in Science Museum is great. - you have to book and pay but it means it’s less rammed and there’s loads of activities and free shows.
An Uber boat down the Thames to Greenwich is fab or Battersea Power station where you can go up to the top and the park is good for a runaround.

Oh gosh Tussauds and the Eye are my least favourite things here- are you sure thats how you want to spend your time? Get tickets for either 8 Bishopsgate or 22 Bishopsgate or the sky garden- free viewing platforms over the city- much more fun I reckon. All I remember about the eye was how slowly it moved.

HMS Belfast and the Tower of London are great and the museums. Churchills War rooms might be interesting for this age group. Or one of the underground closed tube station walks. Or the thing where you climb over the O2.

The postal museum was also well worth a visit- you go on an undergound ride through the old mail tunnels and they have lots of hands on things for the kids (like simulated letter sorting on a moving train).

Yes if you’re going to do tourist stuff, do this kind of tourist stuff.

London eye etc is just slow walking in crowds of horror.

British Library is close to Coal Drops and pretty impressive.

Kensington gardens is near the museums are lovely if the weather is good.

Check out the themed walking tours. Usually quite cheap & very interesting
I'm a true Cockney, & discovered things I didn't know !

Great advice!
I think I could talk them out of Tussauds.but I'd possibly be forced to do the Eye. Although maybe not if queues are bad!
Some really helpful suggestions.

Love all of this. Thank you!

I would not do madame Tussauds and Buckingham Palace personally, unless you really want to.

Wonder Lab at the Science Museum is amazing.
London Zoo pretty good if expensive
Natural History museum
A wonder around Maltby Street market (less crowded than Borough)

Oh yeah Greenwich for cutty sark, observatory, maritime museum and cable car plus the foot tunnel under the Thames

I’d choose the London Eye over Madame Tussaud’s. In fact I’d say I positively enjoyed the Eye in contrast to previous comments. Yes it’s slow but it’s a good view.

Sky garden is (imo) a nicer experience than Horizon 22.
a visit to Buckingham palace and then a nice walk in to the park to see the pelicans and then down along the mall is always lovely.
uberboat from Tower of London down to Battersea Power House was fun, lots of sights seen and there’s quite a lot to do at BPH too, there a decent park.
our last visit we walked up Monument, which was pretty cool.

Another vote for the Uber river service, we went from Canary Wharf to the Tower, went around the Tower, then back onto the boat to Westminster to see Big Ben, you pass by a lot of sights along the way. The big museums are all in walking distance of each other and Hyde Park but some you do need to prebook (Natural History Museum).

Yous are great. The Uberboat, cable cars, BPH, sky garden and science museum are all now on our To Do list. Yous have saved me! Mentally and financially by the looks of it.

Now any advice on show tickets? Is there a place to get them on the day the same way there is in Times Square in NYC?

Definitely skip the Eye in favour of the riverboat to Battersea Power station, go up the chimney lift and visit the lego store. If you do the science museum, and you should because it’s great, the Wonderlab is well worth paying for and if either DC like gaming I’d also do the Power Up exhibit- that could potentially be something for him to do with DH whilst you and DD do the Friends thing. Tower of London is loads better than Buckingham Palace IMO and after thar you could then keep heading east to do the cable cars. Tussauds is just awful, don’t! Try the todaytix app for theatre tickets.

Thanks a million xx

Went earlier this year with 8 and 9 year old and they were insistent on doing the London eye. I was very reluctant but we did it and all really enjoyed it. It was definitely one of their highlights. I got tickets way cheaper on www.picniq.co.uk.

If they like Harry Potter there is a place called mins Lima that has loads of the original artwork from the films. It’s free but you may need to come baxk half hour later for your slot.

my dd like going for fancy ice cream - amorinos or Hansel and gretel. Or our new favourite donutelier.

a trip to Covent Garden. If it’s sunny go somewhere the the water fountains - think festival hall has some and also near London Bridge.

London transport museum is meant to be good.

The Olympic park in Stratford is great. Outdoor climbing wall and several playgrounds and cafes and walks.

https://secretldn.com

www.timeout.com

I agree with Uber boat to Battersea power station!!

Although expensive I do think the Eye is good, and then you can wander along to the South Bank where there is always interesting free stuff going on in the summer, loads of food options and great views. Agree that the Tower of London is a million times better than Buckingham Palace.

Stay at premierinn county hall or nearby, book the ticket package offer for the London eye, river boat and aquarium, enjoy the park by the eye, walk the south bank,

As already said cable car to Greenwich. Much better than London Eye.
Tate Modern
Covent Garden for street entertainment.
To get a view of the outside of St Paul’s dome there is a roof top cocktail bar pretty much next door. Assess via a glass lift. Check whether children are still allowed as it’s a cocktail bar.