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!

And try to use busses, you’ll see more and you’ll spot cafes and things that you want to visit.

The Eye is more central so you see more than the cable car ride. Buck House isn’t that great and MT is awful.

Our dc always enjoyed river trip from Westminster bridge to the Tower. Westminster Abbey (a bit pricy these days!), Tower of London is brilliant. They liked South Bank and The Globe theatre.

Lots of web sites offer cheaper theatre tickets but I look for what I actually want to see. I don’t waste money on tickets I am ambivalent about. If Oliver is on, and you can get tickets, it’s superb.

If you are going to the Science museum I’d also recommend going to the cafe in the V and A (next door). You can sit outside in the courtyard and they have a large paddling pool. You don’t have to book an entry for the V and A. You can also walk to Kensington Gardens from the museums and see the Diana statue, playground and walk along the serpentine .

Agree with everything that's been said, also shout out to Museum of childhood Bethnal Green.

Good move to duck out of Tussauds.

There’s a small zoo in Battersea Park and a Go Ape, as well as a huge Buddha and a boating pond.

Agree with others about lots of the free stuff is better than the expensive attractions, but check out 2for1 London site for half price tickets for things anyway and save a bit more money!

Visit Tower of London over Buckingham Palace definitely. And yes to Science Museum.

Thanks so much everyone! Very much appreciated

Following as was about to post the same for DD13 (ASD) so not a fan of long shopping trips! Although may want to visit some flagship stores.

You can get tickets on todaytix but I don’t know what the availability is generally like, maybe to a couple of same / next day searches over the next few days and see what you think.

As pp have said, check things like Kellogg’s boxes/ AA membership/ Medicash etc for 2 for 1s on the Eye and MT.

im dying to go down and see Totoro in the West End and they are always targeting me with ads for £25 seats.

@user1471543094i think they have just extended the summer sale through todaytix. I would say they can be good pricing when they have offers but otherwise try direct. There are lotteries but they are often only 2 tickets so you would need both of you to get lucky and you probably would be seated in 2 sets of two. Central tickets often have good offers and if you hit lucky very cheap tickets to shows.

When we went at Easter my 11 & 15yos loved tower bridge with its glass walkways and views

Westminster Abbey is better than Buckingham Palace imo. The BP Mews are definitely not worth full price.

The Comedy about Spies is the latest from the people who did The Play that Goes Wrong. It’s absolutely brilliant and perfect for your kids’ ages. Ticket prices are reasonable.

Or The Play that Goes Wrong is still on if you haven’t seen it already.

I find it odd people are suggesting splash fountains and big parks so the kids can run around?
Why go to London if you aren't going to do London things?
I can do splash fountains and a big park in many towns all over the UK.
@user1471543094 The Tower of London is really interesting - especially if you do one of the (free) tours by a Beefeater.
The Transport Museum in Covent Garden is brilliant if your children like buses and trains.
It's obviously more about London specific transport (ie the Tube etc) but it's fascinating to learn out transport has evolved.

Think about the globe on the Southbank,,loads for kids and v. cheap tickets.

There are so many better places to go than Tussauds, so I'd be ditching that idea straight away.

https://www.shakespearesglobe.com/whats-on/romeo-and-juliet/

They have a friday rush as do the national theatre .

Museum of London & the Science Museum were free - but do check as things change, & you also might need to pre-book.

Museum of London at Barbican has closed, but you can visit the Docklands Museum. Nearest station West India Quay or Canary Wharf, depending on your route. From there if you want and have time you can take the DLR over to Cutty Sark (there are restaurants where you can sit looking out over the river, or an M&S where you can buy food for a picnic), then a boat back up the river.

Ignore the tourist buses and boats, use the regular bus and riverbus services. The Transport for London site www.tfl.gov.uk has all info about routes, tickets etc. And take a trip on the Tube too, as it's the dcs" first visit. Stand on the right on escalators!

Much of the central area is walkable; get a good map, such as an A-Z, and see where places are in relation to each other and plan routes.

If anyone is into scifi, fantasy, gaming etc, Forbidden Planet in Shaftesbury Avenue is the place to go.

If you are in Covent Garden and need the loo, head to the Royal Opera House. It's free for anyone, plenty of nice loos and you can take the escalator to the top and have a wander out on to the terrace which overlooks Covent Garden and out to the Eye etc. A nice respite, very London and also has costumes on display in the common areas.

Twickets is also good for (last minute) tickets - lots of London shows on there.

Yes Uber to Battersea Power Station is good because the journey is fun and once there you have lots of options - massive shopping centre, deckchairs for chilling, park for playing and mooching, cinema, table tennis, crazy golf etc (probably need to book). Anyway. It's just an easy destination.

https://batterseapowerstation.co.uk/events/

Yes! Also check back to that page closer to your trip as, presuming it’ll be during the school holidays, they often put on random activities and workshops like you can book in for an hour of chocolate slime making.

Agree that The Play That Goes Wrong is a good shout for adults and kids.