recommendations for a rainy afternoon in London

[teafortwo]

Me and dp are quietly getting married at Westminster register office this July. We will have with us our dd (2yrs), one of my best friends and dp's best friend with his dw, ds (2 yrs) and dd (8 years old).

If it is sunny, the plan is, to get married then to black cab it to Covent Garden for some cool relaxed photos and then to the river for a relaxed dinner and walk... maybe including a ride on the eye or buying some books under the bridge or both or neither... however the day develops really...

BUT... I have no idea what to do if it rains... any ideas of where would make a good rainy day photo shoot (I'm tempted to stick with Covent Garden as lots of it is undercover), place to eat (as the restaurants by the river are not sunny day places)and most puzzling for me - fun activity after???

Sorry - I meant the restaurants by the river are only good on sunny days... I am tired!

London transport museum, in Covent Garden - has a decent cafe too! (£8 to get in, though. But would make good photos I should think)

OOOOoooohhh - sounds interesting...thanks Cockles!!! You are a star - Dd has just drifted off to sleep so I will have a little google regarding the London Transport Museum right away! How exciting!

On the side - Am a little worried someone who owns or works in a restaurant by the river might read this and be sad. My comment on your restaurants are rather fippant and I am sorry for my earlier unkind comment. I want to explain - What I mean is if it is raining we will get wet getting to the restaurants in that area and the river, that turns so grey, will have a rather sad feel to it that you don't really want on a wedding day. But if it is sunny and the river is sparkling we would want to be absolutely positively nowhere else in the World for our wedding day!

I haven't been to the science museum for 20 yrs. Should I put that down on my wet weather possibles list?

flippant - I think maybe I should join dd and have a sleep too! I really am very tired!

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Thanks childfriendly123... what a super website! I have put it in my favourites and plan to e-mail it to every friend I have with kiddies.

I have gone from having no ideas to so many I can't choose! Even my sunny day plans are changing by the second!!! Ha ha ha!!! You are a life saver!

By the way - You are right - the London aquarium is a good idea for a rainy day - but please lets hope together it won't rain!!!

What about the London Duck Tours for something a bit different (an amphibious tour in the Westminster area and on the river in a D-Day Landing "vehicle")? I think it runs come rain or shine and the terminal is near the Eye.

The Science Museum is our all-time favourite day out in London (but it's not in the Westminster area).

We also recently discovered the National Army Museum in Chelsea (off Kings Road), which was very interesting. There's a great play area for younger children on the ground floor and fun packs for older children to use around the museum.

The Natural History Museum (next door to Science Museum in South Ken) is great for the children and the building is stunning. Could work really well for photos - as well as using the gorgeous backdrop of the building itself (inside or out) it would be great fun to incorporate some dinosaurs/stuffed elephants etc! Also, like the other big museums (not including the Aquarium, which is fab but quite expensive) its free to get in.

Just a thought, but while I think the Science Museum would definitely be appreciated by the 8yo its a bit too grown up for the little ones. Providing they are not very nervous types they will probably like the anamatronic T-rex and the animals such as the blue whale at the NHM better!

ditto V & A, fab, free museum with beautiful cafe, would make some fantastic photos

Science Museum & Natural History Museum definitely - NHM good for exterior shots, some good interior too. BOTH museums for great fun for dc's. There's a great sort of water play place in the basement of ScM for under-5's and the new Launch Pad is brilliant!

And free

I am overwhelmed with fantastic ideas. Thanks PrimulaVeris, Misschief, LouandBen and Loiuse2004!

I have only just discovered mn and think I will be chatting on here lots in the future!

I will google the VandA and NHM - they sound like interesting options.

I am a big fan of the Tate Modern but have never eaten in the restaurant on the seventh (???)floor. We thought this could be an option too... Have any of you eaten in the Tate Modern restaurant on a Saturday? - we would love to eat there but they don't take bookings for Saturday lunchtime - Is this a good thing or very very bad thing?

Congratulations cockles your advice to me, to go to the London Transport Museum, is in the e-mail newsletter!!!

Ok now this sounds a bit strange but go on a boat trip and sit on the top deck. DS and I went to London on Tues and the rain was incessant. We thought sod it and went on the boat trip anyway, and it was fab because no-one else braved the top deck because of the weather so it was like we had the whole boat to ourselves. We were two very soggy but happy people when we got off and we got some really great photos too!

PS - our boat left from Westminster too btw

Notalone - My dp and his best friend are Parisians - Unlike us British, Parisians go all "aaaaah aaaah aaaah" about the rain then get really grumpy for the rest of the day!!!

Yet it does sound like a crazy fun thing to do with my best friend who is English like me, and has that "let's get on with it - this could be a real laugh!" mentality that you obviously are gifted with too!!!! I will tell her all about your trip and suggest we do it some other time!

Now then, now then Notalone(sorry went all Jimmy Savol for a minute - Jim'll fix it for you and you and you and you... arrr memories)... the whole boat thing isn't that daft - we are seriously considering doing the Tate to Tate if it rains. The Tate galleries are fun 'hang out' places that are interesting for adults but kiddy friendly too... the only thing is I am nervous of the restaurant - we would like to go to the 7th floor restaurant at the Tate Modern, but they don't take bookings for Saturdays - could this get really messy???

Lol Teafortwo - you should definitely do it but perhaps just with you and your mate!

I know there is a boat that does do the Tate to Tate and I think it is unlimited once you get a ticket. However although it is on my itinery I haven't yet been to either (am in Yorkshire). It may be worth calling them though and explaining the situation and asking if you could reserve just as a one off because of your wedding. They may come over all romantic and say yes.

Or perhaps they will say "I do" - aha aha aha!!!

...Oh you live in Yorkshire - how lovely!!! I am a Suvvaaahnah and we get all goey and nostalgic about anything further Noooorf than Bedford! What a lovely place to bring your children up!

I will give Tate a call and see what ideas they have regarding the wedding.

Thanks again for your advice, Notalone - keep in touch!

Am a Suvvaaahnah too teafortwo. Not too sure how I ended up in Yorkshire lol!! I miss London loads and am geting a wee bit nostalgic now what with our trip and your thread. Have you chosen your dress yet?

You lived in London? How hip and happening! I started off in East Anglia but life and love have brought me to Paris. However, because paperwork to get married here is simply mad for us we are eurostarring it for the wkd to get married in the UK - so much easier!

So... Notalone, to answer your question - this is the dress I am going to wear this dress

And my daughter is wearing this dress
to watch her Mummy and Daddy get married!

Thanks for asking - it means a lot!

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We recently discovered there's a Pizza Express very close to Tate Britain. I don't know if it's smart enough for your day, but verrrry child friendly! It's here: (turn left out of the main entrance and don't despair, it's at the base of a rather grim office building, but lovely inside). Pizza Express 25 Millbank, London SW1P 4QP Tel 020 7976 6214. Oh, and do try the art trolley at Tate Britain. I took my DS (9) there a while ago and we had a lovely time doing a collage on the floor of the gallery (the collage was on paper, we were on the floor ) and I felt like supermummy with all the cultural types walking past and nodding approvingly at us.

justagirlfromedgware - that sounds fabbitastic!!!! You are a star!!!!

. Teafor two - I am so sorry. I thought I replied to you already.

Your dresses look fab and you are going to have such an amazing day. Sunny or raining. London is one of those places where you can always have a wonderful time.

And you live in Paris too? I want your life lol!!!!

ha ha ha - notalone!!! I was romancing about the idea living in Yorkshire and you are romancing at the idea of living in Paris... maybe the words grass and greener come to mind. I bet both of us have absolutley very extremely great days and also really not ever so great days too!!!! But...That's life!

Glad you like the dresses - I am getting mixed responses from family and friends!

So...so...so thanks again to everyone for your ideas - I really am feeling less freaked out about the idea of... say it quietly.... rain!!!!

I am quite new to mn - can anyone tell me why childfriendly123 has been deleted?