dd is 3 tommorow and busy working mum has nothing planned (Seaside or C.London)

[forevermore]

Just got my DH to pick up a cake from M+S on way home[shame] and would love to take her out tommorow for the day. she loves trains (since never gets to go on any) and loves the sea. Any tips on seasides near to SE London. I have been to Whitstable already and thats the nearest I know of. Or I was thinking central London river boat ride and lunch at Giraffe South Bank Centre??

Having her cousins over in eve to cut cake and open pressie. so want to be back home by 5.30 (S. London)...thanks for tips

The Thames Clipper is nice, and easy.

Or there's the London Transport Museum, in Covent Garden.

Or the DLR? You can sit at the front and pretend to drive (or let your DD do it ). There's a nice dim sum joint on it.

camber sands? Rye nearest station.

Brighton - with the pier

KC - Camber is a bit of a treck for the day - if you miss the connecting train, it'll take you 4 hours to get there (unless your kind dh picks you up from Ashford then it's 2 hours)! Mind you, the train was lovely and cool...

it was a thought though!

Southend is quite quick to get to if you can get to Stratford easily.

how about princess of Wales playground in hyde park then a trip down the river? www.royalparks.org.uk/parks/kensington_gardens/diana_playground.cfm

I reckon the triple-train combo of mainline (to a central London station); underground (ending at Jubilee line in Canary Wharf) and DLR to Greenwich, then the big sandpit / playground in Greenwich park plus a ride in one of the boats.

apparently there's an indoor beach at the O2 centre in greenwich, but I've never been....

Broadstairs? Just a bit down the line from Whitstable but totally different.

1950's feel to it - Punch & Judy on the sand, Morellis home made ice creams which has been going since the 50's and still has the original decor.

All very retro

Check the weather though - I think they are predicting thunderstorms?