Where to park in London to do the tourist thing with the kids?

[zephyrcat]

Hi all, we are thinking about maybe driving into London tomorrow to take the kids on the tourist trail! Does anyone know where we can park? I am really not keen on taking them all on the underground, so thinking somewhere fairly central. I know lots of you live in London so am hoping someone knows of a good place that may not be obvious!

There are lots of NCPs but they are horribly expensive and you have to pay the congestion charge. Marble Arch is probably the most central one or there is one on Gloucester Avenue not far from Selfridges which may be a bit cheaper

Good luck!!!

Also it depends where you want to go. And how are you planning on getting from one place to another without the tube?

You would be much better driving in somewhere you can leave your car for free or fairly inexpensive and then getting the tube. Driving in central London unless you're used to it really isn't that much fun

I think you are bonkers to even consider driving in London, sorry.

Why are you nervous of the tube? Can we help with that?

Will be horribly expensive. Where are you coming from? and what are you intending on doing.

i also think its crazy to drive into london, the tube is so convientant (sorry sp?) Where are you coming from?

Your insane don't do it get the tube. Even if you managed to get a parking space the parking fees will be very very expensive. Plus you'll spend most of the time stuck in the car in traffic when you can just zoom along in the underground.

What direction are you coming in from?
Car Parking in London is v v expensive - you would need to go into on of the NCP or other car parks. There are a couple on the S bank, have a look here south bank options v handy for the Eye, Aquarium, the street performers along the S bank, Duck Tours, walking along the river, Big Ben, and also maybe picking up one of the open top buses.
The Union St one is handy for Tate Modern, London Dungeon, Millenium Bridge crossing to St Paul's, stops for the open topped buses, HMS Belfast, walking along the river etc.

But you don't want to be driving across the whole of London, and don't forget the Ciongestion Charge...

What attractions exactly are you interested in?

There just isn't ANY free / cheap on-street parking in Central London. Even on-street disabled bays cost a fortune in Westminster.

I'd also say around the South Bank - although it will cost you a fortune. A quick google comes up with Park Up, where you can search for car parks, listing how much they cost and how long you can stay there, although I don't know how easy it is to use.

Also parking in Westminster. e.g. Trafalgar car park: 6 housrs = £22.

Thanks all We're coming from Southampton... M3. I'm not nervous of the tube so much - just taking 4 young kids on and off of it!! (8,5,3 and 2)although I spent lots of time in London when I was younger so know it's pretty much inevitable! We want to do most things, Buckingham, Big Ben, Trafalger, Hamleys (maybe!), Soho, Carnaby.... DP used to be a courier so knows his way around the roads. I'm starting to wonder now though!

I think you'd be better of parking at your nearest train station, getting the train into whichever station is nearest to you (Waterloo/Paddington/Kings Cross etc) and then either getting a bus or tbh even using taxis between locations is likely to be about the same price as parking all day plus congestion charge plus the hassle of driving in central london which is horrid even if you know where you're going!

You can use this site to plan your journey within London and can specify not using tube etc - it also shows you riverboat options which could be fun for your dc? (depending on where you're visiting of course!)

And I don't know why I said driving in London isn't much fun unless you're used to it - it's not much fun when you are!

I did the tube (several times over) with a 9,6 and 2yr old (and pushchair) on my own last week - you'll be fine - especially with 2 of your with the DC

plus be a hell of a lot cheaper than parking, as you'll only need to get travel cards for you and DP/.

Ok that earns the biggest hand of all time. 4 kids of those ages doing all that in London, in a day trip? Wow.

When ds was 4 I took him to London on the train, went to the Natural History Museum, eyeballed the whale, ate lunch and went home. I was on my knees with exhaustion.

I think if I were you I would drive to Chiswick, park somewhere near Turnham Green tube and use that. It's Piccadilly Line so reasonably quick. But tbh I would pick Trafalgar Square plus lunch in St James Park looking at Buckingham Palace, and head home. If feeling very adventurous I would try for one picture in the Nat Gallery as well.

Also as a Londoner, I do things locally (not in the centre), or get the bus, or at a push the tube. We do drive in on a Sunday for Dim Sum in Chinatown sometimes, as there's no congestion charge on Sundays. The parking in the Chinatown car park is £9 for two hours, which is expensive but cheaper than two adult tube returns from where we live. The food is less than £10 a head, so not too pricey a lunch out.

River boat - there's a free (I think) boat between the Tate Modern and Tate Britain.

I've recently parked at the ROyal festival hall on the south bank about £12 i think.
Also the NCP at junction of Museum street & Holborn very central for covent garden.

Or drive to the O2, park for £5 for the day & get a river boat - the kids will love it, very safe as the staff make sure the kids stay inside even if one of them tries to do a runner, they even help with pushchairs.
You can get on & off so can go to the tower & then back n & get off at Westminster.

One or two things would be enough, tbh.

But the train is easy from Southampton! Honestly, get the train. And if you tell me where you want to go, I will plan you a lovely bus itinerary so you don't have to go on the tube

If you're determined to drive, then I would park here and then get the tube or a bus from Vauxhall. Then you won't have to pay the congestion charge

What if you found a carpark near the furthest outpost of one of the tourist bus routes? Then you could travel round on that. Not cheap though.

agree that one or two will be enough as well.

We did NHM Friday morning, Science Museum afternoon, and then Big Ben to kill some time before being able to use our Superpeak train ticket back home, then wandered up to Leicester Square and had a McDonald's lunch - we were knackered when we got back (not helped by a 3 mile walk along the Thames Path on the Thursday and then an hour to get back into the house when we got home as I needed to get a locksmith out )

I can also thoroughly recommend the Covent Garden Travelodge if you ever have time to book in advance for an overnight stay.

I can recommend the Hilton Riverside.........they give the kids a pot of hot chocolate at breakfast, and didn't charge me for 2 of my drinks when we had to vacate the bar quickly in the afternoon after DS1 threw up

The M3 has one of the most inconvenient routes into central London, IMO! You certainly don't want to be driving to the O2 from the M3!
And don't bother with Carnaby St.

Good luck (shudders at idea of taking 4 children to London)