Can anyone help me plan a trip to London please?

[NeatFreak]

7 of us (4 adults, 3 children under 7, 1 in a pushchair)are travelling to London on a Friday evening, arriving at Paddington at 4.30 and staying in Waterloo.
We have a list of things we would like to do - would anyone be kind enough to help me plan it? I can't get my head around where eveyrthing is and how to work the unerground out

We would like to visit Trafalgar Square, see Big Ben, St Pauls Cathedral and the London EYe (just see them all, not go in) and go to the Science Museum on the Saturday.
On the Sunday we would like to go to Covent Garden and possibly the transport museum.

Is this feasible or do I need to rethink it? What is the best way/ time to do these things?

If we have to get to Waterloo from Paddington at 4.30 would it be better to wait for a while to reuce the risk of rush hour tube time? We could get the dc something to eat before leaving if it would be better to wait until later

Also, any advice on places to eat around these places would be appreciate. We are staying near a Sainsburys so will be taking a packed lunch but need to eat on the Friday and Saturday evening.
TIA

Hello NeatFreak! A riverboat trip would be a great way to see BigBen, St Pauls and the London Eye! There is a boat that goes from Tate Britain to Tate Modern, think it's called the Thames Clipper. If you look on Tate website you'll find the details. It takes about 20mins or so and goes every 40mins I think. Both tates are great for kids, the Tate Britain does an Art Trolley at the weekend where you can get bits and bobs of arty stuff and do collage etc, good if the weather's rubbish! Tate Modern is fun, and the millenium bridge is right outside, good for viewing the river.

Science Museum - get there as early as poss! It gets horrifically busy and there are lots of roadworks right outside at the moment so the area is a nightmare. Haven't been for a while but there used to be a small hands on area right at the back that most people seem to bypass which is therefore quite quiet.

Trafalgar Square - again get there quite early. There is a lovely restaurant at the top of the National Gallery, I think you can have drinks there too (or at least we used to when DS1 was little) The views are amazing across Trafalgar square. Check out their website.

There are lots of Pizza Express/Zizzi type places dotted around Covent Garden etc, they usually have special offers so check out their websites too.

If you are arriving at 4.30, I'd personally get on the tube asap because it will be busy after 5pm till probably at least 7-7.30pm during the rush. If you want something to eat that's fun, there's a YoSushi in Paddington station, but it can get expensive if little hands keep whisking the dishes off the conveyor belt .

Transport museum is right in the corner of covent garden's "square" so easy to do both at the same time.

Hope that helps! Oh and get oyster cards for travelling then you can use them on bus and tube without having to faff about for change.

Thanks for the advice, we are so excited about it. Am off to check out your suggestions...

Glad to help! The bit in the science museum I was thinking of is called the Pattern Pod BTW.

My best advice when planning a trip to London is draw up your itinery - then halve it! it always takes much longer to travel, queue to get in, get around, eat etc than you ever think. We did a bus trip around all the sites, ate then went to an early cinema.Then we went to a museum. By the time we had had lunch the children were exhausted so we went on the boat. My lot can't cope with more than 2 things in one day! Anyway, have fun!

Thanks, that's helpful. I'm going to spend however long it takes tomorrow to sort it... wish me luck!

Can I recommend using the Number 11 bus as a cheap sightseeing bus? It travels between Liverpool St Station and Fulham Broadway, taking in the following sights:
St Paul's
Fleet St
Aldwych
The Strand
Charing Cross Station
Trafalgar Square
Whitehall
Westminster
Victoria Station
Sloane Square
Chelsea
If you get on at either end you are almost guaranteed a front seat upstairs and its brilliant for seeing all those famous landmarks!

You can definitely fit in both the Transport Museum and Covent Garden in one day (as the Museum is slap bang in the middle of Covent Garden and Covent Garden is just a big square and a couple of arcades of shops and some street theatre).

I have a feeling St Pauls is quite expensive unless you go on a Sunday for a service. It's nice to see from the outside though.

My DC (2&3) love Chinatown, the colours and lights, shops/restaurants and especially the dim sum. It's good for sharing and they like the idea they can pick the food up or try chopsticks.
Easily reached from Leicester Sq tube or Covent Garden or Tottenham Ct Rd.

Duck tours are great.

And I would buy a Time Out for the week you go to see what's on. Also gives you lots of places to eat and things to do.

Oyster cards definitely as cash fares are double and you have to find change and pay at a ticket machine before getting on a bus at places like Oxford St(Avoid that anyway!!).

Hi,

We are taking dc to London for the day on Thursday & I haven't a clue where anything is there. I have been looking at different London for the day websites & have confused myself even more!

We are getting the train to Paddington.

Any ideas of fun & (cheap!) things to see & do would be appreciated.

TIA
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