things to do in greenwich?

[frazzled74]

staying in greenwich next weekend. what can we do for 2 days with dcs 5 and 8? dont want to travel right into london but dont mind somewhere we can get to by riverboat.thanks in advance, also is there a cinema/swimming pool in greenwich?

Go to the Royal Observatory! It's free and there's loads of stuff for the children. Info here. We went a few years ago when our dd was 8 and we had a great time just wandering around. There's a tunnel under the Thames which you can walk through which was pretty good too. Also there on the same site is the Maritime Museum , all info here!

For cinemas - the greenwich picturehouse is nice and v central or there is an odeon out towards the dome.

Swimming - the arches is the local leisure centre, not been there but looks a bit run down. Wavelengths at deptford
is v close too and from what i've heard is nicer.

Greenwich Market might be nice for a little wander especially at the weekend as has craft/food market then.

Greenwich park is lovely and has a kids play area

On the riverboat you could go to tower bridge and the tower of London (expensive!) or I think it stops at London bridge - London dungeons and the golden hinde are nearby.

Or you could get the dlr from Greenwich to mudchute for mudchute farm (free)

National Maritime Musuem, I loved it as a child.

thanks for lots of ideas, the observatory looks great so will probably combine that with a walk around market and maybe cinema,

Greenwich park is great, walk up the top and onto Blackheath - take a kite! The view from the Observatory is great. Look for the bullet holes in the statue of General James Wolfe.

I loved The Maritime Museum. The market isn't terribly exciting and certainly won't amuse children for very long at all, I don't think.

I think 8 and 5 year olds would love a trip into London on the DLR (sit at the front and they can 'drive!'). Cheaper than a boat too! It gets you into Bank iirc and then it's really easy to get to London Bridge and then walk all along to the South Bank.

im being really thick here but what is the DLR? and where do we catch it from?

Docklands Light Railway. Goes from Greenwich or Cutty Sark stations.

Oh, and if it were me, I'd go to the Museum of London at Docklands - it's free and very good (and on the DLR). Maritime Museum isn't as good these days as I remember it being when I was a kid. The Ships gallery at the Science museum is far better.