London help please

[3boys3dogshelp]

We are considering taking my 6,4 and 1 year olds to London for an overnight trip to London. The plan is to travel by train early sat am, visit the natural history museum, stay overnight, go on the London Eye, see the sights and then train home. A premier inn seems by far the cheapest due to having 3 children but where would be the best area to stay? I haven't really been to London since i was a child so please treat me a complete country bumpkin!!
Also would we be better with Bjcm pushchair or backpack carrier (or both!) For the lo?
All top tips gratefully received .

[emeline]

Staying round NHM is a great idea. Much nicer than Euston, less congested, more relaxed place.

[Enjoyingmycoffee1981]

Lease please do not go on the London eye. Your children will be bored senseless within minutes and then you have quite a long wait of doing nothing as it makes it way around.

Instead go to the playground directly opposite the London eye, and then go for a wonder along southbank. Much much better.

[3boys3dogshelp]

Thanks blue string it has opened again when we are looking at going. We have Merlin annual passes so I don't know whether we can book.
The bus sounds like a good idea if I knew where I was going!!

[JustSpeakSense]

We stayed at the premier inn Holborn recently (walking distance to Euston and all the sights) but, we did take a taxi to & from station (with our bags) it only cost about £7. I would highly recommend.

[8angle]

this premier inn is very close to the museums www.premierinn.com/en/hotel/LONKEN/london-kensington-earls-court?cmp=GLBC and this Holiday Inn is even closer Holiday Inn they are both close to Glouscter road tube - on the Piccadilly line - Direct from Kings Cross....

[Enjoyingmycoffee1981]

London buses are great and straightforward to use.

Go on tfl journey planner.

[JustSpeakSense]

Some sights weve enjoyed when ours were younger:

Rippleys believe it or not (picadilly)
Canal boat trip from little Venice to Camden
Science museum (lots of 'hands on' exhibitions)
Hyde park & Hard Rock Cafe
River cruise on Thames down to greenwich (visit to planetarium was a highlight!)

(Also hop on hop off bus tours are great to get around the sights)

Enjoy!!

[SwedeDreams]

I agree that getting to museums first thing makes them MUCH more enjoyable. I should aim to arrive Friday night, and go early Sat morning, or if you must travel in on Sat then do the museums first thing Sunday and spend Saturday doing the Southbank,. There's the London eye, London aquarium, McDonald's and an arcade, a playground and the BFI Imax if you want to catch a film later. You can walk along the river from the southbank to London bridge (passing the Tate modern, the globe and the wobbly bridge) if you want a stroll. Lots of street performers too to stare at.

If you travel in by train pick up the 2-for-1 London leaflet -or you can print from online, you get half price entry into lots of London attractions including the eye and aquarium!

I would stay by Waterloo, and get to the museums by walking to Westminster tube- then it's four stops to South Kensington and quite a nice stroll to Westminste-and you get great view of Big Ben and the houses of parliament.

Hope this helps!

[SwedeDreams]

Oh, if you have a Merlin pass you can just walk into the aquarium/ onto eye. Which is wonderful! We went loads to the aquarium when we had passes :-D

[3boys3dogshelp]

So many good suggestions! I can see we will need more than one trip.
Swede dreams I like your plan.

[PennyJennyPie]

CitizenM hotel on the southbank? Not stayed myself as local but know of local mums who go there for coffee.

[VLM2015]

We went with a 2 and 4 year old. We stayed at premier inn county hall- 30 sec walk from the London eye and southbank. It was brilliant, so now we go annually with the girls.

Good luck.

[HeeHiles]

heehiles pretty please ?!!

RiverTam has revealed it read it carefully then destroy it!

[christinarossetti]

If you have a 21/2 journey to Euston, and only want to stay one night then yes definitely book a hotel near train station and do the NHM early as possible on Sunday.

Even in wet weather, you can enjoy the Southbank with kids. Always free things happening in the Royal Festival Hall, Tate Modern is free, street theatre, pop up playgrounds, lots of stairs and lifts to entertain them, poetry library at RFH, pirate ship. And Wagamamas and Giraffe on Southbank, although aim to eat lunch either early or late to avoid crowds.

[dinkystinky]

The exhibition road entrance is not - I repeat not - secret any more since they put the new stegosaurus skeleton there. The queues for both entrances were pretty long on Sunday (I was ice skating with my kids at 11 - the queues were building at both from 10.30). It is however the most convenient entrance if you have a buggy.

[littleducks]

If you have a merlin pass definately go into the aquarium next to the London Eye. i wasn't very impressed by it for the entrance price but for "free" it would be an added treat. If you need a break the Royal Festival Hall on Southbank is child friendly (particularly between exhibitions) you can have a coffee and they can sit/walk/roll around on the floor.

You can check pushchair into museum cloakroom for free at NHM if you want to go around the without it.

[JeanetteDanielsBenziger]

We just went to London specifically for the NHM, Stayed at premier inn Kensington Olympia, 10 minute walk from NHM and the room was fab, dinner in restaurant was good and quite cheap.

[HeeHiles]

The exhibition road entrance is not - I repeat not - secret any more since they put the new stegosaurus skeleton there

Damn It has served me well for decades that entrance - Oh well - embrace change and all that

[RandomHouseRules]

Haven't read whole thread so others may have said this, but you can book a timed ticket for the dinos. They are free but I would really really really recommend you do this as it could save you an hour.

[3boys3dogshelp]

Thanks random i'll have a look on their website.

[Knicknacks84]

You could stay at Earls Court or Bayswater. Lots of places to stay and easy to get to Nhm. Earls Court has a lift if you need it and piccadilly line is frequent. Lots of buses too.

[ArcheryAnnie]

If you have been to the NHM and need outdoor space to blow off steam, go down Exhibition Road and then cross over to Hyde Park for the Diana Memorial Playground (the Peter Pan park). It's free and lovely.

[codandchipstwice]

Also not sure when you're coming but I work for a large University based right there and we offer accommodation to stay which is not expensive and is good for families - and with it comes our own secret garden. sadly means the dcs have been to the museums possibly once as i cannot face heaving us all over there on the weekends when I've been doing the journey for work for so long!

[WestYorkshireGirl]

Which University are you at which offers accommodation codandchips?