London, 1 day. What would you do with DC 13 and 11?

[barnet]

Hit me with your itinerary! DD13 and DS11 have never been to London😱 as we live abroad. I was a teenager there in the 90’s.
We have this plan for 1day: SOuthbank, Waterloo bridge, Trafalgar Sq. (Nat. Potrait Gallery), bus to Camden Market.
What should we do on the second day? DS wants to see Hamleys. Where would be great to eat?

London Eye and HMS Belfast were a huge hit with our children.

Harrods has Christmas all year.
Some good films on in cinema for quiet night.

Boat trip Westminster to Greenwich, but I would do it on your first day

Thanks! Boat trip would great. Is the Science Museum and Nat. History Museum good? Where’s the best english breakfast?

Loads of hotels do all you can eat, find a premierinn. You get 2 kids free for an adult breakfast.

mummy2017 that would be DS’s dream come true

Eating is good along the south bank , lots of pizza places etc. Or china town for Chinese food . My boys liked Fire and Stone in Covent Garden or we also like the Tandoori Chop house just off Trafalgar Square . It really depends what you want you spend . Seven Dials food market is also nice , or Dishoom is in Covent Garden and Kings Cross .

Denis Severs' house and a curry on Brick Lane? Then a wander around the street art.
Imperial War Museum?
The V&A is just across the road from the Science/Natural History Museums and if your daughter is into fashion she might prefer it; I definitely would have done at 13. And now!
You could squeeze Hamleys into day 1 - and go to Hampton Court which is more of a day trip on day 2?
Tower of London?
Camden Market is full of tat! It wouldn't be on my list if I only had two days (or ever again!).

Should you end up around Spitalfields/Brick Lane, hop on a bus down Bethnal Green Road for an old-fashioned East End caff breakfast/lunch at Pellicci's (the meat pies are the best!) - which is also handy for the Museum of the Childhood, my idea of noisy, echo-ey hell but children seem to love it!

Also Weatherspoons pubs do ok breakfasts. Free coffee refills.
Pizzahut do lunch, all you can eat.
I have two hungry children, so I tend to do one massive meal in a day and snacks afterwards.

Excellent suggestions thanks! What market for cool clothes, if not Camden?
And I want to show them one of the parks. Is Regent’s Park good for a wander?

You can go stand GMT.
Nice park, nice walk, amazing view over the river to O2, your very high up for London area.

There is an egyptian exhibition on at the moment thats supposed to be really good. Greenwich has a market and is definately worth the trip over. we also did the cable car over the river and that was fab plus a boat trip.

mummy2017 what’s go stand GMT?

Cable car and boat trip sounds grand.
Where for cool clothes for DD 13?

Greenwich Mean Time.
www.rmg.co.uk/visit-greenwich/top-10-things-to-do

My girls loved a trip to Spitalfields market recently. Also, last time we were in London we went to a really great food court near Elephant and Castle www.mercatometropolitano.com/ which everybody loved. Bit out of the way (though not that far if you're doing Southbank-y stuff) and everyone can choose what they eat/try a load of stuff. Borough Market also good if you're there on the right days (expensive, but brilliant).
Second the cable car/boat trip suggestion.
We also always do an ottolenghi cake stop when we're in London.

For a wander, I would go to a Buckingham palace and the walk through St James Park..

The museums are good - natural history, science and V snd A are all close together. Also Harrods.

Catch a show in the evening. Just seen Mamma Mia - superb!

There’s pl,entry of eateries everywhere, of all descriptions.

Look on Groupin for deals, on afternoon teas etc.

Covent Garden is also nice to look around, and threes always entertainment. Plus a big Apple store nearby.

If it’s a weekend or school holiday museums will be rammed, I dislike them for this reason.

Definitely a boat trip to Greenwich - Greenwich market, park, Queens House, Curry Sark, street food in the market. Easily spend an afternoon / day here

Hamleys is horrible. Forbidden Planet is my 11 year old daughter's favourite shop. I like the Lego Store and we both love the big Waterstones on Piccadilly. Much better than over priced Hamleys.

Cutty Sark!

Carnaby Street and Covent Garden for shopping not Camden or Oxford Street.

In Greenwich the Maritime Museum and Queens House free. Just pop into the museum and see the gallery where they have the uniform Nelson was wearing when he was shot - good interactive display there. Then walk to Queens House and admire the view. Beautiful park to walk through and see the Observatory ( you have to pay here) eat at Meantime pub - old brewery with lovely garden can get nice fish n chos here.

Natural History museum
Imperial War museum

TKTS booth in Leicester Square for cheap tickets for a musical (do your homework and be there when they open - 10 am?).

Take the bus!

www.tripsavvy.com/london-bus-routes-for-sightseeing-1582177