Places to visit in London

[crosser62]

I’m organising a week in London in the summer for us, 2 kids, 17 & 7.
When we go we usually visit science museum, natural history, Hyde park, St. James’s Park, princess Disna memorial and love these places.
I want to visit other places this year.

Can you recommend places that don’t cost an absolute fortune to get in, are within walking distance of the tube/bus?
We love museums, parks, shows (usually way beyond our budget) also reasonably priced hotels as 5 nights is coming out at well over £1.5k!!! In hotel comparison websites.
We don’t mind travelodge type places but where is one that is best placed to get around?

Thanks x

We had a lovely day in London.

Started off at the Tower (unfortunately quite expensive). Then Borough Market for lunch, a walk down the Thames to the Tate Modern. Walked over the millennium bridge to St Paul’s, then the British Museum on the way back to Euston.

It was a very full but enjoyable day and the only expensive (but worth it) activity was the tower.

Also, there is either a Premier Inn or Travel Lidge in Vauxhall that is quite cheap. It’s a little bit of a walk (but a nice walk) down the Thames to get to central London.

Greenwich village is a great day out - cutty sark, market, atmosphere etc. Camden is amazing. Walk to little Venice. Kong’s road for posh shops and rich people, brick lane for proper east end of london cockney market look on Airbnb for self catering !

Museum of Childhood is next to Bethnal Green tube and is free
The cable car over the Thames from the O2 is not expensive.
Transport for London do river tours or you can just get a boat using your oyster card
Kew Gardens lovely but bit pricy
Both the Tates, and you can get a boat between them
There are some amazing walking tours, look up London Walks
National Gallery

We always stay at the premier inn at Blackfriars. It's always reasonably priced. A lot of the museums are free entry, also if you're travelling by train you can get 2 for 1 tickets for most of the main attractions. Have a look on 2 for 1 London online.

I'd second Greenwich for a whole day.

Cutty Sark, Maritime Museum, Queens House and College before picnicking in Greenwich Park then a walk up to the Observatory for the amazing views. We then enjoyed a stroll back down and a boat back up in to town.

We've also done similar and stayed at the Travelodge at Docklands which was a bargain. This is handy for getting tube out to Westfield or the Olympic Park and also the cable car over the Thames. My kids love that!!!

Do you work in a public sector organisation? If you do, you might be eligible to join the Civil Service Social Club, which allows you heavily discounted or free entry to the Tower of London.

Museum of London near Bank is excellent, though in good weather a day out in Greenwich would be great.
The South Bank with the Tate Modern Globe, RFH, BFI etc and loads of stalls is also worth wandering around.

Ahh this is fab thanks everyone.
I work for the nhs and I’m going to see if I can get any discount through them or my union as they offer discounts on stuff.
Never been to kew and would absolutely love to do thanks for that suggestion.
Camden too, never been there.
It’s such a gorgeous place I know you can go regularly and not visit the same places, we want to explore a bit more.
Greenwich...will defo go there.
Museum suggestions are great, museum of childhood and the London museum are two we haven’t seen, are they both free to enter?

wellcomecollection.org/

Book the Sky Garden - great views and it's free! But you must book in advance.

Sky Garden

Camden will probably appeal to the 17 year-old but may bore the 7 year-old.

Second Greenwich: the boat may be expensive but the DLR is not and the 7 year-old may like to sit at the front and "drive".

British Museum
Tate Modern
National Gallery
Temple of Mithras- you have to book but it is free and interesting

Other possibilities:
Take a boat for your visit to Greenwich
Walk up the Monument or book to go to Sky Gardens for great views over London
Take the number 11 bus from Trafalgar Sq to the City
Imperial War Museum
Your older dc might enjoy Shoreditch

Museum of Childhood will be closed over the summer for renovation. You can upgrade tickets to the Tower to cover other palaces like Kensington and Hampton Court. Olympic park, Greenwich, Leicester square? National Galleries, Tate Britain and Modern are all free

Sky gardens are a must and it's free
Also book a free walking tour. There's a Harry Potter one. I did the Jack the Ripper but might be unsuitable for 7 year old. They do all types of tours and you tip (pay) the guide what you like at the end. The company is called strawberry tours

Even more fab ideas thank you!
Also thanks for the tip on the museum of childhood being closed, was looking forward to that one too.

Never heard of the sky gardens, is it like the high line in New York, that kind of thing?
Will go and google galore now....

Premier inn at Putney Bridge is reasonable too and has good transport links - buses, tubes, overground. Near a cinema and two nice parks - one has crazy golf.
Tower Bridge experience is reasonable and fun for all age groups.

And if the weather is nice go and play on the fountains at either Somerset House or Kings Cross. All free.

If you work for the NHS you can definitely join the club the other poster referred to called CSSC and you can get free entry into some places including Tower of London and I think some others like Kew Gardens and Hampton court maybe.

Also we use tesco club card vouchers to pay for some stuff which is good.

Have you looked at Air bnb or a youth hostel? Youth Hostels usually have private family rooms for 4 to 6 people ?

Geff Rye Museum is free and has cafe and gardens. It's up the road from Liverpool Street.

I’ve not looked at airs&b but definitely will, thanks x

www.museumoflondon.org.uk/museum-london

The museum of London is brilliant and free!! It's definitely a lesser known about treasure x

skygarden.london/

Also sky garden is meant to be very good. Not done it yet but I will be taking my family in the spring.

Geffrye Museum is reopening in the summer so do check it is open before going but it’s a brilliant museum - free

Try and do the free museums rather than pay out - there are so many of them.

However, I love the Foundling Hospital which does cost about £7 for adults. Very moving museum in Holborn.

With the big museums, it’s good to have an idea of which sections you want to see as it can become a bit overwhelming if you try and see everything.

Lunch in the crypt of St Martin’s in the Fields by Trafalgar Square is always nice. The dc will enjoy the performers in the square and of course the National Gallery. However, be aware that the portrait gallery is closing this June for a few years for renovation.

Have fun!

Greenwich sounds like an idea for our next trip. Thank you.

We come from Manchester and usually wait for a virgin trains ticket sale then come down on Saturday for a day.