Things to do in London with DD

usernotfound0000 · 2023-03-13T16:39:50+00:00

Hello, next weekend I am bringing DD8 to London for the day. We are seeing Matilda at 2.30pm and am looking for other things to do/places to eat near by. Our train gets in to King's Cross around 10am and we leave around 7pm.

Needmorelego · 13/03/2023 16:43

There's a gazillion things - what are her interests?
Are you coming Saturday or Sunday? Some shops don't open until 12 noon in central London on Sunday so if you wanted to any shopping it's worth checking online of opening times before hand.

QueenOfWeeds · 13/03/2023 16:44

The postal museum and mail rail is great fun, and that’s fairly close to King’s Cross.

If she likes Harry Potter, you can see the trolley going into the wall on the main concourse at King’s Cross - but the queue for photos moves pretty slowly so I wouldn’t bother.

What sort of things does she like?

Original poster

usernotfound0000 · 13/03/2023 16:49

It's a Saturday. She's Harry Potter obsessed. She's into science and I did consider the science museum but not sure if it would end up rushed. we did come 2 years ago for a long weekend so did a Thames river cruise, shrek adventure, transport museum and some other bits then.
I'd like somewhere nice for either lunch or dinner preferably near the theatre.

OP posts:

Greenestgreen · 13/03/2023 16:55

I was going to say postal museum also. The little train is fab.

Needmorelego · 13/03/2023 16:55

Yeah the science museum can be exhausting so you probably wouldn't want to go there before the theatre.
I was going to suggest the Transport Museum but you say you've done that. Has she seen 'the sights' - Buck Palace etc. St James Park is fun because you can look for the pelicans that live there.

QueenOfWeeds · 13/03/2023 16:58

What sort of food does your DD like?

Original poster

usernotfound0000 · 13/03/2023 17:01

We've done the main sights, yes. Although haven't been to St James palace so could add that to the list.
Will also look at postal museum.
Her favourite food is pizza, but somewhere with nice desserts/milkshakes etc would be nice

OP posts:

EwwSprouts · 13/03/2023 17:04

Shake Shack in Covent Garden

LaFemmeDamnee · 13/03/2023 17:06

Maxwells is fun with amazing milkshakes. You would need to book.

Maybe a harry potter walking tour? You haven't really got much time, you'll need to eat not long after 1 to make sure you're done in time for the theatre.

tellmewhentheLangshiplandscoz · 13/03/2023 17:18

If you are in Seven Dials the indoor food market is amazing and buzzy

QueenOfWeeds · 13/03/2023 17:24

Happy Face Pizza is at Coal Drops Yard, close to King’s Cross - might work for dinner?

Simplelobsterhat · 13/03/2023 17:42

We were there with a 7 year old a couple of weeks ago but lots he enjoyed, eg natural history and sky garden, wouldn't really fit in your itinerary. One thing round there he did love though was the big Lego store on Leicester Square, and there were some nice film statues to spot on the square too - could sit on a bench with Paddington. Street entertainers on Leicester Square and covent garden also entertained him, and Chinatown nice to see. Our main meals out weren't round there though sorry.

If she likes history at all could do British museum but you'd need to just pick one bit eg Egyptian mummies!

wiltingflower · 13/03/2023 17:43

Canal walk by the station
Lots of different museums nearby - focus on 1 thing to see rather than get through all of it- Foundling museum, British museum
Convent garden has so many places to eat- you might want to look at the bakeries to get a small fancy snack to get started
Walk along the Thames near Victoria Embankment
Walk at a royal park e.g. regents,
It would be nice to do an Uber boat ride on the Thames, tube to a particular part of the river and then go down it via boat, but I don't know if it'll work out with your timings and lunch as travelling time needs factoring in
Chinatown or Leicester square for food and can access shops easily on Oxford Street from there

Simplelobsterhat · 13/03/2023 17:44

Meant to say there were loads of big Harry Potter models for photo opportunities in the Lego store.

Original poster

usernotfound0000 · 13/03/2023 17:44

Simplelobsterhat · 13/03/2023 17:42

We were there with a 7 year old a couple of weeks ago but lots he enjoyed, eg natural history and sky garden, wouldn't really fit in your itinerary. One thing round there he did love though was the big Lego store on Leicester Square, and there were some nice film statues to spot on the square too - could sit on a bench with Paddington. Street entertainers on Leicester Square and covent garden also entertained him, and Chinatown nice to see. Our main meals out weren't round there though sorry.

If she likes history at all could do British museum but you'd need to just pick one bit eg Egyptian mummies!

Ooh she's doing about Egypt at school so the British museum could be a good call, I'll look into that, thank you.

OP posts:

HanSB · 13/03/2023 17:46

House of Spells on Charing Cross Rd is a must if she likes Harry Potter. Shake Shack in the Piazza in Covent Garden for burgers and fries, they also do milkshakes but they are very thick 'concrete' milkshakes. There is also Milk Train in Covent Garden for ice cream covered with a cloud of candy floss. National gallery or British museum? Bear in mind it might be very busy everywhere with Mother's day next weekend.

MagentaRocks · 13/03/2023 17:50

The clink prison museum is pretty good for that age.