london = what to see and do?

[georgeclooneyfan]

I have booked a week in London towards the 2nd last week of October.With dh, dd(10)and ds(8). We were going to take them to the museums and maybe London Eye. Would love any recommmendations if possible. Thanks in advance

I have booked a week in London towards the 2nd last week of October.With dh, dd(10)and ds(8). We were going to take them to the museums and maybe London Eye. Would love any recommmendations if possible. Thanks in advance

What kind of budget are you on?

Hamleys is fun, but don't expect to leave without making a few purchases

The aquarium on the south bank (very close to the London Eye) is great but not cheap.

The Imax (also on the south bank, near Waterloo station)

Covent garden for tea and to watch the street performers.

Battersea Park children's zoo (or London Zoo, but it's very expensive)

If you can venture down south, the Polka Theatre has some lovely productions (can you tell I'm a south London girl? )

I'll keep thinking.....

Natural History Museum and Science Museum are free (although if you go to the cafes, SM is better value for money). You could easily fill a day with those!

Tate Modern? Also free but don't know what they'd make of it!

Time Out Magazine is always good for ideas, and you can have a look to see if there are any special events you might like to go to nearer the time..

Take a river boat to Greenwich. There's the naval museum there, a huge park and a dotto train up to the observatory/planetarium for a show.

My friend took his ds to The London Wetland Centre the other day and said he loved it. It is a bit weather dependent though...

Also, Tower Bridge is good. You can pay to go inside it and have a good look round in the workings of it.

If it's half term and you're planning trip to Science mus and Nat hist museum, make sure you get there for opening if poss (10am) - it can get very very busy! Bring a picnic lunch too. (Cheap, save enormous queus). The ScM has an IMAX cinema as well.

Also London zoo (if weather OK), Tower of London is good. All cost £££ though

Thanks so far everyone for your ideas they all sound great, anything for free sounds good too we are in a self catering flat so will hopefully save a bit of money on food otherwise looking forward to going.

Whereabouts is the flat you're staying in GCF?

It is near Knightsbridge, so apparently it is in walking distance of the Science mus I think?

Wow, great area to be in. Yes you are near the science museum, and the natural history museum too (always a hit with the big T Rex in the main entrance!)

I've never been but I've always wanted to go to the museum of childhood in Bethnal Green.. You'd have to get the Piccadilly line from Knightsbridge up to Holborn and then get the central line out to Bethnal Green. They've got a massive collection of toys there apparently...

If the weather isn't awful walk around central London to see some of "the sights" - Buckingham Palace, Westminster/Parliament, Whitehall, Trafalgar Square aren't too far apart. Perhaps before going on the Eye so they get a sense of scale when they are up there. South Bank is also good to walk along from the Eye - lots of mime artists to gawk at, free if you don't put any coins in their hats .

Open top tour bus - been many many years since I wen ton one so no idea how much they cost, probably lots of different ones. Alternatively, water taxi/tour boat along Thames. Again, no idea of cost.

If its' windy, try Primrose Hill - part of the Hheath in north London, perfect for kite flying.
If you go to Greenwich, there's a tunnel under the Thames. Free iirc and a (little) bit spooky

The open top buses are expensive, for two adults and two children you're talking £64, even if they are valid for 24 hours. Much better to get an Oyster card and ride the normal buses!

I'd agree with a few walks, Trafalgar square is busy but fun, and it gets pretty exciting if you're young and it's dusk and all the lights are coming on. Also how about a film at the Empire Leicester Square? To me that was the most exciting thing when I was young!

I'm now a suburban chick but love going back to the big city (even more now I know I can leave all the traffic & sirens behind)

My fav 2 things are a walk along the southbank, taking in all the street artists, views etc The Tate Modern is good but usually massive queues in half term. Or a day spent in Hyde park/Kensington Gardens. The kids would love the Peter Pan play area in Kensington gardens. Both weather dependent but both free.

if you fancy the london eye, check out the website first as you can usually get the flight plus a meal deal at a nearby restuarent chain for just a few quid more.

As your there all week, get yourself an oyster card for travelling as it works out cheaper than buying a travel card every day.

The london aquariam is meant to be fantastic but pricey.

If they have been learning about Florence Nightingale at school, there is a a FN museum at St Thomas hospital nr the southbank which is open to the public in the afternoons. Or the great fire of london monument outside monument station (surprisingly) My Grandad took us their umpteen times as kids "to learn" but really it was coz we were lazy oaths who spent all day watching tv & playing on our game boys. Its just a tall tower containing hundreds of steps up to a viewing platform.

The BGM of childhood is ok but only worth a couple of hours visit if that, you could make more of a day of it if you cross over the rd and walk up the high street to brick lane market (although good 20/30 min walk with kids) and there is also the Geffry musueam? not sure on the spelling, in that neck of the woods where they have a house & each room is decorated to a different decade.

The bus routes have probably changed by now but the no 43, 12 & 10 buses were good for site seeing - have a look on the tfl website.

Have a great trip

You won't happen to be around on the 14th October will you? The premiere of The Fantastic Mr Fox will be in Leicester square, you could go along and see all the stars...