London with 5 yo - bring a stroller?

[Anonymous]

We are heading to London with our just turned 5yo and I am trying to decide if we should bring our umbrella stroller or not. We rarely use it anymore at home, but we live in the burbs and drive pretty much everywhere.

Would it be useful to have just so we can walk a ton without having to carry her or listen to complaints about her legs being tired? We are staying in Mayfair which is walkable but we will probably take the Tube to get around for larger distances so maybe a stroller would be more annoying.

Would love advice from anyone who has traveled there with younger kids.

[Anonymous]

5!? No stroller.

[Anonymous]

I’m from there and no, no stroller for a 5yo.
We took our 5.5 year old at Christmas and went to London for an overnight and saw a matinee show. She did fine walking and going on the Underground.

[Anonymous]

Absolutely not. Make your kids walk! Go for a walk every day and build up how far you go each day so they get used to it before London. Strollers are for babies and disabled people. Not healthy 5 yr olds.

[Anonymous]

I would bring a 3 wheeled scooter and be ready to push her along

[Anonymous]

We totally take a stroller for our kid, because the lord of the house has become accustomed to a certain level of comfort and I sure as heck ain't carrying him when he decides he's done with walking for the day.

HOWEVER we walk 10-12 miles a day when in the city. if you are walking 5 miles or less you probably don't need a stroller.

[Anonymous]

Agreed. We vacation in walkable cities. Never had a double stroller. A 5 year old can easily keep up with grownups in downtown London. Mayfair is very central. Enjoy the neighborhood as you walk to and from the Tube. Only plan one major attraction in AM and one in PM.

Pret a Manger is my favorite quick London meal solution. Quick in and out, reliably same menu at different locations, easy to find one nearby, fresh food instead of fried.

[Anonymous]

Agreed no stroller is needed...

[Anonymous]

I just went on a city vaca with kids and my almost 5 year old found all the walking tough, especially when he was tired. I agree that you don’t need one, but you do see dads carting Kindergarteners on their shoulders, and with the jet lag it might be helpful. Basically saying it’s reasonable if you plan to be doing a ton of walking and walking home after dinners when kid could be quite tired from a busy day.

[Anonymous]

No. You shouldn’t plan a walking vacation with a 5 yo if they can’t handle walking.

[Anonymous]

OMG please don’t bring a stroller for a 5 year old. Just pace yourselves, sit on a bench or find a spot to relax when everyone is tired.

[Anonymous]

Apparently i’m in the minority here, but I would bring it. As long as it’s easy to fold up, I’d rather have it and not risk the constant complaining that might arise from too much walking.

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:We are heading to London with our just turned 5yo and I am trying to decide if we should bring our umbrella stroller or not. We rarely use it anymore at home, but we live in the burbs and drive pretty much everywhere.

Would it be useful to have just so we can walk a ton without having to carry her or listen to complaints about her legs being tired? We are staying in Mayfair which is walkable but we will probably take the Tube to get around for larger distances so maybe a stroller would be more annoying.

Would love advice from anyone who has traveled there with younger kids.

I’d either get a stroller there or try to hang out around Mayfair, so you don’t have to move around that much. If you want to see some sights, get tickets for a double decker tourist bus.

If you take public transit, just go to a restaurant or playground and make riding transit the real activity. Don’t try to use it to get somewhere on time. Do everything very slowly. Maybe go to a station that’s fun in its own right and look at the station.

[Anonymous]

You know all those people agonizing about what to wear to Europe so they don't stand out as unforgivably American? All the black trousers in the world aren't going to camouflage you if you're pushing a school-age child in a stroller.

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:You know all those people agonizing about what to wear to Europe so they don't stand out as unforgivably American? All the black trousers in the world aren't going to camouflage you if you're pushing a school-age child in a stroller.

Seriously: If the OP is a tourist with a 5-year-old, to heck with the OP trying to look British. Who cares? What matters is having a happy and comfortable 5-year-old.

The question is how easy it is to move around London with a 5-year-old in a stroller.