London with kids

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:I'm seeing $900 - $1200 roundtrip to London in August. Does that seem about right/expected?

yes

[Anonymous]

We just returned from spring break in London. DS is 9 and he loved the Harry Potter WB Studio Tour, very cool. He likes the Tube, the London Eye, the Thames boat cruise, the Tower of London, The London Transport Museum, Covent Garden, Camden Market (so many t-shirts with funny or slight offensive sayings!), and an afternoon trip to Bekonscot model village (30 minutes by train).

He liked the Princess Diana Memorial Playground in Hyde Park and a very cool bookshop on Kensington HS.

He did not want to do museums and did not enjoy double decker bus.

We also took Eurostar to Paris and he enjoyed the train but not Paris, definitely not as much as London.

We saw a play, The Railway Children, which was very engaging for kids. We hit lots of train station - St. Pancreas, Kings Crossing, Paddington, Euston, as DS loves trains.

Next time hope to get out to Cotswolds and do more South Bank sights.

[Anonymous]

We went to London a few years ago with our then 5 year old twins and had a great time. Our kids turned out to be great travelers. Rode the Tube like they lived there, loved the dd buses. We went to the Tower of London, the Eye, Coventry Garden ( great transportation museum), Greenwich, British Museum, St Pauls, Tate Modern. We walked all over the city but I did research ahead of time to map out the playgrounds in the city so we stopped frequently for snacks and playing. We rented a car and spent a few days in Bath (loved Bath so much I could have stayed there the entire trip!) and saw Stonehenge, drove through the Cotswolds, spent a fun day at Warwick Castle and went to Windsor Legoland. Don't underestimate your kids OP. We loved hanging out in the playgrounds with the locals.

[Anonymous]

What about heading up to Scotland? Lots of runaround space, castles, Loch Ness story, Isle of Skye.

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:What about heading up to Scotland? Lots of runaround space, castles, Loch Ness story, Isle of Skye.

Balmoral Castle, Inverness, etc... Add the Orkeny Islands to the list.

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:^ see this is my problem with taking young kids to London. If we're going to spend that much money going, I'm going to want to go to museums and churches and see historical points of interest. I don't know if it's really worth it if people are saying their young kids weren't into the London Tower, Westminter Abbey, Buckingham Palace, etc.?

Tower of London is amazing for kids! super cool to explore. They will get a kick out of it. Are you the OP?

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:^ see this is my problem with taking young kids to London. If we're going to spend that much money going, I'm going to want to go to museums and churches and see historical points of interest. I don't know if it's really worth it if people are saying their young kids weren't into the London Tower, Westminter Abbey, Buckingham Palace, etc.?

Tower of London is amazing for kids! super cool to explore. They will get a kick out of it. Are you the OP?

If any of these sites have audio tours for kids it's worth paying for. Our 5 year olds had a blast seeing Windsor Castle using the kids audio tours. It helped keep them occupied and introduced what they were seeing from a kids perspective so we could enjoy it at our own pace. The Roman Baths in Bath also has a kids audio tour.

[Anonymous]

I am planning a similar trip to London and Paris for this summer, with my 11YO DS. I have never been to either so would like to ask a few questions for advice.

Is there a best plan as to when to work the train to Paris into the trip? If we go to Paris during the middle of the trip, we'd be paying double for lodging those nights in both London and Paris. Is it best to take the train to Paris during the end of the trip, after checking out of London lodging?

Also, would love some recommendations as to where to stay in London. Would love to hit all these popular sights as well, so just looking for an area that might be best to stay in that is convenient to these sights/activities.

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:Going mid June with kids - 10 and 14. Staying in an apartment in Covent Gardens then driving to stay three days in the Coltswold for walking. We'll visit Harry Potter on the way back to LHR.
We plan to do some of the tourist stuff like the Science Museum, Transport Museum boat ride down the Themes to the Prime Meridian as well as a day long narrated bus tour with afternoon tea. We'll see two shows in the West End and try to get in a British teen-centered movie in Leicester Square. Several hours are also set aside for DDs shopping around Oxford Street!!!

Depending on how long we'll travel, the train might not be worth it as it eats almost a entire day to pack up, travel and get acquainted with the new city.

This sounds like a great itinerary. Where are you staying in the Cotswolds? How did you find your lodgings?

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:I am planning a similar trip to London and Paris for this summer, with my 11YO DS. I have never been to either so would like to ask a few questions for advice.

Is there a best plan as to when to work the train to Paris into the trip? If we go to Paris during the middle of the trip, we'd be paying double for lodging those nights in both London and Paris. Is it best to take the train to Paris during the end of the trip, after checking out of London lodging?

Also, would love some recommendations as to where to stay in London. Would love to hit all these popular sights as well, so just looking for an area that might be best to stay in that is convenient to these sights/activities.

I'd definitely do Paris at the end of the trip - why would you want to pay for accommodation in 2 places? In London, I'd just stay somewhere with good tube access, and if cost of accommodation is of concern, then stay out of zone 1 and stay in zone 2 (look at the tube map for guidance). FYI the circle and district lines are pretty awful and slow so I'd choose to be near the jubilee, central or piccadilly lines.

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:I am planning a similar trip to London and Paris for this summer, with my 11YO DS. I have never been to either so would like to ask a few questions for advice.

Is there a best plan as to when to work the train to Paris into the trip? If we go to Paris during the middle of the trip, we'd be paying double for lodging those nights in both London and Paris. Is it best to take the train to Paris during the end of the trip, after checking out of London lodging?

Also, would love some recommendations as to where to stay in London. Would love to hit all these popular sights as well, so just looking for an area that might be best to stay in that is convenient to these sights/activities.

Also would say end with Paris. Don't double pay for accommodations. Paris isn't really a day trip from London.

In London, if money isn't really an issue, you could look at areas like Knightsbridge, South Kennsington, Gloucester Road (all tube stops) or even Earls Court (bit cheaper). There are a few museums down this way and it is easy access into Piccadilly and Oxford Street areas. Also could look at Bayswater/Notting Hill. How long will you be in London and what is the budget like?

[Anonymous]

^ we stayed in Earls Court and found it super convenient! Its tube stop is on main lines so easy to get to key sights either directly or via an easy transfer.

Lots of fast casual options for eating including Nandos, Masala Express, a Marks and Spencer food shop, etc.

Easy fast ride to Kensington High Street and access to Hyde Park, slightly longer but still quick ride to St. Pancras for connection to Eurostar.