You could consider a day trip to Legoland at Windsor. There's lots there to captivate a 3YO, though it's all outdoors, which in late October might be risky. For indoor options, the Science Museum in Knightsbridge has a great hands on discovery (play) area. And there are dinosaurs next door in the Natural History Museum.
If you want to get a good view of the city, don't bother with the Shard, which is very expensive. Instead, book a (free) visit to the Sky Garden at the top of the "Wlakie Talkie" building in the City district.

Anonymous wrote:PP here. just in case your DC is anything like my DS, there's an amusement park called Drayton Manor that has a Thomas Land (Thomas the Tank Engine). DS is obsessed and we spent half a week there. You can take a train from London Euston to Tamworth and it's a short taxi ride away, has a hotel on site and is a very manageable small amusement park. I'm not sure about doing it as a day trip but it's certainly a manageable overnight trip.

My DS is train/Thomas obsessed and he literally said "my dream has come true!" when he got there.

He's very Thomas-obsessed. We just did a few days in Lancaster, PA, for Day Out with Thomas, Dutch Wonderland, etc., so we're thinking this is more an adult holiday. We'll keep it in our back pocket, though! I'm sure he'd go nuts. I think he's going to love riding the planes, trains and buses as much as anything else on this trip!

Question for parents who have traveled there....what is the bathroom situation? We've been trained for about 4 months now and haven't had any issues, but wondering how hard it is to a) find somewhere to go or b) if there are any big caveats that an American would be surprised by. I usually just squat him over the potty which is easier during shorts season, so a little anxious about that!

OP I know you said you didn't want a booster -- but if others are reading, I'd recommend the bubble bum as a portable booster. Unlike the Trunki, you don't have to bring your kids' gear with you everywhere you go!

I lived in london til my oldest was 3--that was 5 yrs ago so I'm a little dated, but will chime in.

You can get along very well without a car, using public transport. The jubilee line has the best elevator-access stations, some are escalator access. If you bring a smallish stroller you just go down the escalator with it. Buses also good. They have designated stroller /wheelchair spots and typically there aren't wheelchair users on the majority of buses. And there is just one step up on the bus, unlike some other cities where you have to step up a couple of steps.

Your itinerary should be shaped around you DS's interests, so I second the Transport musuem. Princess Diana playground. I would have said Tower of London too, as there are kid-friendly things to do there, though I note a PP said her kid was bored.

Another recommendation is Greenwich. Accessible either by DLR, light rail (you take the tube then transfer easily from either of 2 stations) or by the Thames clipper boat which I love. I'm guessing that for your son, getting there will be part of the fun so both the DLR and boat will be entertaining. at Greenwich, there is the child-and-adult-friendly Maritime Museum, the scenic former Naval college which is where they film all sorts of things--just got my Boden catalog and it's the backdrop--as well as a large lovely park with a playground. And of course the royal observatory (museum) and the Prime Meridian both atop the park. These latter 2 may not interst your son as much as it s more technical.

You'll enjoy the major museums but I'm sure I don't need to tell you that exploring them with a toddler is different than going on your own, so as long as you have lowered expectations about how much you can cover--and map out the snacks/bathroom breaks ahead of time--and choose a few select rooms tht will appeal to both of you, then you should hopefully enjoy them. British museum, V&A both have lots of variety of visual stuff to keep things interesting. I personally would not recommend the London Eye--typically a long wait, slow ride, and a little nerve-wracking especially the shape of the pod makes you feel very much on the edge....It is also not that easy/not a whole lot else around there.

PP here. just in case your DC is anything like my DS, there's an amusement park called Drayton Manor that has a Thomas Land (Thomas the Tank Engine). DS is obsessed and we spent half a week there. You can take a train from London Euston to Tamworth and it's a short taxi ride away, has a hotel on site and is a very manageable small amusement park. I'm not sure about doing it as a day trip but it's certainly a manageable overnight trip.

My DS is train/Thomas obsessed and he literally said "my dream has come true!" when he got there.

A half day trip to Bekonscot would be fun. My DS is train obsessed so it was a nice short trip for us. From the train station you can actually walk to Bekonscot and it only takes about 30 minutes to walk around the model village. There's food and play areas plus a mini train. Best little side trip we took.

We also did London Eye with reserved time, the Tower (he found it boring), and visited Paddington, Kings Cross, and St Pancras train stations. London Transport Museum was another hit and we walked over from there to the Covent Garden Apple Store to check email and give DS a bit of computer time.

For lodging, we stayed in Earls Ct. It was ok because it was close to tube but it didn't have tons of good eating options for us and it felt a bit sketchy at night although it was absolutely fine in hindsight.

http://www.bekonscot.co.uk

Anonymous wrote:No speeding in London or on their highways because they have cameras everywhere (multiple cab drivers told me this).

So are you going to avoid taking a bus tour out of the city? Such a shame. This must be your first kid.

Who said anything about not taking a bus? I'm okay with busses, just not riding in cars without car seats.

Thanks for the car service recommendations. Looks like that's the ticket to getting from the airport to other spots with our luggage, etc., in tow.

No speeding in London or on their highways because they have cameras everywhere (multiple cab drivers told me this).

So are you going to avoid taking a bus tour out of the city? Such a shame. This must be your first kid.

I'm the PP from London - yes I would not recommend taking a taxi with the buggy from the airport. I thought you just meant short hops around town. If you want a car from the airport then book a taxi in advance using a service like Addison Lee, as previously suggested, or specifically for the airport and much cheaper than Addison Lee, use Exclusive Airports. You can book car seats with them.

OP I'm another Londoner. My kids are a bit older now so my info might be out of date but we have never owned a car when living in London. Addisson Lee is a great car service that certainly used to provide seats on request. They have a website so look it up.

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:The safest way to travel in a black cab with kid if you don't have a car seat is to have them in the stroller and put the brake on. It's just like being on a bus.
Also consider getting something like a Trunki Boosterpak.
I also don't recommend staying in Paddington - yes convenient for the Heathrow express but not for anything else. Highbury, Clerkenwell etc are trendier but not great for kids. I'd stay around primrose hill, Regent's Park - then your base is a great park and playgrounds (and the zoo, though it's expensive) as well as nice neighbourhood coffee shops, restaurants, etc, and you can take the tube anywhere.
(I'm a Londoner, I live in Primrose Hill!)

This looks like a great idea, but unfortunately DS is only going to be 3 and not yet 40 lbs. Still not sure what we'll do if we need to drive somewhere or ride in a car. I'm definitely not comfortable just putting him in the stroller in the taxi, because it's definitely not like being in a bus if you're in an accident. The bus is large and can disperse the energy from an accident much better than a small car could. We may just have to make sure we don't have to take a taxi at any point! DH will have a car for part of his trip, but will probably ditch it while in London. Thanks for the other recommendations.

You're much more likely to get killed as a pedestrian in London than in a black cab. Also, traffic in London just doesn't move that fast due to congestion.

If we're using a cab, it will be to/from Heathrow, and if I remember correctly, that does involve some highway driving. I realize the odds of being in an accident on that one particular car ride might not be high, but it just isn't a risk I'm willing to take.

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:The safest way to travel in a black cab with kid if you don't have a car seat is to have them in the stroller and put the brake on. It's just like being on a bus.
Also consider getting something like a Trunki Boosterpak.
I also don't recommend staying in Paddington - yes convenient for the Heathrow express but not for anything else. Highbury, Clerkenwell etc are trendier but not great for kids. I'd stay around primrose hill, Regent's Park - then your base is a great park and playgrounds (and the zoo, though it's expensive) as well as nice neighbourhood coffee shops, restaurants, etc, and you can take the tube anywhere.
(I'm a Londoner, I live in Primrose Hill!)

This looks like a great idea, but unfortunately DS is only going to be 3 and not yet 40 lbs. Still not sure what we'll do if we need to drive somewhere or ride in a car. I'm definitely not comfortable just putting him in the stroller in the taxi, because it's definitely not like being in a bus if you're in an accident. The bus is large and can disperse the energy from an accident much better than a small car could. We may just have to make sure we don't have to take a taxi at any point! DH will have a car for part of his trip, but will probably ditch it while in London. Thanks for the other recommendations.

You're much more likely to get killed as a pedestrian in London than in a black cab. Also, traffic in London just doesn't move that fast due to congestion.