That should be a 7 DAY data plan, not week.

We just spent 4 full days in London and didn't get to fyi everything on our itinerary, even though we'd planned it based on proximity and public transportation.

My advice:

Yes to Tower of London first thing when they open, and head straight for Crown Jewels. We waited only 15 minutes or so, but 2 hours later the queue passed the roped areas and went all the way down the hill

Westminster Abbey had similar crowds even soon after they opened, so do this first thing, too (also note different hours on Saturday and Sunday, when there are no hours)

Use the busses over the trains. They run very frequently and don't require lots of stairs (good if your younger ones might tire easily); we bought a 7 week data plan so we'd have Google maps, which worked GREAT for the busses (it didn't note train stations closings reliably though)

Stay somewhere close in and convenient to the underground and/or bus stops. We stayed near the British Museum, in Bloomsbury, which was quieter but convenient

Be prepared for major crowds in popular places like the Natural History museum, Harrods, Piccadilly and Oxford Circuses, and other sites....there were crowds unlike any I've ever experienced at museums here, even in the summer (it was half term when we went and everything was crowded). Prepare your younger ones for what to do if you get separated.

Hamley's Toy Store was a highlight for my toddler, but nothing special, just a really big toy store....think Harrods for kids.

Les Mis was one of my highlights...such an intimate and beautiful venue, unlike any I've been to in the US

Greenwich via the TRS boat service was also special. There are 50% off coupons on the website. It's near Westminster, so an obvious follow-on to that tour.

London Eye, despite being very expensive and touristy was also a highlight for our whole family. Pay extra for the Fast Track tickets. I'd go at sunset or night for a cool experience.

The trains are great for doing English countryside excursions and fairly easy to navigate.

British Museum was my favorite museum. Plan what you'd want to see and how much time you'll allow, because it can be overwhelming without a plan (also the mummies are by far the busiest exhibit we saw).

Stonehenge and Salisbury Cathedral were really cool. There's the best preserved original copy of the Magna Carta there, you can take pictures inside the cathedral, and the crowds were very minimal.

If you have any playground lovers, the Princess Diana Memorial playground is awesome

St. Ermin's has a cute children's tea with their own little theme. It was Busy Bee when we went, after the bee colony at the hotel. The Orangery is also recommended for children, but we didn't get to go there. Make reservations for these ahead of time.

The Changing of the Guard takes up a LOT of time and want that interesting to me. We did the Changing of the Horse Guard instead, then walked over to see and hear the bands as they left Buckingham Palace

Wear comfortable shoes! My feet are still hurting.

Where/how do you rent an apartment in Paris?

I'm Irish. There isn't much to be gained by adding that on to the trip, unless you want to just check things off a list. Slow down and spend time in London, Paris and a few day trips. Having lived in Paris, try Giverny, Normandy and/or Tours. Sometimes the best experiences are in a local park, bakery or having coffee in a little cafe. Definitely rent an apartment.

OP here. Debating whether to head to Paris after London or to head north in the UK. Drafting itineraries for both, including one that would have us taking a ferry to Northern Ireland than ending the trip in Dublin (this would obviously require adding several more days to the trip). Decisions, decisions.

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:The day we visited the Jurassic Coast was quite rainy & grey. These beautiful seaside towns don't look like this when the sun isn't shining.

OP, you need to remember to pace yourself if you're traveling with kids. You can only travel as fast as your slowest family member, and someone may barf! There's a ton of things you can see & do in England & France. Make a list of Must-Sees with contributions from each person in your party. Know that you will not see everything.

+1 Your youngest is 7, so unless he/she is a really seasoned traveler who doesn't need much sleep, I think you are overextending yourself. Just London and Paris is a LOT to see and do (we did the same trip two summers ago). Adding Versailles and other destinations is a bit much.

^^ pp How long was your London/Paris trip?

How long did you stay in each country?

WHat would you do differently if you could do it again?

Anonymous wrote:The day we visited the Jurassic Coast was quite rainy & grey. These beautiful seaside towns don't look like this when the sun isn't shining.

OP, you need to remember to pace yourself if you're traveling with kids. You can only travel as fast as your slowest family member, and someone may barf! There's a ton of things you can see & do in England & France. Make a list of Must-Sees with contributions from each person in your party. Know that you will not see everything.

+1 Your youngest is 7, so unless he/she is a really seasoned traveler who doesn't need much sleep, I think you are overextending yourself. Just London and Paris is a LOT to see and do (we did the same trip two summers ago). Adding Versailles and other destinations is a bit much.

The day we visited the Jurassic Coast was quite rainy & grey. These beautiful seaside towns don't look like this when the sun isn't shining.

OP, you need to remember to pace yourself if you're traveling with kids. You can only travel as fast as your slowest family member, and someone may barf! There's a ton of things you can see & do in England & France. Make a list of Must-Sees with contributions from each person in your party. Know that you will not see everything.