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Visiting London w/ kids - suggestions?
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Posted by: TrinaLC

Will be visiting London (as stated in another thread) in mid-April. Kids 9 and 11. Any suggestions? We plan to do the "major" attractions such as the Tower of London/Crown Jewels, V&A museum, Buckingham Palace, Windsor Castle, etc.

I would welcome any "offbeat" suggestions that might appeal to kids. (Like in Paris, visiting the sewers!)

Also - any good day trips by train?

Posted by: sjp

if the weather is up to it a visit to the "seaside" can be fun. Brighton is about an hour south by train and has some fun stuff going on... mind you, if you stay near the NJ / NY sea front i guess Brighton might be a little tame.

if you're thinking of doing Madame Tussauds waxworks place check out their website for advance tickets http://www.madame-tussauds.com/site...n/frontdoor.htm as the queue can be pretty big.

my kids (similar ages at the time) enjoyed the London Dungeon http://www.thedungeons.com/ and while they may not be Disney/Universal our Chessington World of Adventures - http://www.chessington.co.uk/ , Thorpe Park - http://www.thorpepark.co.uk/Default.asp and Legoland - http://www.lego.com/eng/legoland/windsor/ are OK. Thorpe Park might be a bit young for your kids but they seem to have up'd its age appeal since i last checked. Watch out for opening dates as they may not have reopened in time for your visit.

will add more later if i think of anything else

stuart

Posted by: TrinaLC

SjP - great suggestions, and thanks for taking the time to post the links!

I hadn't thought of an adventure park, was thinking more about traditional historical venues - but we have 8 days, and that would be a real treat for the kids! Thanks!!

And of course if you do think of anything else ...

Posted by: TrinaLC

I just checked out the Dungeon website - it looked really scary! How intense is it? My 11 year old (boy) would love it, but my 9 year old DD is pretty sensitive ...

Posted by: sjp

it's been a while since i was there (daughter was maybe 11 or 12 at the time, she's 21 in april) so i don't know what changes they've made since then.

at the time i remember my kids thinking it could have been a bot gorier but they may not be ideal candidates for comparison (younger brother had got older sister into horror movies on telly etc.) and they were visiting me, for the first time, in london so were pretty much in charge of the outings.

i'd *guess* it'd be OK for the most part but if there is a split day to be organised then maybe this is it. the tate modern isn't too far away, maybe the boys can do the scary stuff while the girls steep themselves in a wee bit of culture (stereotyping or what!!! :) )

stuart

Posted by: Sneals2000

The London Aquarium is a pretty good place to visit - broad age appeal and has great "wow" factor. Also the London Eye (aka the Millennium Wheel) is an amazing way of spending 20 minutes. It isn't cheap - but if you can cope with heights (I normally can't but had no problems bizarrely) it is a great way of seeing London from a different point of view.

The London Eye

London Aquarium

Enjoy your visit!

Posted by: iankb

I thought the Imperial War Museum was good fun. Airy and modernised, with plenty of full size exhibits; it has won a few awards.

Walk along the South Bank of the Thames, between Westminster Bridge and Tower Bridge if you like a bit of exercise. There are some interesting sights along the way, including the Globe Theatre.

I also like Greenwich, which includes the National Maritime Museum and the Cutty Sark. An interesting way to get there is via the Docklands Light Railway from the City of London. Although the railway now goes under the Thames, you can also walk under the Thames through a foot funnel.

Ian.

Posted by: JoNk

http://www.sciencemuseum.org.uk/

London science museum is great fun for the kids (and Dads :) )
Lots of interactive exhibits and some talks and demonstration's.
Jon

Posted by: Dr Spanner

I took my boy to the Science musseum and the natural history museum, they are both free, next to each other and great fun with lots of stuff to see and do.

Posted by: TrinaLC

thanks for the further suggestions ...

and keep 'em coming!

Posted by: Rolf213

I always enjoyed the planetarium when I was a kid. Haven't been for a lot of years, obviously. It's right next to Madame Tussauds, so it's easy to do them both (think that you can actually get dual tickets, too).

http://www.london-planetarium.com/

But then, I also enjoyed riding around on the underground, so maybe I was a weird kid..!

Rolf.

Posted by: AMc

quote:
I also enjoyed riding around on the underground, so maybe I was a weird kid..!

Nope when we lived in Leicester a ride on the London Underground was almost as exciting as the childrens' gallery at the science museum (all those buttons to press). Sadly the Underground is less exciting now I live in London and have to use it :(
I wonder if the science museum is still as good as I remember?

Posted by: Sneals2000

quote:
Originally posted by AMc
Nope when we lived in Leicester a ride on the London Underground was almost as exciting as the childrens' gallery at the science museum (all those buttons to press). Sadly the Underground is less exciting now I live in London and have to use it :(
I wonder if the science museum is still as good as I remember?

I suspect you will find bits of it are virtually, and thankfully, unchanged!

I went last year, and found it a very pleasant way of spending an afternoon. Wouldn't suggest you eat there though...

Posted by: Noddy Holder

Ditch the kids , and enjoy yourself ;) ;) ;) ;) ;)

Posted by: sanderton

History wise, the Tower of London is worth a go, crown jewels & all. I always enjoyed Hampton Court (a royal palace) when I was a kid - especially the maze. I'd second the Science Museum as a tip.

Most US visitors seem to like to take in Stonehenge (ancient monument), Bath (roman hot baths), and Salisbury (cathedral). But I'm not sure if kids would be up to the culture!

If you want to show them Englishness, take them to a football or rugby union game. There are many clubs in London playing on Saturdays. I make a point of going to US sports when in America and it really does point up the differences in our cultures! Rugby would probably be the best shot (friendlier) - see if there is a game on here:

http://www.quins.co.uk

Posted by: TrinaLC

excellent idea on the rugby - there are some things the girls want to do, this the boys could do!

Posted by: bibbouk

I say check out the London Dungeon, I went there when I was 10 and loved it.
http://www.microsoft.com/homepage/gif/1ptrans.gif http://www.microsoft.com/homepage/gif/1ptrans.gif http://www.microsoft.com/homepage/gif/1ptrans.gif

Posted by: UncUgly

We did a day out last September

Frog, Fish, Eye

The fish was the London Aquarium - very nicely done

The Eye was the London Eye - excellent - we were approaching dusk - so the sun was low but still excellent and worth doing

The Frog was a bit different Frog - certainly different from a standard guided bus tour

Kids had a great time but were totally knackered at the end

Also have had a great day out at the Tower of London which is worth a day !

Rgds

uu

Posted by: randap

I'd go to Chessington rather than Thorpe Park for one day. Then I'd spend the rest of the time somewhere nice, rather than London........

Posted by: sjg

If it's still there then (and I can't imagine them dismantling it in a hurry), it's well worth a trip to the Tate Modern to see Anish Kapoor's massive sculpture. BBC story about it here. Free to get into (they encourage donations though!), so worth popping in if you're wandering along the south bank. It's opposite St Pauls Cathedral, over the not-wobbly-any-more Millenium footbridge.

Thorpe Park these days is much improved and easily the best in the south-east now. They've spent loads over the last couple of years and for 2003 will have two excellent roller coasters and lots of other rides/attractions for all ages. Opens 5th April I think, and it's a pain to get to without a car, although there are apparently shuttle busses from whichever train station is closest.

Posted by: iankb

quote:
Originally posted by randap
I'd go to Chessington rather than Thorpe Park for one day. Then I'd spend the rest of the time somewhere nice, rather than London........

Chessington is about 4 miles from Hampton Court Palace (with its maze). They are both about 30 minutes from London's Waterloo Station. Get a train to Hampton Court, taxi to Chessington World of Adventures, train back from Chessington. Chessington reopens for the season on the 10th April.

Ian.

[Edited for incorrect travel information]

Posted by: Noddy Holder

Like Reading Ian?:D :D :p

quote:
I'd go to Chessington rather than Thorpe Park for one day. Then I'd spend the rest of the time somewhere nice, rather than London........

Posted by: kabe

At this time of year Oxford and Cambridge are also nice (as we have a heat spell right now). See some of the colleges and sights then go for a punt on the Cherwell/Cam rivers respectively (chauffeurs available for the timd punters).

Posted by: sanderton

The sixteen month old thread lives!