Going to London for the first time in April and staying for a week with my two boys. Feeling a bit lost with all the options out there, so I would really appreciate any advice on where to stay, places to eat and things to see
We are especially confused about which area or neighborhood to stay in, so any suggestions would be great.
I don’t have specific tips. But I remember when my parents took me to London at around 12 or 13, all I wanted to do was ride the Tube and a double decker bus. As long as I got to do that, I was happy
I was really into the subway scene back then. I think we even went to the subway museum or something like that, which I found way more interesting than the crown jewels.
I stayed at a B&B near Victoria Station, which is close to Buckingham Palace. Top things for kids include the changing of the guard, the Tower of London, and the London Eye.
I actually went to see the changing of the guard, but it turned out to be a full parade for a rehearsal for the trooping of the colours
My wife and I are in our seventies and we visited for four days in July before our cruise from Southampton. We chose Covent Garden, only a short walk from the Strand, which allowed us to reach many major sites easily, like Buckingham Palace, Trafalgar Square, the British Museum, and even the South Bank. Getting to the city from Heathrow was quite pricey, about $100 US, since we had too much luggage to carry on the Tube. One more thing, the traffic during weekdays was terrible. Getting around on any kind of transportation, even hop on hop off buses, was tricky. These days may be better considering it’s the off season. Most of the time we simply walked, but your boys might not enjoy that too much. Another thing to note is that pickpockets and thieves are everywhere, particularly targeting tourists. I had my iPhone stolen right from our table in a nice bar at Covent Garden. Make sure to keep a close eye on all your valuables. Hope you enjoy your trip
@Merrick
Thanks for sharing this valuable information. Covent Garden and South Bank were also two places we were considering for our stay. I’m aware of the pickpocket issue and appreciate the heads-up on that. I grew up in Boston and NYC during the 80s and 90s, so I know a thing or two about keeping my guard up.
Make sure they know about country codes for calling back to the USA and how to reach local police. Is it 999
Also, have them carry a contact card in case they get lost. It should include hotel name, address, phone number, and your information along with any local contacts you trust who can help in emergencies
Kids at this age usually pick up information much easier. My 10 year old niece struggled to remember her home address back in the days
Aside from emergency prep, dress them in layers since the weather can change. A rainproof jacket is a must. I avoid packing umbrellas because they add weight, so just check the weather. You can buy inexpensive black umbrellas there and leave them behind when you leave
There’s lots of history in London. Maybe watch films with scenes from London? The Mummy comes to mind for connections. I haven’t seen Harry Potter, but I presume there are scenes from that too
Teach them to identify the coins since there are 2-pound coins that you’ll need for public bathrooms. Public seating like benches at malls and most bus stops are limited, so plan accordingly to avoid tiring the kids out
They might enjoy learning the English accent; garage, for example, sounds like garage and aluminum sounds like aluminium to me, haha. I find that amusing
Instruct them to steer clear of tourist scams where people give out free flowers or friendship bracelets. Just say no and move on
Have a safe trip
The Science Museum is a must visit. Also, it’s worth looking into their play area, though I can’t remember the name. It’s enjoyable for all ages. I went there last time with my kids, and we even had to pull my dad out of there
The Natural History Museum is next door and a must-see as well
Check out the Transport Museum too
Don’t miss the National Portrait Gallery. You start at the top, and in the first room where all the Tudors are displayed, there’s an amazing optical illusion painting. Your boys might recognize some other paintings there. The 17th to 19th century exhibits are hit or miss for kids, but the more modern ones feature musicians and celebrities they may know
One cool thing about England is that every building seems to have a cafe. I don’t really get the economics behind it, but it’s great. Every museum, bookstore, tourist site, and park has a cafe. Depending on how touristy they are, they can be overpriced or decent. If nothing else, try Marks and Spencer for the best sandwiches
Download the Citimapper app to help plan your routes. I suggest taking buses whenever you can for a fun way to see the city. Each family member will need a credit card to tap on the bus or Tube, and you can’t reuse cards in the same trip. Make sure you have four cards or an Apple Wallet. They don’t accept Amex. Don’t waste money on an Oyster card; just use your credit card. There’s a daily cap on charges, so after a couple of trips, you won’t be charged for extra taps
Catch a play while you’re there
London is fantastic for kids. You’ll have a blast
@Laurel
Which neighborhood are the science museum and natural history museum located in? Do you have any suggestions for where to stay
Alexis said:
@Laurel
Which neighborhood are the science museum and natural history museum located in? Do you have any suggestions for where to stay
It really depends on your budget. Also, European rooms tend to be smaller, so if you want everyone to share a room, you’ll likely need a big chain like Holiday Inn or Premier Inn
Public transport is really good, so it’s easy to travel around. I don’t have specific recommendations but I think searching on Google or hotels.com will give you a sense of areas based on hotel prices. The Piccadilly line makes getting to the main tourist spots quite convenient, but there are many options
I’m pretty cheap honestly. Last time, I stayed at the Arriva near Waterloo. It was clean and they had a family room with a full bed and two twin beds. If you’re willing to spend more, you’ll find better options, but it worked for us
Check hotels.com or google for the best prices and go from there.
Alexis said:
@Laurel
Which neighborhood are the science museum and natural history museum located in? Do you have any suggestions for where to stay
The Science Museum, the Natural History Museum, and the Victoria and Albert Museum are all located in the same block south of Hyde Park in South Kensington, which I consider to be West London
The British Museum, Covent Garden, Soho, Piccadilly Circus, and Trafalgar Square are all quite close to one another and are considered central. Just a bit further south of Trafalgar Square are the Houses of Parliament, Big Ben, and Westminster Abbey. Buckingham Palace is a 10 to 15-minute walk west from those places and Piccadilly Circus
I’d recommend staying in these areas: Covent Garden, Soho, Fitzrovia, and Bloomsbury, and if your budget allows, Marylebone and Mayfair. These neighborhoods keep you within walking distance to many major attractions since they are very central
Alexis said:
@Laurel
Which neighborhood are the science museum and natural history museum located in? Do you have any suggestions for where to stay
For reasonably priced hotels, you might look into IHG (Holiday Inn), Accor Hotels, Travelodge, and Premier Inn. Radisson, Marriott, and Hilton are a bit pricier. Accor Hotels is a large chain that caters to all categories
My boys, who were 9 to 11 at the time, got really into the Tube. By the end of the trip, they were helping us figure out which stops to get on and off. For some reason, they were obsessed with hunting for coins left behind and probably picked up 20 to 30 coins during our trip across Europe. We traveled between cities by train and they had their own table for cards, which worked perfectly. Make sure you explore various markets that people keep recommending. The kids loved the variety of food and items for sale, and honestly, so did we. Wandering between things to see and do is fantastic, especially when you aren’t jammed in a crowd or waiting in long lines
Leake Street will get your boys excited. It has outstanding street art in a long railway arch, and there’s usually someone creating something new to watch. It’s free and located just near Waterloo station, only a five-minute walk from the London Eye. You could even grab lunch at Passyunk Avenue. There’s always something happening in the various venues that connect through the tunnel
We went to London Thanksgiving week with our daughters who are the same age as your boys
Things they loved the most
Harry Potter studio
The Tube
Mail trains
Tower of London
London dungeons
Borough market
Shopping at Harrods and others depending on what your kids enjoy. Hamleys offers amazing toys
Little Venice
Hampton Court Palace
St James Park, where they have pelicans
The hop-on bus tour
Tickets to West End shows are much cheaper than Broadway. We saw Six and Harry Potter and it was ten times less than NYC prices. I wished we could have seen more shows; I almost booked Hamilton at the last moment
For food
Dishoom
A curry house on Brick Lane
High tea at Browns or anywhere else; the Harry Potter studios offers a tea that breaks up the day nicely
About places to stay
You might want to consider getting a suite or an apartment. We stayed at 37 Golden Square rental in Soho which was centrally located but there were drunks fighting outside our window, making it hard to find a place to eat on Fridays and Saturdays. Maybe I wouldn’t choose that again, but Soho and the surrounding areas are great
I’ve had problems booking rentals with Marriott, Airbnb, and VRBO—booking directly is better
The time change confused us a bit and we ended up renting a three-bedroom apartment, which was great for watching movies and taking naps
Check the bed sizes since they tend to be small
You’ll want a place near a Tube station since there are many options across various price ranges
London has a lot of street crime. Avoid showing your phone or leaving it on the table. I used to like London, but now I find it dirty, filled with crime, and overly crowded. It might be better to visit smaller places
I’ve been many times and took my kids once. I liked staying in Earls Court because it has multiple Tube lines and is a bit cheaper. A few suggestions
- Use the Tube for all your travels. It’s easy and fun
- Don’t plan your days too strictly. It’s okay if you miss something. You won’t see everything in one visit
- The Churchill War Rooms are interesting and fun for everyone. It’s the real underground bunker where Churchill managed World War II
- If you’re soccer fans, try to catch some EPL games
- Of course, Tower of London
Feeling lost with all the activities
Have you thought about what you and your kids are interested in? Not to sound rude, but saying you’re overwhelmed feels a bit like going into a supermarket and saying you feel lost among 5000 products