BouK

We are traveling to London, from April 8th to April 15th - when we will take the Eurostar to Paris from April 15th to April 22nd.

We are traveling with two children, a girl who will be 8.5 and a boy who will be 7.

Here are our thoughts so far -

Day 1 - arrive mid-morning (Overnight flight from Canada), check into Apartment, get a few groceries, explore local neighbourhood

Day 2 - Unsure - was thinking National Gallery -as they have children's programs in the morning, but need something else to do this day (still resting as feel kids will be tired)

Day 3 - London Eye, Westminster Abbey, Big Ben, Parliament Square, London Bridge, London Dungeon (probably only one adult and the older child, not sure the 7 year old will do the tour).

Day 4 - Trip to Lego Land

Day 5 - Tower of London, Tower Bridge, Buckingham Palace, Trafalgar Square, Chinatown

Day 6 - Warner Brothers, Harry Potter Studio Tour, plus some free time, maybe British Museum or St. James Park depending on weather

Day 7 - Thames River Cruise - and open to suggestions.... Maybe Hyde Park, and Kensington Gardens, Perhaps London Aquarium?

Day 8 - Travel Day to Paris, in Paris check into apartment (staying near Centre Pompidou), maybe boat tour on Seine and Musee d'Orsay

Day 9 - Eiffel Tower, Arc de Triomphe , Avenue des Champs d'elysées

Day 10 - Notre Dame, Sainte-Chapelle, Conciergerie, Jardins du Luxembourg

Day 11- Disneyland Paris

Day 12- Disneyland Paris

Day 13 - Louvre (with a tour guide), Jardins des Tulleries, Chocostory

Day 14- Palace de Versailles

Day 15 - Travel Day

Thoughts? Things to add? Remove??

janisj

Please drop the Dungeon! There are so many other/better sites. How about the Natural history museum, or the London Transport museum?

And London Bridge is just a bridge . . . If you meant the 'London Bridge Experience' - see my comment re the Dungeon.

Day 5 doesn't make a lot of sense . . . Since you will have already been IN Trafalgar Square when you walk into the National Gallery and near Buckingham Palace on both days 2 and 3. Why not the Tower/Bridge and ten take a boat ride from Tower pier?

Re day 6, You will have also seen St. James's park those earlier days, so I'd head to Hyde park instead. There is a LOT for kids in Hyde Park/Kensington Gardens.

WoinParis

looks goo. I would not do 2 days in DLP and you should check what day is best on thier site. Usually week-ends are full and the 17th is overfull. you are presumably during french holidays.

https://disneylandparisbonsplans.com...sneyland-park/

Couldn't find it in english... in french it worked.
Days 9 and 10 are light, you may add some things like sacré coeur or whatever.

For kids I LOVE the jardin des plantes and they (mine) love it. (the zoo + the garden)
http://www.zoodujardindesplantes.fr/...oraires-tarifs

WoinParis

Janis, you underestimate the power of attraction of such sites that locals discard. London bridge is a must for me .... sorry, I know, petty ... but still... London, quoi... 'tain c'est le Pont de Londres !!!!! Le Tower Bridge.

janisj

London Bridge? Really? A modern concrete bridge?

BouK

Okay, so if we take out

Buckingham Palace and Trafalgar Square on Day 5, and add in the London Transport Museum.

And put Hyde Park on Day 6 whenever we aren't on the Harry Potter tour.

What else would you add in for Day 7?

We are there over Easter - I know DLP will be busy, which is why we were planning for 2 days there - you think that one day would be enough?

janisj

For your 'free day', Look at the natural history museum, maybe the Eye . . . OR one of tbe the best sites in London for kids, take a half day for Hampton Court Palace. Train to, boat back if the weather is nice.

StCirq

I haven't been for years, but my kids loved the Museum of London.

PalenQ

The London Dungeon is one of the top tourist sites in London but for kids that age may be a bit too ghoulish IME.

I'd take the kids to a London theatre for something kid-centric - a la Lion King, etc. Great experience - matinees on weekends I think.

Hyde Park -rent a canoe or kayak at the Serpentine - another kid thing.

Riding the Tube and double-decker buses too - sit right up front on upper deck for a kind of thrill.

janisj

PQ has this thing of praising the London Dungeon (and Mme Tussaud's) because 'everybody' goes there. . . . Volume doesn't equal value - just sayin'

Sort of like all the visitors to San Francisco who went to the Ripley's museum, when if they turned around 180 they would be looking across at Alcatraz and fisherman's wharf . . . Same mindset.

historytraveler

Your best bets for kids are the Natural History Museum, the British Museum, also the London Museum is excellent and unfortunately often gets overlooked, spend some time at Covent Market, and my grandkids loved Hampton Court Palace. It was one of their favorites. They do rent boats at the Serpentine in Hyde Park but don't think they rent kayaks or canoes and they require an adult to accompany kids under the age of 10/12.

BigRuss

Day 1 - arrive mid-morning (Overnight flight from Canada), check into Apartment, get a few groceries, explore local neighbourhood

You need to check if you'll even be able to check in before mid-late afternoon if you're renting an apartment. Most check-ins are 3 or 4 pm.

Day 2 - Unsure - was thinking National Gallery -as they have children's programs in the morning, but need something else to do this day (still resting as feel kids will be tired)

Go to Hampton Court Palace and wander the maze - this will take a day. Or do this on Day 7. "Thames River Cruise" is nice in abstract, but would suck when it's raining.

Day 3 - London Eye, Westminster Abbey, Big Ben, Parliament Square, London Bridge, London Dungeon (probably only one adult and the older child, not sure the 7 year old will do the tour).

The Eye is weather-dependent so scheduling the day is tricky. London Bridge is in Lake Havasu, Arizona. The current iteration is a concrete yawner.

Day 4 - Trip to Lego Land

What about Windsor?

Day 5 - Tower of London, Tower Bridge, Buckingham Palace, Trafalgar Square, Chinatown

You're all over the place. If you've been to the national galleries by now, you'll have been to Trafalgar Sq.

Day 6 - Warner Brothers, Harry Potter Studio Tour, plus some free time, maybe British Museum or St. James Park depending on weather

Given the travel time to the HP Studio tour, you may be overestimating how much you can do this day.

Day 7 - Thames River Cruise - and open to suggestions.... Maybe Hyde Park, and Kensington Gardens, Perhaps London Aquarium?

Greenwich and Cutty Sark? Imperial War Museum? St Paul's? There's a lot you can do that says LONDON more than just an aquarium.

Make sure you go to www.daysoutguide.co.uk and get the discounts. Bring passport-size photos of the family members. Save meals' worth of money.

mountainwind

Hi BouK, and all
Can I know what will be your mode of transportation to achieving all your itinerary?
I am visiting too with 2 young kids.
But many have warned me on self driving.

appreciate your input.
cheers!

janisj

mountanwind: >>But many have warned me on self driving.

mountainwind

Hi Janisj
thanks so much for the input!
Can you give me some pointers on travel passes I need, (for paris and amsterdam too perhaps?!)

I saw oyster card for london tube. is this oyster card good for use only in London.

Please mind me, I know my question may seem stupid.

thanks again!

mountainwind

Hi Janish, found. please ignore my question above!

PalenQ

Yes Oyster is only good in greater London on transports and kind of a no-brainer if in London for some days.

But do investigate the 2 for 1 entry at many sights for adults - save you tons of money:

https://www.daysoutguide.co.uk/2for1-london

Paris and Amsterdam have their versions but for the average tourist there a short time not really worth it - just buy Carnets- groups of ten RATP (metro, bus, tram) tickets at a time - like buying six separate tickets cost-wise - kids under 12 I think still get demi-tariff tickets or half-off.

Paris has the Paris Visite which universally is called overpriced for what the average tourist will do by Fodorites and the Navigo Pass (formerly Carte Orange) which may be useful if it comports to the days you are there and if you travel quite a bit.

Similarly Amsterdam has ? Love Amsterdam cards or whatever they are called but again overpriced for what average tourist will do:

https://www.gvb.nl/tickets.

PalenQ

Forgot to give link to RATP -Paris Transports - site about various options- no need to buy any before arrival:

http://www.ratp.fr/en/ratp/c_21879/visiting-paris/

Taniatravels

You need to group things together that are close to each other. Plan your days as far as possible to be interchangeable, depending on weather, tiredness, etc.

One good day would be Trafalgar Square, National Gallery, walk up to Covent Garden and see the Transport Museum (my kids enjoyed it). There might be something to watch in Covent Garden that the children would enjoy - last time I was there, in November, there was a guy riding a unicycle. It's all fun for kids. Chinatown is not that far away, but there isn't much to see there.

Another day would be the Tower and Tower Bridge, then take the DLR to Greenwich and boat back. We did exactly this with kids, and it worked well. If you take the London Walks Tower of London walk, you skip the lines and get some commentary; it's worth it.

Another day puts you in the Natural History museum, or Science museum depending on your preferences, then go over to Hyde Park.

If you go on the London Eye, the kids might like to eat in Giraffe. It's a very kid-friendly chain, but the food is good for adults, too - the menu is international. My two loved it when they were young - still do, actually, at 18 and 16. There are often street performers on the embankment near the Eye on the way to Giraffe.

We went to the Harry Potter studio last autumn; it's an easy journey from Euston to Watford, then the studio bus. If you go later in the day, you could have a quick look at the highlights of the British Museum (not far from Euston) before you head out to Watford. Don't do it the other way round because the kids will likely be tired after HP - not to mention loaded down with souvenirs.

I haven't been to the London Dungeon, but I have been to the one in York. Hated it - too much blood and gore. I would rethink that.

Enjoy!