we have a 13 hr layover at Heathrow, arriving at 7 am and leaving at 7:50 pm on a Saturday in mid march 2022. any suggestions for a family of 2 adults and 3 kids 13, 11 and 6.

Well - the odds your flight times remain the same between now and then are pretty slim. Current flight schedules are really just 'place holders'. More than likely one or both flights will change multiple times in the next 8 months. So who knows how much time you'll have.

But assuming the times stay semi-consistent - you have about 6-7ish free hours (not counting at least two hours for arrival formalities at LHR, an hour to get in to London, an hour to get back to LHR and 2+ hours back at LHR) That can be a lot of hassle with jet lag

Instead, I'd consider either going to Windsor for a few hours. There are local buses or you can take a cab - its about 7 miles from the airport. You can have a nice lunch, see the Castle - some of you may be too knackered to actually tour the castle.

OR another option would be to book a day room at one of the many LHR area hotels and just relax, freshen up, watch telly, nap, have lunch.

If it has reopened, Hounslow Urban Farm. There'll be a bus from Heathrow that passes it. Currently it is closed.

Bus to Hampton Court, it is further away than Windsor, you can walk around the gardens, along the river, weather depending. Bus takes just over an hour. Plenty of places for coffee, lunch etc opposite the Palace.

Bus to Richmond, walk by the river, walk around the town, have lunch or afternoon tea at the Ivy Cafe.

Afternoon tea or lunch at Great Fosters (probably need a taxi)

thanks for the advise

There are a lot of options as public transport connecting Heathrow is decent. You can use your contactless bank card to travel without the need for an Oyster card.

These are some places along the Transport for London rail/Cross rail/Elizabeth line- the new shiny commuter train project, which is at the moment half-baked (currently running from Reading to Paddington; Heathrow Airport to Paddington).

The following recommendations are definitely not touristy. Hope you don't find them too weird, but I think they give you a glimpse into the everyday lives of local residents. Your spending can also benefit the local economy more.

If you would like to have a dip and shower, Botwell is walkable from Hayes and Harlington rail station, which is 1 station away (5-10 mins) from Heathrow on Transport for London rail. Or you can take a public bus. This is basically a public swimming pool. There are other sports facilities like gym. Lockers usually require a 1GBP coin.

You can also find a Battle of Britain bunker near Uxbridge. This was an operation room for the Battle in WW2. You can take public bus A10 to Uxbridge or check Citymapper/Google for the best public transport option.

There is also a local bike sharing programme in Uxbridge.

If you want a bit of nature, consider Ruislip Woods. There is a round the lake railway run by volunteers.

Grand Union Canal is also accessible from Hayes or Harlington or London bus from Heathrow.

Madeirinhas is a nice small Portuguese cafe. You can get a morning coffee and different Portuguese pastries. They also serve English breakfast. The attraction is it is near Bath road, so it should be within reach from the Heathrow free travel zone.

Maybe you can share a bit more about your interests.