kmwjes

We have spent 4 days/nights in London and plan to rent a car for the final 3 days in the U.K. We plan to stay in our same hotel in the Chelsea area (thanks to Hilton points)so we can only take day trips. We have three kids ages 6, 9 and 13 so we wish to take manageable day trips but really despice the tourist traps although we know some of it is inevitable. Can anyone help? Thank you so much!

annhig

WHy not take a trip out into the Kent countryside. Leeds Castle is wonderful this time of year, or head for the Chiddngstone area with Hever Castle, Chiddingston Castle, the oast houses etc. All of these are difficult to get to by train so are a good use of your car.
Or try Sevenoaks with the lovely Knole House and nearby Chartwell [home of W. Churchill].
Or Sissinghurst - renouned National Trust Gardens.
To the north - windsor and Lego land?
To the east - Ely and /or cambridge?
Have a lovely time!

alanRow

< To the east - Ely and /or cambridge? >

Last time I checked they were well to the north of London & about 2 hours drive.

And Windsor is to the west (The Queen built the castle there so she could get to Heathrow Airport)

But I wouldn't drive to either, train is much easier

timsmom

You could go to Stratford-upon-Avon to learn more about Shakespeare. We loved going to Warwick Castle, which has mannequins set up to represent various historical periods. The kids might enjoy touring the dungeon and walking the castle walls. I think about 2 hr drive to the NW from London.

Also, you might consider Stonehenge and Bath, with the Roman baths, that are about 2 hrs to the west of London. Or you could take the tube to Wimbledon to tour the tennis museum there and visit Centre Court where the championships were recently held.

So many choices - what a wonderful dilemma

janisj

Unfortunately w/ the current heat - none of the gardens (sissinghurst/Leeds/Chartwell/etc) will be at their best.

(And yes, alanRow is correct - most of annhig's directions are - ahem -- in the wrong direction.)

I definitely would NOT rent a car for a series of day trips from London. Have you driven in London before? Do you have a place to park it in London each night (for less than the price of your first born anyway) ?

There are MANY lovely places w/i easy reach by train and that would be much faster than driving anywhere from Chelsea.

Bath
Oxford
Brighton
Dover
Cambridge
Canterbury
Ely
Rye
Lymington/the New Forest
Salisbury/Stonehenge
Wunchester
and on and on and on.

janisj

That should be WINCHESTER

also, w/ kids Warwick would be a great choice

wasleys

alanRow

<i>The Queen built the castle there so she could get to Heathrow Airport.</i>

Rubbish. She built Windsor to use Northolt. ;-)

alanRow

wasleys, it's a little known fact but the Queen is an plane spotter. Many's the time she'd been spotted on the roof at Heathrow

Of course once she became Queen she had to stop - which is why she built the castle

Barbara_in_CT

A daytrip to York is an entirely different experience from a day trip to Bath and I recommend them both.

York: visit the Minster, walk the Shambles, train museum, castle museum, eat at Betty's.

Bath: visit the Bath Spa, walking tour, boat ride on the river.

Guide books will give you more ideas and fill in the details.

Warwick Castle should also be a hit with the kids.

Skip the car and take the train. You can book ahead using www.thetrainline.com

York will be a full day but you can relax on the train ride.

Lori

Have you ever driven in London before ? Do you have a place to park the car near your hotel ? I'd skip the car and take a train for day trips, much more convenient, relaxing and less stressful, particularly if you have never driven in London.

wasleys

alanRow,

I beg to differ. The Queen <u>is</u> often seen on the roof at Heathrow, but this has nothing to do with planespotting. On the contrary she is there to inspect Terminal 2. She has a proprietorial interest in the building as she opened it in 1955 and gave it her name http://www.thisislongford.com/heathrow.htm

The building of Windsor Castle was much earlier. She ordered it immediately after her accession in 1952 to be close to Northolt, the airfield from which she took her first ever flight as Princess Elizabeth, and with which the royal family had a close asociation for many years http://www.royal.gov.uk/output/Page2616.asp

Currently consideration is being given to providing an escalator link from Buckingham Palace to Hyde Park Station to allow a cut-down royal train to run on the Piccadilly to Heathrow. This will allow Windsor to become available for weddings.

ma23peas

Our kids are 7,8, &amp; 11...I've researched this ad nauseum...we're leaving in 6 weeks...from all I've gleaned these would be good stops...

1. Warwick Castle

2. Hampton Court Palace

3. Cotswolds

4. Portsmouth...I think the Naval Museum is there...fun for the kids...

Good luck! Give a report when you return!

Tara

Jean

There's a great aircraft museum at Hendon, north of London and accessible by train. The emphasis is on the U.K., but a large area is dedicated to the U.S. 8th Air Force which contributed so much to the defense of England against air attack and to the invasion effort. I would think kids of the age of yours would enjoy all the planes, with a history lesson thrown in for good measure.

baflanagan

Windsor Castle is a must see if you haven't already. Also, you can drive to Winchester, Salisbury, Stonehenge and Bath for one very full day of sightseeing. Have you considered taking the chunnel to Paris? Oxford University is also a sight to see.

annhig

Yes alright - I was tired. Windsor is definitely west of London, though it'd be difficult to get to Ely and Canbridge without going east!
but I was trying to answer kmwjes's question, and suggesting places that are easier to get to by car than public transport.
The roses at Leeds Castle should be loving this hot weather!

alanRow

&lt; This will allow Windsor to become available for weddings. &gt;

They tried that - but the couple didn't think it was good enough, so they went to the local registry office instead and a pie &amp; mash knees-up in Ye Olde Englishe Pube afterwards.

willit

ma23peas - Yes, he Royal Navy museum is in Portsmouth, and contains, among other things, HMS Victory (Nelson's flagship at Trafalgar) and HMS Warrior (the world's first Iron warship). There are also a D-Day Museum, a Royal Marine Museum, and a Submarine museum.

kmwjes

Thank you ALL for the wealth of information!! It is so informative. Well,obviously we will be coming back again as there is so much to do. We have decided to work in Windsor castle, Bath and Stonehenge while roaming the countryside! Thanks so very much.