jtw999

My family of 5 has 3 days in London in July. I have asked for advice in the past few months and have altered plans accordingly. I'd like some input on our latest plans:


Day One: Big Bus Tour (stops at Changing of the horse guards @ 11:00, National Gallery, among other things) - suggestions please!
Day Two: Tower of London, Thames river cruise to London Eye (weather dependent) + suggestions please!
Day Three: train to Salisbury/Stonehenge tour

I'd like to go to the British Museum, too, but am not sure where to fit that in.

Our hotel is within walking distance of the V and A Museum so we will probably go there the day we fly in - in an attempt to stay awake before our London days truly begin!

We have 3 kids who are eager and excited. We will be coming from North America though,so will need to adjust to the time change, making us a bit tired, I'm sure!

Thank you for any advice!

jtw999

PS I'd also love to fit in the Westminster Abbey tour, if there's time!!

janisj

I'd probably ditch the H-o-H-o bus tour. It takes several hours if you get off anywhere and in that time you could actually visit two really major sites like Westminster Abbey and one of the major museums, or the Tower and St Pauls. The Changing of the Guard is not the be-all and end-all that many think. It is fine to take the time if you are in London for several days -- but w/ less than three full days in London, I wouldn't.

Also -Salisury/Stonehenge are wonderful -- but are they higher on your "must/wish" list than The British Museum, or Hampton Court, or the National Gallery -- or just seeing London? Only you can decide that . . .

Newbi

I too am travelling as a family of 5 to London with only three days to cram things into. Where did you decide to stay? Did you go for an apartment or hotel?
I am hoping to walk as much as possible but still haven't decided on the best location.

Odin

Science Museum or Natural History museum might be better for kids than the V&A.

texasbookworm

I agree with janisj about the bus tour. Instead use the time to go to Westminster Abbey when it opens, see "stuff" around there, then go to the British Museum. That way you will have actually SEEN two amazing places, not just whizzed by them. Don't focus on the changing of the guard--it's much better on tv then it will probably be in person, unless you "waste" lots of time staking out a spot early and stand there for a few-minute spectacle. I would not suggest that for kids. Keep 'em moving!

After the Tower, do walk out on the Tower Bridge; we had a discount for the Tower Bridge Experience and enjoyed that and it had lots of stuff for kids, but it might be expensive for what it is without a discount. But walk on to Bridge is free.

I just posted something for you on your Stonehenge thread. I also agree with janisj that there's plenty to see in London, BUT Stonehenge/Salisbury is a great day trip!

So one day (either 1 or 2) do the Tower AT OPENING and then your Thames river cruise and the Eye. Then the other day do Westminster Abbey AT OPENING and then tube to the British Museum. Then day 3 day trip. Better to do these 4 things leisurely than run around just glancing at things. And yes amazing as the V&A is I'd skip it with kids--depending on when you arrive first day, you could tube to Trafalgar Square, take pics with Column and lions and enjoy the views and maybe go into the National Gallery. Or just explore your neighborhood and see the museums Odin suggests.

jtw999

Thank you all so much! I really appreciate the advice.
Stonehenge is a definite must for my history buff husband and eldest son. I appreciate the suggested itinerary of going the Salisbury route.
I'm glad the Tower, river cruise, Eye trip is sensible. We will definitely explore the idea discount for the Tower Bridge experience. We will be sure to walk on it!
Thank you for the input on the bus tour through London. I like the idea of the British Museum and Westminster Abbey instead. We have double deckers in our town, so there is no big excitement for us about the buses like for some visitors.
The funny thing... I had never planned on going to the V and A but had so much urging to do so on a previous thread that I decided to include it! I really didn't think it would be something for my 3 boys anyway. I much prefer the trip to take pics as my husband is a huge photo taker! If we catch a bus from Victoria Station, hopefully we will still drive by some of the famous sites we'll miss by not taking the Hop on Hop off tour?

isabel

It sounds like you were not counting your arrival day in the "3 days". If your hotel is near the V&A it's also near the Science and Nat History museums - and all are free so you can just pop into them for a short time. Natural History Museum just peak into the main entry way where the dinosaur is. You are also close to Hyde Park/Kenningston Garden which is a nice place to walk around outside (helps with jet lag). For dinner that night there is a Wagamama which is a cool restaurant your kids might like - it's around the corner from Harvey Nichols. And it's cheap (for London).

Day "One" - you mentioned Bus Tour, changing of the horse guards, and nat gal. I would skip the bus tour and do a walk from Covent Garden to the London Eye - total distance is less than a mile and a half and on that route you'd see: Covent Garden, Trafalgar Square (Nat Gal is there), Whitehall St (horse guards), Big Ben, Westminster Abbey, Houses of Parliment, and London Eye. Some of the best "views" of London. With the time and money you save on the bus tour you can go into Westminster Abbey - which was also on your list. I've never done the London Eye - never seemed worth the money and long wait.

Day Two - the Tower could take half the day. Tower Bridge is right there and fun to just walk across. We did really enjoy the boat ride on our first trip to London so I'd definitely do that.

Personally if I only had the amount of time you had I wouldn't take a whole day for a day trip, and if I were doing a day trip it wouldn't be to Stonehenge. But that's just me.

Here's a link to my London photos if you are interested.
http://www.pbase.com/annforcier/london
http://www.pbase.com/annforcier/image/131333341

historytraveler

If you do decide to go ahead with your plans to visit Salisbury/Stonehenge and, IMO, only Hampton Court Palace would be a possible replacement, be sure and do the Tower Tour at Salisbury Cathedral. The kids would enjoy it. Salisbury has a lot to offer other than the cathedral, so don't think of it was just a way to get to Stonehenge.

jtw999

Thank you!
What type of transportation pass do you recommend?
Our arrival day we will be able to likely walk everywhere (just to keep ourselves awake after our red eye from western Canada!)
The days we explore London, we will be happy to do some walking, but will likely need transportation to get us closer to things.
The Stonehenge day, we'll need to buy the bus tour tickets.

Our hotel is on Belgrave (from website: ideally situated for access to all of London. Within minutes, Victoria Tube/Train (Gatwick Express) and Coach Station(s) and Pimlico Tube Station all are in walking distance.)

Any thoughts on transportation suggestions?

jtw999

Thank you, Patient Forum Members!
How about a revised plan:

Day of arrival: (by noon)
After check in, walk up to Science Museum and Museum of Natural History while we recover from our red eye. Early night to bed.

Day one:
Catch transit to Big Ben, Houses of Parliament area
Walk through St James Park towards Buckingham Palace and then down the Mall to Trafalgar Square**
Changing of the Horse Guards @ 11:00
Possibly back to National Gallery (very briefly - we will be going to Paris and visiting museums there - I know the National Gallery deserves a lot of time though)
Head by transit or foot to Westminster Abbey for a few hours

**How long might this walk take, bearing in mind that my husband likes to take lots of pics?

Day two:
Tower of London and London Bridge
River Thames cruise to Waterloo Pier
London Eye (weather dependent)

Day three:
bus to Stonehenge
back via Old Sarum and Salisbury
train back to London

I don't want to overpack the days, but if any one wants to suggest something to add to day one or two, please do!

The day after the Stonehenge trip, we will fly out of London to Barcelona at 4:00 from Heathrow. We will have to be out of our hotel by late morning, I'm sure, and so will have our luggage with us. Any ideas how to fill the afternoon?

Mimar

Most hotels will hold your luggage for you after you check out. You can do some sightseeing in the morning (another opportunity for the Science/Natural History Museums or the V&A), have lunch, then pick up your bags for the trip to Heathrow.

Another thought for your arrival day is a walk in Hyde Park. It's good to stay outdoors and moving that first day.

Tulips

jtw999; get Oyster cards for transportation. You can use them as a 'pay as you go' and put money on them to use the bus and underground. No need to take a tourist bus tour; just get on to one of the regular busses.

On day one it would make more sense to see Westminster Abbey together with Houses of Parliament and Big Ben. If changing of the guard is a must, maybe see Buckingham Palace, Trafalgar Square, St James Park area in the morning, then move on to Houses of Parliament/Big Ben/Westminster.
And if you have time, maybe consider the Cabinet War Rooms; my kids enjoyed seeing that.

I would try to fit in British Museum, maybe on your last day in the morning, or at the end of day 2. With a history buff husband and son, don't miss the British Museum.

I would have a look at Harrods (probably walking distance to your hotel); see the foodhalls, maybe pick up a picknick there to eat in the park.

texasbookworm

You could also get 3 oneday travel passes (well, 3 for each person who needs one--I THINK your kids travel free on Tube and bus), getting them at Victoria TRAIN station; then you'd have the passes needed for 2for1 vouchers, which you could use for the Tower (and the Tower Bridge Experience). These are PAPER cards that when bought from a TRAIN station have a logo on them that are "required" to use the vouchers. (At the Tower, the ticket taker did not ask to look at our passes; at the Bridge, he did.)

The Oyster card is super easy to get and use and MIGHT end up being a bit less per day, but not a lot, and you can't use it with the vouchers. The plastic Oyster card can either be "loaded" with whatever amount of cash you want or can be "loaded" with the one-day-travel pass amount. But then you can't use the plastic Oyster for the 2for1 vouchers.

The amount you would save at the Tower (and Bridge) would probably make the trouble of going to Victoria TRAIN station to purchase the 1-day-travel passes worth it. Depending on when and where you are arriving.

There are tons of threads on 2for1 stuff here; don't let it all confuse you. I think your decision is pretty straightforward: If you aren't using the Tube for transport immediately upon arrival and you are willing to get to (walk?) Victoria Station, then go there and buy paper travel tickets. Or just go to the first Tube station you use and buy Oyster cards and load the cash on them that the (almost universally) helpful agent will help you decide how much to put on there.

(For us in 2008, arriving in LHR, from which we took the Tube, we needed Tube pass immediately, so we purchased Oyster cards there at LHR. Then the day before we went to the Tower, we made our 20 minute or so walk to Victoria and bought one day passes to use the next day with vouchers. The rest of our 2 weeks we used the cash on the Oyster card. In 2010 arriving in LHR we got a car service to take us to our rooms so we bought our Oyster card at the first Tube stop we used; we didn't go to any place we could use the vouchers this time so we didn't need paper cards.)

G_Hopper

jtw999 - You might want to consider doing the walk-by attractions (Parks, Big Ben, Houses of Parliament, etc.) on your day of arrival and get as much daylight, exercise and fresh air as possible.

I love museums but the slow-paced, "museum shuffle" can be very exhausting - but especially so on your first day in a place.

bachslunch

Depending on which days you'll be there, note that several of the major London museums have evening hours at least one day a week. See if any of them do when you're there.

laurie_ann

In London bus is free if you are 15 or under. Tube and bus is free if you are 10 or under.

If you want to save some trouble you can order your Oyster Card to be loaded and sent to you in advance. See this page from London Transport website.

http://visitorshop.tfl.gov.uk/English/introduction.htm

laurie_ann

You might consider that first day Hyde Park. It is just a few blocks north of the V&A and the Natural History Museum. Fresh air and exercise are the best antidote to jet lag. Maybe the park and then back to V&A or Natural History Museum. Those museums like many in London are free so no worries if you just want to stop in for an hour or so.

europeannovice

The day we saw the Tower of London, we got there at opening time and spent approx 4 hours there if I recall correctly. The Tower Bridge is right there and then you can take the boat ride from the Tower to Westminster. You can then pass by Parliament and see the Cabinet War Rooms before closing which was fabulous too. Cross the Westminster Bridge and ride the London Eye in the evening.

We also took on a separate day, a London walk which stopped for the changing of the guard (not the horse guards) and spent some time in Westminster Abbey.

You don't seem to have time for it in your itinerary but my son loved Hampton Court Palace. It is great when the have the working kitchens on display and the gardens are wonderful still in July.

RobertaL

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