Itinerary help - London and outskirts
 

Hello!
we are planning to go to London with our 11 years old twins and we would need please some help especially with how to plan the days outside London.
Below is our plan, in order to understand what we have in mind.
Would you change anything from our plan in London?
For the days outside London, my wife thinks that Stonehenge might be worth it, but i am hesitant... Then for Warwick Castle, although it is 1.5 hrs drive, the kids would enjoy seeing a castle and also seeing all things that are happening there.
Would you recommend anything more specific to us please for those days in order to help us?
I am also thinking of renting the car for an extra day, in order to drive somewhere also on Tuesday.

#1 ,Tue 16/Jul: around 18:00 at our hotel, Holbron Premier Inn. If kids still have strength after an 7 hour trip: walk to Oxford Circus, Regent Street, Carnaby etc.
#2 , Wed 17/Jul: Walking tour around Buckingham palace, Big Ben, Westminster Abbey. Lunch at Yo! Sushi (kids orders!) and at around 15:00 go to Frameless Art. Then either go to Hyde Park or Diana Playground or Selfridges / Oxford Str and end up seeing Harrods at night.
#3 , Thu 18t/Jul): British Museum, Outernet, Foyles Bookstore, Kings Cross Station HP 3/4 etc. At 16:00 go at Covent Garden and at 19:00 booked Matilda Musical.
#4 , Fri 19/Jul: Science Museum, Natural History Museum. Maybe also something else after lunch (as we check out from the hotel today) as Camden Market or Notting Hill or even Hyde Park again. Then depart around 19:00 to Reading (we have a friends appartment for free).
#5 , Sat 10/Jul: Rent car at 09:00. Either drive to: (a) Stonehenge, Salisbury and Cotswolds, or (b) Avebury or directly to Costwolds and combine it with Oxford.
#6 , Sun 21/Jul: Either drive to: (a) Warwick Castle and Stratford upon Avenue (I dont think if we can combine Oxford as well), or (b) Drive to Oxford and Bleinheim Palace, or (c) Wolburn Safari
#7 , Mon 22/Jul: Drive with car to Henley-on-Thames in the morning or Windsor, and then drive to Harry Potter WB Studios, where we booked at 14:00.
#8 , Tue 23/Jul: Two options for today: get the 25 minute train to London Paddington and visit London for an extra day (Camden Market, etc) or get a train to Oxford from Reading or to another place.
#9 , Wed 24/Jul: Get the train and back to London to stay at Premier Inn Paddington for our last night. Maybe visit Tate Modern, Borough Market, Tower Bridge, Tower of London. Afternoon go at Greenwich or Notting Hill / Portobello Market.
#10 , Thu 25/Jul: Morning walk at Little Venice towards Camden Market. Flight departs from Stanstead at 17:00, thus leave from Hotel around 13:00.

Thanks!

Welcome to Fodors. Jst some very quick comments right now -- it 1AM where I amd and what the heck am I still doing up??? :)

Lucky you have free accommodations for part of the trip.

• I would not leave the Tower of London to a maybe on your last full day in London -- do it up front even if it means skipping something else on our wish list -- get there just before opening and count on a minimum of 3 hours there.

• Stonehenge + Salisbury + the Cotswolds ins'y a day. Just Stonehenge + Salisbury and definitely add in Avebury would be the day. A Reading/Salisbury/Stonehenge/Avebury/Reading loop is about four hours total drive time pus the stops so a very full day.

• Unless you devote an entire day to the Cotswolds -- not combining them with anything else which would be the best option -- just drive through and stop in a couple of villages on your Warwick/Stratford day day -- either going or returning. Reading > maybe Burford and either Bourton on the Water or Broadway > Stratford-upon-Avon > Warwick > Reading is another 4-ish hour drive plus stops.

• There is nothing to see at Oxford Circus -- its just a really busy intersection.

• Give yourselves plenty of time for the drive to Watford for the HP studio. Much of the route is on the M25 which is the most congested motorway in Europe.

I agree with janisj. If the kids want to see a castle then the very best is the Tower of London, right in the centre of London. I would much prefer this to going all the way up to Warwick to see a disneyfied version of a castle.

I'd visit Windsor Castle, easy to reach by train. The town is good for a look or lunch and Eton is a short walk.

I know this is just your wish list and you won't see all these things but I'd suggest doing the things that interest you the most first. Then if you run out of time, and you will, at least you've crossed a must-see off your list.

I'm not a fan of Stonehenge or Avebury. They're rocks. Riveting.

I'd catch a train to get to the HP world

I agree with prioritizing the Tower of London. Get there early and take a Yeoman Warder tour. My kids loved it and also enjoyed walking across Tower Bridge. They would also probably enjoy the London Eye.

My kids also enjoyed Stonehenge. If possible, try to get an inner circle tour where you can wander amongst the stones: https://www.english-heritage.org.uk/...-access-visits.

Unfortunately that isn't very practical from Reading -- first would be a train in to Paddington then the tube or taxi to Euston and a train to Watford Junction then the studio shuttle bus. OR and even longer one-change route via Clapham Common. IF they were in central London the train would be a no brainer nut not starting from out west.

Thank you all!
The Tower of London is the topic discussed with my wife: we do not know why people like it and we can't find any photos to understand why 😂. But we will search more in the weekend!
I think we will opt to the following in each day: Reading, Avebury, Cotswalds, Oxford, Reading. Then possible Warwick and Stratford.

Be sure you are looking at the Tower of London. It is William the Conqueror's castle so is very old - its been there almost one thousand years so EXTREMELY historic. It holds the Crown Jewels (which you can visit), it sits on the bank of the Thames in a very photogenic situation with Tower Bridge right next door, the Yeoman Warders (Beefeaters) are worth visiting even if it wasn't for everything else, the White Tower in the center of the castle complex holds extensive arms and armor including Henry the VIII's and a chapel. It was a prison and held many famous people including Anne Boleyn -- she was executed there. It would be number 1 on most first time visitor's ' must do' lists.

IMO the Tower is MUCH more worthwhile than say the Science Museum or wandering around Notting Hill, or Princess Diana's Playground. The playground is terrific but aimed at a younger age group than your twins. To be honest, if they were 5 or 6 years old -- wonderful. For preteens -- they's be the oldest kids there by several years.

Thank you!

I assume we need to pre-book abs also what exactly are Yeoman Warders? :)

You do not have to pre-book -- but it does help. The best thing to do is book right at opening time and get there a few minutes ahead of time. After it opens it gets VERY busy but right at the opening there are really no lines. Most days it opens at 9AM but on Sun & Mon it opens at 10 AM.

Then when you enter walk directly to the Jewel House to see the Crown Jewels before they get crowded. Then walk back towards he entrance and you can meet up with a Yeoman Warder's (free) tour. Then after the tour wander around the rest including the White Tower, maybe have lunch inside or nearby and definitely hit some of the gift shops.

https://www.hrp.org.uk/tower-of-london/#gs.b7v1ko

Yeoman Warders (also called Beefeaters) are retired British Army - they live in the Tower and have lots of official duties plus lead tours.

https://artsandculture.google.com/st...OicFVk5g?hl=en

Yes agree about the Tower of London as this is actual history. The first time I was there I was just out of college and in addition to being blown away by the Crown Jewels, my friend and I were impressed by the display of the knight's armor and made us realize that many of the knight's were likely no older than teenagers as people's lifespan was a lot shorter.

Your itinerary seems pretty jam-packed. When you visit Westminster Abbey, you might also consider the Churchill War Rooms which are almost across from one another. Another place that is real, living history. So as your twins are 11 years old, they haven't studied WWII but when they do, this will definitely provide a memorable context.

Agree about visiting Windsor Castle. Easy train ride from Waterloo, the town is lovely and it is a nice walk from the train station up to the Castle. It does however take time, at least half a day. If you decide to go, check the calendar as you would want to go on a day that St George's Chapel is open.

I love the Tate Modern. It is huge and so unless you plan to spend a significant amount of time, you will only see a fraction of it. As with most of the museums, there is no charge. Among my favorite London museums is the National Portrait Gallery, newly reopened after a renovation. They might enjoy the contemporary portraits of celebrities, the King and other royals as well as British sports figures... a walk through British history, told via portraiture.

Since they will be staying in Reading for several days it makes more sense to visit Windsor from there by car. IMO they shouldn't take the time from their already short time in London - Depending one where exactly near Reading they are staying it could be less than a 20 minute drive. But even if its in central Reading still only maybe 30 minutes.

Most days it opens at 9AM but on Sun & Mon it opens at 10 AM.

It won't affect the OP but the Tower opens from 9am every day during the school holidays, so from this year from 21/7.