LONDON ITINERARY SUGGESTION
Apr 20th, 2006, 06:43 AM
#42
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Our kids loved the London Eye, so I would encourage you to do it. If it were just my husband and me, we would pass on it.
You can get wonderful views from other sites, but the London Eye is more for the experience. I would really encourage you to do it. Your child will thank you!
We went to both Westminster Abbey and St Pauls last week. While our children found the Abbey more interesting, they enjoyed St Pauls more. St Pauls is lighter and brighter, and you can climb to the top.
You can get wonderful views from other sites, but the London Eye is more for the experience. I would really encourage you to do it. Your child will thank you!
We went to both Westminster Abbey and St Pauls last week. While our children found the Abbey more interesting, they enjoyed St Pauls more. St Pauls is lighter and brighter, and you can climb to the top.
Apr 20th, 2006, 06:58 AM
#43
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Another question - In July, when does it get really DARK in London, this is important from a tourist's point of view to cram in more activities in a day. Is there daylight till, say, 9 PM?
Apr 20th, 2006, 07:53 AM
#45
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JoMark--my husband and I are in our thirties and we LOVED the London Eye! We didn't go on it again on our second trip to London because it IS very expensive, but we're glad we went once. It's very, very cool!
Apr 20th, 2006, 08:38 AM
#46
sv: chill a bit - you keep adding more and more questions w/o addressing some of what's already been suggested.
A few comments:
It is too bad the Transport museum is currently closed (sure hope they don't screw it up in the refurbishment). But Covent Garden is still a good place to stroll/shop/eat w/ a kid. there are always street performers.
Give up on Parliament. It is too complicated and time consuming and you might not get in evenn if you do queue way ahead.
No - don't try to do St Paul's and Westminster Abbey on the same day. They are not near each other. Look at a map of London and do things that are near each other on the same day. Westminster Abbey is close to: The Eye (a VERY good thing for either adults or kids), Big Ben, Cabinet War rooms, St James Park, Trafalgar Square (or in the opposite direction - Buckingham Palace/Royal Mews)
The Mews is great - beautiful carriages, and well done displays.
The V&A is wonderful - but very big. It is just across the street from the Natural History Museum. So you could go to both - but since you will be right there you don't need to decide until you come out of the Natural History. If you are not "museumed out" then walk over to the V&A. Or you can walk up to Hyde Park and just have fun on the serpentine or whatever.
Canary Whatf?? -- No reason to go there at all - especially w/ a child.
It will be light late so you'll have lots of evening time to walk around
Buckingham palace is only open in Aug/Sept. In July it will only be a "walk by" on your way to the Mews.
A few comments:
It is too bad the Transport museum is currently closed (sure hope they don't screw it up in the refurbishment). But Covent Garden is still a good place to stroll/shop/eat w/ a kid. there are always street performers.
Give up on Parliament. It is too complicated and time consuming and you might not get in evenn if you do queue way ahead.
No - don't try to do St Paul's and Westminster Abbey on the same day. They are not near each other. Look at a map of London and do things that are near each other on the same day. Westminster Abbey is close to: The Eye (a VERY good thing for either adults or kids), Big Ben, Cabinet War rooms, St James Park, Trafalgar Square (or in the opposite direction - Buckingham Palace/Royal Mews)
The Mews is great - beautiful carriages, and well done displays.
The V&A is wonderful - but very big. It is just across the street from the Natural History Museum. So you could go to both - but since you will be right there you don't need to decide until you come out of the Natural History. If you are not "museumed out" then walk over to the V&A. Or you can walk up to Hyde Park and just have fun on the serpentine or whatever.
Canary Whatf?? -- No reason to go there at all - especially w/ a child.
It will be light late so you'll have lots of evening time to walk around
Buckingham palace is only open in Aug/Sept. In July it will only be a "walk by" on your way to the Mews.
Apr 25th, 2006, 01:57 PM
#48
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One thing that might make all of London's history more interesting for your 7 YO is a book about the kings and queens. One of my favorites is the Oxford book of Kings and Queens. It's written so there's a page or so about each monarch. Good plane reading, and a quick reference guide in those situation where you find your self thinking "Now, what did he do?". Also, if you hit the Portrait Gallery before Westminster, they might be able to put a face with a name on a tomb. This said, your child's interest might vary depending on how much interest they have in history and books.
Apr 25th, 2006, 03:22 PM
#49
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You've been given some excellent suggestions on what to do/see, and it will stay light late into the evening. Just don't try to do too much. I realize it's tempting, but it is better to savor several things than to try to do it all, especially with a 7 year old. Exhaustion makes for a miserable traveler.
Apr 26th, 2006, 11:00 AM
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A few of suggestions for your stay:
1) Get a Visitor Tube Pass for each adult (children under 11 ride free with adult). You can only buy it before you leave at this website http://www.ticket-on-line.com. The cost will be less and you don't have the hassle of getting a ticket each time you want to ride, and believe me you'll use the tube alot. It goes everywhere.
2) If you are going to TOL and Hampton Court, get the combo ticket. It will save you bucks. You can buy them at the ticket office at either site. Here is also a good site for info on the palaces: http://www.hrp.org.uk.
3) Write to the TOL to get Ceremony of the Keys tickets. It's the over 700 year old custom of locking the TOL each night. Your 7 year old will love it. It's free, but you have to write to them to request tickets via post and send a return envelope with the requisite British stamps or 2 Int'l Reply Coupons. You can find more info at the website in #2 above under TOL Events and Exhibitions.
3) Definitely see a show. If you haven't seen the Lion King (at the Lyceum)... see it there. I did and it was fab. You can book online or go to 1/2 price tix in the Picadilly tube station or at SOLT-tkts booth in Leister Square. Here's a great website for London theatre info: http://www.officiallondontheatre.co.uk/kids.
4) There's a great company called London Walks. They do different tours in and around the city, plus "Explorer Days" outside the city. Last year I did Oxford and the Cotwalds and it was great. Their Jack the Ripper Tour was very cool (I've done it four times with different leaders) and so are their "ghost" and pub tours. Their official site is: http://www.walks.com.
London is a great and fun city. You just have to take your time to enjoy. Don't try to do too many things.
1) Get a Visitor Tube Pass for each adult (children under 11 ride free with adult). You can only buy it before you leave at this website http://www.ticket-on-line.com. The cost will be less and you don't have the hassle of getting a ticket each time you want to ride, and believe me you'll use the tube alot. It goes everywhere.
2) If you are going to TOL and Hampton Court, get the combo ticket. It will save you bucks. You can buy them at the ticket office at either site. Here is also a good site for info on the palaces: http://www.hrp.org.uk.
3) Write to the TOL to get Ceremony of the Keys tickets. It's the over 700 year old custom of locking the TOL each night. Your 7 year old will love it. It's free, but you have to write to them to request tickets via post and send a return envelope with the requisite British stamps or 2 Int'l Reply Coupons. You can find more info at the website in #2 above under TOL Events and Exhibitions.
3) Definitely see a show. If you haven't seen the Lion King (at the Lyceum)... see it there. I did and it was fab. You can book online or go to 1/2 price tix in the Picadilly tube station or at SOLT-tkts booth in Leister Square. Here's a great website for London theatre info: http://www.officiallondontheatre.co.uk/kids.
4) There's a great company called London Walks. They do different tours in and around the city, plus "Explorer Days" outside the city. Last year I did Oxford and the Cotwalds and it was great. Their Jack the Ripper Tour was very cool (I've done it four times with different leaders) and so are their "ghost" and pub tours. Their official site is: http://www.walks.com.
London is a great and fun city. You just have to take your time to enjoy. Don't try to do too many things.
Apr 28th, 2006, 09:44 PM
#54
Tickets to the Ceremony of the Keys are not hard to get - as long as you request them far enough in advance and have a "window" of possible dates.
I didn't read back through the whole thread but I think your trip is this summer - right? If so you can probably get tickets.
Write to:
Ceremony of the Keys
Operations Department
H. M. Tower of London
London EC3N 4AB
Include SAE, international postal coupon, possible dates, number of tickets, name and address of each person.
If you skip any of this, all they will do is write back to your and you have to start from square one so be sure to include everything first time.
I didn't read back through the whole thread but I think your trip is this summer - right? If so you can probably get tickets.
Write to:
Ceremony of the Keys
Operations Department
H. M. Tower of London
London EC3N 4AB
Include SAE, international postal coupon, possible dates, number of tickets, name and address of each person.
If you skip any of this, all they will do is write back to your and you have to start from square one so be sure to include everything first time.
