Great & "worth the time of day and money" holiday places in London for 2 adults and kids of ages 11, 9, & 4?

Question

Plan to be there on the 7th through to 18th before moving on to Disney World, Florida!
I need what you will consider to be great fun for the whole family!
Please help!

Answer 1

If you're going to Disney World then any theme park in the UK seems tame by comparison so I'd spend my time in London doing something else.

Madame Tussuads is great for kids of all ages to see their favourite celebrities 'up close'. The London Dungeon will probably also be a good choice although warn the four-year-old before going in that none of it is real as it can be a bit frightening (although your older two will adore it). I'd also go do some sightseeing, catching the essentials such as Buckingham Palace, the Houses of Parliament, the Tower of London, etc. If you can, check out what shows are playing and catch one (the 'Lion King' would be a great hit with the kids). The British Museum will also fascinate kids of all ages as will the Science Museum and the Museum of Childhood.

For a quieter day, you could stroll around Hyde Park or London Zoo. Do these activities in the days before heading off to Florida as you'll be greatful for the rest as it'll be all go at Disney World!

Check out this website for many more ideas on how to keep kids occupied and interested in London: http://www.londonvisions.com/main_children.htm

Answer 2

There's lots to see.and visit. Here's a brief list of the main attractions.

Palaces - Buckingham Palace, Kensington Palace, Hampton Court Palace. All of these are open to visitors. The kids will love Hampton court as there are working Tudor kitchens and loads of activities and costumed guides.

Museums and Galleries - Natural History Museum, Science Museum, National Gallery, National Portrait Gallery, The Tate and Tate Modern, British Museum, Imperial War Museum.

Famous Buildings and Monuments etc - The Houses of Parliament and Big Ben, Whitehall and Downing Street, Clarence House, St James Palace, Tower of London, Trafalgar Square, Marble Arch, Monument, Tower Bridge, London Eye.

Churches - Westminster Abbey, St Paul's Cathedral, St Clement Dane, Temple Church, Saint Martin in the field.

There's such a lot to see I can't possibly list them all here. I'd recommend an Eyewitness Travel Guide as they're very comprehensive and include attractions, opening times, photos and maps.

Try the website for The Original London Walks as they do loads of guided tours around the city, They're very cheap and you can take Jack the Ripper, Harry Potter, The Da Vinci Code, Charles Dickens, Museum and Ghost walks. They are very good indeed and you get to see the places lots of tourists don't eve know about.

Travel by tube or bus, It's cheaper than by taxi and very convenient. You can get travel cards from your nearest tube station.

The main shopping streets are Oxford and Regent Street. You can try New Bond Street for Designer labels. Camden for alternative clothing. There's a big mall in Brent Cross also.

As for food, there are places to eat everywhere. China Town in Soho is good and Brick Lane for Indian Food in particular.

Have fun.

Answer 3

Hi, Here's what I always pass along!
Wow...you're in for a treat! Wear good walking shoes because London is a superb walking city. Bring a good map of the city and begin. Be a happy tourist and first hop on one of the major red double decker tour buses which afford you a perfect overview of London and you can "hop on and off" as often as you please...some for two days! I love www.theoriginaltour.com ! Highlights (see www.londonwalks.com): National Gallery, Trafalgar Square, Tate Modern Museum, London Eye, Covent Gardens (great shops n restaurants), St. Paul's Cathedral, Westminster Abbey, Buckingham Palace, see a play!, Harrods, Harvey Nichols, Tower of London.
Know London has many beautiful parks which can be your oasis when needing a rest. Kensington Gardens in one of the world's wealthiest areas - See Princess Di's Kensington Palace and shop Kensington High St. and wander up Church St. for boutiques and such. Nearby: Royal Albert Hall, Science Museum, Natural History Museum and Victoria & Albert Museum. Hyde Park connects to Kensington Gardens. Explore Chelsea for boutiques as well. St. James Park - beautiful, sole restaurant inside. Green Park - high tea at the Ritz, Fortnum & Mason, Picadilly Circus (think Times Square). Shopping streets: Oxford, Bond, check for weekly markets...BUY "TIMEOUT LONDON" weekly magazine. Boat trip on the Thames - a must. Don't forget - you can take the EUROSTAR Chunnel train to Brussels or Paris for day trips (2.5 hrs +/- each way!) Also, day trips to Brighton and to Bath (Stonehenge nearby) are well worth the train ride. Hope this helps. Have a fantastic time! :)

Answer 4

If you were staying west of London, you would have the choice of Chessington World of Adventures, Thorpe Park & Lego Land. They are all in the surrey area, check out their websites for details etc. My personal opinion, they're not quite up the Disney/ Universal & Bushe! But we do try! Good luck & enjoy yourselves.

Answer 5

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