Who has been to London with their kiddo....

[HiC]

(I'm looking at you pagas)  DD is 8 years old.  Tell me where to stay, what to see, etc. (kid friendly).   Merci.

[isabel]

My mom took me to Paris and London when I was 10. I don't remember a ton about London aside from seeing castles (which I think I thought was boring), visiting Herrod's (cool), and going to high tea at the hotel (very cool!).

[HiC]

We're zipping in and out....4 days over Thanksgiving. I figure London is doable in a short amount of time. Quick enough flight.

[themoneytree]

Depends on the time of year.

Love (LOVE) Kew Gardens. I didn't have kiddo with me this last time I was there and I kept thinking how much she would have loved it.

London Eye. Typical tourist destination and it takes a while. Great views, but probably depends on the kid if they would love it or hate it.
If you don't want to go on the Eye itself take a stroll along the river. Tons going on and a great view of the Houses of Parliment. All sorts of street performers and crazy stuff going on.

Hamleys is the world's biggest toy store (I think). It gets chaotic so probably best to avoid weekends? There is stuff for all ages.

Covent Garden is nice for a wander. There are lots of street performers and the market is fun to look around. I think a kid would enjoy it.

The Natural History Museum. It's free (like all the big London Museums) and it's AWESOME. The dinosaurs are very popular but great for kids. I'm not a museum person really, but it's really worth going.

Take a walk past Buckingham Palace. It's super touristy but actually a lot of fun. The changing of the guard might be entertaining for a kid.

Tower Bridge is beautiful and St Katherine's Dock is fab. The Dickens Inn is touristy but honestly fab. I think a kid would enjoy a wander around the dock and checking out the bridge.

Just some ideas to start with. : )

[HiC]

Sept 20, 2014 21:03:10 GMT -5 themoneytree said:

Depends on the time of year.

Love (LOVE) Kew Gardens. I didn't have kiddo with me this last time I was there and I kept thinking how much she would have loved it.

London Eye. Typical tourist destination and it takes a while. Great views, but probably depends on the kid if they would love it or hate it.
If you don't want to go on the Eye itself take a stroll along the river. Tons going on and a great view of the Houses of Parliment. All sorts of street performers and crazy stuff going on.

Hamleys is the world's biggest toy store (I think). It gets chaotic so probably best to avoid weekends? There is stuff for all ages.

Covent Garden is nice for a wander. There are lots of street performers and the market is fun to look around. I think a kid would enjoy it.

The Natural History Museum. It's free (like all the big London Museums) and it's AWESOME. The dinosaurs are very popular but great for kids. I'm not a museum person really, but it's really worth going.

Take a walk past Buckingham Palace. It's super touristy but actually a lot of fun. The changing of the guard might be entertaining for a kid.

Tower Bridge is beautiful and St Katherine's Dock is fab. The Dickens Inn is touristy but honestly fab. I think a kid would enjoy a wander around the dock and checking out the bridge.

Just some ideas to start with. : )

This is great!  Thank you!  I think doing the double decker bus tour would be a great (and uber touristy) way to see it too.  Any hotel recs?  I know I'm being a PITA now. 

[themoneytree]

No hotel recs sorry. I stay with friends when I'm in the city. Good luck!

[wannabe]

Here's my blog posts from our trip to London last summer. The bean still talks about the Princess Diana memorial
Playground at Kensington Gardens. www.wanlifetolive.com/search?q=London&m=0

[weelass24]

Sept 20, 2014 22:46:50 GMT -5 wannabe said:

Here's my blog posts from our trip to London last summer. The bean still talks about the Princess Diana memorial
Playground at Kensington Gardens. www.wanlifetolive.com/search?q=London&m=0

I took my 5 y/o this past June.  He loved it.  The memorial playground is huge and great, but a bit Lord of the Flies.  The kids are completely insane.  This is probably better on a weekday.  We were there on a beautiful Sunday afternoon.  All of London was there and we had to stand on lone to get into it. 

We did Battersea Children's zoo, which is really a playground with animals and in desperate need of a refurbishment, but it is significantly cheaper than the London Zoo.  We chose that because he has more interest in playing than the animals. 

We went to Holland Park to see the peacocks and gardens.  They also have a great active playground.  We liked it better than the other one. 

If it is nice out, go to Somerset House and let her run though the fountains. 

The Eye would be good. We took him to the Tate Modern as well.  

For food, Polpo is great.  Small plates with delicious food.  They have several central locations and a new one in Notting Hill, which I haven't been to yet, but looks bigger than the other locations. This would work for a Kennisington Gardens/ Hyde Park/ Holland Park visit.  Another great place for kids to eat is Giraffe.  Lots of locations and super kid friendly.  Just don't eat the hot dogs in London.  They are awful. Truly.  


www.polpo.co.uk/

www.giraffe.net/

[VillainV]

Tower of London is amazing, especially the Crown Jewels. We did it as part of a hop-on-hop-off double decker bus tour.

London Eye

See a show?