We are trying something new this year with the children. They asked to see London on our way to Italy and so we gladly booked the daytime flight from Newark to LHR landing at 9pm London time. We will spend that evening in England along with the next day. We then will leave for Italy the following morning.
Here are the questions for the experts. I can fly out of Gatwick or Heathrow and thought Gatwick would be the easier choice (Sunday am flight). We thought we would stay near the London Eye (county hall) or near Victoria station to take the Gatwick express in for our flight (9:30am). Also, we were going to have a car meet us on arrival at Heathrow to take us into the city.
Any thoughts on this plan would be greatly appreciated. We have been to London before without kids and we are aware that one day is not nearly enough but will let the kids see the main attractions.
Cyndy

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This message has been edited. Last edited by: TourMama,

Cyndy, what are the ages of your children and what are they interested in? You might show them a guidebook (with photos) and ask them each to identify one thing they each most want to see or do, since you really have just one day. (You'll arrive too late to do anything on that first night.)

We've visited London several times with our daughter (at ages 5, 8, and 10). She's now 15 and we'll be back this summer.

Some possible choices for that day, depending on what your kids are interested in:

- Bus tour (double decker/open-air bus) of the city. At least you'll get an overview of everything.

- Boat trip on the Thames to Tower of London.

- London Eye (book tickets ahead)

- Madame Tussaud's wax museum

- British Museum

- One of the big musical shows that night. Get your kids involved in choosing the show. Here's a list of what's available.

Since you don't have much time, I'd make meals quick and easy. Do the bus tour first, then potentially two of the other things (maybe three), then a show. You'll get a feel for London as you travel around. And hopefully your family will come back and stay longer on another trip, as there is so much else children would enjoy in London.

Kathy

Hi Cyndy,

The bus tour is a great way to see London as well as the excitement of going on a bus (if the kids aren't used to that).

Have you thought about Tower of London? It is a fantastic place and so full of history. Go and see the crown jewels (be there as early as you can as the queues can be very long), see where Anne Boleyn had her head cut off, see Traitor's gate and learn about the ravens...

There is a wealth of information on the official website.

Basic information (in a more user friendly form) is here.

And there is more detailed information on wikipedia.

Eleanor

Hi Cyndy,

London has lots of different attractions to cater for families of all ages, which makes things easier when planning your holiday.

Here are 10 places that are popular with children in the capital and how to get to them - http://www.london-travel-tips....ps-london/index.html

Hope this advice helps.

Thanks for the many great ieas. My children are 10 and 5 and we will most likely take a bus sightseeing tour, hit Madame's, london eye, and the Tower of London sounds like something they would enjoy. I will also look into the idea of theater although I was thinking of keeping it
easy.
My real questions are concerning transportation/hotel locations and what airport transfers would be easiest etc...
We don't mind spending for private transfers or hotels if they will make the vacation less stressful. When the kids are happy so are we!
Cyndy

Cyndy - You have gotten some great ideas from Eleanor and Kaydee. Following up on Kaydee's suggestion about showing your kids a guidebook, you might want to see if your local library has Miroslav Sasek's "This is London".

If you decide to stay near County Hall and the London Eye - build in time to just stroll along the South Bank to the new Hungerford footbridge! I was there early in March last year and it was full of mimes, street musicians, magicians, living statues and other street entertainment. I'm sure it will be even more vibrant during the summer months.

And if you do decide to stay in the South Bank area, an option for your transfer from London to Gatwick on Sunday morning would be via the Thameslink Capital Connect train from London Bridge station, which would be a relatively quick cab ride. Here is the schedule for a Sunday morning.

Happy planning.

Judy

County Hall is a good location to stay as there are at lest 2 hotels there. And of course, a short walk across the bridge takes you to Big Ben, Houses of Parliament, Westminster Abbey, Horseguards Parade and even Buckingham Palace - all very satisfying to view even just from the outside if you don't have much time.

Hi,

I'm not trying to be a spoilsport, but one consideration might be the impact of jet lag on you and your kids. Hopefully, you can actually get a "normal" night sleep on your arrival day.

That said, County Hall is a good location: Marriott (expensive, but very nice), Travel Inn (inexpensive) are both located within the building. Other options nearby include Sanctuary House, just across the river, the and St. Ermines hotel, near St. James's Tube station and Scotland Yard.

This is a good area to explore on foot: you can walk to Buckingham Palace, through St. James's Park, into Westminster Abbey, past Big Ben (repeatedly), of course onto the London Eye, up to Whitehall to see the horseguards, further up to Trafalgar Square....don't neglect the Cabinet War Rooms--Churchill's World War II bunker, which is nearby and which many kids enjoy. A river cruise is also a possibility from here too. Kids really enjoy the amphibious "duck" tours on the Thames.

Just about everything on this list is within an easy 1 mile radius. In fact, you'd really not even need to get onto a bus or Underground or taxi. But if you did venture further here are a few other kid-worthy venues:

• The London Transport Museum in Covent Garden
  
• Wandering Covent Garden, with its street entertainment and festival marketplace
  
• The Science Museum is great for kids, as is the Natural History Museum
  
• The Tower of London is top-notch

Victoria is the departure point for trains to Gatwick--both the Express and the regular trains, which are less expensive and only slightly slower to the airport.

Hope this helps. Have a good trip...I'm off to Italy (thru London too) soon!

Dave White

I'm going to be a bit of a contrarian and say although I think a London stop is a fantastic and doable one:

I think Heathrow is a bit easier to get to, even given the nightmares you hear. And its many conveyances (express train, buses, cabs, tube) mean you're not stuck if one single method breaks down or strikes.

Because you are breaking up two long sitting-down spells, and you are in London, a place most children have been hearing about in movies and books and is kind of a mythical place with real-life counterparts, and you are there for such a short time, I think you have to kind of play a brainstorming game of "what does London mean to you?" and hit the things that really excite them about London, and can be done nowhere else but London.

All the suggestions are great, but many of them take a whole afternoon all by themselves, and by the time you check into the hotel, change and have lunch, that's the majority of your time.

If it were me, I'd want to sample a whole bunch of London things, and save the museums and other great suggestions for another trip. Even my favorite, the Imperial War Museum.

I call it a "tasting tour".

Do they have a London movie or book that they love and want to see places mentioned in it? Do they just want to eat fish and chips and have their picture taken in a red telephone box? Are they little rockers who want to replicate Pink Floyd album covers? Try some free association.

Then you can decide how much to plan and how much to leave to impulse.

For example, you can take them to Tower Gateway station to the Tower of London and they can decide how much of the Tower they want to see, or if they'd rather go on the HMS Belfast, anchored across the river. They can also see a section of Roman wall there, which I always think is eye-opening. For one thing, it's way below existing street level.

And the parks are wonderful. Buy an ice cream or tea at a kiosk, summer or winter, and soak up the thin English sun. There are some great ducks at St. James Park, which is the nearest to you, and just across the street from both Cabinet War Rooms and Buckingham Palace.

As for theater, I honestly think your kids will be much more fascinated with the show along the South Bank in front of the hotel you're planning to stay at. You can see a show anywhere (and after the day you've planned, I know I'd nod off in the first act), unless you're big fans and there's something you've been dying to see. And there are tons of restaurants in all price ranges nearby, including delis, so even if you're exhausted and can only stand a picnic by the river with a view of Big Ben, it will be a beautiful evening.

Have a wonderful trip!

aloha cyndy,

yay, i get to repay all the fabulous help i got from this site!

i just took my daughters to london. main request... stay by the london eye. we stayed at the premier inn london county hall and cannot recommend it highly enough. the staff was incredible, we felt safe and welcome and.... it is around the corner from the london eye. we did go in to the marriott to meet our tour bus one day, and yes it is much fancier.... but double the price. since you will only be there one night, there is no reason to pay the extra since the location is virtually the same.
if you go, tell nathan and pash(?) aloha from hawaii, we will be back. and a bonus, keiki (kids) under 15 eat free if you go to the breakfast buffet. the italian restaurant across the street had an incredible steak deal while we were there. one of our best meals in london.

we had a car meet us at the airport. to me, it was one of the most beautiful things ever. flying from hawaii, it was literally 24 hours after we left when we arrived, and it was sooo nice to see that driver and know i didn't have to think... yet. i can't imagine doing anything the next day, but i also can't imagine not trying if i had the chance.

we didn't do the double decker bus and wish we had. everyone asks what museums we went to. but... we didn't. to us, walking the streets and seeing the sights was a cultural experience in itself.

i agree with bluehour, ask the keiki what london means to them, and do that. it might surprise you and be something you'd never consider doing, but something you'll never forget.

enjoy the time with your family!

People are right about the double decker tour. But the Thames rides are good, too. The operators are funny, and in both cases, you get a good feel for London. Look out for the eye, though, if one or both of your children have a thing about heights. My daughter was too afraid to go on it, gentle as it is (but the aquarium is right there, too.) I don't think you need do more than one of Bus/boat/Eye if you have only one day. It is a lot to take in. Also, if you want to go (sort of) native, there are literally hundreds of small hotels/b&bs right near Victoria. Look on the net. The price is right, as is the location for Gatwick trains.

One last thing. If you just meander over to Covent Garden, you can see London life as it is and (sort of) as it was. There are plenty of places to eat, entertainers etc. It is also the location of the London Transport Museum, which is fantastic. Even if you don't care so much about buses, trains and the like, it is super. You can drive a simulated Tube train! And they have exhibits of transport from the very start. It is fun, and not stuffy, and you can just hop off of your tour bus at Covent Garden and then hop back on when you are ready.

Just a couple of thoughts. Of course, I have more. But you really should not try to do too much. It just makes people cranky adults and children alike.

PS The Day Flight is GREAT! You just eat something and go to bed, pretending that you did not miss anything. We go to England from Boston at least once a year, and are just fine the day after the flight. A little tired, but fine. You may have a tired day when you get to Italy, but in Italy, who cares, really. I hope you have a wonderful time.

I agree with everyone re your location, delights of Covent garden (Transport Museum etc), just walking around there up past parilament to Buckingham Palace and back by Covent Garden. We did that walk one dark cold evening last January when we had a couple of hours between arriving at the airport hotel and out early morning flight and it was great. Also the parks. Taussauds I personally think is a rip off - very expensive, often stand in line. At any rate, not for a one day only in London deal.

Anyway have a link to the Thams boat tours? We'll be there for two days in July and that sounds fun.

These are the river cruise boats:

http://www.tfl.gov.uk/assets/d...river-tt-leisure.pdf

There are also commuter services:

http://www.thamesclippers.com/

You get one-third off if you have a travelcard.

All excellent suggestions--and ones I quite remember having received when my own offspring were that age. Still--what they most loved at ten and eight was a (not too long) visit to the Tower of London, Trafalgar Square pigeons and...Hamley's Regent Street Toy Store. They were also big fans of tea with cakes--lots of cakes. Fortnum and Mason astounded them.

We also rode up front on top on double decker busses (guide friday tours might do today), walked through Hyde Park and ate at the Serpentine Cafe and visited Regent Park Zoo.

Top billing? Hamley's and teacakes.

Everyone knows their kids best, but I would find it frustrating to be in London for a single day and watch it go by from a boat. I would want to BE in it!

I'm not a huge fan of the bus, but at least if you see something cool, you can get off.

A compromise? If your kids want a little boat ride(or even a swim, at the Serpentine Lido) you can rent a paddle boat on the Serpentine in Hyde Park, which has a large number of other attractions (including two waterfront cafes) and Peter Pan associations.

They can get teacakes and sandwiches there, cafeteria style, and it's not too far from Hamley's! (And Mom and Dad can go to Fortnum & Mason, Hatchard's book shop & Liberty's!)

I also think no trip to London (or any other country) is complete without a trip to a local shop to view the average child's range of sweets, junk food and reading material.

For once in their life, it's educational!