Help from Londoners

[Mad Doug Biker]

There is also the London Transport Museum at Covent Garden, HMS Belfast, and South West of London, Brooklands, where you can see one of the Concordes, along with many other things besides such as vintage Bikes and cars, etc. See the events column to see what is happening each day:

http://www.brookland.../#axzz0vK8sbJRm

If you have never seen Concorde close up, I'd strongly advise it as it trully IS a thing of beauty, and the kids will love getting up and close with it along with the other big planes such as the VC-10!

Oh yes and there is the RAF museum at Hendon.
Also there is the British Museum, and ...well, I would suggest the Brittish Library at St Pancras, but with kids, this might not be the world's greatest ever idea!!

I'm not even a Londoner as you can probably tell.

P.S. try one of the new 'Boris bikes' whilst you are there before they are all trashed by London's finest.

 

[Mad Doug Biker]

If your kids are animal lovers, then there is always the London Wetlands Centre in Barnes.

Or, if you watch Mongrels (as per my avatar), there is the Mudchute Animal Petting Farm!



I'll get me coat.

 

[Globalti]

I was born in London (yes, a genuine Londoner!) and I occasionally venture there when I'm feeling rich or I'm on expenses.

Madame Tussauds - tourist trap and a nightmare, avoid unless you can go when it's quiet.

Changing of The Guard, Buckingham Palace every morning 10:30 but get there by 10:00 and pick a spot then hold onto it for grim death.

St Paul's, inspiring. Look for the epitaph to Wren on the floor under the dome: Si monumentum requieris, circumspice - If you seek his monument, look around.

The floating bus everybody mentions is an old WW11 DUKW, hence Duck,

Be aware that the cities of London and Westminster are different administratively; look out for the dragons with the shield facing outwards in the road whenever you enter or leave the City of London. Also understand that there are several rivers hidden underneath London, the best known being the Fleet, which crosses Fleet Street at the bottom of Ludgate Hill and enters the Thames under Blackfriars Bridge, where the banker Calvi was found hanged. While looking for the exit pipes, have a drink in the Blackfriars pub, a fascinating building. Also look for the river Westbourne as it crosses Sloane Square underground station in a big pipe.

St Pancras station is indeed worth a visit, a stunning space spoiled only by the crude and vulgar statue of The Meeting Place (compare with the lovely statue of Betjeman, who campaigned to save St Pancras).

For great family food cooked as Mum did go to The Chelsea Kitchen, 451 Fulham Road. Used to be in King's Road. Good value, great food.

For delicious Lebanese food try Maroush, 68 Edgeware Road, a few minutes up on the right from Marble Arch. (Don't confuse the restaurant with the coffee bar on the left). Start with a selection of mezze and leave room for a mixed grill to follow.

Visit Liberty's for amazing textiles, clothes and homeware.

Hamley's toy shop - full of plastic but worth a visit.

Greenwich, Cutty Sark, (if it's open?) and the National Maritime museum, fascinating and inspiring.

Kew Gardens is nice. Hampstead Heath for a swim in the ponds.

Can't think of anything else for the mo.

Oh yes, just remembered, Legoland is good for kids. Clean, tidy, well run.

 

[srw]

Take a DLR train from Tower Gateway out East, and sit right at the front. They are driverless, so you get a fantastic view. Mostly they run on elevated rails, so you get a decent view of Canary Wharf and a good sense of the city.

 

[Arch]

And if you're at St Pancras, don't forget to take a moment to look at the hotel that forms the front of the station (Unless it's covered in scaffolding at the moment? But I have an idea it isn't). It's an amazing looking building, towers and turrets and all. Cross the main road and look back for full effect.

Hamleys is good - floors and floors of toys. I had one of their catalogues when I was a kid, and I used to just read it from cover to cover, dreaming of being able to afford just what I wanted....

 

[Brains]

As several have suggested, Greenwich.

From your Tower flat, and go to Tower Pier and board a Thames Clipper (the fast cats, NOT the slow/expensive tourist boats)
The boats go at a fair speed (40 mph +), great photo op of kids on the back, Tower bridge behind
With the Oyster card is £2.40 each one way.

Get off at Greenwich Pier.
(Cutty Sark - Closed until 2012)
Go at a weekend, and then you have the craft market (also good food)
Loads of odd little shops
Lots of places to eat (no burger chains)
The National Maritime Museum, Only part of it open at the moment due to building works, but it means you can do the best bits in about 40 mins (Free)
Queens House (Free)
Old Royal Naval Collage (Free) (Now Greenwich Uni), lots of photo op, name 20 films you can see that were shot here (Harry Potter, Patriot Games, Sherlock Holmes and many many more) . Painted Hall worth a look
There is also a very good if small cinema
St Alphage Church (Wren/Hawksmoor) is worth a peek
Then into Greenwich Park
Up to the Royal Observatory, (Free), pictures on the meridian line, a guided tour of the place, very interesting for small boys if technically minded
There is also the London Planetarium next door (NOT free)
The Rangers House (pictures and old masters, not child friendly)
The Fan Museum (yes, fans, far more interesting than it sounds)
Then walk through the Tunnel under the Thames (by the pier) to the Isle of Dogs and then back home via the DLR, kids may be able to sit at the front and 'drive' the driverless train.

A good cheap day out.

 

[surfgurl]

The Imperial War Museum is free and is great fun. There are a couple of exhibitions which cost, but you don't have to go to those. There are also large grounds so you can take a picnic.
When you go to the Natural History Museum and Science Museum, go in through the main doors to the Natural History Museum on Cromwell Road for the full effect of the dinosaur skeleton looming at you through the doorway.
If the kids need a run around, the Princess Diana memorial playground is supposed to be good for kids.
Let them take some spending money to buy toys in Hamleys. Agree on the amount before you go through the doors to stop arguments later on. I'm speaking from experience as a child and a parent.
Use the buses and go on the top deck to see all the sights.

 

[dellzeqq]

I'm with Crock on this - walking (or running) down the riverside from Tower Bridge to Waterloo is wonderful, especially at night. Don't miss out Clink Street and Borough Market,

If you're going to the Science and Natural History museums then you have to go to the V and A on the other side of the road - much more fun. Kids like the plaster molds of buildings, and the musical instruments.

Leadenhall Market is great at night, and you can oggle the Lloyds Building and the Gherkin while you're at it.

The London Eye and St. Pauls are expensive, but they are wonderful.

The best cup of coffee in town can be had at the Yellow Shop by Conran in Shad Thames - just round the corner from Tower Bridge. My advice is to steer clear of the espresso, unless you're going for a long run.

The Geffrye Museum on Kingsland Road is a bit out of the way (149 bus from London Bridge or London Overground from Rotherhithe to Hoxton, but it is a delight. It has a series of rooms from the middle ages to 20th century. And it does a decent lunch for not much money.

Broadway Market is the hippest place in London, with more bikes per car than any other part of London. There's free table tennis in London Fields. Sit outside a cafe, kick back and imagine that you're on some future planet where everybody rides fixies. The bike shop at the Lock sells beans on toast for £2.50 - how that works I've no idea.

Brixton by night, particularly down Coldharbour Lane and Railton Road has the best beat. Probably not for the kids, though, although I think there's nothing wrong with starting them young....

And now for the important bit. Presuming you're not a vegetarian, do consider going to the St. John sandwich bar in Commercial Street and popping in to Hawksmoor's Christ Church http://ccspitalfields.org/visits . The latter is the finest building in London. The trick is to walk in and let the thing swirl around you - and pretty soon the inside becomes the outside and the people become a kind of interior streetlife. It's architecture at its most hallucinogenic - you can see what drove Ackroyd to write the book.

As for the Imperial War Museum - the IWM Archivist is a chap imbued with a rare cycling talent!

 

[DLB]

many, many thanks for the very helpful comments

so far we've got the following days planned

1) Science and Natural History Museums

2) A day in the parks (Hyde probably)

3) madam Tussards and london zoo

4) Downing st, houses parliament, maybe westminster abbey, london eye (bought as a saver ticket with M. tussards), Buck palace, st james park

5) Tower of london, tower bridge (maybe sat afternoon - the day we arrive)

6)oxford st, regents st (Hamleys) and maybe to Harrods

the last day we might well do what many suggested and go to Greenwich.

once again, many thanks

Darren

 

[DLB]

I'm with Crock on this - walking (or running) down the riverside from Tower Bridge to Waterloo is wonderful,

is that on the north or south side of the river???

 

[srw]

Leadenhall Market is great at night, and you can oggle the Lloyds Building and the Gherkin while you're at it.

Or go at lunchtime and watch the reinsurance brokers shamelessly continue the tradition of the Long Lunch after it's effectively been driven out of the rest of the City, and probably the world. Planet of the Grapes is a good spot...

And now for the important bit. Presuming you're not a vegetarian, do consider going to the St. John sandwich bar in Commercial Street and popping in to Hawksmoor's Christ Church http://ccspitalfields.org/visits . The latter is the finest building in London. The trick is to walk in and let the thing swirl around you - and pretty soon the inside becomes the outside and the people become a kind of interior streetlife. It's architecture at its most hallucinogenic - you can see what drove Ackroyd to write the book.

I shall take that as a kick. Shamefully, I've never visited, despite working 10 minutes walk away. Though I notice from the website that the church community "embraces the Evangelical Alliance Statement of Faith". Not one for openness, then...

 

[threebikesmcginty]

Leighton House in Holland Park is well worth a visit, never been busy when I've been - a fascinating piece of Victorian history.

 

[Jaye]

Have to agree with others on Madame Tussauds it really is not worth visiting (unless of course the kids insist). The Imperial war museum is far better and its free. If you use an Oyster card on the DLR remember to touch in and out ALL the time or you will be charged max fare. If you do the eye visit the Fishcoteque chippy opposite Waterloo tube station great fish n chips lousy name though.

A few links for you as well. Enjoy


http://www.tripadvisor.co.uk/Attrac...at_Tire_Bike_Tours_London-London_England.html

http://www.walks.com/


http://www.tiredoflondontiredoflife.com/

http://twitter.com/LDN

 

[DLB]

A big thank you from my family for your suggestions. We had a great week in London and saw many of the attractions.

We did go to Greenwich on the Thames clipper and vivsted the Maritine museum which was very good.

I was also surprised with the large number of cycle commuters in London - loads! Of the 200 who work at my employer only 4 cycle to work.

Some of the London cyclists ride rather dangerously though - undertaking buses and weaving between cars is rather dangerous

Many thansk for the suggestion

Darren

 

[laurence]

If your kids are animal lovers, then there is always the London Wetlands Centre in Barnes.

Or, if you watch Mongrels (as per my avatar), there is the Mudchute Animal Petting Farm!



I'll get me coat.

too late now, but i'd second the wetlands centre, it's my second home.

the John Soanes museum is also a must.

and Camley St nature reserve in Kings Cross