What is there to do in that there London

[Ganymede]

The science museum has a sort of playroom downstairs where you can play with bitg interactive models - Archimedes' screw, building arches, generating electricity etc. Designed for kids but brilliant for adults. I should add, I last visited a few years ago so not sure if it's still there... This is it!: http://www.sciencemuseum.org.uk/edu..._visit/things_to_do/galleries/the_garden.aspx - I found it on the schools page but you could check if it is open to everyone, and they recommend it for 5+ years. I think it is.

Agree with Cycleops - Mme Tussauds costs money and isn't worth it. The London museums are simply wonderful.

 

[TVC]

If you fancy a trip on the river then don't go on one of the tourist boats with the commentry, just take a water bus instead, much cheaper.

Harrods is worth a trip, but just the food hall. The chocolate room is fantastic, and you can buy choccies individually if you are tight

 

[Brandane]

The science museum has a sort of playroom downstairs where you can play with bitg interactive models

I thought Soho was the place to go, to play with big interactive "models"?

On my infrequent visits to London, I like to cycle/take the tube to Brixton for a taste of the Caribbean (without the good weather, obviously). A great buzz about the place, and some good restaurants if you like Caribbean food. Jerk chicken, beef patties, curried goat, rice 'n' peas .....

 

[fossyant]

Also, try and avoid Hamley's unless you want to take a out a mortgage!

AHHHHHH Chockywokkydoodah in Soho - if you get cake - SHARE IT! It was bigger than me!

No, you've got to go to Hamleys, just don't go mad.

There is so much to do in London, you'll need to go back. We had about 5 days there a few years back, then a long weekend last summer. Loads and loads to do. Just make sure you plan what you want to do. The tube is excellent.

The Eye is worth a go, but avoid Tussaud's. It's terrible. Why so many tourists flock to the place, we fortunately didn't have to pay, but even a tenner for a family would be robbery. It's not cheap to get in.

Covent Garden and soho worth a trip and the west end. Do you have time to fit in a show, well worth doing, if a bit pricey.

I must do another weekend soon.

 

[ianrauk]

Get to Hyde Park Corner for 9.30am on the Sunday.
Let's us know and we can round up the Cycle Chat London Sunday Ride to meet you to say hello.

 

[MontyVeda]

The wife has final convinced me that a trip to London is on the cards, to see the sights and all that.

I will be staying in a hotel behind the Tower of London with the wife and our five year old daughter in August (The weekend after the ride London 100 thing).

So with my limited knowledge of all things London i need to pack in as many sight seeing things into a Friday afternoon and full day Saturday/Sunday Morning.

So far i have
The Tower of London
Tower bridge
Buckingham Palace
St Paul's
The Natural History Museum
Hyde Park with Diana s Fountain (The wifes idea not mine)

These are all the obvious ones
Any good off the beaten track ideas please

There's often a half decent band playing at London Village Hall if you're stuck for something to do in the evening

 

[snorri]

I seldom have a cooked breakfast at home, but when I'm in London and staying at a place that doesn't do breakfasts at a reasonable price I do enjoy a good fry up at Speedy's.
http://speedyscafe.co.uk/

 

[RedRider]

I seldom have a cooked breakfast at home, but when I'm in London and staying at a place that doesn't do breakfasts at a reasonable price I do enjoy a good fry up at Speedy's.
http://speedyscafe.co.uk/

As featured in scenes of 'Baker St' in 'Sherlock'.

I'd second the Borough Market tip above. It's quite the tourist attraction so gets busy but a feast of the senses. You will marvel at the price of olive oil but you can also get free samples of all sorts of stuff as you wander the stalls. It's on the river, close to the Golden Hind replica and a manageable walk along the south bank towards Shakespeare's Globe, Tate Modern.

Greenwich, as previously mentioned is a good day out, plenty for all the family.

London Zoo in Regent's Park? A short walk to Primrose hill with an amazing view of London and then a selection of pretty cafés with half a chance of spotting a sleb. if you don't fancy paying into the zoo you can still see giraffes, penguins and the odd meerkat by looking over the fence. also a flock of MAMILs in colourful plumage doing circuits of the park.

 

[Ganymede]

I'd second the Borough Market tip above. It's quite the tourist attraction so gets busy but a feast of the senses. You will marvel at the price of olive oil but you can also get free samples of all sorts of stuff as you wander the stalls. It's on the river, close to the Golden Hind replica and a manageable walk along the south bank towards Shakespeare's Globe, Tate Modern.

Greenwich, as previously mentioned is a good day out, plenty for all the family.
.

NB! Borough Market is open Weds - Sat only!

 

[Cycleops]

Just a word on safety. There are gangs of pickpockets operating especially in crowded places. Keep all your valuables hidden and never put down bags or mobile phones.

 

[Profpointy]

hyde park feed the ducks

st paul's cathedral - climb the dome right up to the top.

I'm bookworm so would visit charring cross road for Foyles and others,as well as Waterstones in Picadilly, which mighn't be all that great fir your 5 year old.

I 2nd greenwitch - the harrisson clocks

natural history museum - what 5 year old (or 51 year old for that matter) can fail to be imprssed by dinosaurs

 

[Hitchington]

[QUOTE 2919491, member: 45"]Then get the Emirates cable car back over the river. Much cheaper than the London Eye and more exciting.

[/quote]

I agree

 

[Hitchington]

There's usually loads of free stuff for families in and around the Southbank http://www.southbankcentre.co.uk/ or the Scoop outside City Hall http://www.morelondon.co.uk/scoop.html, music, theatre, kids workshops and the like

 

[Paulus]

If transport is your thing there is the London Transport museum at Covent garden in the old flower market .lots of old trams, trolley buses, buses , trains and associated equipment

 

[thom]

London has a lot of sights to "see" and I would agree that walking along the south bank form Tower Bridge to the Houses of Parliament offers a lot of good value and is the obvious thing. From HoP you can continue along Whitehall to Trafalgar Square and then go left up the Mall to Buckingham Palace, taking look at the Pelicans and/or head on into Soho. Give Leicester Square itself a wide berth but China town & north from there has value.

But for my money do not bother with
1) Borough Market, at least not on a Saturday. Too many people, too expensive. Not real. Brixton market is better for my money these days, or maybe Maltby St but that is not that big a London experience.
2) Covent Garden - it is pretty much a high street shopping experience in a nice-ish place but with tedious street performers

Recommending things to do any more depends on taste - if you want to go shopping then there is a spectrum of experiences, from Oxford St & Selfridges, to Knightsbridge with Harrods & Harvey Nicks or an indy experience around Camden lock. Personally I'd sooner slit my wrists than go to Hamleys.

I'd only suggest the Emirates cable car if you have kids - beware it goes nowhere unless you are on the way to something at the Excel centre. If you want a view of London, apparently you can go up the Shard or Heron Tower in the city to bars that have great views. I'm not saying the glass of vino will be that cheap but various people have commended these strategies.

But my top tip if you want to see something unique to London and indeed something close to the part where your hotel is, take a walk north to Brick Lane. Don't go there for the cliche of curry houses but for a full diversity of world food, edgy fashion and a cultural mix that is pretty unique and a great part of East London. Go a little further north on a Sunday morning and see Columbia Road flower market. You'll do this having walked through the city past the Gherkin, Heron Tower etc. as well. Note, Spittalfields market is a private equity enterprise. Trying to pick up cash from the city and wannabe east london venturers it's purpose is to filter out people with more money than sense from getting to sensory extravaganza of Brick Lane.