A day out in London with young kids - any recommendations?

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Dr Moriarty

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Evening all,

I'm going to have 22 hours on my hands in London at the end of March, en route to Jerez. Ryanair timetables mean we arrive in Stansted at 8.25am and fly out at 6.55 the following morning. I know a few bookshops/music stores where I personally could happily while away the day, but they're unlikely to appeal to the 5 sprogs (aged 6-15).

I got a good deal on a 23-hour car rental (thanks to my old reliable, www.argusrentals.com), as I figured it was probably the most cost-efficient/least stressful way of getting us all from Stansted into and around London, back to the hotel that night and -especially - back out to Stansted for 6am! :eek

Am now wondering if anyone has any good ideas for things to do/places to see/ways of entertaining the sprogs for the day? I reckon I'll probably dump Mrs M and the two older girls in some shopping district or other (after sneakily removing the credit cards from my wife's purse ;) ). That leaves me with a 10-year-old boy and two girls 9 & 6 to keep happy for an afternoon. They're going for a week's holiday in sunny Spain, so I don't feel duty-bound to lavish expensive treats on them, but I don't mind forking out if there's anything really worthwhile for kids that age. Preferably involving lots of walking and fresh air, weather permitting. Trouble is, I haven't really been on the tourist trail in London since I was a kid myself.

So - what's good? Millennium Dome? Tower Bridge? Ride on a boat in Hyde Park? Pull faces at the beefeaters at Buckingham Palace - or is that an arrestable security offence nowadays?Museums/monuments aren't really their thing, but is there anything special in London that they can't do elsewhere? I'm not really interested in Hamleys or any other 'retail experiences' - they have enough crap as it is...

Thanks in advance for any suggestions you can offer!
Dr. M(asochist)
 
Re: A day out in London with young kids - any recommendation

Doc,

These are the only 2 threads that we have on this subject and I don't have any knowledge myself. Have been here, there and everywhere but believe it or not never been to London. Maybe I could go and carry the many cases ;)
 
Re: A day out in London with young kids - any recommendation

Ah, but have you ever been to Meath? ;)

Thanks for the links, sueellen - I hadn't thought of D'Eye, but it might be fun for the kiddies (it'd feckin' want to be, at £90 for 1 adult and three kids...!) However, when I try the online booking system I get "[broken link removed]." (that'd be the London Shut-eye, then..? :rollin )

Maybe I should just march the little legs off them around Battersea Park - although I see that the [broken link removed] is shut until Easter... :(

Jaysus, that country's gone to the dogs altogether. Viva España..!
 
Re: A day out in London with young kids - any recommendation

I know what you mean about everything shut. I'm a mad theme park observer - too much of a coward to partake but just like to watch everyone else suffer :lol Hubby and daughter go on all the rides while myself and nervous son stand and laugh at everyone else's expense. When I look here they're all closed until at least March also.

Wonder would you find anything useful here London - attractions for kids
 
Re: A day out in London with young kids - any recommendation

Thanks again, sueellen - the London Dungeon certainly looks like a surefire 'hit'!

I'll just have to make sure none of the little precious's get accidentally left behind... ;) Mwahahahahaaaaaaa!
 
depends what the're into

The Tower of London is good, the Beefeaters do great tours & stories- lots of castles, armour, the crown jewels, executions (well, details anyway) and stories. (the guys in Buckingham are the Guards Regiments)

British Museum if they want to see Mummies, plus the building itself is impressive - again, close to the tube
 
London for kids

Go down to South Kensington and take them to the Natural History and Science museums. Fantastic places for kids, and free! Parking may be a pain though, it may be better to park the car at a tube station further out and take the tube to South Kensington. Kensington High Street, a short bus ride away, is good for shopping.

cheers,
Diziet
 
Science Museum

I agree with the suggestion of the Science Museum. Forget the word Museum in the title. This place is incredible. They have everything you could possibly want to keep kids enthralled for days. I brought mine for an afternoon and they insisted on going back several more times. Free in and very interactive, especially the new hi-tech sections. One caveat - food pretty dear inside.
 
Re: Science Museum

Have a look at the Kid's section here. It's got some good, if pricy suggestions.

You could also get the train from Waterloo all the way out to Hampton Court, residence of Henry VIII. Most of the grounds are free to view, but entrance to the castle is expensive.

What is well worth it though, is the maze. Its supposed to be the largest outdoor maze in Europe, and bigger kids love it !! Adults are £3.50, and kids £2.50.

The train ride out is lovely, and takes about 40 mins. Other option is to get the train from Waterloo to Richmond, and get the boat from there (about £5 a head), and get the R68 bus back to Richmond.

Enjoy !
 
London Eye

Wouldnt be bothered doing the eye! takes at least half hour to do the full revolution. You've seen all the sites by the time you are 1/4 up - and then you are stuck in this glass room for ages afterwards. Dont think Kids would be too interested. I certainly wasnt - and even after paying the money for it - there was no signs saying what you were looking at - you have to buy the map seperatly. - have done a lot of viewing platform things in a lot of cities and was most dissappointed with the eye!
 
2 for 1 offers to London Tourist attractions

Some money off vouchers that might interest you:

2 for 1 at Madame Tussauds (You need to click on a celeb to get the voucher – offer closes 18th February)

2 for 1 to may London Attractions, if you travel by train. This offer includes the London Dungeon, and Hampton Court, but not the Eye. The Eye is a bit overrated anyway. You have to queue for ages, as you do at London Dungeon, by the way.
 
Re: A day out in London with young kids - any recommendation

Doc,

I found these people

British Tourist Authority, 18/19 college green, dublin2, 01-6708000, 01-6708244

very helpful with info on Alton Towers and they sent out brochures with vouchers also. Might be worth a call.
 
..

British Tourist Authority are now called Visit Britain.

[broken link removed] is their London website, tailored to Irish visitors.
 
Re: ..all that

Many thanks, folks!

I suspected the Eye might be over-rated... the mini-Moriartys have already been up the Eiffel tower a couple of times - a much more pleasant vista, and you can stroll for as long as you want, rather than inching around, sealed in a glass bubble and captive audience to an irritating recorded commentary... (it also costs a lot less - Vive la différence!)

Sounds like the Tower Bridge/Dungeons and the Natural History and Science museums, if it's raining, and/or maybe a spin out to Hampton Court for the maze, if the weather's good...

And then a little 'Beefeaters & tonic' for poor tired Daddy at the end of the day. :D

The two older girls have expressed a strong desire to visit . Hmmm, indeed. :rolleyes

Dr. M(uch better now, thank you!)
 
London for the day

Doctor Moriarty - These days going into/out of the London environs by car mean you get hit with the Central London Congestion Zone Charge and parking anywhere in the centre is costly and/or virtually impossible.

I lived in London for 25 years and didn't see half of it and whatever you and the family do will be enjoyable.

Realistically you will all have been up from the very early hours so a word of caution.........London is HUGE and very tiring and my advice would be to give yourselves an itinerary involving minimal travel.

Given the ages of your children and the fact they'll have been cooped up in an airport/plane for two hours after scant sleep I'd fix on BAKER STREET.

Forget the hired car, take the coach/train to London (on a set of Day Travel cards which are massively discounted and give you unlimited tube and bus use (look online for deals such as 2 adults children travel free).

With BAKER STREET as your base you have a cornucopia of delights. The Sherlock Holmes Museum, Madam Tussauds Waxworks Museum, The Planaterium, Regents Park (designed by John Nash, outer perimeter 2 miles long a brisk walk around which will give you the flavour of cosmopolitan London better than anything else I can think of). Heron Island in the middle of the lake, Open Air Theatre (openairtheatre.org) for the evening.

If you're not all completely "done in" with that lot by 5.00 or 6.00pm use your Travelpasses to explore the architectually astonishing new Docklands Light Railway where you can get glimpses of the "New London".

The museums mentioned by previous posters would need a day each in themselves if you opt for one of those instead.............but Baker Street has the variety that will keep young and old going.
 
Re: London for the day

Thanks for those tips, Marie.

I take your point entirely about minimal travel - believe me, with 5 kids we've plenty of experience! :eek - and about the horrors of driving/trying to park a car in central London. Only thing is there are seven of us in all, so a 'normal' 2+2 family ticket isn't going to cover us all, plus - until we can check into the hotel (presumably not before 12 or 2), we'll also have all the luggage with us. Also, the hotel itself is near Barking, so not exactly central, and - finally - we've to be back out at Stansted airport by 6 a.m. That would mean getting from Barking to the Liverpool St. station by 5 a.m. - again avec bagages. We'd want a bloody team of sherpas, not a taxi!

Whereas I can rent a big estate car for £44, collecting and dropping off at Stansted. That's worth it, even if I just use it to get us all from the airport to Barking and back, and then maybe use public transport for going into the city centre...

The Moriartys visit Morocco, 1999
 
Re: London for the day

I can't imagine that the hotel would have a problem with you either checking in very early or leaving your bags there, so long as you give them a bit of notice. Why not call them, and see ?

I agree that driving in London is a nightmare, have a look at TfL's journey planner. You should be able to get from Stansted airport to Barking in 1 hour 20 mins, without taking the (hideously expensive) Stansted Express. The website will also advise on fares. Your best bet would probably be some sort of zone 1-4 travelcard, plus an extension to Stansted.

As for getting there early in the morning, why not ring a to ask them for a quote for a people carrier?
 
Re: Moriarty's trip to Morocco

Doc,

Do your kids shown above look like you or the wife :rolleyes :lol
 
What's on in London ?

You should find something for everyone .
 
Re: What's on in London ?

sueellen, I'm the guy in the white turban. The kids are inside the truck on the left and Mrs Moriarty is walking behind it, out of picture... ;)

NoelC, thanks again for the links - I think we're going to be more than adequately provided for at this stage... and of course I'll p*ss in the Thames for all of you!

One last question for Marie, if she's still listening?
This is where the hotel is in Barking. Is it well dodgy, as East London goes? Obviously I won't leave anything in the car, but I mean will be we safe walking unarmed from the carpark? ;)


An' is it 'cos I is Irish...? Tell me more about that 'Cuckold's Haven' place! Do they take credit cards...?

P.S. And just one more, for Marie and/or NoelC:
Stansted airport to Barking in 1 hour 20 mins
Click to expand...
What about in reverse, at 5 in the morning? My trusty online [broken link removed] says 48.6 km, 38 minutes, but I'm guessing a lot longer in traffic. But at 5 bloody a.m...!? :eek Surely an hour is plenty...?
 
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