#urbanfamilyinlondon
I have to begin this blog by confessing that prior to this trip to Europe, I’d only been to London once before. I was in my early twenties and for the most part, my memory was, needless to say, a little sketchy. As far as travelling with kids go, Europe was never really on our radar. I’ve always seen it as a right of passage for kids to explore on their own when they’re old enough to appreciate it. However when the opportunity arose for our entire family to spend Christmas in Europe together, London was where we chose to begin our journey. I saw it as a great place to get over the jetlag and show the kids the some of the big-ticket items.
Accommodation
Valet Apartments at 53 Whitehall - approx. $500AUD per night.
We booked this 2 bedroom apartment through booking.com and found the communication throughout the process excellent. Aside from the code they sent us to access the lockbox not working everything went very smoothly. Luckily they had an agent onsite when we arrived at the property so it didn’t inconvenience us at all.
The apartment was spacious and clean with modern fittings throughout but the absolute best thing was the location! It is basically right in Trafalgar Square and within walking distance of pretty much everything in central London.
The apartment is situated above a pub but there is no problem with noise, the only issue is the stairs to reach it. If you have a pram to lug around or are travelling with someone that struggles with stairs this is definitely not for you. Other than that it has everything you would want including an extra powder room.
Getting around
The Underground or Tube, as they call it is the quickest and most economical way to explore London. It is easy to buy your Oyster Card from the machines at the station and load them with cash as required. The great thing is that children under 12 travel free with a fee paying adult which suited us perfectly. We also used the Tube to travel to and from Heathrow Airport which was similar in travel time to a taxi but much cheaper.
Sightseeing
The Red Double Decker Bus
The double decker bus is the enduring icon of London! Whilst my past experience with Hop on - Hop off buses hasn’t been fantastic, the kids were super keen to go up the top of the bus, which is of course just where you want to be when the temperature is hovering around zero degrees!
Personally I find that it is hard to get the full value of the Hop on - Hop off bus if you are getting off at a variety of different attractions as it takes too much time, particularly if you have to wait close to half an hour for the next bus. The biggest advantage is the information that you receive whilst on the bus. I think the best way to really get value from the experience is to just purchase a single day ticket and stay on the bus for the entire route. Once you have all of the information, it is much quicker and cheaper to then catch the tube to the attractions you want to visit the following day.
Tower Bridge/Tower of London
One of the most famous jewel’s in London’s crown is Tower Bridge which lies alongside the Tower of London, the home of the genuine Crown Jewels!
While you do have the option of paying to climb Tower Bridge, we chose to direct our funds towards a tour of the Tower of London instead. Tip- Purchasing a ticket online for the tour is about 15% cheaper than at the counter.
Whilst the adults were overwhelmed with the long rich history we learned on the tour, it didn’t particularly grab the kid’s attention. However, the way they are set up, you can easily leave and make your own way around at any point. They did enjoy, wandering through the vault that contains the Crown Jewels as well as the Royal Armouries in the White Tower.
You would want to allow at least half a day to visit the Tower and perhaps plan a lunch stop at the iconic Coppa Club Restaurant on the Thames. The food was fantastic at reasonable restaurant prices. If you want to dine in one of the outdoor pods along the river, which would be quite a novelty, you will need to book well in advance.
Image courtesy of https://www.coppaclub.co.uk/towerbridge/
HMAS Belfast
Located walking distance from Tower Bridge on the Thames, is the HMAS Belfast Imperial War Museum. While I used this time very wisely to go shopping on Oxford street, the rest of the family explored all 9 decks of the now decommissioned warship seeing everything from the guns that fired the first shots on D-Day to the engine rooms 15 foot below sea level. Allow yourself a couple of hours to wander around this floating city and again, buying tickets online is your best bet.
Buckingham Palace
Of course no trip to London is complete without a visit to Buckingham Palace. Whilst my seven year old didn’t quite understand why we couldn’t just knock on the door and meet the Queen, the grandeur of the building was very exciting for them…. Although perhaps not quite as exciting as the squirrel they saw in the park on our walk there! #easilypleased
Hamley’s
This world famous toy store on Regent Street is every child’s mecca… and perhaps every parent’s nightmare! Just kidding! It is 6 levels of wonderment for children with every toy they can imagine as well as plenty of live demonstrations along the way. It is well worth a visit but its probably a good idea to set the boundaries of how many toys, if any, the children can choose before they enter.
Natural History Museum
This building alone is definitely worth visiting just for it’s architecture. While the Natural History Museum generally doesn’t make the cut on a trip with my girlfriends, with the family it was definitely a winner. Outside there is a small ice-rink and a few rides if the kids are inclined but you will need to shell out a few dollars. The museum itself is free to enter and kids had an absolute ball roaming through the different displays. While I would have liked to spend the time to read a little more, the kids led the way, enjoying the interactive displays and marveling at the huge lifelike replicas.
West End Musical
For me, no visit to London would be complete without seeing at least one show in the West End, the hardest part is trying to decide which one! Being a lover of tap dancing myself I went with 42ndStreet, which was absolutely fantastic. The cast and the performance was first rate, and the experience enriched by the intimacy and ambiance of the theatre.
Christmas Lights
While the temperature in December doesn’t suit all travellers one of the spectacular bonuses is being able to experience London at Christmas time. The city is alight with dazzling displays along most of the streets. My personal favourite is Regent Street where the angels suspended overhead are simply breathtaking. Oxford and Carnaby Streets also come to life and the Christmas markets in Leicester Square and Covent Garden will definitely leave you feeling festive. I can highly recommend a little fortified wine to finish off your night!
Notting Hill
Aside from being a big fan of the movie, I genuinely think Notting Hill is a quaint but trendy part of London that is well worth a visit. It’s an easy tube ride to get there, then a short walk to Portobello road where you’ll find markets selling everything from vintage clothing to records, antiques and general bric-a-brac. The stalls are open Monday through Saturday from around 8:00am-6:30pm, Saturday being the busiest day. I have to admit, I did enjoy visiting some of the famous landmarks from the movie and was secretly very impressed that my seven year old did too! Tip – The blue door is located just off Portobello road unlike the Travel Book Store which you can’t miss!
