A day in London

[FreddoBaggyMac]

Hi. Am taking the train to London next week with four DCs all aged between 5 and 10 so they can see the sights. We are only there for around eight hours and I want to pack in as much as possible! We are definitely going to do the Duck Tour as all DCs are very keen and I'm hoping it will give them a good whistle stop overview of everything. I've also promised oldest dd we'll get cakes from Hummingbird Bakery.

I was originally thinking of a quick McDonalds for lunch (for speed and cheapness!) but have just been looking at the Rainforest Café, it has mixed reviews and I know it's expensive and the food isn't wonderful, but ds1 (who deserves a bit of a treat and always seems to be the dc we do least for) is completely mad about the rainforest since doing it at school last year and I think he might love it....

I had been thinking of going to Kensington Gardens (Diana playground and fountain) after the duck tour but it's quite a long way out of our way. We arrive and depart from Marylebone station which isn't far from Waterloo (where the Duck tours are) but it would be a 25 min tube journey to Kensington from Waterloo. Is Kensington Gardens worth the travel time or should we stick closer to Waterloo after doing the Duck Tour and go to the Rainforest Café (which is only 8 mins on the tube from Waterloo). If so what else should we do, spend some time on the South Bank or around Piccadilly Circus?

Any advice is very much appreciated x

[Middleagedmotheroftwo]

Don't bother with Rainforest Cafe. V v overpriced and crap food.
I would take an open top bus tour too to see all the sights.
The kids would probably like Trafalgar Sq and you can walk from there to see No 10, Houses of Parliament and/or Buck House.

[Middleagedmotheroftwo]

PS, my kids love the M&M shop on Leicester Sq . And China Town is also worth a stroll through.

[FreddoBaggyMac]

Thanks Middle. Would you suggest we stick around Trafalgar square rather than making the journey over to Kensington then?
I know the food isn't good at the Rainforest Café, but I'm still wondering if it will be worth going just for the experience as my children are at a good age for that kind of thing, and also ds is so mad about anything rainforest related...

[FreddoBaggyMac]

Wow, just checked out M&M shop and it look amazing... we are def going!! Thanks x

[Gumnast2014]

The rainforest cafe may not be the best food but my kids are still talking about it years later!

Worth it

[FreddoBaggyMac]

That's what I suspected Gumnast, thanks x

[Middleagedmotheroftwo]

Set a strict budget in the M&M shop - also v v expensive! But fun.

[FreddoBaggyMac]

Will do Middle, thanks. Think I'm already spending twice as much as I intended and we're not even there yet!

[FreddoBaggyMac]

Have just had a look at my budgets and it is just getting too expensive, from the online menu it looks like the Rainforest café will cost us around £130 (and that's just for main course and drinks!) which is just too much if I need money to go shopping as well... may just have a look in the shop there instead. I'm thinking of Belgo Centraal as an alternative as it looks a bit quirky and different (and will cost more than £80 less). What do you think?

[OhYouBadBadKitten]

You would struggle to fit all of that in. Time in London tends to zoom by faster than you expect, especially the getting about bit. I would break it up into 3 sections with food breaks in between and not make the food break too long. So cakes at about 11am and lunch about 2 or something like that.

Lunch in china town is fun and then you are close to the m&m shop as well. (But maybe do some research and choose two or 3 potential restaurants first and look up their hygiene rating as some of them are a bit dodgy)

You can walk along the south bank west, past the London eye (it is very crowded that bit), go over Westminster bridge, see the Houses of Parliament, Westminster Abbey, parliament square, then down birdcage walk to Buckingham palace. Then you can walk down the mall to charing cross and Leicester square etc. it would probably be a two hour walk, so it might be too far for your smallest but you can see a lot and can rest in st James' park.

[FreddoBaggyMac]

Thanks BadKitten, makes a lot of sense. Think I'm going to follow your route after doing the duck tour and we'll probably just eat as we go! x

[OhYouBadBadKitten]

:) if it's too much you can always bail out either into a park or onto the nearest tube.

[whatsagoodusername]

Could you do Rainforest Cafe for just a dessert mid-afternoon? It would be cheaper that way, your DS gets to see it, and it's a treat because it's just dessert.

[FreddoBaggyMac]

That's a good idea Whatsagood!!

[littleSpud]

Ooh marking place as we are taking dc soon hopefully. Some great ideas so far

[whatsagoodusername]

There are also quite a few Tesco's or Sainsburys around if you want to do cheap sandwiches and picnic in a park/Trafalgar Square/riverside.

[blibblibs]

We're taking DCs 5&6 next week and we have no clue

Its been over 20 years since either me or DH have been to London so any hints or tips appreciated (sorry for hijack op)

Can I ask what the duck tour is?

[dottygamekeeper]

Have you booked the Duck Tour yet? They get v booked up and are not cheap - but are good fun. Alternative would be to get river bus or boat tour down from Westminster/Royal Festival Hall to Tower Bridge and Tower of London then a no 11 or 15 bus (I think, check TFL website for exact routes) back to Trafalgar Square area going past St Pauls, Law Courts etc. Sit at front up stairs for best views.

I second suggestion of walking along South Bank - loads to look at by the Eye with living statues, entertainers etc., great view over to Houses of Parliament/Big Ben. Downing Street not particularly interesting for children imo, Buckingham Palace better.

[FreddoBaggyMac]

Duck Tour link for blibblibs www.londonducktours.co.uk/

No, not booked yet, waiting til payday on Friday and really hoping there are spaces as dd2 has been wanting to do it for three years since someone else in her class at school did it! It will be around £100 for all of us but we're not paying for anything else other than shopping and food... and everything in London seems to cost £100 minimum!

[blibblibs]

Thanks Freddo, just been googling and you're right everythin is £100+

We're going for two days/one overnight so can see it costing a fortune.
Currently looking at free thing to do

V&A Childhood museum looks good and DD 5 wants to see where the Queen lives - is it worth getting tickets to go in?

[whatsagoodusername]

Be sure you check the 2 for 1 offers.

V&A Childhood Museum is good. The palace has a Royal Childhood exhibition on, with all the old toys. MIL went last week, said it was good.

There are also good fountains on Southbank.

Number 15 bus route (Trafalgar Square to Tower of London, via St Paul's) has the old routemaster buses.

[blibblibs]

Booked tickets for the palace, think DD would be upset if we just showed her the building.

And have printed off some 2 for 1 vouchers, so thank you whatsagood.

Haven't planned any meals but i'm presuming that won't be a problem and there will be plenty to choose from

[VirtualPointyHat]

OP = for a super treat lunch on a budget my top tip is harrods

Take the kids into the food hall and let them pick bread and cakes from the bakery, then take and eat in hyde park corner.

There is a sainsbury local oer the road to get ham


Works best if the DC have heard of Harrods and know it is fancy etc

Is there a rainforest part of NHM you could take DC1 to?

[FreddoBaggyMac]

Thanks Virtual, Harrods is a top tip!

[bruffin]

a discount voucher for the rainforest cafe
It is expensive but it's fun and my dc loved it, although dd was petrified of the gorillas.