We took advantage of early booking and were able to buy plane tickets from Newark to London for $396 including tax. We are flying Unitet so it isn’t a crappy flight. We really got lucky. Now we are trying to make this fun for twin boys that will be 13.5 at the time.
How can we make this trip fun for both us adults and our twin boys?
Is it worth to pay extra to stay in London city center? Prices are pretty high but not sure if staying in the heart of London will make that much of a difference during Christmas.
What are some restaurants you enjoyed the most, what are some activities your kids enjoyed the most. All suggestions welcome.
I was only there for a few days but I will say that my daughter absolutely LOVED the Harry Potter Studio tour. https://www.wbstudiotour.co.uk. It was like being in a museum to Harry Potter. My husband and I really enjoyed it as well.
The Tower of London was also a favorite for my daughter.
I would say yes on staying in the city center but if not, be sure to be near a tube stop.
Can’t help you on restaurants, we just ate in pubs and enjoyed Indian cuisine. Very low key.
@ArdenNJ absolutely stay in the city center - preferably near a tube stop. You won’t want to be on the tube for 30-40 minutes at the beginning and end of every day. We’ve stayed at the Marriott County Hall and the back of the building is a Premier Inn. The location is really neat - along the Thames, can watch Parliament and Big Ben light up each evening, walk along the Thames where there are street performers, etc.
We loved the Natural History Museum. Instead of wandering around (forced art death march), how about making it fun with a scavenger hunt? http://thatmuse.com/natural-history/
The HP Studio Tour is an excellent idea - and we enjoyed it. What about a walking tour in central London if you have HP fans? https://www.tourformuggles.com/
I would try to figure out where you want to spend time, and then figure out which Tube lines are closest. I don’t think being smack dab in the center of London is necessary, but that probably depends on your definition of “smack dab.” We have stayed with friends near West Hampstead, which is about 5 miles away from Westminster Abbey, and only maybe a 25-minute Tube ride away. Frankly, we preferred having someplace to retreat to that was out of the huge bustle of, say, Oxford Street. (I have no idea if there are hotels on Oxford Street.) That’s really up to how your family rolls, though. (But close to Tube stop = good.)
Our son is close to age to your twin boys, so I’d say the Tower of London can be interesting. The shop windows will probably be lots of fun. We also took the train/bus out to the Harry Potter Studio Tour, which I think is a very well done tour if you and your kids are at all Harry Potter fans. After a trip that may focus on many “old” things, the Studio Tour is an interesting counterpoint.
We took a Christmas trip this year to Germany and Copenhagen, mostly to visit family, and had a great time. I recommend a Christmas trip once during childhood if a family can swing it. Sounds like you scored some great airfares!
See if there are any concerts at Royal Albert Hall. Their holiday shows are quite the event…way different than a classical concert here!
We also ate very low key. There are great Indian places all over, and we found a couple of places that made terrific baguette sandwiches. Find some place to have fish and chips. At least once.
If you will be there when Harrods still has their Christmas set up, go visit Father Christmas. It’s an event. Plus the decorations are really fun.
Our kids loved the Tower of London, and the changing of the guard at Buckingham Palace.
Yes to staying in London. We stayed in Kensington near a great central Tube station. Keep in mind…hotel rooms are pretty small and most are set up for two. We had a room at…I think it was a Holiday Inn Kensington that had a double bed and a fold out couch. It was crowded for three of us…but it worked.
You might want to consider Airbnb or some other way to rent an apartment for the week. Prices will be about the same, and you will have more space.
Science museum, Tower bridge exhibition and the London dungeon are things my then 11 year old loved. Also liked the Cutty Sark in Grenwich and the little Sherlock Holnes museum on Baker Street, round the corner from Madame Tussaud’s, also worth a visit. The Imperial War Museum, for the right kid. Tate modern (I think that’s the Turner one), and the V&A, for some accessible culture. You can book collective tickets ahead for most of the attractions. That way you can be sure things are open, too. Also check out musicals in the West End.
Take the boat to Greenwich and stand on the Prime Meridian! Watch the movie “Longitude” beforehand so the kids have a context to appreciate it, including the Harrison clocks. Also, the Cutty Sark is there. My kids also liked the Cabinet War Rooms and Churchill Museum.
We have been to London several times - love it during the holiday season - it is at its best then. Just walking down the big streets with all the lights is spectacular.
Last time we stayed at the KK George Hotel near Earl’s Court. It was easy to get anywhere by train from there. We were 3 crowded into a room - not sure if they have bigger ones or not.
Get a underground pass for your trip and you will be able to get anywhere. Do your boys enjoy history - lots of good historic stuff- imperial war museum, cabinet war rooms, museum of the city of london. Also going to the top of st pauls is cool. I think boys that age would like madame tussauds wax museum.
Take them to eat at Nando’s (there are a few around London.)
You must get tickets to a west end show - much cheaper than broadway and even better. Check out what will be playing then. Maybe les mis or wicked.
Personally, I prefer wagamamas for a tasty lunch. Second Grenwich and the city of London museum, too. It’s a paradise for the age group, really. Budget for horribly expensive entrance fees.
Baker Street 221b if your kids know who Sherlock Holmes was. London Eye.
Greenwich Observatory is great, make sure you take in some Docent presentation.
Kids who grew up in NJ that lacks artifacts from the XI century may be impressed by the Westminster Abbey.
We rented a 2 bedroom apartment/hotel at the Citadines Trafalgar Square with our 2 boys and couldn’t have been happier with the the 2 bedrooms up and a living room, kitchen and eating area down. It was near a Marks and Spence for groceries and tube/train.
If you will be needing a restaurant for Christmas Eve or Day, many of the larger hotels offer a meal and I recommend making your reservation early.
LONDON IS EXPENSIVE. EVERYTHING BELOW IS FREE TO DO!!
Changing of The Guard
Science Museum
Free Walking Tour With Sandeman’s
Natural History Museum
Imperial War Museum
Speakers Corner at Hyde Park
Trafalgar Square
Prime Meridian Line at Greenwich (GMT)
Covent Garden
Hamley’s Toy Store
Watch a trial at The Old Bailey
Platform 9 3/4 @ Kings Cross (Harry Potter!)
Harry Potter Tour (free through Strawberry Tours)
Westminster Cathedral
Ceremony of The Keys (Tower of London - you need tickets so book in well in advance, maybe now!! you’ll need a UK address, so have them sent to your hotel for hold. This ceremony has been uninterrupted, with the exception of once, for 700 years.)
Regent Street Christmas Lights
MARITIME MUSEUM (Greenwich)
RAF Museum
Free concerts at St. Martin in The Fields
Make a record at Nando’s Recording Studio
Free acting class at Theatre Royal Haymarket
Evensong at St Pauls Cathedral
Chinatown
Cecol Court - a step back in time - a street full of antiquarian and second hand booksellers
If you are looking for a free meal, contact the Mystery Dining Company and become a Mystery Diner, LOL!
You’re going to think I’m nuts, but for eating I recommend Pizza Express. It’s a chain. The pizza is pretty decent. It’s fairly reasonably priced–by London standards-- and with 13 year old kids, I think it would be a good choice at least one night. You can check locations and actual prices here. https://www.pizzaexpress.com/ It has locations in some areas where it’s hard to find a decent inexpensive restaurant. There is some variation among locations; some are better than others. One of the best–at least back when I used to go to London regularly, which is a long time ago now–is at 30 Coptic Street. It’s very close to the British Museum and convenient to theatres as well. In the old days, we used to eat there the first night we were in London on almost every trip. I don’t know if it’s still there, but there was also another good one near the Globe Theatre.
If your kids like fish, try some fish and chips, especially if you do go to Greenwich, which has the best fish and chips in the London area, IMO.
You have to go the British Museum. Read up a bit in advance so you can see things of interest to your kids. Egyptology is often a favorite.
You HAVE to take your kids to see at least one play. You can check out “Day Tickets” if two of you are willing to get up early and wait quite a while in line with the possibility of disappointment.While I’d suggest trying to get tickets in advance for a play at the National Theatre, you should go to the National Theatre even if you don’t see a play there. https://www.nationaltheatre.org.uk/your-visit It’s just a very interesting place. It also has fairly reasonably priced lighter fare to eat. Plus, I think getting over to the other “bank” of the Thames River, usually by walking across a bridge, is a good activity.
The Globe and the Barbican are also good venues to try in addition to the popular West End theatres.The Globe tour is good even if you aren’t see a play…I THINK it still has the tour. London still has a half-price ticket booth for day of performance tickets. https://officiallondontheatre.com/tkts/
My offspring used to love The London Museum, so I second that recommendation. I haven’t been to the newer Docklands branch.
Do some of the other standard tourist things–the Tower of London; Westminster Abbey. St. Paul’s, Hyde Park & Speaker’s Corner.
If you are there on Christmas Day itself, note there is no tube or train service at all (on Dec 26th there is a limited tube service but no other trains). So that means staying somewhere fairly central would be advisable, unless you plan to stay outside London and rent a car.
I generally find South Kensington to be a convenient option to be close to the museums while being only a few stops on the Tube from central London. And the hotels are usually a bit cheaper there and are an easy tube ride from Heathrow (much cheaper than the Heathrow Express). Some nice kid friendly pubs there too.
In the winter, tours are offered of the Buckingham Palace state rooms. Only a small number of tours are offered, so advance booking is recommended. The tour schedule for next winter is not yet posted, but here is the link to the page. (Winter time tours do not include the garden tour).
Take a trip out to Greenwich to see the Cutty Sark and the Royal Observatory. You can get there via the Thames from Westminster or Tower of London, or by tube.
If your kids have any interest in World War II, visit the Churchill War Rooms. They are adjacent to the Westminster tube station. You are able to tour the underground complex where Churchill worked during the war. The displays are fascinating. Make sure to use the audio guide, as it includes many little snippets of oral history from people who had worked there.
If you are in London on Christmas Day most things will be closed. You will need a place for dinner - hotel in advance makes sense. You will be able to get a black cab to take you around (seems like they have a holiday surcharge - but will be the best alternative to the close underground). This site has some good information (although some is dated from last year) - https://www.visitlondon.com/things-to-do/whats-on/christmas/christmas-in-london-essential-information
Thanks for letting me know about no Tube service on Christmas day. In fact the reason we were able to find cheap tickets were to fly out of Newark on December 24th and land to London on December 25th at around 5pm. We have a stop over at Brussels. In this case, do you think it makes sense to stay at an airport hotel on December 25th and move to central London hotel on the 26th?
I will google the car service web sites but I am leaning towards staying at an airport hotel on December 25th to be honest
You’re flying out on the 24th and don’t get to London until 5 pm on the 25th? How long is your layover in Brussels? In any event, it might make sense to stay at the airport that first night. Also, bear in mind that London is pretty far north. That makes for short days in December (sun won’t rise until 8 am and will set before 4 pm).
