We just booked an 8 day getaway to London- air+hotel so that’s taken care of. Family of 4 (16yo and 11yo). Staying close to the Tower of London though will get Tube passes so getting around the city shouldn’t be an issue. Have been a few times personally but not since 2006 and not this time of year.
Open to suggestions but have a few questions for anyone that has experience:
1- Would like to do the WB Harry Potter Studio tour. Looking last night it seems we’d have to book with some 3rd Party tour agent to do this which is much more than if we were able to get tickets directly from the studio (all sold out). Has anyone done this and which agency? What are the add-ons beside transportation to/fro London city?
2 - Anyone gotten the London Pass? Did you find it worth it? We’ll probably do Tower of London and we like river cruises even though that time of year might not be the best for a cruise down the Thames. We are museum people but the 11yo can get cranky if it’s too much. The British Museum and National Gallery and Tate Modern might be all we need and they are free I believe.
3- Would love to go and see Harry Potter and the Cursed Child but that seems unlikely. So would try and go to another Theatrical show. Maybe something quintessentially British like The Mousetrap (too much for an 11yo?) or searched and found a play “The Play that Goes Wrong” as a good choice for the family. Any input/suggestions?
One of the best times I’ve had in London was the time I went to the theater every day and sometimes twice a day. I still remember seeing a young Vanessa Redgrave in Twelfth Night.
As an architect I have to recommend the Sir John Soane museum - it’s a real jewel. Unlike most house museums it’s been untouched since his death. Sloane brought in light to his town house in very ingenious ways. It’s got a great collection of Hogarth prints, some gorgeous Canalettos and lot of ancient art as well. http://www.soane.org/
Check out the Cabinet War Rooms and the Churchill Museum–might appeal to the kids. Your family might also enjoy a day trip to Bletchley Park. And there’s Greenwich and the Prime Meridian.
@mathmom Thanks for the suggestion as it looks like something we would be interested in visiting especially at that price. We’ll have to hit it the first day as it looks like they’ll be closed the rest of the time we are there.
Maybe we can visit LSE so my D can get an excused absence
We went there last year, same time. Stay away from Harrods and surrounding area. Total pedestrian gridlock. We saw Mousetrap and it’s perfect, IMO, for an 11 year old and it’s a bit of London lore that is just plain fun. We do tend to try to check out the areas/museum exhibits based on what they’ve learned about in school, or read about in books, or have seen in movies (think the St Paul’s Church steps in Mary Poppins). While not a London restaurant, we loved a good hot bowl of soup at Wegamama’s right by St Paul’s church on a chilly day. We were able to go into the majestic church, but were unwilling to stand in the massive lines there and at just about every sightseeing place. If you can, book in advance. The British Museum is wonderful and wasn’t crowded. Even so, we had a fabulous time, perhaps because it forced us to see the non-touristy London. Took some walking tours, too. The city has wonderful Christmas decorations. Have a great time!
Look for the 2for1 offers by Days Out Guide. I have been to London two times in the past 5 years and this program saved us a lot. You have to buy a specific rail pass, we bought the 7 day pass but you can buy a daily pass. You have to have the rail pass dated for the day that you are seeing the attraction. You will need to print vouchers for the attractions as well. I did this at home. They do have brochures with the vouchers in the rail pass office however they frequently run out. The most important part is to buy the correct rail pass, some of them are not included in the program.
The attractions that accept the 2for1 vary from month to month but we were able to do most of what we wanted to see using the 2for1…Churchill War Rooms, London Eye, Tower of London, St Pauls, Westminster Abbey just to name a few. We also did a London Bike tour by Fat Bike Tires that was awesome and also part of the 2for1.
Google it for more information. TripAdvisor also has a great deal of information about it, this is where I found out about it. It is not widely publicized but I think it is a great program,
I didn’t love the London Museum except for the Rosetta Stone. With kids for sure they London Eye, and be sure to get a guided tour at the Tower of London. A day to Stonehenge and The Baths would be good for the kids as well. Churchill’s War Room was my favorite museum.
One of my favorite things to do at the British Museum is to be in the clock rooms at noon. They all chime at once and it can be magical.
I would also try to get to Hampton Court Palace. It is fabulous at that time. They celebrate an Elizabethan Christmas. They used to have a group cooking in the kitchens which are the best preserved Tudor kitchens. There is also a maze which is lots of fun.
Last year I got tickets through Viator for the Harry Potter studios. It was great! Included bus transportation from Victoria Station. It does take the bulk of a day - the studios are an hour drive outside of London.
Also booked through Viator a one day bus tour that went to Windsor Castle, Bath and Stonehenge. It was the best day of our trip!
Don’t miss: Tower of London, Westminster Abbey, British Library (quick run through to see the original Beatles music, Magna Carta, etc…) Churchill War rooms.
Unless it’s a beautiful clear day, I would recommend skipping the London Eye.
WB Studios: that’s too bad about the tickets being sold out, I’ll ask my “Fodor’s” friends what they think about third parties. If you are able to get some kind of ticket, it’s very easy to take the train there and back and it’s about an hour ride each way
London Pass is not worth it. Sometimes the 2 for 1’s are but they can be a pain because you need to buy a rail pass.
D and I saw Mousetrap in 2015 - it’s the oldest running show and she really loved it - she just shy of 16 at the time. It might depend on your 11 yr old, but I think maybe, yes! Of course there are so many shows you can see. On the same day before a show, check out Covent Garden - it’s a bit touristy but it’s very cool and the kids will love it - street performers, it’s pretty at Xmas time. There are shops, kind of indoor and outdoor and places to eat (as any city, remind the family about pickpockets)
-Regarding Shakespeare at the Globe - I might skip it because (although D and I absolutely loved it) 1) that MIGHT be tough for the 11 year old to sit through and 2) It’s COLD this time of year! We were there in summer. If you were to go, dress warm and definitely rent a seat cushion!
-Museums, you can’t go wrong with any of the museums you mentioned, they are all wonderful.
-Tower of London: You can get tickets in advance if you order now - you pick a date but they’re good for a week. I recommend going early in the morning. Take the free Beefeater Tour - they are informative and funny. Check out the White Tower - some very interesting stuff in there. Be sure to Walk the Wall!! If you’re hungry, the food in the cafeteria there is surprisingly good. (see the crown jewels if anyone’s interested in that)
-After the tower, walk on down toward/past/sort of under the Tower Bridge and head down to St. Katherine’s Docks - it’s a Marina with boats/restaurants/coffee shops - you can have mid afternoon food at Dickens Inn. Hopefully it’s not too cold when you’re there!
I agree with skipping the London Eye - busy, not sure it's worth it. Another place for a good view? The top of St. Paul's Cathedral - a fun climb, you can see all around on a clear day. and when you're done with that in the morning, you can walk across the Millenium Bridge (video of death eaters ripping up the bridge) https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=Mo-U5iOinM8 and then go to the Tate Modern which is directly on the other side for free.
How many days will you actually have? remember travel days don’t really count! Also where are you staying exactly (tube stop)?
The Science Museum might attract the youngsters. Lots of activities to check out on their website. If they are interested in warships the WW2 HMS Belfast is moored at Tower Bridge. It has a website too and is covered by the London Pass I think. The Royal Mews at Buckingham Palace has the State coaches etc but closes at various times of the year. It might be worth checking out. For some winter activity if ice skating would be a novelty, there are temporary ice rinks in many places including Hampton Court, Canary Wharf and Somerset House. They operate for varying periods over the New Year, in some cases into February. Enjoy your trip.
We went when the kids were 8 & 12 (pre Harry Potter tours but we’d definitely do that now). Some favorites were:
–Tower of London (definite #1) - Beefeater tour and Royal jewels.
–London Eye (not cultural, but fun and we got tix in advance so the wait wasn’t bad
–Buckingham Palace for changing of the guard (we were there when the palace was open to the public – check dates when that is available.
–Take the underground somewhere – doesn’t matter where
–Afternoon tea at Fortnam and Mason
–Definitely see a show or two – you can tix ahead of time on ticketmaster uk. Mousetrap could be fun (saw it years ago) and of course Cursed Child if you can get tix to the two shows
–Madame Tussauds wax museum is hokey but fun (especially when kids need a break from more “serious” sightseeing).
–Westminster Abbey is interesting (and they have free tours)
–Museums – British museum kind of bored them a bit at the time (we took a tour that was too long for kids their age) but when they were older they remembered seeing the Rosetta Stone and Elgin Marbles so they appreciated it more later on
–Churchill War Rooms and Imperial War museum were interesting
–We toured Parliament and went to the House of Lords and saw it in session for a little while (probably not the kids top thing we did).
–Day trip to Windsor Castle (outside of London) and Hampton Court. You can also take a train to Windsor Castle and just do that.
I second the Soane house; one of my favorite museums anywhere.
You could combine it with a visit to the nearby Hunterian Museum, a deliciously creepy medical museum with old wax medical models and the like. Perfect for an 11-year-old!
I second the Soane Museum and the Cabinet War Rooms. I love them both. I also am particularly fond of the V&A Museum, there is nothing else quite like it anywhere.
A friend and I did one of those creepy Jack the Ripper tours, years ago… it was a foggy, drizzly night… not for everyone, but if you like creepy spooky things… that fits the bill.
I envy you, @Dolemite! We spent 11 days in London this fall and I’d go back in a minute to do it all over again. I suggest a few attractions that haven’t been mentioned yet:
The Museum of London was our favorite part of the trip after Westminster Abbey and the Tower of London. It’s exceptionally well done, with a modern take on the museum experience. The current exhibit about the Great Fire of 1666 is outstanding. We stayed all day and would happily have returned, had time allowed. https://www.museumoflondon.org.uk/museum-london
I don’t think there can possibly be a funnier show in London than “The Play That Goes Wrong,” unless it’s one of the other shows the Mischief Theatre Company has going now. It’s sheer fun and suitable for all ages; split-second timing and huge laughs throughout. The woman we sat next to was seeing it for the seventh time. I’d do the same if I lived in London. Happily, the show’s coming to Broadway this spring (produced by JJ Abrams, no less). I’m trying to arrange a family get-together to see it. http://www.theplaythatgoeswrong.com/london
If you go to Stonehenge and Bath, I’d recommend The English Bus for your tour. Terrific guides, very professional organization, a small group (16 maximum) in a spiffy mini-bus. It was a fairly long day (12 hours start to finish) but the driver/guide took excellent care of us. https://www.theenglishbus.com/
Also, with the Harry Potter tour if you are staying at a hotel with a concierge you can see if the concierge desk can get you tickets to the tour and maybe for the two Cursed Child plays also.
Mousetrap: good for 11 and up
Tower: yes
Churchill War Rooms: definitely
Changing of the Guard: free
Hyde Park Corner: go on Sunday morning to see free speech in action
Harry Potter: Go to Kings Cross to see Platform 9 3/4 and they now have a commercialized place where you can get pictures
If you can get tickets to the Ceremony of the Keys at Tower of London, it is well worth it. Free, but you need to reserve tickets for this evening event that goes back hundreds of years.
