With so much to choose from, here is a quick guide to the best of London’s sights for older kids. These activities should keep even a jet-lagged 7 or 10 year old entertained, and still allow the parents to enjoy a bit of London.
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London Eye
Top of the list of favourite London sights has to be the London Eye. Pre-book your tickets online so that you don’t have to queue for tickets as well as to board. The views from the London Eye are truly amazing – you can see Canary Wharf to the east, Hampstead Heath to the north and Buckingham Palace and the Houses of Parliament (with Big Ben) just in front of you. Afterwards you could walk down the South Bank taking in the river-side views and street entertainers along the way. If you are looking for a place to eat, the pizzas at Strada on the South Bank are quite good.
Tube: Waterloo or Westminster
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Tower of London
The Tower of London is another must for any trip to London. The Crown Jewels and the Armoury in the White Tower are the highlights of the Tower. Go on one of the tours by the Yeoman Warder (“Beefeaters”) if you can. They only last for around 30 minutes and give you a good overview of this historic site. The tours finish at 3:30pm in the summer/ 2:30pm in winter, so be sure to get there in time. Afterwards, you may want to walk across Tower Bridge for some great views of the City and river.
Tube: Tower Hill
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Natural History Museum
If your kids are still keen on dinosaurs I’d recommend the Dinosaur Gallery at the Natural History Museum. The exhibit is excellent. The elevated walkway gives you a bird’s eye view of the different dinosaurs and a good sense of scale. The animatronics T Rex at the end of the walkway is also well done, enabling you to see how palaeontologists think it used to hunt and move. The walk back through the exhibit gives you more detail on dinosaurs and includes a few interactive displays. Be sure to check out the mammal display (including the gigantic blue whale) before you leave. Hurrah, admission is free!
Tube: South Kensington
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Science Museum
Just next to the Natural History Museum is the Science Museum. From rockets, to stream engines and computers – the Science Museum has it all. There are lots of interactive displays to keep the kids entertained. My families’ favourite exhibits are Launch Pad, Exploring Space and the IMAX cinema (currently £7 for adults and £6.50 for kids). The gift shop here is pretty good with lots of small, pocket money (allowance) priced goodies. Once again, it’s free of charge!
Tube: South Kensington
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British Museum
If you have a budding archaeologist, be sure to visit the British Museum. This is a real treasure-trove: from exhibits on Ancient Greece and Rome, to Egyptian artefacts and Native American art. The ancient Egyptian displays, including the mummies and the Rosetta Stone are a must for any visitor. The café in the Great Court (with its amazing roof) is a pretty good place for drink and/or snack. Yes – another free museum!
Tube: Tottenham Court Road or Goodge Street
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Out and About
Whenever kids (both young and old) visit us, they love taking a double-decker bus – upstairs in the front seats, of course! The old Route Master buses (the traditional open backed ones) are the best. The number 25 runs from outside St Pauls Cathedral in the City to the West End and still has a few Route Masters. Plus, kids (under 10) travel for free on Transport for London buses. A trip on the river, say from Greenwich to Westminster Pier, is also a good way to see London. Best of all, you get to see Tower Bridge from the river.
Undoubtedly, travelling with kids can be hard work. But if you can keep them entertained with activities that the whole family will enjoy you’ve won half the battle.
Photo of London Eye at sunset originally posted by Larsz
Topic: Travel with kids |
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Tags: budget, family, kids, London
About the author
Karen is a native Californian who has lived in London for the past 18 years. She is married to a Londoner and has two children. Following a career break to start a family, Karen is now a part-time freelance writer.
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