London With Kids

London! Even before images of the recent Royal Wedding flooded our screens, London has always been considered the center of Europe, not geographically but politically and financially. One of my favorite cities in the cities in the world, London blends the contemporary with the historic, and the quaint with the mainstream gracefully. Meredith Thacker spent two years in London with her 2 daughters aged 6 and 3. Here are her great tips on how to spend your time in this amazing city when you’re with the kids.

Getting to London:

London is one of the easiest places to get to because of its status as one of the world’s largest global cities. London is served by five airports but Heathrow (LHR) is the largest in terms of international traffic from Europe and the rest of the world. From Heathrow you can get to the city fairly easily by the Heathrow Express Rail or by the regular underground. A taxi will cost you GBP 45-60 but may be worth the money if you have tons of luggage and the kids. If you are in Europe, London is fairly accessible by train and by car. Either way, you have plenty of options to get to London.

Getting Around London:

If you are in central London, don’t even think about hiring a car. The London tube, the buses (particularly the red double decker ones that will give the kids a kick) and good old black cabs (where you can take the stroller without folding it up) just fine. Use the government-issued journey planner to find your way around.

Where to Stay In London:

Kensington/South Kensington and The Gore Hotel, is the best place to establish base. All my recommendations are based in this area unless noted.

Fun Things for Kids in London

Art and Museums: Kensington has all the best museums for kids and adults. The Natural History Museum, The Science Museum and the Victoria and Albert are great and since they are national museums they are also free for all! The animals and dinosaurs in the Natural History Museum are amazing. The water play area for toddlers and the exhibits for all ages in the Science Museum are great for rainy days. The Victoria and Albert Museum is sometimes referred to as England’s attic. There are rooms, exhibits, etc for anyone’s interest.

For adult art lovers, the National Gallery and National Portait Gallery are phenomenal and also free, although they are near Trafalgar Square (accessible by bus or tube from Kensington). The Somerset House is full of lovely impressionist pieces second only to the Musee D’orsee in London but it isn’t a free museum.

Parks: The London Zoo is great although a bit removed. It is housed in Regents Park which is worth a stroll in and is really lovely in the the Fall and Spring. The view from the top of Primrose Hill above the zoo is also worth taking in.

Other parks that are great are Kensington Gardens which has the Diana Playground (a must with a pirate ship) and the round pond with ducks, geese and swans to feed (make sure you bring some bread or crackers). Holland Park, which is quite a bit smaller, also has a great playground for kids and really lovely gardens to stroll through.

Typically London: Royal Albert Hall is a beautiful place to see a show/concert. You can also just take a tour of the hall, but I recommend a show if you can fit it in.

The two best spots for traditional high tea are the Ritz and the Dorchester (men must wear coat and tie). I also love the Berkeley (pret a portea)…the fashion themed tea is great with little girls.

If your kids are older, check out a West End shows. Before buying seats, read seat reviews/suggestions by theater.

The Changing of the Guard at Buckingham Palace (quite a show) takes place at 11 AM on certain days. I would get there about 10 minutes early and I like watching it from the center statue in the round about if it is crowded or by the gate if it isn’t crowded.

Easy day trips include Oxford and Cambridge (homes of the prestigious universities), Stratford-upon-Avon (Shakespeare’s birth place) and Greenwich.

If you want to make sure you hit all the tourist spots, watch this video on the Top 10 Places You Have to See in London:

Dining and Shopping in London:

Chains that are great for kids: Giraffe (global food), Pizza Express (pizza pasta), Byron Burgers, Nando’s (chicken and pita), Wagamama (noodles, Japanese faire), Pret A Manger (grab and go sandwiches), Paul (French patisserie, great hot chocolate)

For an Adult Nights Out: British Food – Ffiona’s or Devonshire Arms for Quiz Night;

For High-End Dining: Gordon Ramsay Indian – Mint Leaf or Zaika; Sushi – Nobu; Super Hip/Fun – Sketch Gallery

The two best places to shop for kids toys are Harrods (the toy department is amazing) and Hamley’s (on Regent’s Street, equivalent to NYC FAO). The shopping district on Oxford and Regent Streets can be very busy and tricky sometimes to navigate with a stroller. Same with Portobello Road in Notting Hill. The market there on Saturdays is amazing for antiques, but the crowds are hard to navigate with strollers. And any area that is extremely crowded should be approached with caution in terms of pick pocketers/purse snatchers.

Things to avoid:

Piccadilly Circus is London’s Time Square. It is fun to see the bright lights/billboards, but is very crowded and full of tourists.

London: General Travel Tips

Although English is spoken in London, there are a few words that are different in the Queen’s English then in US English. In particular, the following are important with kids:

Pushchair = Stroller
Lift = Elevator
Queue = Line
Nappy = Diaper
Dummy = Pacifier
Rubbish Bin = Trash Can

Buy an Oyster Card and put money on it (aka top it up) for the least expensive way to get around London. The Oyster card can be used on tubes and on buses. Note that strollers can be taken on both without being folded up. Some tube stations don’t have lifts so if one is needed note the ones who are accessible. Strollers can even be taken into black cabs without being folded.

How Kid-Friendly is London?