Thanks to Henri's severe case of FOMO, we saw A LOT in our 6 days in London. We walked, at least 8-9 miles a day and took every Underground line at least once. We left the apartment right after breakfast and didn't usually get back until bedtime. Most things we would do again if given the opportunity.
I want to share some of our favorite kid-friendly London sites. It was an exciting time to visit-the upcoming Queen's Platinum Jubilee brought more energy to the city. Even with nearly a week, we still didn't see everything we wanted to. Thankfully, we are going back in Spring 2023 and can hit the rest. Here are the highlights from our first visit:
Places to SEE
British Museum:
Amazing and FREE! You could spend a week just in this museum. It is massive. The building is spectacular, especially the light-filled atrium that connects all the exhibits.
We visited specifically for the section on Ancient Egypt. The Nelson-Atkins has a similar exhibit that we visited countless times in KC. The British Museum's collection is similar but 10x the size. There are dozens of mummies, sacrophagi, and Egyptian artifacts.
Henri's favorite part of the museum is the Rosetta Stone. It has a prominent display and is certainly a marvel to see in person. Thankfully, I was able to talk him out of all the Rosetta Stone-based mementos in the gift shop ;)
Natural History Museum
Amazing and FREE! We did need a timed ticket for the museum even though you don't pay for entrance.
The building of the museum is stunning. The main hall holds the skeleton of a huge blue whale. It is striking introduction to the treasures within. The blond and gray patterned stonework and the many arches remind me of Harry Potter's Hogwarts. The architecture was my favorite part.
This is the place for dinosaur lovers! The beloved "Dippy", a full skeleton of a long-necked dinosaur just recently returned to the museum after a tour through the U.K. promoting environmental protection. Kid-friendly interactive exhibits dot many sections of the museum.
One of our favorites was the section on gems and stones. It was impossible for us to observe and process all of the examples in this great room, but there were several shockingly huge and beautiful pieces that we are sure to remember.
Science Museum
Amazing and FREE (I'm sure you get the pattern by now!). We also needed a timed ticket for the Science Museum. It was extremely busy during our visit and it definitely kept us from enjoying all the exhibits. The space section, on the main floor, was so crowded that we could barely get close enough to read any signs.
The MEDICINE section was my favorite (no surprise there). It was also far less busy than the space section (I guess no surprise there either ;). Historical medical devices and therapies are displayed throughout the whole floor. It was fascinating! I could've spent a lot more time here if the kids weren't tired, restless, and done with the crowds.
There is another section on flight that seemed really cool even though we didn't have time to see much of it. There are some flight simulators and a super cool section of a jumbo jet.
This was my least favorite of the museums, but mostly because of how busy it was.
Changing of the Guards at Buckingham Palace
We were totally confused while trying to find our way to the changing of the guards at the palace. Part of the problem was the extensive preparation for the Jubilee. There were barricades everywhere. We wanted to see the guards but didn't have time to stay for the whole process in front of the palace.
Someone suggested that we wait by the Wellington Barracks and watch them walk over to the palace. This was perfect for us. The changing of the guard was scheduled for 11AM, which is the typical time. Schedules and music information are available online here.
We went to the gate of the barracks near Buckingham palace around 10:30AM. This was after standing in a line close to the palace that we thought was for the guards. After realizing that we had no idea what we were queuing up for (and after a strange man next to us kept pulling an alarm clock out of his bag to tell us our cell phone and watches had incorrect times), we decided to check out the barracks.
We were so glad we did! The guards were visible through the gate and fence at the corner of Birdcage walk and Spur Rd right across from the palace. We heard them performing inside the gates- the music from Top Gun-before their procession over to the palace. We had a great view through the fence and then an unobstructed view as they marched over. For us, this was more than enough exposure and we didn't have to sit through 45 minutes of music and formalities with the kids.
Hyde Park
Hyde Park is huge. We walked through most of it, but there was much more that we didn't explore. This park is perfect for strolling. The Albert Monument seems to rise out of nowhere and is an opulent and huge memorial commissioned by Queen Victoria. We bought some ice cream and sat in the grass here for awhile.
For the twins, the highlight of Hyde Park is the Princess Diana Memorial Playground. It was so crowded but the kids absolutely loved it. Except for a minor incident between Ollie and a bigger boy involving a plastic pirate sword/toothpick-it's a long story and Ollie was the one with the toothpick-we spent many happy hours here.
There is a huge pirate ship, sand boxes, play structures, teepees, and secret passageways. The playground has restrooms, a concession stand, and is fully fenced so that kids can't leave without an adult. There is an attendant monitoring the gate. It's a definite perk because it is easy to lose sight of your children.
We also went to the playground near the Serpentine, but it wasn't nearly as exciting for the kids. At the Serpentine, there are also paddle boats and a cafe. It's another great option for families looking to spend an afternoon or evening outside.
Hampton Court Palace
Hampton Court Palace is a must-see while in London, especially with kids. This was absolutely my favorite excursion during our week.
The palace is expansive, beautiful, educational, and unique. We scheduled tickets for the opening at 10AM. We took a regional train from King's Cross and easily made it to the Hampton Court stop. It is important to know that kids are NOT FREE on the regional trains and you need to buy them a ticket. We didn't know this and the train employee graciously helped us figure out a solution (of only paying for the return ticket- she was so nice!).
I could write so much about the palace, but don't want to bore you or spoil its appeal. I'll stick to a few important tips:
The palace is best visited in nice weather in order to enjoy to royal gardens
The audio tour is free with admission and there are programs for kids/families. You can pick it up in the gift shop
The gardens are a wonderful location for a picnic. We picked up supplies at the gas station just outside the train station. It has a small market. If you don't purchase food in advance, don't worry- there is a lovely restaurant on the property
Don't miss the garden maze. You will not get lost and it is not scary.
You absolutely must visit the MAGIC GARDEN if you have kids, but save it for the end of your visit. It is wonderful, but our kids would've hated the rest of the palace if we had gone there first.
Globe Theater
I almost forgot this one-it was a short-lived family event. We bought tickets to see a play at the Globe Theater. It's a replica of Shakespeare's original theater right on the river Thames. The play just happened to be "Henri VII" which was fitting given our day at Hampton Court. Unfortunately, when we arrived at the theater, we were warned that the show wasn't appropriate for children. I guess we should've suspected this for Henri VII (and all the beheadings of his wives), but we didn't. After a quick look in the theater- which is a very interesting open-air theater with standing room sections-we headed back to King's Cross. Thankfully, the tickets were only 5 Euros!
There are definitely family friendly performances at the theater with very reasonably priced standing-room tickets. The standing-room arrangement allows you to come and go from the theater as needed.Just be sure to check the schedule carefully before buying tickets.
Camden Market
Camden is an interesting and alternative neighborhood in London. It has a large market that opens at 10AM. There are endless street-food stands of every variety. We tasted Indonesian coconut curry, Chinese food, and Middle-Eastern halloumi cheese fries. It was all delicious, but I don't think I would venture back here again.
The crowds were suffocating and there were few areas to sit and eat. Many tables were inconveniently located under a tree of pigeons. The bathroom situation was atrocious and the Underground station in Camden made me feel like I was descending into hell. We arrived before it officially opened and I am so grateful that we got to see it before the chaos.
High Tea-with Kids
This was a once-in-a-lifetime opportunity! High tea is a British tradition and we wanted to experience it but were worried about it being kid friendly. Our good friend, Todd, found the perfect solution.
Aqua Shard, an upscale restaurant in the famous Shard building offers a Peter Pan themed high tea. It was spectacular. Our server was incredible. The food was delicious and it was served in a pirate ship. Even the kids' drinks were magical.
This was a splurge, but totally worth it. The view from the Shard is priceless and the restaurant had the nicest bathrooms I have ever seen. We will truly never forget this experience.
The Royal Mews
Henri arranged this and I had no idea what it was. The Royal Mews are located at Buckingham Palace and house the royal carriages and some of the horses. It's a family-friendly activity and doesn't take a tremendous amount of time. Kid activities, including building your own paper carriage, keep the kids engaged. It's also exciting to be within the walls of Buckingham Palace!
St. Paul's Cathedral
St. Paul's Cathedral is one of the most famous London buildings. Its massive dome can be seen throughout the city. Many important events happened at St. Paul's including: jubilee celebrations, funerals (such as Winston Churchill's), and the wedding of Princess Diana and Prince Charles.
We wanted to see the inside of the church without paying for a guided tour. Anyone can attend services in the church so we went to the 3PM Sunday service. It featured the Choral Evensong.
It was a beautiful service. But I am the only one in my family that can report on the service. As soon as the chorus started singing, Ollie, Elsie, and Henri were fast asleep! They slept so deeply, I was worried they would start snoring, but thankfully they slept silently.
The church is spectacular. It is certainly worth a visit!
Things we didn't see but plan to next visit
Even with nearly a week in London, we still couldn't squeeze in everything we wanted to do. It was also very busy with the upcoming Jubilee. We avoided some of the major attractions in hopes they will be quieter in March 2023.
Things we missed that our definitely on our list for Spring 2021
Westminster Abbey
Tower of London
Mary Poppins Theater Performance
Harry Potter Theater Performance
Harry Potter set tour
I'm sure we will find even more gems. The city provides endless entertainment.
Food
We rented an AirBnB so that we could cook at home. We didn't cook anything! There was just too much good food to enjoy. We were also pleasantly surprised by the food prices. Eating at a mid-range restaurant isn't much more expensive than KC. The unique food options are incredible. We had Lebanese food (it's still better in Michigan), Thai, Indonesian, Venezuelan, and Indian food.
Dishoom
I must mention our very favorite restaurant from our time in London. My brother recommended it as one of his favorite places to eat in the WORLD (thanks Pete!). Ollie declared it the "best food I've ever tasted" (sorry Nana!). Dishoom is Indian food with Iranian influence. There are multiple locations throughout the city and it is worth any wait. Everything we tasted was incredible. We ordered more food mid-dinner because the kids were eating so much. The best dishes were the black daal and the house special lamb.
Halloumi Cheese
It's everywhere in London! We love Halloumi cheese but had very rarely seen it on a restaurant menu. Halloumi grills easily and we would often eat it in the summer. It is super expensive in KC, but is very reasonably priced in the U.K. We tried it on burgers, as fries with honey and yogurt, and in wraps with eggplant. If you get the chance, taste it!
That's all for now. Thanks for taking the time to read our story!
We are in Switzerland now and it is very, very, quiet. It might take some time to adjust, or we may be ruined forever. I'll keep you updated.
Best,
Steph