The first time that your kids visit London can be a jaw dropping experience as they have likely not experienced anything like it. London is a busy, cosmopolitan city with a lot to see and do. If you are planning your own vacation then be sure to include at lest some of the following:
Buckingham Palace – This is the official residence of the British monarch, Queen Elizabeth II; it is used for official events, State occasions and ceremonies by the Royal Family. The palace is conveniently located close to central London and accessible by the London underground. The palace is surrounded by public Royal Parks: Green Park, St. James Park and Hyde Park.
Go and see the Changing of the Guard – at Buckingham Palace is the ceremony where the Old Guard hands over responsibility for protecting Buckingham Palace and St. James’s Palace to the New Guard. Immaculately turned out guards, precision drill and bands playing stirring music all combine to make Changing of the Guard one of London’s most popular attractions that epitomises the pomp and military ceremony for which Britain is famous. The ceremony begins on the forecourt of Buckingham Palace at 11:00 sharp following a march by a detachment of the Old Guard, with musical support, from St. James’s Palace and the New Guard led by a Regimental Band from Wellington Barracks. To get a good spot to watch Changing the Guard we recommend arriving at Buckingham Palace no later than 10:15. Visiting the Changing of the Guard with Children?
Have a picnic or lunch in St James’s Park – This is the oldest of London’s eight Royal Parks, it covers 58 acres and is surrounded by Buckingham Palace, The Mall, St. James s Palace, the Horse Guards, Clarence House and the Birdcage Walk.
The lake area is rich with bird life including pelicans and waterfowl. The Blue Bridge crosses the lake and on Pelican Rock is the famous Tiffany Fountain. Visitors can see the pelican’s being fed daily at 2:30pm. There are several refreshment points throughout the park as well as the Inn the Park restaurant. Deck chairs can be rented in the park from March to October.
Churchill War Rooms – are one of the five branches of the well-known Imperial War Museum. The museum reveals the Cabinet War Rooms, an underground structure that was used by the command center of the British government through the Second World War.
Houses of Parliament – The building widely referred to as the Houses of Parliament is actually called The Palace of Westminster. It is located on the banks of the River Thames and is the place where Britain’s House of Lords and House of Commons convene.
Big Ben – is the name of the bell which hangs in Elizabeth Tower which is at the north end of the Houses of Parliament. The tower is commonly referred to as Big Ben, it is 96 meters tall and UK residents can climb the 393 steps to the belfry. The square tower bears the famous four clock faces of the Great Clock of Westminster. The clock faces of this accurate time piece are 7 meters in diameter and the hour hands are 2.7 meters long. Within the belfry there are five bells, four strike the Westminster Chimes on the quarter hour and the largest bell, Big Ben, strikes on the hour. However the bongs of Big Ben are to be silenced for four years for conservation works till 2021.
Sealife London Aquarium – is located just beside the London Eye and very close to the Westminster Bridge, it houses the largest number of marine animals in Europe. Among the many attractions are the Shark Reef Encounter and take a stroll on the Shark Walk where you will be surrounded by the great predators, then you can get a feel of Antarctica by exploring the Ice Adventure featuring the penguins of the lower continent. There are several interactive sessions with different marine animals which include diving displays, public feeding, touch pools and more. Open daily from 10:00 am to 6:00 pm.
London Eye – is a huge Ferris wheel on the edge of the Thames River. The wheel was built as part of the millennium celebrations and took 1.5 years to build. The wheel is 135 meters high and has 39 sealed egg shaped capsules which can each hold up to 25 people. Each capsule is 8 meters long. In each capsule there is air-conditioning, seating and interactive screens which give information about the sites you can see below in London. One full revolution of the wheel takes about 30 minutes and at ground level the passengers get on and off without the wheel actually stopping; as the Eye rotations at such a slow rate (26cm per second).
London Dungeon – If your kids love blood and gore then this is their thing.Located under the arches of the London Bridge it is as a modern-day, technology enhanced haunted house. It features not only a huge collection of wax works and special effects but also a collection of live actors who will jump out and get your heart racing just a bit faster.
HMS Belfast – is a surviving naval vessel of World War II. If you are interested to learn about the life on a warship then you will not be disappointed. This great battleship is the last vessel that can give you that insight. This vessel helped sink German battleships and was one of the ships that bombarded the coast of Normandy on D-Day. Besides actual physical exhibits, there are interactive exhibitions like the Gun turret. The ship is very popular with kids and remains open from 10am to 6pm everyday while The Walrus Café serves snacks.
Tower Bridge – crosses the Thames River next to the Tower of London. The iconic drawbridge is often confused with another Thames bridge referred to in the children’s song “London Bridge” is falling down. It was constructed in the late 1800s. Visitors to Tower Bridge today can walk or drive across and you can also visit the Tower Bridge Exhibition.A visit to the Tower Bridge Exhibition begins with an animated video explaining the bridge’s history. Then visitors can walk along the upper walkways which are 42 meters above the river. From here there are spectacular views across London. If you’re visiting with children you can download the Guy Fox Explore Kit which will enhance their experience at the bridge. Families can save quite a bit on entrance tickets by purchasing the family ticket for £12.50 instead of £8 for adults and £3.40 for kids. The easiest way to reach Tower Bridge is by underground train to the Tower Hill station
Tower of London – is the oldest fortified castle in Europe and is located on the bank of the Thames next to Tower Bridge. You’ll feel like you have stepped back in time when you are greeted by the Beefeaters (Yeoman Warders) in their traditional garb. Within the grey fortified walls are a number of attractions which can keep you busy for a couple of hours at least. Some of these include The Crown Jewels, The White Tower, The Tower Green, The Medieval Palace and The Coins and Kings
Enjoy M & M World – This 35,000 square feet store selling M&M’s products and merchandise is the largest candy store in the world. This shop is aimed squarely at tourists and those with small children. It’s probably not a place for real chocolate lovers.One corner of the shop is devoted to huge glass cylinders filled with M&M’s in a multitude of colours. M &M World can be fond on Leicester Square, London WC2
Piccadilly Circus – Take a break from shopping and watch the world go by in one of London’s busiest squares. Have your picture taken in front of the iconic advertising hoarding and statue of Eros. From here, you can easily walk to Regent’s Street, Piccadilly or Soho.
London Zoo – there are multiple exhibits that are not only beautiful but animal friendly. These include the zoo’s flagship exhibit, “Gorilla Kingdom,” in which a water-surrounded island is set up like an African jungle. Additional featured exhibits include the BUGS (Biodiversity Underpinning Global Survival) pavilion, Rainforest Life, the Children’s Zoo, Butterfly Paradise, and the Big Cats enclosure.
Kensington Gardens – these royal gardens border Hyde Park, it is quieter than Hype Park and less busy…a perfect place for a picnic or just a stroll in the park. Within these gardens you will find Kensington Palace, the birthplace of Queen Victoria and the former residence of the late Princess Diana. Lookout for the partially hidden statue of Peter Pan. You’ll also find swans swimming in the lakes as well as a beautiful Italian fountain garden.
Natural History Museum -is dedicated to life, nature and science, it holds more than 70 million items and covers botany, mineralogy, paleontology, zoology and entomology. The must-see sights in the museum include “Dippy” a 32 meter long replica of a Diplodocus Carnegii skeleton. In the Large Mammals Hall you can see the skeleton and model of a blue whale which is 25 meters long.
Natural Portrait Gallery – houses a collection of portraits of historically important and famous British people. It was the first portrait gallery in the world when it opened in 1856. The gallery moved in 1896 to its current site at St Martin’s Place, off Trafalgar Square, and adjoining the National Gallery. Admission is free, donations welcome. Open daily: 10am – 6pm. Open late on Thursday and Friday, until 9pm
Tate Modern – is Britain’s national gallery of international modern art and forms part of the Tate group (together with Tate Britain, Tate Liverpool, Tate St Ives and Tate Online). It is based in the former Bankside Power Station.Tate holds the national collection of British art from 1900 to the present day and international modern and contemporary art Tate Modern is one of the largest museums of modern and contemporary art in the world. Admission is FREE
