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:D My husband's birthday is next month and he has asked for a weekend trip to London! We will probably drive our own car up there and plan on leaving home on a Friday morning and returning on a Monday evening. I need advice and insider tips!
Any holidays to avoid in May?? Things I must see? Things to stay away from? Places to stay? It is so surreal that we can just decide to go to London for a weekend! I'm so excited! :D:D
Hey Melissa,
Sorry about the Skype. I need a webcam which I'm getting from a friend. Once I hook that up, HOPEFULLY (it also comes with a headset) we can chat!!!
Tell us about your interests and we can suggest some places. :)
Our main concern is finding places that will happily allow our kiddos. They are well behaved but having people glare at them is a major bummer!! Our kids are almost 3 and 5. Zoos and science museums are always good but we of course want to see the things that personify London.
The Tower of London, Westminster, St Paul's, Windsor, and Harrods for some fun shopping.
I was there two years ago in May, you will have a great time.
The London Eye, which you can book online ahead of time, would be really fun with the little ones! It's like glass capsules on a giant Ferris wheel, so you're enclosed in a little glass room and can see the whole city!
The museums are great, depending on your interests, and the boys will likely enjoy riding the subway as much as anything, so get a Tube pass for easy navigating.
Try the Science Museum..
http://www.sciencemuseum.org.uk/
It is wonderful for kids ( and husbands lol) and it's FREE:D!
Driving and parking in London is a nightmare so I'd recommend a park and ride system into the centre.
I agree about the museums, the Natural History Museum being my very favourite. It is a very quintessentially British museum.
There are no words to describe the greatness of Harrods :D, and Hamleys the toy shop is a wonderful place for kids to visit.
If you get nice weather, take an open-top bus tour! That's a really easy way to see everything, and if you see somewhere you'd like to visit, all you have to do is hop off.
It's a shame you aren't going later in the year, since I'll be going to university down there from September. Would have been nice to see a PTer!
Have a great time, whatever happens, you will not be bored in London!
One word of advice about the tubes - keep your belongings safe and zipped up at all times in the stations. A large handbag or satchel that you can clutch under your arm as well as wear a shoulder strap is good, whereas backpacks can easily be slashed and emptied without you even knowing it. Commuters know exactly where they're going in London and unfortunately the tourists stick out like a sore thumb to the pickpockets. I've never known anyone have a serious problem but it is sadly a thriving part of the city scene. Awareness is key to avoiding such mishaps. :)
Oh, and we do have one or two bank holidays in May. According to my calendar, there's one on 3rd, and I think there'll be a second towards the end of May. Some things may be shut on these days, but I expect the major attractions will still operate.
Whenever I go to London, I drop my bags at the hotel and take the Tube to Trafalgar Square. It's my most favorite spot on earth! I can't explain why. :p I really like Covent Garden too.
One of the best travel tips I've learned is getting on one of the cheesy tourist buses that go everywhere. That way you can see everything quickly and decide what you want to go back to. I do that at evey new city I visit and it's brilliant!:cool: