London Visit - Go where?

[bigdavy]

After reading the thread about sh!te tourist attractions I thought i would ask those more knowledgeable.

We're visiting London next week (me, wife & 11yr old daughter) for 3 days, primarily to see the sights and go to a west end show. We had planned to take the little one to Madam Tussauds, but not sure after reading the other thread.

Our ideas are a bit of shopping,(Harrods, Hamelys) london eye, The tower, maybe a bus tour to see the main sights (parliament, palace etc).

So, with our limited time and a hyper 11yr old to entertain, whats the recommendations?

[Mexico.]

http://golondon.about.com/od/thingstodoinlondon/tp...

[spikeyhead]

Forget about Madam Toussauds.

The open top bus are worthwhile if you don't know London, easy enough to hop on and off at the sites you want a better look at.

[richyb]

I love the London museums and would recommend them. They are probably my favourite things about living here. Natural history or the V&A both in South Kensington. Really nice chinese canteen just round the corner as well for a bit of food after.

[AM04ARO]

Tower of London, well worth it.

London Eye is good too.

Both I would pay again for.

[chrisr29]

London zoo's worth a visit, especially if you've got a kid in tow.

Science museum's pretty cool as well.

[SimonV8ster]

Agree on the Tower Of London, hitch up with a tour guide to take you round.

How about St Pauls Cathedral ?

The museums are great and the science one has all the button pushing machines to keep the kids happy !!

The Natural History museum and the London aquarium is good too.

So much to do, so little time.

[gmk666]

London eye, river cruise, regent's park zoo, V&A for the ladies while you go to the science museum or imperial war museum. Madam tussauds over-rated and over-full.

[bigdavy]

Thanks guys, we were thinking about the museums but unsure of which one with an 11 yr old girl. My main concern was time, do the museums not need about a day each to do them justice rather than a quick 2hr run round?

Keep the suggestions coming, good stuff so far!

[ewenm]

The Natural History Museum, the Science Museum and the London Aquarium are all good.

[Mexico.]

Imperial war museum is a must

[grumbledoak]

The London Eye is good
So is The Tower
The Tower Bridge experience is very interesting
Duck Tours is good; the river cruises themselves seem overpriced
Natural History or Museum of London seem to be the best of the museums

hth

[gmk666]

London eye, Tate modern and war museum all fairly close to each other if that helps.

[navier_stokes]

Science and natural history museum are both free and both next door (edit: as well as V&A) to each other so you're not really loosing anything if you decide to leave early, but yes, they're quite big Buckingham palace is a short walk/couple of tube stops away as well

Edited by navier_stokes on Monday 13th October 22:43

[sleep envy]

the V&A

[Plotloss]

The one two of the Science Museum/Natural History museum - both great.

[DeadMeat_UK]

I'm quite excited to be going to London zoo with my OH on Friday, haven't been since I was about pengiun high.

Thumbs up for the Science Museum, St Pauls, NH Museum. Don't underestimate the enjoyment from just walking along the thames path if you haven't spent much time in London before (south side between Tower Bridge and Westminster should cover a lot of sights without having to be crammed in a tube train).

[Fittster]

Buckingham Palace, changing of the guard.

http://www.tourist-information-uk.com/buckingham-p...

[2something]

Not sure if Monument is open again or not, but worth a visit if you fancy some exercise and a nice view of the city without paying to go up St. Pauls.

[pjac67]

Take my 2 older (girl 12, boy 10) kids to London for the week-end most years.
First , buy a travelcard to hop on/off buses (great for Oxford Street..) and tubes.
My kids loved M Tussauds, London Eye, Aquarium. Harrods is a must for celeb spotting - grab a coffee and it won't take long (only a bus hop froom Nat Hist. Museum). Do some people/limo watching in Burger King, Picadilly Circus (window upstairs) and go to the Trocadero for a bit of fun. Go to Hamleys and let her run free then jump on a bike/rikshaw to Leicester Square fair if on (and Hagen Daas whilst you are there).

PS This is recommended thru the eyes of an 11 year old girl not me!