Let me start by saying that I was so pleasantly surprised with how much we each enjoyed London. Neither my husband nor myself had been to London before even with our combine many trips to Europe over the years. Maybe it’s a bit of unconscious yankee patriotism that has kept me from wanting to explore the UK more, maybe it’s the old adage that the food isn’t very good (which we found couldn’t be more contrary), or perhaps it was the rumored bad, gray weather that has deterred us in the past. Whatever it was, it was our loss to have gone throughout our lives having never visited. We are so glad we started our journey this summer in London. It was the perfect beginning to European travel for the kids and a lovely new city for us to explore.
As you know, we are big fans of Kid & Coe, the family vacation rental website. Naturally, we searched there first when looking for a flat to rent while we were discovering London. They have several homes in and around London to choose from. We decided on one in the heart of London in the charming neighborhood of Marylebone. This flat was perfect for our little family. Centrally located to the tube, tons of restaurants nearby and comfy clean bedding to rest our jet-lagged bodies. Having a flat to stay in instead of a hotel made entry to a new timezone 8 hours ahead of this California family a smooth transition. The caretaker of this property met us at the flat and welcomed us to London. If you are traveling at home or abroad, I highly recommend checking with Kid & Coe to see if they have a property for your location.
We spent our days exploring the city, mostly by foot, but also by The Tube, boat buses and the train. Truly a planes, trains and automobiles adventure we were embarking on and London was just the beginning. We logged 6-10 miles each day walking the city, playing in the parks and touring sites old and new.
A few of our favorites (in no particular order) were:
7. Kensington Gardens and Princess Diana Playground
London specific tips:
1. Buy an Oyster card for the tube. So much faster and easier.
2. Children 5 and under are free most any where, even the tube/train.
3. London taxis can take families of 5 easily (thankfully!)
4. Most London Museums, especially the Royal Collection offer free add-ons such as audio tours for children to encourage their learning and peak their interests. A smart idea is for each family member to use the ‘kids’ version to stay on the same page, move at the same pace and hear all the same information. Makes for terrific follow-up conversations.
5. London is VERY international. This is saying a lot coming from California which is incredibly diverse. We were thrilled to meet people from all over the world.
6. Souvenirs. All kids like to buy things. We were on a self-proclaimed strict carry-on only policy and souvenirs needed to be small enough for each child to carry their own. They opted for the keychains and each city we visited had the same ones with their local icon. Affordable, light, small, and practical!
7. Addison Lee is a great car service to and from Heathrow.
8. The Gatwick Express is fast and easy. You can use your Oyster card here as well.
9. Get outside of London. We took 2 day trips, one to Hampton Court and one to Windsor Castle.
10. If you really want to see the Changing of the Guard, don’t go to Buckingham Palace, go to Windsor Castle. Just my two cents!
In the top pic, you can barely see the tippy tops of the furry heads of the guards and their bearskin through the hoards of people behind the gates of Buckingham Palace. In the bottom pics you are right in front, inside the castle gates, close enough to wink at them. And all those people at the gates above, they arrived long before the ceremony begins to get those spots. So, unless your kids (or you) really like to stand around waiting for something to happen, which is pretty much a bunch of guards marching back and forth in between band songs, I’d opt for the more intimate option out at Windsor Castle. And, this castle is pretty special. Worth the train trip out of the city. We had one final night in London when we stayed at the Oakley Court. This old castle was converted into a hotel in the 80’s. Our room was large and comfortable, the grounds were insanely beautiful, and the price (finally!) was reasonable. I took a ton of photos here it was so stunning.
While you are in Windsor, walk across the bridge to Eton. Unbelievably charming and you may get lucky enough to rub shoulders with a prince or two at Eton College. {As a side note, does anyone know if it’s mandatory to fly a British flag in Eaton? Sure was pretty.}
London really outdid itself in our book. The weather was perfect, all the flowers were in bloom, and I’m convinced that some of the nicest people on the planet live in London. We will be back!
