Weekend in London with OH and son courtesy of Tesco Clubcard

diable

Greenwich by boat from the Embankment is worth a trip.

Oh and The Tower of London and Tower Bridge, Hyde Park, Kensington Gardens.

minerva_windsong

There's also a Jamie's Italian in Covent Garden if you don't want to trek all the way out to Canary Wharf. You could also try the street performers round there as well for some free entertainment for half an hour or so.

I hope you have a great time.

Millie's_Mum

I don't want to hijack your thread OP but we are planning a similar trip, we are taking our 7yr old to London for 3 days as she is currently learning about the great fire of London so we thought it would be a good excuse to take her

Peterbaker,Thank your for your post about the Thames clipper catamaran, My OH loves a boat trip so i might save this for a surprise for him, we already have oyster cards which just need topping up.

We will also have our 2 year old with us to complicate matters does anyone have any thoughts about whether the science museum or the natural history museum would be best suited to the pair of them? I know the science museum has a bit for toddlers in the basement.

I was also wondering about the fountains at somerset house if the weather is good, does anyone know when they are turned on? The website just says 'spring'

(we are getting the Tower of London free courtesy of clubcard and London Zoo for £10 courtesy of the 2for1 on trains and leisure vouchers earned through shop and scan)

Quentin

Millie's_Mum wrote: »

Peterbaker,Thank your for your post about the Thames clipper catamaran, My OH loves a boat trip so i might save this for a surprise for him....

The clipper is an experience worth doing but is intended for fast journeys on the Thames (stay on east of the Tower for an even faster ride!).

But the other (more leisurely) cruise (on the 2for1 offer) has the advantage of a commentary, (sometimes with a live guide) pointing out landmarks along the route.

porlock

Millie's_Mum wrote: »

I don't want to hijack your thread OP but we are planning a similar trip, we are taking our 7yr old to London for 3 days as she is currently learning about the great fire of London so we thought it would be a good excuse to take her

So, she might not want to spend her whole trip doing 'homework', but you should maybe consider the Museum of London.

http://www.museumoflondon.org.uk/English/

It's free entry and has a section all about the Great Fire of London.

It's not as well known as some of the big South Kensington ones, but it's a great little museum. It's in the Barbican, and a short walk from St Paul's.

Having said that, last time I went (which was mayb 18 months ago) they were in the middle of soem refurb work, so if you fancy it, it might be worth giving them a call to see if any exhibits might be shut.

Millie's_Mum

I did have a look at the museum of London website when we were were looking for 'fire' facts, I'm thinking we'll do the Tower and Monument at the same time the Zoo the next day and then see how we are doing on the boredom/homework vs Exciting/fun stuff front.

She has been coming home full of interesting facts and it seems to have really captured her imagination so I want to encourage that without her feeling like its all school.

peterbaker

It is fascinating that your daughter is learning about the Great Fire of London at age 7 as I do believe that is about the same age when I was taught about it and taken to London on a school trip on one of the last trains ever from our local town because Dr Beeching closed so many of the local branch lines soon after http://www.joyce.whitchurch.btinternet.co.uk/maps/BR1961c.jpg

So believe it or not, that trip in the 60s for me was how I learned that there are 311 steps up the Monument (does your daughter yet know that particular fact? ) ... so not sure if you can get a 2 year old up there ...

And at that time, I think the old Billingsgate Fish Market across the main road below the Monument was still in operation. It is quite an historical part of London of course. Also across the same road in the shadows of the "new" London bridge you can find traces of where the old London Bridge used to cross ...

But in 2011 I have also just learned that you can start your own dragon hunt from Monument: http://www.jimbatty.com/articles/dragonphotos.html

porlock

Millie's_Mum wrote: »

I did have a look at the museum of London website when we were were looking for 'fire' facts, I'm thinking we'll do the Tower and Monument at the same time the Zoo the next day and then see how we are doing on the boredom/homework vs Exciting/fun stuff front.

She has been coming home full of interesting facts and it seems to have really captured her imagination so I want to encourage that without her feeling like its all school.

Oooh! If you're going to the zoo, I would highly recommend the London Waterbus Company:

http://www.londonwaterbus.com/

You can catch a canal boat to the zoo, where you pay on the boat and it drops you right at the back gate - but this isn't compatible with any 2 for 1 vouchers you may have.

But you could always catch it back to Little Venice, which is really pretty.

bluenose1

peterbaker wrote: »

But in 2011 I have also just learned that you can start your own dragon hunt from Monument: http://www.jimbatty.com/articles/dragonphotos.html

Can't believe how many dragons there are - really interesting. I would love to spend a day looking for the dragons and taking a photo of each one.

Millie's_Mum

No she didn't know that there were 311 steps, but she did know that it was 61 metres high because it stands 61 metres from the seat of the fire.

There is an old railway cutting 2 mins from our house which was the victim of Dr Beeching!

I think going up the monument is one for Daddy, me and the little one will go dragon hunting whilst they are up there I think, that looks fascinating! We have a similar (but not as impressive) thing in Leeds called the Owl trail.

Unfortunately the cost of the Zoo is prohibitive for us without a 2 for 1 voucher or a similar deal but catching the waterbus back to Little Venice sounds promising and a bit different.

Thank you, you've given me a lot to think about.