Christmas Trip in London

feelingblue

Hi all - have trawled through countless sites and threads on this forum but am still unsure what to do!! I am taking my mum (60's but very sprightly), myself (40's less so!!!) and daughter (14 even less so!!!!) to London. We are staying in Brentford and will be travelling into London for two full days - Monday 16th and Tuesday 17th. None of us really know London and wanted to soak up the Christmas atmosphere and the best that London has to offer at this time of year.

I visited London earlier this year with a friend and we ended up spending most of the time on the tube going from place to place but not really seeing much. So this time I wanted a bit of an itinerary where less time is spent underground. We don't mind walking at all - does anyone have any ideas and a suggested timeframe to do them in? People have suggested:

- hyde park winter wonderland (would only pay for ice kingdom as we are on a budget)

- oxford and regent street on a bus to see the lights

- trafalgar square for xmas carol singers

- hamleys

I have no idea as to where things are in relation to each other at all despite trying to sort them out on a map!!

Any other suggestions and best ideas as to an itinerary? Really want to fit as much in (low budget though but will be getting day pass for rail) and make it a couple of days my mum will remember.

Thanking anyone in advance - particular any knowledgable Londoners

daveyjp

Cross Hamleys off the list, which is on Regent Street. It will be absolutely packed and no fun whatsoever.

*manda*

Personally I would not get a bus to do the lights, walk it. I would start at south bank, walk over river and up to Trafalgar Square, then onto Leicester square - expect daughter will enjoy M&M world. All could be done in daylight to be honest. Walk up regents street, and if you still want to, go into hamleys as this is on regents street, turn left along Oxford street and walk past the main shops e.g selfridges and up to Hyde park. All of that is walkable and to be honest, sitting on buses can take as long with traffic.

I wouldn't be too bothered about going down the other end of Oxford street just for lights although I don't know how good they are this year, it's the department store end in my opinion that is worth visiting.

What you do need to plan however is fitting in lights around the dark, and whether you want to do winter wonderland in the dark too. Remember it does get very busy.

If you have time I would also consider Covent garden - always nice at Xmas and often have carols or similar.

Also, harrods has to be worth a look at if you do not frequent london often. You would again be able to walk from Hyde park area to it, so potentially do harrods to winter wonderland. They have great window displays there.

This is all quite touristy stuff, so will be busy, but nothing is very spread out in this area, and my mother who is near 70 would have no issues with any of these distances.

susancs

Great advice from manda. My teens love M&M world for the photos beside the big M&M characters. If you walk down from Trafalgar Square to Horse Guards Parade you can get pictures taken by the Guards.
http://resources.woodlands-junior.kent.sch.uk/customs/questions/london/attractions/horseguards.html

There is a huge Primark at the end of Oxford street by Marble Arch which your teen might like for cheap onesies or Christmas jumpers. Also very popular are the Costa or Starbucks Christmas drinks.

Own_My_Own

There's a nice little Christmas market at Southbank.

http://www.christmasmarkets.com/UK/london-southbank-christmas-market.html

feelingblue

Thank you so much for all of your replies. TBH, being a country bumpkin I thought that on a Mon/Tue touristy bits wouldnt be so busy but how naive am I!! Didn't know about MandM World and had forgotton about Covent garden so thanks for that too.

I know this may sound stupid but I am getting the impression that there are 'christmas lights' in department store windows which you are referring to and therefore are worth a look separate to those in the streets at night? If so, would I be right in thinking that the display is still good to see in the daylight?

Also, does anyone have any suggestions for best time to visit wonderland eg is it more spectacular at night?

Really appreciate your knowledge, guys, big thanks to all!!

Blue264

I did this itinerary for a friend with a 6yr old a few months ago, and she loved it. You miss so much being underground.

Bus or Tube to Tower Hill.

Tower of London Tour (check if you have Tesco vouchers to buy the tickets) The tour with the Yeomen is included in the ticket and well worth doing.

Coffee and cake at St Katherine's Docks, which is behind the Guoman Tower hotel next to Tower Bridge. I recommend Kilikya's Turkish Cafe Restaurant for their delicious selection of cakes.

River bus from Tower Bridge to the London Eye.

Walk over Westminster Bridge to the Houses of Parliament - Parliament Square - Great George St - Birdcage Walk, then through St James Park to Buckingham Palace. There's a Tesco Express facing Big Ben, so you grab a sandwich there if you're watching the pennies.

Walk along Constitution Hill to Hyde Park Corner. I like to get to the Christmas Wonderland just before the sun goes down so that you get to see it in daylight for a while.

Finally, Harrods! It's manic inside, but stick together. I always head to the toy department. But the window displays at Harrods and Harvey Nichs are stunning.

Covent Garden, Trafalgar Square, etc can be day 2 as they're all close together.

Hope you take a few ideas from this and have fun.

saving-mad

I took my teen last weekend, I had only been to London once before, that was in August with 2 teenagers. Last time we did Buckingham palace, London eye, harrods and a bus your.
This time she wanted to see the lights on Oxford st.
We went Friday, early from York. We arrived and did covent garden and all the streets around. Grabbed a late sandwich and got to our travel lodge.
We then walked to Trafalgar square to see them signing the book of condolences for Nelson Mandela. Up to leister square to see where one direction premiered.
Back to the hotel, changed and off to war horse.
Up and breakfast, bus to downing st, Westminster abbey, then Hyde park winter wonderland, over to Kensington palace, round to natural history museum and then harrods at dusk. Grabbed a sandwich for tea.
Sunday up and breakfast, walked to Oxford st, up to bbc building, down to libertys then back down Oxford st at dusk.
We went to all the Xmas departments in John Lewis, selfrages and libertys.
We had a fab time and got busses where we could, we never used the tube.

susancs

feelingblue wrote: »

Also, does anyone have any suggestions for best time to visit wonderland eg is it more spectacular at night?

Really appreciate your knowledge, guys, big thanks to all!!

Winter Wonderland is quieter weekdays during the day, but it looks best IMO when lit up at night. Although it is free entry everything is quite expensive there.

In regards to the Christmas shop windows it is the displays in them that are lovely. If you click on the link you can see Selfridges (which is a few minutes walk from Hyde park).
http://www.independent.co.uk/news/uk/home-news/in-pictures-selfridges-christmas-window-display-8901573.html?action=gallery&ino=8

feelingblue

Thanks again everyone. Am going to print out the replies so I don't forget anything.....Merry Christmas and Best wishes to you all xx

Be_Nice

I agree with the walking, I'd suggest late afternoon/early evening just as its starts to get dark, it will be busy but its not that far and you'll not want to rush as they'll be lots of window displays to wander past, my kids never tire of M&M World....we visit London frequently, but always want to go in. Then walk up Regent Street as suggested above, you might even find its 'snowing' outside one particular toy store in Regent Street!

Then I'd go left into Oxford Street, the lights are pretty but all the same so don't need to do both ends, but the department stores all have window displays and some the whole building is decorated....you might find its 'snowing' again in places!

Then maybe a trip over to Harrods, they always have fab window displays and last year we found a sale area near the top, got some Harrods branded bits very cheaply for stocking fillers, (£3 for a very prety childs Harrods Hello Kitty purse, diaries, a lovely sparkly Harrods bag for £6, there were diaries, tea towels etc). Don't forget to visit the pet department, the poodle parlour is a must see, dogs having blow drys and having walks on treatmills.......