1 week in London

Thank you for the reply. You make an excellent point Emma. I would say history would be our main focus. So, to rephrase my question: 1 or 2 day trips of historical interest.

Thanks!

I would echo Emma's comments. There is a dangert of trying to cram too much into a day and ending up not having time to see anything of somewhere you've spent hours sitting in a coach to see.

Is Hampton Court on the list? It is a quick short train journey and is wonderful!

Windsor is an easy 3/4 of a day trip by train from London. Bath would be a full, long day by train. I find York more interesting and not much longer by train. Stonehenge is reached by train to Salisbury then taking the bus. Stonehenge is small and disappointing IMO. I would opt for Windsor of these three. They certainly can’t all be seen properly in one day.

Great days out of central London include Hampton Court Palace, Greenwich (the Cutty Sark, the National Maritime Museum, the Greenwich Meridian, the Old Royal Naval College and an excellent market) or Canterbury.

hey hey jamison
you are a family consists of who, how many, kids, and ages. if so, what are their interests? lots to see, do and have fun without leaving town. Plus you are in high season, busy & crowded, heat, grumpy/cranky people, lines. be prepared and wear comfy shoes.
aloha

A few thoughts from a traveler who has been visiting London and other areas of the UK since the 70’s.

1.) June is peak tourist and locals travel time. Expect hordes.
2.) I disagree about Stonehenge. Everywhere in London are building cranes as older buildings disappear and modern ones take their place. Cranes are used to move materials for each story built. Cranes, tractors, trucks, fork lifts didn’t exist when Stonehenge was created. Like Machu Picchu, Newgrange, and the Pyramids it’s a marvel of engineering. If you want to see it, go. In fact take a look at www.walks.com. They do a great tour. An all day outing and since no one has yet to explain how those rocks were moved and erected I think it worth the time and effort.
3.) As noted Windsor is a good option. It’s an easy train ride from London.
4.) Hampton Court is another good option. You can use your Oyster cards for the train ride there.
5.) Portobello Road Market( Saturday is the main day) Spitafields and Brick Lane or Camden Lock Market
( next to the Regent Canal ) are all vibrant and quite the experience for first time visitors.
6.) Check the Tower Bridge lift schedule
7.) Definitely take in a theatre production. Check the Half Price ticket booth at Leicester Square for same day theatre tickets. Not knowing the ages of your children take a moment to review https://www.londontheatre.co.uk/whats-on for possible options. I throughly enjoyed Witness for the Prosecution at County Hall. It’s set in an actual courtroom. It’s been on for a while. I bought a ticket right at County Hall . Not cheap ( but that’s why one has credit cards). Secured a great seat: Stalls Row C X 55. The added plus is seeing Parliament lit up at night as County Hall is across the Thames from it. You are also next door to the London Eye and Jubilee Gardens. Lastly, you are also near the Graffiti Tunnel which is adjacent to Waterloo Station. An off the grid but enjoyable “ site to see “ especially at night.
8.) Depending on children’s ages Mud Chute Farm might be of interest.
9.) As your travel dates draw closer check Timeout London on line to see what one time events might be occurring during your timeframe.
10.) If you are going to the Tower of London arrive before it opens, get your tickets and immediately head to the Crown Jewels. After viewing them meander about the remainder of the grounds. Afterwards make your way ( Maybe 8 blocks) to Leadenhall Market. It’s the last remaining glass covered market and again depending on your children’s ages Leadenhall Market is where the Harry Potter entrance to the Leaky Cauldron is located.
11.) Visit the Museum of London as it does a stellar job of explaining how the city you are visiting came into existence.
12.) Imperial War Museum is interesting.
13.) Greenwich is a pleasant day out. Definitely take a River Cruise to get there.
14.) Check out the Mercado Mayfair for lunch
15.) Picnic in Hyde Park/Kensington Gardens

Have fun. So much to see and do. Great city!

Do NOT do the one day tour that includes Stonehenge, Bath and Windsor.

You can do Stonehenge and Windsor in one day, but Bath deserves a full day.

Thank you all for your help! Keep the suggestions coming. Ugh - didn't think June would be so busy. But hey, that's when we could go. Guess I should have looked at that ahead of time. We are very excited for this trip. Our kids are 12 and 14. I am currently reading "The Story of Britain: From the Romans to the Present..." by Rebecca Fraser. As an American, I find the history of England so fascinating, and am really enjoying the read. (I'm up to King John 1199-1216). So, to further refine my question: 2 bright teenage kids interested in history, and 2 days earmarked for day trips. Planning on 5 days to soak up London. We are staying in Greenwich. Thanks again for your travel advice.

Jamie

Dear Jamie,
Since you seem to enjoy history, why not stop at the British Library to see the Ritblatt Gallery? It's totally free and in less than an hour (though you may want more time) you can see the collection's greatest hits: everything from Beowulf, the Magna Carta, medieval illuminated manuscripts from most religious traditions, to poetry manuscripts from the Great War, and much more.
As for day trips, we went on a Bath and Stonehenge trip run by Evans Evans and, although it was a long day, we enjoyed it. Windsor and Hampton Court are easily done independently - both are terrific. Have you thought about Bletchley Park? That is also an easy day trip as is the Royal Airforce Museum at Hendon if you are interested in WW II history (just the underground and a 10 minute walk). Both of those have plenty to interest kids.

Enjoy!

Keep in mind Jamie, if you go to Stonehenge you can no longer walk around the rocks, instead you must view it from a distance with lots of people in front of you taking photos.
In London, I would take RSs self-guided Westminster walking tour. In May, he has a new Pocket London book coming out, you can buy an electronic version from his app. You can stop at the Churchill War Rooms, but purchase your tickets before leaving home or risk standing in a long line. You can then walk over to the West End and buy tickets at the TKTS booth for the theater that night.
Another day take the hop on hop off bus tour and get off at the Tower of London and also check out Tower Bridge. I would make this stop the only one because London’s traffic is horrific and it will take a full day to do this.
If you have a rainy day, visit the British Museum and have lunch in the cafe. This museum is is one of the world’s best.
Good day trips are Bath and York.

Hello, we drove by Stonehenge on our way to Bath. It was actually a pretty good view and didn’t need to pay or get off the highway. It was enough for us.
If your kids are into Harry Potter Oxford would be a great very full long day out. Take the train, good restaurants, lovely town.

Windsor is a closer town to London, castle, long walk, we enjoyed our day there as well.

At ages 12 and 14 your children can help plan the trip. Maybe get some books from the public library? Some of these are a little young for your children, but take a look at https://walkingontravels.com/childrens-books-london-with-kids/

If it rains while you're there, check out the Museum of London. It covers the history of London from the Ice Age to the present, with terrific displays on the Romans and medieval London.

Use the river as a resource. There are boats on a regular schedule that pick up at the Tower of London and drop off at Westminster, for example. Greenwich is a World Heritage Site reachable by boat and is rich in history and science. It makes a perfect day trip.

Hope this helps,
Marty

You need to join a tour to go Mudlarking, otherwise you need a permit to search for anything on the foreshore. There's lots of information here.

https://www.tripsavvy.com/about-mudlarking-in-london-1582862

Website for permits.

https://www.pla.co.uk/Environment/Thames-foreshore-permits

My favourite day trip was to Hampton Court Palace-Henry VIII's house. You didn't mention the age of your kids so I can't say if they'd get bored after awhile there though. My other favourite was Warwick Castle but I can't be sure if it's a good use of time for a day trip as we had a car and drove from the Cotswolds, but it is a spectacular castle for kids.

June is not the school holidays in the UK, that is in late July and then all of August. There are quite a few foreign tourists, but not the local schoolchildren.

Thanks Phillip. I did not know that as I’ve never visited the UK in June, July or August. I’ll amend my post

Scottish schools break up at the end of June and return the middle of August

While I agree with other posters that these places deserve more time than they get on a one day tour, if this is the only way you'll get to see them, I think it's worth it.

I did a Windsor, Stonehenge, Bath tour in 2004 (a long time ago!) and enjoyed it very much. Yes, some of it was rushed, but it is still a fond memory of that trip. I saw things I wouldn't have seen otherwise.

In 2018 I did a London Walks tour to Salisbury and Stonehenge and I highly recommend it. Wonderful guide, and had enough time to really enjoy everything.

I disagree about the suggestions that The Bath, Stonehenge and Windsor tour is not worth it. I went with several friends and it was a lovely day. Sure- Bath deserves more than a few hours but If it’s a few hours vs. not going at all, you should certainly go. If you end up wishing you had more time there, then you have a reason to return!

Also, it’s fast paced which is good for traveling with kids or a group - admission and lines are basically taken care of and they move you through Windsor, Stonehenge and the Roman Baths pretty quickly.
It’s a great option as a first time visitor to the UK and you will always remember the day, I am sure! Then you can leave another “travel” day open to explore Hampton Court or wherever else is of interest. I am even of the belief that Paris via the Eurostar is a great way to spend a (very full) day without staying overnight.

Are you still going with the quarantine in effect soon?

Since the original post was three months ago, my guess is that the OP is either there now or has postponed or cancelled the trip.

Windsor Castle is a half day and could be combined with Stonehenge. However, Bath is a full day to do properly, also it is about a two hour car ride from Windsor.

Also, consider Salisbury and Winchester for day trips as well as Oxford, Blenheim Palace and Canterbury.

For a family with young children? No question, Dover Castle. They can run around it, crawl on it and learn some pretty interesting stuff as well. I've been to all of the other suggestions. Bath and Windsor are beautiful without doubt. And Stonehenge is a marvel but what do you do after you've walked around it...unless of course you apply for private access. Hampton Court Palace is pretty cool and I plan to go back on my next visit to England..missed the gardens last time..

Whether the OP Jamie and family cancelled or rescheduled is a mute point.

Asked for suggestions. Providing options to assist with travel planning for this year or 2021.

Windsor Castle and Hampton Court.

While in London don't forget the Ritblatt Gallery " The Treasure Room " at the British Library.

And research the London Walks www.walks.com website to find your Stonehenge tour which will be an all day adventure.

Stay healthy and travel safe.

Thank you Claudia. Suggestions posted here are for anyone to use however distant the adventure may be.

@Laurel after 5100 posts I know that what is listed or suggested can be of assistance, now, tomorrow, next month, next year.

That’s why I answer queries and share information from my various travels. To be helpful.

I did a Greyline tour to Stonehenge and Bath. It was great. Enough time spent in each locale and didn't feel rushed. It was really cool to see Stonehenge and Bath. Windsor would be fun too, but as others mentioned, that's a tour in itself. Frankly with out a private car and tour guide, I don't think you could do all 3 in a day.

The following is based on fun and being fam friendly for the pocket book.

One thing I loved in London are the walking tours. They are low cost and amazing!!! www.walks.com

I couldn't believe how big London is. Wow! everywhere there is cool stuff. Harrods. The Harrod's food court is amazing. I had tea at the Ritz for my birthday (dress code but amazing experience that you cannot get anywhere else and very London)

One way we got the lay of the land was the hop on hop off bus tour. Great way to see the town. For inexpensive lunches Prete e mange. Love them.

The cabbies are so amazing. They know where to go if you ask and know what you are looking for. We found a fantastic fish and chips place-- inexpensive and knew it was popular when people would line up for take out.

There is a Princess Di walk in Hyde Park. Hyde park hiking on a Sunday is amazing--everything is closed for the most part until the afternoon, a great way to spend a Sunday morning. Speakers corner is not to be missed. The Peter Pan bronze statue is really cool.

You may be able to score some theatre tickets at the half price place too if you are so inclined.

The tube makes traveling quick and easy around town, too. And the double decker buses.

My husband and I did the full day tour to Stonehenge, Bath and Windsor. We found it totally worthwhile and memorable. We actually found the pace just fine. Sure if you have the time each in and of itself could be day trips but absent that its a great way to see all three. Sounds like you have limited time and this full day tour would be a good use of your time. There is always another time/trip to return to any of those locations should you feel the need. Whatever you decide, enjoy!