Hi, our family will be visiting London next month for 3 days and we are looking for some cool stuff to do. Does anyone recommend taking a cruise down the Thames river? Some of the things we thought about doing was seeing the changing of the guard, Hop on Hop Off bus, seeing Big Ben..Would welcome any other ideas. We are first time traveling to England and we are traveling with 4 older kids (21,20,20 and 15).
Thanks so much!
Posted by
Vancouver Wa
260 posts
We were there last week. Don’t do the hop in bus tour you will just sit in traffic. It was Easter week and lines for the boats were long so we didn’t do it. Things we enjoyed were:
Westminster Abbey/ Big Ben
Tower of London
Covent Garden
Tower Bridge
Bourough Market
St Paul’s Cathedral
British Museum
Seeing Buckingham Palace
We did the horse guard change since they did not do changing of the guard (just check the schedule)
We enjoyed walking Carnaby St, Oxford and Regent St
Harronds is cool but unless u plan on spending some big money there I wouldn’t bother
Posted by
OP
Philadelphia
20 posts
Thank you for your reply. We were actually thinking of doing the hop on bus but maybe we will pass based on what you said. Any thoughts on the Thames river cruise?
Posted by
Colorado Mountains, USA
7991 posts
A cruise down the Thames is great for reaching Greenwich. There, you can straddle the brass Meridian time zone stripe, see the ball drop at precisely 1:00 PM, which sailors used to reset their clocks, resulting in the phrase, “keep your eyes on the ball,” and visit the Greenwich Royal Observatory, Queens House, Cutty Sark ship, Maritime Museum, and other sights. We went on the river trip as part of a London Walks tour - they have dozens of walking tours in and around London.
Another boat option is a cruise up the Regent’s Canal, which passes through tunnels and also through the London Zoo. The boat passes between London’s Little Venice and Camden Locks. The Camden Market is a destination for lots of folks, and your kids might really enjoy it.
Posted by
Vancouver Wa
260 posts
We wanted to do the river cruise but the lines were long for them. Hopefully it will be shorter we went during Easter week and they had no school. I would have liked to do it at night to see everything all light up but the kids were tired at the end of the day, I say go for it!
Posted by
Lynnwood, Washington
8913 posts
Start your day at the Tower Of London and enjoy it for a few hours. Then walk 100 feet to the Tower Pier and catch a boat to Greenwich. I’ve never had trouble with lines, but I didn’t go Easter week either. Lots to do and see at Greenwich. Then catch it back to the pier that is most convenient for you. This is a pretty full day.
Money saving tip: As you approach the Royal Observatory, you will note a metal gate at the bottom of the retaining wall. Push in and walk several steps ( it is ok, not off limits) for a photo op with the Prime Meridian that does not require paying admission to the Observatory. If there are other aspects of the Observatory you want to explore, buy a ticket and enjoy.
Posted by
Colorado Mountains, USA
7991 posts
Money and energy saving option: Without even heading uphill to the Royal Observatory, there’s at least one other photo op with the Prime Meridian brass stripe. The residential area a couple of horizontal blocks east of the Queens House has the Meridian running right through it; a wall in front of a house and the street before it have the brass strip and no one else around, no charge.