Is this itinerary for London + day trips realistic?

Looks pretty good to me. I don't advise taking a nap upon arrival, although some people feel differently. It is good that you will be walking around outside.

Day 2 looks pretty good but you may have it a bit too packed in the afternoon. The Tower of London is huge and there's a lot to see. You may end up staying longer than you expected.

Everything else looks good to me.

I recommend Mama Mia if you're going to see a musical. It was great!

Looks good to me. On the day trips front if I had to choose as a first time visitor between Windsor Castle and Hampton Court Palace, I'd go for Hampton Court. It's a very extensive and fascinating site (not to talk Windsor Castle down though!)

On day 3, you might want to consider St James Park or Green Park for your walk, simply on the basis of being closer to Buckingham Palace. St James Park is a particular favourite of mine.

Saturday at Borough Market may be a touch crowded

Nigel's comment above is a perfect example of British understatement. With 8 of you and 4 kids Borough Market on a Saturday lunchtime will be a nightmare.

I would not recommend a nap on your arrival day - it's a recipe for extending the time to get over jet lag. The rest of your plan on day 1 is good - being outdoors and moving and trying to stay up as late as you can manage.

I really cannot recommend the Jack the Ripper tour. Apart from glorifying a serial killer there is actually very little to see. I found it mind numbingly boring. Almost any other walk in London would be better. Try London Walks for ideas.

I can't imagine any of the kids being thrilled by the prospect of travelling a long way on a coach to see some twee villages in the Cotswolds. I would suggest a day at Greenwich would be much better for your group. A boat trip down river, lots to see for everyone at Greenwich and then the DLR back, including a walk under the river in the foot tunnel.

With such a large group and probably diverse interests I would not be afraid of splitting up to do different things once or twice e.g. in choice of museums.

I agree with John. I think the girls and boys will be interested in very different things, although I do think your plan to go to the zoo is good. Our daughter wanted to go there when she was a college freshman and it is a very good zoo. I think your girls would enjoy the Victoria and Albert museum and their cafe is a beautiful place for lunch. I also think the British Museum is a must for your group and the boys will love the mummies. I don't think the War Museum is a great choice but your group but you should consider adding the Churchill War Rooms. I've seen the Changing of the Guard and don't remember it at all, which tells you that it's underwhelming. I don't know that the boys will enjoy afternoon tea.(If you go to York, girls could do tea while boys do Railroad Museum) I assume it was intentional to leave out Westminster Abbey? Given that you're Harry Potter fans, I would suggest you try to arrange an overnight train trip to York(instead of Cotswolds and Cambridge). I know that might mean paying for accommodations in two places that night, but there are lots of things there to interest the kids, including an easy walk on top of the walls.

I can’t imagine trying to squeeze in everything on the afternoon of arrival day, especially with children.

Plot out the places you want to visit on a map since there seems to be plenty of crisscrossing and backpacking. They could probably be better grouped to save some time, especially since your lodging location isn’t close to most of the places you want to visit.

For the double decker bus, consider taking one from your lodging into the city rather than the tube. The buses are easy to use.

Finally, prioritize what your must sees are before going over in case you need to drop an activity. There are plenty of things on your list and it takes time to get to everything. Then of course there are stops for food, snacks, and comfort breaks that need to be considered.

I'd personally remove the Cotswolds and add another day to London. That's a lot of bus time for some villages the kids won't care about. Add one of the museums you aren't doing on Day 7 and move something from Day 1 and Day 2 afternoon to that day as I think those days are pretty busy.

My kids of similar ages loved Hampton Court Palace so that would be my pick over Windsor Castle. Also get Harry Potter tickets as soon as possible, the morning times sell out very quickly.

May I make a suggestion in that you let us know what your non negotiables and interests are. I suggest this to avoid making assumptions about what your party will or wont like. Also, if you have your heart set on something. suggestions can be made around that rather than telling you not to do this or that.

Your accommodations are a trek so be sure to factor in travel time - depending on time of day it looks like 20-30 minutes each way (more if it's rush hour). As you only have one tube line a bus may be a better option. Download the CityMapper app to help plan your routes (will be especially helpful if the line has any works over the weekend).

IMHO Day 1 is seriously over ambitious with four jetlagged kids and adults. I don't know how crowded Leadenhall Market will be on a Friday night for dinner but with 8 people you're going to need a reservation. I myself would pick one short activity and get to your property and settled in for an early evening so you have energy for the next busy days.

Day 5 - I wouldn't go to a show in the evening after a long day at the Studios. I'd move that to an afternoon matinee elsewhere. Tickets will be less expensive, too.

You might investigate a Royal Trust family pass to see if it saves you $ (search the forum for this topic).

Leadenhall Market will be bouncing on a Friday night, especially if it's a decent evening weather-wise. A lot of those employed in the financial industry in The City knock off early on a Friday and head to the pubs there to get some drinking done.

CL makes some good points. I'd never consider an itinerary as packed in general, but I'd agree the studio tour and a west end show might be a bit much in one day.

Be prepared to possibly reduce your plans down on the day of arrival. Dollis Hill is indeed a fair bit out of town and you need to bear that in mind.

In November, we arrived at the Tower of London at 10:30 and didn't leave until it closed at 4:30. There is a lot to see and you may discover you want more time than you're giving it.

With a group as large as yours I wouldn't wait until the last minute to book theatre tickets. Our group of 5 lucked out to find 5 seats together for Moulin Rouge on a weeknight. We also tried for tickets to another show the next night but couldn't get 5 together.

Dollis Hill is not a popular area on the Forums - in fact it may be the first time I have heard (in around 15 years) of somebody choosing to stay out there, between Willesden Green and Neasden on the Jubilee in Zone 3.

Please circle back with a trip report and tell us how you liked the area and (I presume) the flat you were in. I'd love to know.

I go past the area all the time but never bothered to have a look closer.

I agree that Day 1 is too ambitious. I suggest you drop your bags at the apartment and go and take a walk on the high street (called High Road in your neighborhood, apparently). This will help everyone get oriented to where your apartment is and how to get to and from. You can get lunch, stock the fridge, scout a place for a takeaway, either that night or maybe on one of the nights when you all need to be up early the next day. This is a good day to visit Wembley BoxPark. That place looks awesome!
Speaking of your proximity to Wembley, maybe the football fans among you would like to tour it or go and see a match (there or maybe at a smaller stadium)?
As others have suggested, split up. Offer the kids alternatives where you can. The 8yoa boys I know wouldn't enjoy afternoon tea (unless it's on the BUS! https://b-bakery.com).
There is a LOT to see and do in London. With the amount of time you have and your kids' ages, I wouldn't drag them along on any day trips that involve lengthy train or bus rides to places that won't be of interest to them. I'm thinking again of the 8yoa boy on the Cotswolds bus. Poor thing! Greenwich is a great idea, though.
How about Kew Gardens and the treetop walkway? Ted Lasso fans will enjoy visiting nearby Richmond Green to see the two phone boxes, etc. Of course, the weather might be an issue. It was for me last March. If you do go to Richmond, there is a lovely resale shop right there by the phone boxes that the women and girls might like to duck into. Nice things, great prices.

I'd agree that it might be better to stay in that corner of north west London on the day of arrival. Take in the neighbourhood a little and Boxpark at Wembley is quite close. I'd rather be amongst the buzz of normal folk enjoying themselves on a Friday at Boxpark rather than with the bankers in The City personally. Boxpark in Shoreditch would probably suit me better than Leadenhall Market too, but I have no time for that series of books and movies that draw people there.

I don't really know that area very well [Dollis Hill]. The nearest I've been is Harlesden, a good few years ago, and that seemed rough as a badger's arse (not to put you off!). There's always something to discover in London neighbourhoods though, even if they are a bit tatty around the edges.

It's nice to see NW London mentioned here- possibly for the first time! I see some people saying Dollis Hill is far, but the Jubilee line is incredibly fast and you are in central London before you know it. I would not recommend taking the bus to central unless you are trying to go to the Notting Hill area. If you're comfortable sharing, I'd be very curious to know where in Dollis Hill you are staying. If you're close to Gladstone Park, I'd recommend a walk around there on the first day. It's a beautiful park with some interesting history (Mark Twain once stayed on the estate, though the house- Dollis Hill House- is sadly now gone).

I will disagree with those who say not to take a nap- I always take a nap when I've flown home from the US. But everyone is different.

If you want to get to Trafalgar Square from Dollis Hill, you don't need to go via Westminster- the easiest way is to take the Jubilee line to Baker Street and change to the Bakerloo line to Charing Cross. It's a very easy change practically across the platform.

I agree that you might enjoy Borough Market more on a weekday, when it's less crowded. I think your Day 2 might be a little ambitious but overall I think it's doable, and you can always drop some things if you're tired.

Rather than a guided bus tour of the Cotswolds you might enjoy more taking the train there (Paddington to Moreton-in-Marsh) and then walking between some of the villages (e.g. Bourton-on-the-Water to Stowe-on-the-Wold).

Boxpark is fun, and you can combine it with a tour of Wembley Stadium which you might enjoy.

One thing to keep in mind is the weather in March can be all over the place, so be prepared for anything (rain, sunshine, etc).

Good luck with your planning!

Gerry- Harlesden is indeed a bit rough- Dollis Hill isn't like that, though it's certainly different to the neighbourhoods that get mentioned on here frequently. And if you're close to the Jubilee line it's a pretty convenient place to stay.

Do not miss Westminster Abbey and St. Paul's Cathedral.
Been to both Oxford and Cambridge. Both are good, Cambridge is a bit more scenic.

Dollis Hill isn't like that, though it's certainly different to the neighbourhoods that get mentioned on here frequently.

Yes, your post makes it sound quite nice. I was just reading about Gladstone Park since you mentioned it. I had to check if it was a Charles Holden designed station at Dollis Hill, as many up in Metroland are quite architecturally interesting. It's by Stanley Heaps, but it looks like it's been quite well preserved and Art Deco features remain.

Thanks so much for all the replies and helpful suggestions!

To add a bit more info, my wife (several times) and I (once for a couple of days) have been to London. I've seen Westminster Abbey and the Churchill War Rooms, which I both enjoyed very much, but not sure if everyone else (esp, kids) would want to go inside the Abbey and spend several hours there (considering the cost).

I generated this plan for reaction but also based on asking everyone (all 8 of us!) what are top 3 things to see. Not all of us are Harry Potter fans but everyone agreed to go to the studio tour and it's booked, as is the Ceremony of the Keys. Everything else is open to change right now.

We will be in London for St Patrick's Day and the parade too - not sure if that is worth checking out or avoiding (considering how busy it will likely be).

Some of what our group said they want to see (not unanimous but top choices for each of us lol):

• Day trip somewhere
• musical
• Tower of London
• Borough Market
• Zoo
• A museum (but likely differences amongst us)
• Afternoon tea
• Buckingham Palace and changing of guard
• Beatles walk
• Thames boat ride
• View of London from high above
• Double decker bus
• Visit to a palace

We chose this apartment (near Dudden Hill Lane and Denzil Road) based on reviews, space and proximity to central London via Tube. Agree it may not be ideal as it takes some time get into the touristy parts and not easy to just return to in middle of day for a breather, but otherwise we've heard good things from reviews, and apparently pretty convenient via Tube.

We can definitely switch which days we are visiting some of these locations, and I will move Borough Market day to during the week. I have heard Hampton Court Palace could be more fun for kids than Windsor so appreciate that recommendation. Also Greenwich instead of Cotswolds. Key Gardens sounds fun too.

Good to hear about Boxpark too (since it's so close).

Agree we can consider splitting up for some activities based on interests.

Thanks kindly

For the double decker bus ride you could take route 16 from Dollis Hill to Paddington- every 10 minutes and is scheduled to take 35 minutes.

and I will move Borough Market day to during the week.

We were at Borough Market on the 3rd Wednesday in November at it was shoulder to shoulder people at about 1pm, so maybe lunch hour either isn't a third time either. As for a view from above, 3 in our group of 5 rode the Eye and loved it, but it is pricey; especially for us Canadians. According to my credit card bill I paid a 1.889 average exchange during the 2 week trip. I think the Sky Garden in the Walkie Talkie building is free for views. It's a 10 minute walk from the Tower of London.

While I found the Jack the Ripper walk interesting in terms of hearing what the area was like in that timeframe, I can’t imagine taking kids on that walk.

I think it is ambitious to plan theatre on the same day as the Harry Potter Studio tour. Fans could easily spend the whole day there and it could be a rush to get back. I’d put the theatre on another day.

Have the kids ever experienced jet lag?

Are you aware by staying in that neighborhood that transport to and from places like Westminster, Greenwich, Leicester Square, Tower of London and Hampton will be time consuming. Keep that in mind.

How are you going to pay for everyone’s travel? Are all the kids getting Oyster Cards?

Have you looked at Mudchute Farm? Consider the Horniman Museum? Water and Steam Museum?

As far as theatre have they seen the Lion King?

Are they afraid of heights?

Why not consider the cable cars over the Thames?

Will you take them to Richmond Park to see the fallow deer?

Are they adventurous eaters?

Have you perused London Walks? www.walks.com

Lastly on day 1 a nap isn’t a bad idea. That and meandering about the neighborhood to discover the closest tube station, to look for a pharmacy, a grocery store ( for snacks, bottled water) and most importantly to have their senses adjust to the sights, sounds and smells. Let your bodies absorb the differences.

Also take time to advise them of the difference names for things;

Loo for toilet ( as opposed to bathroom or rest room) rubbish for trash, torch for flashlight, chips for fries, that ice may not be included in their drinks, that they can eat in pubs and they’ll often find dogs and cats in pubs. Also reminding them traffic flows in the opposite direction than what they are accustomed to.

Personally I think they’ll be fascinated by riding upstairs in the double decker busses, taking the Underground, hearing different accents, and trying different foods.

I think people here are making a bit too much of the travel time. Dollis Hill to Westminster, for example, is only 19 minutes, with trains every couple of minutes. The Jubilee line really is incredibly fast.

Another suggestion, if you want to stay local, is to visit the BAPS Swaminarayan Temple in Neasden. Until recently, it was the biggest Hindu temple outside of India, and anyone can visit. There's a restaurant attached as well, which serves sattvic cuisine (meaning no meat, onion, or garlic). It's about a 25 minute walk or short bus ride from where you are staying.

The only thing to be aware of with the Tube and one line is if there are works or the line goes down. Then you would need to be prepared to take alternative transport.

one piece of advice I haven't seen recently is to have a plan for what to do if not everybody makes it onto the tube train at once before the doors close. I realise that at 13 and 15 years old the girls are probably streetwise by now but actually creating a plan can give you peace of mind.

A plan that I have seen mentioned that works very well is if one or more people get onto the tube train before all the others have a chance to and the doors close leaving the others on the platform - Nobody should panic, the person who got on the train or people who got on the train should get off at the very next stop and stand on the platform exactly where they got off, and the others who missed the train get on the next one without moving down the platform. They go one stop and they get out at exactly the same place as the first one(s) and everybody will be reunited. Then everybody can get on the following train altogether and incident over.

I hope you never have to use it but it's worth everybody knowing what to do.

Don't ever try to hold a tube train door open or put your foot in it. They close very powerfully and you don't want to be trapped, or anything you are carrying. It is dangerous. I spent many years working on trains and speak from my training.

Just been looking at the engineering work programme. The Jubilee line has no planned engineering works in March that will affect you- just a couple of very minor middle of the night things.
Just thinking on the Sunday if you take that bus from Dollis Hill to Paddington you can change there onto the 36 to Victoria for Buckingham Palace

Thanks so much for all these replies! Very helpful and fingers crossed the Tube has no issues! Like that idea of taking the double decker to Paddington

I saw Hamilton in London last July and it was quite entertaining. I would think the kids might like it or Lion King.
I agree with the Victoria & Albert Museum recommendation. From your list, I also visited the British Museum, the Tower of London and took a day trip to Oxford (from Bath, actually). I went to SkyGarden, which was free (get tickets online about 2 weeks before you go). Unfortunately, it was deemed too breezy to go outside but there were still nice views from inside. I took a Thames River Cruise upon arrival in London. It was very entertaining and informative.

Good advice on the tube, Nigel. When we visited with our kids (17, 14 & 11) in 2000, the two eldest and I made it on the train, but my husband and daughter didn't. I don't know if our stop was the next one, but we were fine since both my husband and I knew our stop, so we were soon reunited.

Agree Hampton Court over Windsor.

I've never bothered with the Changing of the Guard, but mentions of it are usually accompanied by warnings that it is extremely crowded. You need to show up very, very early to find a place from which you can see something. I hope someone else remembers the alternative Rick suggests, because I do not.

I have no idea how appealing afternoon tea will be to all the members of your party, but I think it works best with a group, so some people can order the full tea while others order something smaller. A full afternoon tea for one person is way too many carbs for me (and I do love carbs and sweets). Prices for afternoon tea range fairly widely and can approach 100 GBP per person. One option that's not quite that expensive is served in the upper-floor restaurant in the British Museum. I've had that tea and thought it was perfectly fine, but I have no basis for comparing it to other teas available in London. I mention it since it would be very convenient if you decide to go to the British Museum. You'd need a reservation for tea and should also make an entry reservation for the museum so you don't spend too much time in line. Be aware the museum is usually monumentally crowded, especially on the ground floor. Staffers told me it is worse on weekends, holidays and Fridays, and rainy days bring extra visitors. The museum is also huge; it takes multiple full days to really see the whole thing. Take a look at the floor plan and decide on your priorities; this may be a place you'll want to split up. Remember that the upper floor is likely to be significantly less crowded.

I took London Walks' Jack the Ripper Tour a few years ago. It is well done (the company's guides are licensed and stick to facts or fully-disclosed legends), not sensationalized gore, but it's true the neighborhood is nothing like it was in Jack the Ripper's time. London Walks has a huge slate of walks, most of which spend time in some more historic neighborhoods, so the Jack the Ripper Tour wouldn't be my top recommendation, but if you want to take a tour on that topic, I'd definitely recommend going with London Walks rather than one of the other options.

Recent recommendations for the Tower of London usually mention going at opening time and starting with the crown jewels before that area gets terribly crowded. I haven't taken the Yeoman Warder tour, but those are highly recommended by others, and there is no additional charge for them.

The specific advice about when to arrive at the Tower of London is to be there about 10 minutes AFTER opening time. This allows time for the queue of those who turn up early to dissipate but still early enough for you to go straight to see the Crown Jewels before they get over crowded, before then coming back to take the next free Beefeater Tour.

https://changing-guard.com/Kings-Life-Guard.html

I believe this is the alternative Rick Steves suggests

Nigel, I think that's great advice about what to do if they get separated on the tube. I think in addition to that, each kid should have the address and phone number of the hotel (and their parent's phone numbers too, if they don't know them by heart, because a lot of people don't remember phone numbers anymore because they're programmed into their phones), in their shoe or a pocket at all times, along with enough money to get a taxi to the hotel if necessary. Just in case.