Family trip to London April 2012, is it worth it??

Have you considered going to a country or region that uses the Euro? It has a better exchange rate than the Pound. Or, somewhere in eastern Europe where living and travelling are not as expensive as London or western Europe.

Keep in mind that London is one of the most expensive cities in the world. So one way is to avoid London or to min the time in London. Would you consider somewhere else?

Jane Ann I remember when it was $5 to a £. I also remember when it was $2.40 to a £ not very long ago, for many a year. Is it expensive? Yup. Are there ways to make it much cheaper? Yup, for sure. Many, many ways. You are already part way there. $2000 for a flat is about £1270. Others here will know the going rates for flats in London but I wonder if that's a little high? If you are central it will mean you can walk. Walking is free. Hint - if you and your family are not rural types - start getting used to walks now. You could work up to 6 miles walks before arrival. Many of the museums are free. If you get paper travelcards you can do 2 for 1's at many others, but the best price for transport will be either a weekly travelcard on Oyster which will give you unlimited rides in the zones you pick - probably 1 and 2 - or to have a Pay As You Go Oyster which will cap at the Travelcard price but you only pay for what you use so if you walk one day - no charge. Walking along the river - free. Getting some street food from a pop up store or truck - cheap by London standards. Cooking at home - cheapest. Heating up supermarket meals - more expensive but much cheaper than going out. Take-aways like fish and chips, kababs, etc., a bit more but for take-aways it is usually cheaper than eating in the place. Wander the markets - no charge to look, usually food stands have samples, not cheap for a meal but cheaper than a restaurant. Go intro churches. Free at all but the most famous (St Pauls, Westminster Abbey). Or sit outside somewhere near on a Sunday morning and listen to the bells pealing - free. Watch the street musicians and acts at Covent Garden. Put a few coins in their hat - nearly free. (watch that you use a moneybelt, use it correctly, watch out for pickpockets).

...more... Walk around St James' Park and look at the exotic birds - free. Photographs - free to take and look at (you do have digital?) and only print the very best. Pretty near everywhere you can walk will be nice - check out the neighborhoods and architecture. If you are careful it can be done. Small savings add up. Use normal double decker buses (sit upstairs at the front) for sightseeing instead of tour buses. HoHos gobble money. There are cheap coaches to places beyond such as Oxford, Cambridge, if you are flexible and check sites such as Megabus. You can go for as little as a £ if you book ahead. It can be done. If you and your family tighten their belts during the trip you can do it.

Jane Ann, Have you checked airfare on the website kayak.com? I saved $2400 on our airfare going through them. Kristen

Of course an overseas trip is usually more expensive than a typical vacation. We have done it several times with our daughter and don't regret a single trip if for no other reason than the fact that we have exposed her to something that most kids in the U.S. never experience. Your kids are at the perfect ages to begin to appreciate some of the things that travel in a foreign place can give them. We all can use the added perspective that travel elsewhere gives us. If more of us had that perspective, I'd like to think the world would be a better place. Here is my vote that you simply go for it. I really don't think you'll regret it. I suspect that you may come home planning when you can take your next trip. Most of the people who frequent this site do.

Hi Jane Ann -- like you, I had been dying to return to London, and provide my 12 year old with her first taste of the world beyond the US. We went last July-August, and spent more than 1/3 of our time in London. It was crazy expensive -- but it was worth every penny!!! I agree that there are plenty of free things to see and do, but I also agree with the advice in Rick's books -- don't skimp on what you want to see and do. We went to the Tower of London, Hampton Court Palace, toured the Globe, rode the Eye, etc. We also went to the theatre several times, which was fantastic. Save money on lodgings and food, not on the sights! Getting take out food is often cheaper than eating in. We often found we could easily split 2 take out meals among the 3 of us. We also got paper tickets for the tube most days, and made really good use of them for the 2-for-1 offers.
If and when the dollar ever equals the pound, go back a second time. But don't wait for that to happen. You said you wanted someone to tell you to go for it....Absolutely!!

We are in the same spot as you--going to London in April and on a budget. We were able to get air tickets and a hotel for eight nights for $3600 by bundling them together on Expedia. Our hotel provides breakfast, and we have enough money left to explore London fast food and maybe a few pubs for lunch and dinner. I hope you go for it and have a blast!

go for it! If you wait for a better exchange rate you will never go. London is an expensive city but many of the sights are free. I'm a believer in the theory that if you make travel a priority somehow you will find the money for it, it's worked for me so far.
Go for it. The only trip you will regret is the one you don't take!

Go for it! $2000/week for a flat is a reasonable budget. Look into Oyster cards which you can use on buses and tubes to reduce transportation costs, and Travelcards if you want to take advantage of 2 for 1 options. They are issued by National Rail and can also be used on tubes and buses: http://www.daysoutguide.co.uk/2for1london http://www.londontoolkit.com/briefing/travelcard_oyster.htm Also look into National Express cheap coach fares for out of town trips: http://goo.gl/gbelJ I also like the Londontown website. Take a look at their section on free things to do: http://www.londontown.com/London/London-for-Free Will the US dollar ever be equal to the British pound? If you wait for that to happen, you may never go.

IMHO London is one of the best cities in the world. It is expensive but with research you can lessen the hit on the pocket book. Read up on free travel for kids on the tube. http://www.tfl.gov.uk/tickets/14554.aspx Use kayak.com for alerts on airfare costs, look at VRBO, and airbnb websites for apartments. London is a hugely walkable city so that saves transportation costs, loads of free things to enjoy and explore. (Nigel did an excellent job of pointing many of them out) Things I would arrange for the children to see; a theatre performance at the Old Globe, a visit to Hamley's Toys, The Horse Guards Parade, shopping at the Camden Market (the teen will love this), and finding the Peter Pan statue in Hyde Park, to name a few. Point is, no time like the present. GO!

Go for it. :) London is a fabulous city - and a great way to experience the world outside the US, particularly as a gateway to Europe. If you wait for the exchange rate to be "favorable" - you'll never go. Many museums are free, as are most churches (Other than St. Pauls). You can walk almost everywhere. Bus fare is cheaper than the Tube, and uses the same card (Oyster). Further, transit connections from London to the rest of the UK are great. You can actually use London as a base and see much of England. As to budget tips - youre already getting there. Renting a flat is a good option as you can fix your own meals.