My wife, our 9 yo daughter, and I will be travelling to London for 6 days over New Year's. We'd be interested in hearing what people think about attending the New Year's Day Parade. It sounds like fun to us, but we're concerned it may be very crowded and difficult to see. (We anticipate cold and wet.) Any advice on the best places to view it? Do you have to line up extra-early? We're thinking maybe church in the morning and then the Parade. Plan B would be Hampton Court Palace for the day (it's open on 1 Jan), but we could also do that the next day. I appreciate your opinions.
Posted by
Troy, Oh, USA
2779 posts
Half a million people will be on the parade route to watch. The route is...Piccadilly (by Berkeley St) to Piccadilly Circle to Lower Regent Sstreet to Waterloo Place to Pall Mall to Cockspur to Trafalgar Square to Whitehall and end at Parliament. It starts at 11:45am ends at 3pm. There are some seats you could buy..look at this website.... ..http://www.londonparade.co.uk/shop/products/10 If you don't buy tickets for seats..you probably should be out on the parade route very early 9:00am to get places in front so your daughter would be able to see.
Posted by
Land of La
8716 posts
It's an odd comparison but I'm going to do it anyway. I have yearly Rose Parade tickets. Actual bleacher seats. Parade starts at 8am. We are in our seats by 6:30am. I'm thinking you need to find your spot along the route no later than 9:30am. That's part of the fun, meeting the people around you and sensing the excitement. The Stealth bomber fly over signifying the Rose Parade is about to commence, never fails to elicit awe and exhilaration from the spectators!! For London's parade I'd opt to watch it somewhere along Whitehall between Trafalgar Square and Parliament. Maybe by the Horse Guards who will undoubtedly play some role in the event. Have a GREAT time!!!!