Family trip to the City at half term. My boys (9 and 11)will be impressed by the double-decker buses, tube and fixietwats tbh but wondered what any locals might suggest.

Any events or displays worth looking at? We’ve been to the Science museum and the NH museum before (and the zoo I think, although I haven’t).

Not quite ready for the Soho shows yet but sensible suggestions welcome. Ta.

Transport museum, aquarium, both tates, eye, museum of London.

Imperial War Museum. Quick look at the big guns outside and main hall if you’re short on time, stay a bit longer if you can.

Location is good to head from there for a wander along the south bank – London Eye (but prebook if you’re planning a go on it), past the skaters and BMXers under the south bank centre, Tate Modern (free entry, worth a quick look in the Turbine Hall if nothing else), Globe Theatre, Golden Hinde, HMS Belfast, Tower Bridge. Also Millennium Bridge that heads over to St Pauls. Plenty of places to eat along there if it coincides with lunch or dinner time.

Take the DLR? Head out to greenwich/woolwich?

Borough Market – but not on a Saturday Afternoon.
The kids always love Camden Market.

Another vote for the Imperial War Museum. Kew Gardens is pretty good for kids, the big glass houses always impress, the tree walk could be scary depending on your kids, and there’s an aquarium there too.

British Museum has activity worksheets for kids that are quite fun.

Thanks for those suggestions.

Kew looks good – you’d think they’d have chosen a less windy day to record their video. 🙂

As Simon G says, just go for a wander along the South Bank between Waterloo and London Bridge (up to Borough Market via Tate Modern). Fantastic views of the city (particularly as it gets dark), and it’s free! Sure it’s touristy but I never tired of it when I lived in London and I still enjoy it now.

Always loads going on and plenty of atmosphere – street entertainers, buskers, skaters underneath the South Bank centre, sand sculptors at OXO tower etc. Plenty of places to stop for a snack / drink (Gabriel’s Wharf etc).

I’d also recommend taking the Thames Clipper service out to the Thames Barrier and back – great views all the way and it really picks up a fair turn of speed once it clears Tower Bridge so quite exhilirating. Stand outside at the stern for the best effect! Check times though, otherwise you could get stuck at Woolwich Arsenal for an hour.

You joked about Soho, but it’s actually cleaned up a lot now and is actually an interesting place to have a wander around.

Agree about south bank, the acquarium is ACE and greenwich is also good if you are interested in boats. Can you still go on the war ship, I can’t even remember the name of it but I thought that was fantastic when I was about your kids age.

southbank all the way

Oddjob – do you mean HMS Belfast? Yes, still open. Had my works Christmas do there a couple of years back. Mad.