The Best Things To Do On A 2-Day Trip To London With Kids
By SHANDLEY MCMURRAY
Before setting off for an action-packed day in London, eat a full English breakfast consisting of sausages, potatoes, eggs, tomatoes, and mushrooms.
1. English Breakfast
Regency Café is known for its affordable English Breakfast, and you may recognize its Art Deco-styled interior from films like "Layer Cake" and "Rocketman."
Between Pimlico and St. James Park tube stations and a mere 12-minute walk from Westminster Abbey and Big Ben, Regency Café is a perfect place to start the day.
Riding a hop-on hop-off bus tour is a fun and educational way to see the city. London's Big Bus Tours have many ticket options, all more than worth the price.
2. Hop-On Hop-Off
They offer three routes, including stops at The London Eye, Whitehall, Covent Garden, London Bridge, Buckingham Palace, Hyde Park Corner, and Piccadilly Circus.
Hop off the bus at The London Eye, a 443 feet tall Ferris wheel with 32 "Ovid capsules" that transport visitors slowly; each one can hold 25 passengers.
3. London Eye
Get a bird's eye view of London's architectural gems, like Westminster Abbey, Lambeth Palace, the Natural Museum of History, Buckingham Palace, and Whitehall Court.
There's something magical about standing beneath this famed 226-foot clock tower. The tower's smaller quarter bells chime every 15 minutes; Big Ben tolls upon the hour.
4. Big Ben
Cross the street to Parliament Square. Kids will love running up and down the pathway with bronze statues of Nelson Mandela and Sir Winston Churchill in the garden.
Westminster Abbey lies just across the Square. Ask a staff member inside to point out the Family Trail to get a free kid's badge at the shop after they've found a list of items.
River Thames cruises leave from Westminster Pier near Big Ben and travel as far as Greenwich Pier. This bucket-list cruise is available with a bus tour package.
5. River Cruise
Seeing London's landmarks from the river offers a new perspective on their magnificence. The best route, when time-pressed, is a one-way ticket to Tower Bridge Quay.
The trip will take about 30 minutes and passes many impressive attractions along the way, like the OXO Tower and St. Paul's Cathedral, ending mere steps from The Tower of London.