My friend is doing London area by area, top ten (or so) favorite spots in each. She asked me to contribute one or two sections. I selfishly nabbed South Kensington for the museums, if nothing else. London has many claims on my heart and honestly it is hard to choose a favorite among the favorites. I think I have at least a five way tie between the areas I know best. The rest come close seconds together. Yes, yes, you get it. I love London and the more I know it the better I do.
So, without further rambling ado, here are my best tips for enjoying Hyde Park and the Museum row with little ones in tow. Or rather, with them charging ahead and me chasing from behind. The kids know and love this part of London too.
1)
Natural History Museum
Come for the dinosaurs, stay for the rest.
First thing to know, there will be a queue. I've been perhaps twice when it has not felt like half of London has the same idea to visit the museum at the same time. There are two entrances: the main one on Cromwell Road with the iconic steps and the Exhibition Road entrance. Especially with a pram (or wheeled vehicle of any name) take the Exhibition Road entrance. It's designed to be step free and the line is sometimes shorter. While waiting in the queue, enjoy the street performers--often bubbles!--and play eye spy with the sculptures on the exterior of the remarkable edifice.
Once inside, especially at opening (and I recommend this of any museum to be in at the 10:00 opening on a weekend, or afternoons on weekdays) make that proverbial beeline for the dinosaurs. Don't get distracted! You can admire all the rest of the sights after. To see most of the dinos you'll need to go up stairs to a walkway. Buggies are not allowed up there and will be removed to security if left below (yes, I speak from experience). If you have a pushchair/stroller you'll want to check the stroller into the cloakroom. You can always pick it up for the rest of the museum if you need it. Be prepared for the "real" T-Rex at the end of the line. It is scary in a perfect way. My kids--at various ages--have never cried in fright but have always--at all ages--stared in rapt fascination. I have to tear them away.
My girl and I love sparkly pretty rocks (ha!) so we enjoy a visit to the mineral gallery. The room and the specimen are gorgeous and we play "find the rainbow rocks" or match patterns in our clothes to patterns in the rocks (stripes, polka dots, etc.) My older boys beg to go to the volcano and earthquake galleries, up the "spooky" (dramatic, thematic) escalator.
2)
V&A Museum
Like London in general, I have a hard time picking a favorite museum. The V&A is way, way up there. I love this place deep in my soul.
My girl loves spotting the belly buttons and "nakey bums" of statues, my boys are fascinated by the samurai weapons, I adore the dresses from bygone eras.
Art museums sometimes seem intimidating for a casual visit with very young children. The V&A is a grown-up museum that can be enjoyed by the whole family. If you like to have a little help making the museum more approachable and fun for the little ones (or my go-to spontaneous museum games have been exhausted)
visit the Learning Centre to check out backpacks. These packs are incredible resources to make an adventure in the museum meaningful and memorable.
The cafe has really yummy food. The garden area allows children to splash in the fountain in the summer (shirts and undies must be kept on, though bottoms can be removed) and in late summer the border of rhododendron bloom in a heavenly way.
3)
Science Museum
I'll be honest. I often try to steer my kids in a different museum direction when they ask to go to the Science Museum. I just feel out of my personal element there, not knowing one science thing from another. And I can't make an explanation or enthusiasm up as I go along like with art or history. That said, when we do go we all enjoy ourselves tremendously.
The most crowded places are, naturally, space exploration, the transport vehicles (both on the ground floor), and the hands-on activities in The Basement. Of course you cannot skip space or trains and planes, so just keep a slow and calm pace around the hordes of people also trying to do the same!
On a recent visit (during Half Term holiday, heaven help us) we discovered a gallery that was practically empty except for us and the amazing artifacts of communication. Try explaining radio to children who have never seen or heard one. Not even the whole science behind a box producing sound but even the ramifications on a culture.
One of my kids' other favorite exhibits is down in the basement. There are household items in various incarnations from the first inventions to the present day. Imagine a case of thirty vacuums, some so alien looking you wouldn't know that's what it was without a label. There are commercials for washing machines from the 1960s that had me in stitches. Toilets. Need I say more? Also, one of the oldest continually operating automatic motion sensor door. My boys went round and round in circles to open it again, as if we don't use them every day without thinking twice! And finally, one of the first video games ever created. The illustrious Pong. You'll probably have to wait in a short queue to try your hand as it apparently just as addicting as any fancy game available to these kids on their iPads.
4) Hyde Park: Princess Diana Memorial Fountain
Hyde Park is so huge, you just can't do it all in one day. Or you could, but you'd be walked off your feet!
I agree with Lorianne that Regent's Park rivals-even-to-surpass Hyde Park for sheer loveliness. The fact that we can walk to Regent's Park from our flat tips it over the top, but Hyde Park is still a major draw. I'd say it's equivalent to visiting NYC, you must go to Central Park. In London, you should go to Hyde Park.
In summer the Princess Diana Memorial Fountain is the place for wading children to be. It's a gorgeous memorial and I believe the original intent was for it to be a serene, solemn thinking place. I personally think Princess Di would have fully approved of its design now, as a joyously noisy area for children to be children.
The water flows around and down hill in a large ring. Grass and trees surround the water wreath and if you get in early and get lucky you'll be able to claim some shade. The floor of the water falls have been carved for traction but there are a few areas that are patrolled by guards who remind children to walk and even not climb on a certain spot. They are not lifeguards--you supervise your own children. But Health and Safety do have a presence. There are very shallow and quite deep areas, often with very little warning between. Older children will navigate with ease very happily. Younger, even sitting or crawling babies will still find a place to splash.
5) Hyde Park: Peter Pan Statue
I love this statue. It is iconic but somewhat easy to miss if you're not looking for it. It's in the center of the park, near the Long Water portion of the Serpentine waterway. My lost boys have climbed the statue and (never yet) been told off for doing so. You can listen to a recorded narration with a scan app on your phone.
Just a few steps away are the formal Italian Gardens, not to be missed.
6) Hyde Park:
Kensington Palace
Besides the hope that you may actually see Kate or the royal babies, this palace is a fun one to visit. It seems surprisingly approachable, as far as the palaces and grand estates I've visited. You can pay a one time fee to go in the palace, or with a membership also enter the Tower of London and Hampton Court. I've found this membership to be well worth it. The children loved the children's room/nursery in the Queen Victoria exhibit. In addition to seeing how royal children lived with incredible artifacts of clothing and toys, there is a chest of classic toys for the visiting children to enjoy. I loved the fashion exhibit but my kids were bored beyond tears at that section. I recommend leaving the children with another adult (dad) and enjoying the dresses alone. Ha! The palace is surprisingly stroller-friendly. We were escorted specially by guards to access areas via a different route but were able to see everything we wanted to with ease.
The grounds immediately surrounding the palace are free to enjoy and feel kind of like a hidden secret. My kids love making a menace of themselves through the long vine-covered archways.
I've never been, but I hear that tea at the Orangery is lovely.
7) Hyde Park: Princess Diana Memorial Playground (aka Peter Pan's playground)
A playground right out of any Neverland fantasy. It truly is a magical place. A potentially extremely crowded magical place, but one nonetheless. The playground is quite large and sprawling, with different "lands" tucked away. There is the pirate ship and mermaid island--complete with rock croc--right off the bat. Venture in a bit further and you'll find the Lost Boys' tree house. When you hear chimes on the wind you'll want to explore more, wandering back through the Indian teepees and a mini-wilderness to find fairy land where the magical chime sounds originated.
The entire play area is fenced in and guarded by security personnel at the one entrance/exit. Older children can wander and find you again if you settle in one central place. The younger ones will be highly entertained with water and sand near the pirate ship for hours. The toilets are near and quite clean, considering! There is a food stand adjacent but I find it rather expensive. We bring a picnic. Once I did splurge for ice creams but that was a special one-time thing. :) A certain number of people are allowed at a time in the play area, so arrive early--especially during school breaks or an especially fine day. If you come later there will be a queue that moves only as quickly as other people decide to leave. The playground is worth it, but again, I recommend avoiding the crowds and simply getting out the door earlier than later. Or going dead of winter when Winter Wonderland is open on the other end of the park. Then you will have the place completely to yourselves!
8) Hyde Park: Holocaust Memorial Gardens
A truly beautiful little garden. The fountain in the center is lovely, as are the flower beds and vine-covered arches.
9)
Apsley House and
Wellington Arch
Part of the English Heritage properties we visited on our membership. Of course you can pay a one-time entrance fee. My boys loved Apsley House, home of the Duke of Wellington and war hero, so much they begged to go back before our membership expired. Did they love the history, the china collection, the views from the windows, or the remarkable early-pedal piano? No. But they did adore the personal tour device apps. The app was impressive. I did the adult version one visit and the children's the second time around. I learned a lot with both, but the games and information on the children's tour were super.
The Arch is okay. I wouldn't say a must-do, but if you're in the area anyway you might as well. The view from the top is nothing extraordinary as far as London views go, but if you're lucky enough to have the royal horseguards march underneath when you're there you may just think you've won the prize.
10) South Kensington Food
Rocca for pizza--affordable and delish. Quite family friendly. Fills up quickly, make reservations.
Maitre Choux for exquisite eclairs--your jaw will drop at the price (5 quid a pop) but boy will your taste buds thank you. The taste and texture of these are ah-maz-ing.
Ben's Cookies for cookies (sorry, duh)--I like English biscuits fine. But boy, if you want a cookie and don't feel like making (and sacrificially-to-save-the-children-from-too-much-sugar eating (if you're like me)) a whole batch yourself then go for a cookie at Ben's. It's a nice small treat after a museum and before the tube, if you need a little something to carry a little one through.
The Kensington Creperie for sweet and savoury crepes--though I'd have to say the stand up in Hampstead may be better, the fun cafe atmosphere and yummy crepes make this a valid place to fill a tummy.
