We just returned from our trip to London with 5yo Benjamin. It was amazing – it is such a kick to see a city you love through the eyes of a child. Benjamin was a terrific tourist. We walked for miles. He was captivated by everything we saw. He has become a “student” of the monarchy (Henry VIII is his favorite king) and is so interested in the history and all of the major sites. London is still a pretty expensive city but the exchange rate has moved in our favor. Museums are most free and many of the other sites charge significantly reduced fees for young children.

• Here are some of his (and our) favorite sites and activities:
• Tower of London is a must (we went twice). There is so much to see including the truly spectacular crown jewels.
• St. Paul’s Cathedral. Climb up as high as you can go (it was open up to the middle when we went – 267 steps). The views of the city are incredible.
• The London Eye. Built by British Airways for the millenium. A 30-minute ride on a “ferris wheel.” (That’s Benjamin and me on the Eye).
• The Science Museum. I think this is the best museum for children…anywhere. There is an exhibit on space with all sorts of relics from NASA. The Launchpad exhibit explains the science of how things work in simple and interactive ways.
• The Natural History Museum. Dinsoaurs, rocks, pretty typical stuff but presented in a user-friendly way and the building is gorgeous.
• The Tower Bridge. Walk across the Thames on this historic bridge and climb up the stairs to walk across the top level and learn about bridges.
• The British Museum. Benjamin is fascinated by ancient Egypt and this museum has one of the best exhibits of mummys anywhere!
• Hamleys. I don’t usually recommend toy stores but this is a don’t miss. It is almost 250 years old and while they sell lots of stuff you can get at home (some from GIFT HERO) they also have their own line of science toys and great souveniers of London.
• The chocolate bars. The Brits do candy better than we do. Two of Benjamin’s favorites are Wispa and Twirl.
• Take the tube or the bus (all are double decker and the view from upstairs is great). Do take at least one ride in a real London Taxi. Young kids ride free on the tube and bus.

Next year, Benjamin has already decided, we are going to Paris!

This entry was posted on Thursday, June 11th, 2009 at 5:23 pm by Stefanie. You can follow any responses to this entry through the RSS 2.0 feed. You can leave a response, or trackback from your own site.