HAPPY HAPPY NEW YEAR! May 2009 bring safe and exciting travels.
I recently had a reader post a question about my Travel Channel show. "Are We There Yet: London"… He or she wanted to know all the places we visited. So today I will address that question..and remind you all that London is a great place to visit with children. Is it a long airplane ride? Yes. Is it expensive considering the economy right now? Yes – always expensive. BUT – there are ways to make the trip easier and more affordable….
We adventured to many places off the beaten path in this show – some require driving out of London for an hour or so, but I would say these locations are worth it.
1) London Eye – A must see – kids love it, and it gives every visitor a big picture of how London is laid out. It is a giant ferris wheel like ride that takes a half hour to go around. Wonderful views of London – even if it is touristy – what's wrong with that?
You can order your tickets in advance online to avoid any ques…www.londoneye.com
2) Portobello Market – A very fun place to stroll – open every Saturday. All the shops on Portobello Road are open every day – but the market with dozens of vendors makes it special. All kinds of antiques, and interesting things to look at – tourists and Londoners alike come here. I would recommend for older kids – teens might like the fashion angle…
3) Duck tour on the Thames – My kids really enjoyed this – once again, a great way to orient yourself with London, as you go by many important landmarks, and have a guide who gives info on each (as well as cracks jokes.) www.londonducktours.co.uk
4) Buckingham Palace and the changing of the guard – we actually didn't stay for the changing when we were in London because we had just watched the same thing on a smaller scale in Denmark. Still a pretty cool thing – the little ones might get bored if they don' t have a good view.
5) Groombridge Place – What an enchanted forest this is!! Over-sized swings…boat rides…hiking paths through Jurassic times…sand boxes…life-size chess game..
And I would highly recommend the raptor show. The kids can practice the art of falconry – oops my husband was the center of a joke…
Groombrigde Place is in Kent – a ways out of London but this is a kids wonderland.
6) Diggerland – Also out of London but there's nothing likeit (A Diggerland was supposed to be built in Virgina last year.) Basically this ia huge amusement park where kids get to control tractors and diggers in muddy paths. 
This is also in Kent….for more info www.enjoyengland.com
7) Tate Modern Museum – The BEST kids' program to get them into the arts. They go on a scavenger hunt, looking through all the same art you are, trying to find certain items. It is very clever, and it allows the adults to actually enjoy the art with the children. Oh – and did I mention what a fabulous and varied collection exists at the Tate Modern? It is NOT a stuffy British museum.
Outdoor theater in Regent's Park. Most of the time they offer kid-friendly productions. Pack a picnic and enjoy the beautiful scenery.
I hope that answers all the questions -one hotel I would recommend is Jermyn Street – especially if you are traveling with kids. They have suites, which are actually more like apartments – make sure to ask for the ones that accommodate your size family. It is reasonably priced and right near Piccadilly Square. They have games for kids, child proof locks on mini bar, etc.
Happy Travels – and once again – Happy New Year!
