London
Getting around- If arriving at Heathrow, the cheapest way to get into the city is definitely the Tube. However, for a family of 5, a black cab (van, really) wasn't terrible- Oyster Cards- easiest to buy with cash or credit card at Tube Station kiosk, pay as you go. Start with 10 or 20 GBP, depending on how long you plan to be there (most rides cost 1.10-2.40). Oyster cards are used for the Tube or buses. Citymapper is a great app to figure out bus, walking, tube, train routes, and it uses GPS to plot your exact location. Children under 11 travel FREE on the bus and tube with an adult. If staying a month or longer, it's definitely worthwhile for children 11-15 to apply for a Zip card- enables teens to travel on buses for free, and 1/2 price on tubes.
Phones- We had great luck with a SIM only plan from Vodafone. Either bring an unlocked cellphone from home and take it to a local phone store (we used Vodafone) to buy a pay as you go plan, or pay as little as ~4 GBP for a basic phone, plus a data plan. There is no charge for the Sim card, and we were pleasantly surprised to learn that it's very inexpensive- 20 GBP for 6GB 4G Data, 1000 Minutes, Unlimited Texts, and it rolls over if you don't use it all, plus it can be used internationally (the smallest bundle is actually only 5 GBP).
Parks & Playgrounds- Holland Park is a 54 acre park just off Kensington High Street, with an amazing Adventure playground, tennis courts, exercise equipment, a youth hostel, a Japanese garden, and peacocks! The Diana Memorial Playground on the grounds of Kensington Palace is the best playground we've ever been to. Entrance is free, but the hours are limited and I understand there can be a line to enter during the busy season (not on a rainy day in early January!) Based on Peter Pan, our kids loved climbing to the top of the ship's lookout, played hide-and-seek in the Lost Boys hideout, and yes, ate ice-cream in the cafe.
Traveling with Kids- For the flight, pack earphones (big sound-reducing padded ones- even the cheap $5 Target versions are great), don't be afraid of electronic devices for a few hours, pack snacks, and eat something nutritious before getting on the plane! Most airplanes these days are equipped with individual screens at every seat. On our direct American flight from RDU-London (worth every penny to do nonstop!), the screens enabled the kids to choose movies, games, or track the detailed flight information (speed, distance, temperature, location) as we flew across the Atlantic. My 9 year-old geography buff loved it! No one in our family really slept on the flight, but arrived relatively happily comparing which and how many movies they watched. I also recommend giving kids travel/souvenir money in the local currency upon arrival. They make much wiser choices when it's their own money!
Museums & Sites- Museum of London, Science Museum, Natural History Museum, Parliament
Places to Eat- (With kids) Wagamama, Pizza Express
Phones- We had great luck with a SIM only plan from Vodafone. Either bring an unlocked cellphone from home and take it to a local phone store (we used Vodafone) to buy a pay as you go plan, or pay as little as ~4 GBP for a basic phone, plus a data plan. There is no charge for the Sim card, and we were pleasantly surprised to learn that it's very inexpensive- 20 GBP for 6GB 4G Data, 1000 Minutes, Unlimited Texts, and it rolls over if you don't use it all, plus it can be used internationally (the smallest bundle is actually only 5 GBP).
Parks & Playgrounds- Holland Park is a 54 acre park just off Kensington High Street, with an amazing Adventure playground, tennis courts, exercise equipment, a youth hostel, a Japanese garden, and peacocks! The Diana Memorial Playground on the grounds of Kensington Palace is the best playground we've ever been to. Entrance is free, but the hours are limited and I understand there can be a line to enter during the busy season (not on a rainy day in early January!) Based on Peter Pan, our kids loved climbing to the top of the ship's lookout, played hide-and-seek in the Lost Boys hideout, and yes, ate ice-cream in the cafe.
Traveling with Kids- For the flight, pack earphones (big sound-reducing padded ones- even the cheap $5 Target versions are great), don't be afraid of electronic devices for a few hours, pack snacks, and eat something nutritious before getting on the plane! Most airplanes these days are equipped with individual screens at every seat. On our direct American flight from RDU-London (worth every penny to do nonstop!), the screens enabled the kids to choose movies, games, or track the detailed flight information (speed, distance, temperature, location) as we flew across the Atlantic. My 9 year-old geography buff loved it! No one in our family really slept on the flight, but arrived relatively happily comparing which and how many movies they watched. I also recommend giving kids travel/souvenir money in the local currency upon arrival. They make much wiser choices when it's their own money!
Museums & Sites- Museum of London, Science Museum, Natural History Museum, Parliament
Places to Eat- (With kids) Wagamama, Pizza Express