Product Description

Finally! A book about family travel to London written by a parent who has made the trip many times. Let's Take the Kids to London proves that an enjoyable family holiday in London is not only possible, it can blend culture, history, and just plan fun for parents and children alike.

But don't take our word for it, ask Paddington Bear, Sherlock Holmes, Peter Pan, Mary Poppins, Winnie-the-Pooh, or Harry Potter. Let's Take the Kids to London brings London to life with tie-ins to British children's literature.

From the Tower of London and Buckingham Palace, to London's lesser known tourist attractions, Let's Take the Kids to London offers practical advice to help visiting families get the most out of a London visit. No trip is perfect and this book injects humor as an antidote to the inevitable small tribulations experienced by the traveling family.

Let's Take the Kids to London zeros in on what parents need to knout the logistics of a London holiday and what kids want to know about all the cool things to see and do in the city.

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Product Details

Publisher	Writers Club Press
ISBN	0595139531
Format	Paperback
Author	David White
EAN	9780595139538
Label	Writers Club Press
Edition	2
Dewey Decimal Number	914
Studio	Writers Club Press
Number Of Pages	301
Title	Let's Take the Kids to London: A Family Travel Guide
Publication Date	2007-04-01
Manufacturer	Writers Club Press

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Customer Reviews

A good beginning

Review by N. B. Kennedy, 2009-09-13

If you're planning to take your kids to London, I would consider this book just one source of many you should use. The author gives you a great start, but he neglects some sights and suggestions that would make your trip more memorable.

For example, he dismisses the idea of finding a child-friendly pub in London. What's a trip to London without a pub meal!?! Many websites list pubs that are licensed to allow children. In the main tourist district, Ye Olde Chesire Cheese is one atmospheric choice. Many authors from the pantheon of English greats -- Johnson, Boswell, Dickens, etc. -- hung their hats here.

Two of my favorite places are missing: the water fountains at Somerset House in the theatre district. Kids love to romp in these, while you can relax with a coffee or glass of wine around the perimeter (put warm clothes and a raincoat on the kids... the water's cold). Also, don't miss the Guildhall Art Gallery. In the basement are the excavated remains of a Roman amphitheater. The kids can pretend they're gladiators -- when they step on a spot in the center, they'll hear cheering and crowd noises. One parent can be in charge, while the other takes a whirl through the gallery's lovely Victorian artworks.

Also, he leaves out any suggestion of playgrounds other than the Diana Memorial playground, which admittedly is great. But when you're schlepping little ones around a city as big as London, it helps to know where the playgrounds are -- Coram's Fields, for example, in the Russell Square area. There's a nice playground at the base of the London Eye, too.

Some logistical information is missing. For example, in the section on Legoland, he doesn't tell you that it can take 3 hours just to get to Legoland from central London. You need to start early! Also missing is any useful information on the bus system. The route numbers rarely change and two of them in particular give you a good tour of the major sights... grab seats up front on a double-decker Route 11 or 15 bus.

So, as I say, I would use this guide as just one of several you consult. For example, check out my two Traveler Lists on tripadvisor: "In Love with London" and "London with Kids" (by LiveSmallTravelBig). Properly equipped, you'll have a great time in London with your family.

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Easy and fun to read.

Review by K. Koenig, 2007-09-16

I loved how he changed around the contents from a typical guide book and let's you read the good stuff first. He has descriptions of the most popular tourist destinations in and around London first and then get's to the travel tips at the end. This book includes opinions rather than just straight facts based on his repeated trips to London. For example he recommends the paper Travelcards rather than the Oyster card for getting around on the tube and bus system. I couldn't find that sort of direction in the other London travel guide I bought.

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A good basic guide

Review by Alan Safani, 2007-02-12

This guide offered a number of interested ideas for families with children to visit. A number of them were unknown to us and not usually discussed in travel books.

Alan Safani

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GET THIS BOOK BEFORE YOU LEAVE

Review by Ann R. Mchugh, 2004-06-14

I have found this book to be awsome. I have bought 3 other books about taking the kids to London and have found this the most helpful. The author has great advice on what to pack, where to go and how to get there. This book was my bible for our trip.

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Let's Take the Kids to London

Review by Anonymous, 2003-08-10

If you plan to take children to London this is a great book. I warn you though if you get this and lots of other books you'll think this one too simplistic and put it aside. Don't. Its very straight forward and pragmatic approach is actually helpful if you read the narrative and don't just focus on the fact sheets. (The book has lots of "fact sheets" with basic details like hours, costs, location and how much time activities take.) I definitely agree with his choices of "must dos" and "highlights". I also appreciated his themes - like don't do in London what you can do at home and that children need to vary and pace actvities in ways very different than adults. We almost always took more time for each activity than he indicated. And of course some of the information is dated (for example most of the museums are free now.) Still, he has a wonderful feel for London and for what really catches a child's fancy.

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