London is a great city with loads to do, so it’s perfect for a family weekend away. But once you’ve done all of the usual touristy stuff, it’s a bit boring the second time around. But don’t write it off just yet, it’s a big city and there are plenty more things that you haven’t discovered yet, a lot of them perfect for the family. The only problem is, London is an incredibly expensive city which puts a lot of people off. But there is still a lot of fun stuff for the whole family that won’t break the bank. Just follow this guide to a cheap family weekend in London.
Where To Stay
Accommodation is going to be one of your biggest expenses when you’re staying in London. If you’re staying in a hotel somewhere near the centre you’ll have to get a couple of rooms, one for you and one for the kids, and it’ll be expensive. It’s often better to get an apartment that you can all stay in. Visit http://www.londonservicedapartments.co.uk/ to see what’s on offer. Staying in an apartment of your own is often better than a hotel when you’re with the family because you can all stay together and it’s a lot more comfortable.
What To Eat
Eating out in London is another huge expense, but if you’re staying in an apartment you’ll have your own kitchen. You can still go out and enjoy some nice restaurants, you are on holiday after all. But you can save a good amount of money by cooking your own breakfast and lunch back at the apartment, rather than spending upwards of £10 each on something to eat every time.
Where To Go
A lot of the attractions in London are expensive but there are plenty of free ones too. You wouldn’t expect to find farm animals around London but if you head over to Hackney, there’s a great city farm there. The petting zoo is sure to be a hit with the kids.
If you’re there in the summer, why not spend a day in one of the many parks around the city. You can take a picnic down there and just relax in the sun for a day while the kids play.
There are also loads of great free museums around if you want to make the trip educational as well as fun. The British Museum is absolutely huge with so many great exhibitions on ancient Egypt and Rome and some interactive exhibitions where the kids can pick up some of the artefacts. You can easily spend an entire day in there and you still won’t see it all. Visit http://www.britishmuseum.org/whats_on.aspx to see what’s on at the moment.
The Natural History Museum is another brilliant one, housing some interesting exhibitions on Earth science. If you’re interested in the history of the city itself, head over to the Museum of London. It takes you through the entire history of the city up to present day and you’ll learn so much interesting stuff that you never knew about our capital.
It’s true that London is expensive but if you know what you’re doing, you can have a great weekend there without spending that much at all.