Take the Kids to London

Get rubbed the right way in London

Date: November 7th, 2007 | No Comments

A fun London activity for kids is deep inside the crypt of St. Martin-in-the-Fields Church in Trafalgar Square — the London Brass Rubbing Centre.

Rubbings are a way of putting an image on paper without damaging the item underneath. The ones used at the Centre are brass replicas of artworks depicting typically English people like medieval ladies, knights and St. George.

You put the paper …

Pounded by the Pound Sterling

Date: July 4th, 2007 | No Comments

I’ve seen two items in one day indicating that my recent warnings about high-cost London and Britain are still accurate.

The UK’s Guardian says that “The prospect of a further UK interest rate rise this week and continued problems in the United States housing market combined yesterday to push the pound to its highest level against the dollar in more than a quarter of a century.” Read more here in Guardian’s business section.

Joe Brancatelli, a super-experienced business traveler who writes the Seat 2B column for …

Update on travel with kids to London

Date: June 25th, 2007 | 4 comments

Maybe you’re being beaten bloody by your kids to go check out Harry Potter film locations since there’s a new Potter movie coming out this summer. Maybe you’d like to enjoy the Thames, exploring maritime heritage in a side trip to pretty …

London Calling….

Date: December 2nd, 2006 | 1 comment

Time for a quick update from the European city that Americans love to visit….London.

We went several times and really enjoyed ourselves, but you need to watch your budget. It’s tough enough for a family to deal with plane tickets, crummy exchange rates and the high cost of urban hotels, but everything in London seems to cost a fortune.

Tips for cutting costs usually include things like eating at a lot of Indian/curry joints. Now, I adore Indian food, but …

London iPod Tours: Another View

Date: April 26th, 2006 | No Comments

As a follow-up to my previous posts on this topic, here’s a quick link to the Sydney Morning Herald’s article on touring London while (whilst?) listening to a guided tour on your iPod.

Have your listener also serve as your family’s tourguide; gives kids a chance to pontificate instead of always having to be on the receiving end.

2 Good “NY Times” Links on Affordable European Travel

Date: April 22nd, 2006 | 1 comment

Sorry that I don’t have more time today for a longer post (Pisa and Florence with kids is coming tomorrow, promise!) but here are two links from the “New York Times” Travel section (free registration required:)

Affordable Europe — tips and budget tricks for 16 European cities

and

A Family Vacation in London – squeeze a pence till it hollers

See you in Italy tomorrow…. 

Tower of London: Quoth the Raven, “Where’d They Go?”

Date: April 18th, 2006 | 1 comment

Been wondering where  Baldrick, Gwyllum, Thor and the other Tower of London ravens have got to? 

Gadling got the answer; they’re indoors as a result of bird flu concerns.

London Day Trip: Greenwich

Date: April 15th, 2006 | 3 comments

The history-stuffed village of Greenwich is an easy day or half-day trip from London, downstream on the River Thames.

Do some investigating at the tourist Web site and decide what you and your family would like to see, but also think about how you want to get there.

I recommend taking a boat on the Thames, leaving from one of the piers at the Tower …

Budget Hotels in London, Paris and Rome

Date: March 30th, 2006 | 1 comment

(Updated 29 May 2006.)  This is an article from the LA Times (this post originally linked to the same one in the Chicago Tribune but the URL changed.)

I can vouch for the London County Hall hotel that is mentioned; the location is unbeatable for getting around, with quick access to three different …

Quick Links for London

Date: March 22nd, 2006 | 2 comments

Planning a trip to London this year? Here are a couple of my favorite links to get you started….try LondonTown; on their homepage right now is a downloadable PDF file on London for Families.

For all of us who love Harry Potter movies, don’t miss a chance to see where the scenes were filmed. The comprehensive Visit Britain …