Visit London, in two days, with kids, on a budget!

So if you want to take the kids to London for the weekend and you don't have a lot of money to play with, this should help! If you don't have a lot of time in London, this can actually help you save money. With so many free activities and things to do, you can plan ahead to make sure you have a fun filled, budget friendly, jam packed time. Another great thing about London, is the variety of things to do. You can really tailor your visit to the likes and ages of your children. Mine being 4 and 6 now, are still happy running around in open spaces, feeding ducks and staring at all the people and big buildings. If yours are older and need a bit more stimulation, there is still plenty to do.

PLANNING - It's a pretty big thing. If you're a parent reading this, you know all too well that you can wake up, turn around to look at the clock and it's almost time for lunch! If you be 'on purpose' in London, you can really make the most of your time. The same goes for moving around. Even though you can pop on the tube and quickly get from one place to another, if you throw in the walking time and getting off or on at a few wrong stops, and you might not get in as much as you think. So as much as I hate planning (I'm the free spirited one), I hate to admit it, but its a must here, especially if you have people with little legs with you. A fun time can quickly turn to a disaster, filled with tantrums, if you push the walking too much. Top tip - remember to bribe LOL. This sounds awful but my kids thoroughly enjoy almost everything we persuade them to do (even the walking), by promising them something we know they will enjoy at the end. If they had had their way, they would have spent around £200, going on the carousel over and over again, for around 10 hours. Not fun for anyone, even them. It's good to know where you're going and familiarise yourself with London , as one Landmark could be at one end and another at the other end. If you're going to be using the London Underground like us, you can pick the little maps up everywhere when you get into London or you can check out the tube map here. Using this link you can even find out the walking times between stations. We visited in winter, with not so many hours daylight, so if you're planning to see something in daylight, be mindful it gets dark by 4pm on a bad day! Check out sunrise and sunset times here.

THINGS TO DO!

VISIT LANDMARKS - You can create your very own FREE sightseeing tour. By the time you choose a few of these to visit over the two days and plan your route, you can fill almost all of your time! We chose;

THE LONDON EYE - You don't need to ride on this eye catching attraction to really enjoy it, especially with it lit up at night. Even if you have got the cash to splash, it's worth considering if the kids will actually enjoy it. Will they be scared at the top? You can see great views over London for free, without dangling from a pod in the sky.

HUNGERFORD BRIDGE - This is just a little bit down from the London Eye, so it would be rude not to have a walk along it, especially with the great design, as it looks great in photos! It is generally a lot quieter than Westminster Bridge, so you can enjoy the Thames a bit more.

WESTMINSTER BRIDGE - If you visit soon or have been recently, you will notice large, secured, metal bollards in place. This will be unusual to see if you are a regular to London and if you haven't been, you will probably wonder what they are because of the unusual shape and sheer size. These have recently been put in place, following a series of terrorist attacks in London. For us, visiting so soon after the attacks and watching the tragedy unfold on television, seeing these makes a visit to the historic bridge, quite emotional.

HOUSES OF PARLIAMENT AND BIG BEN - Check out our London photos and you will see that Big Ben was under repair during our visit. This was a little disappointing at first but later when we got home, we watched a documentary on the repairs and it was great to learn more about the big clock and how complex the whole procedure is. Again seeing these landmarks in person, really is breathtaking in itself. When you come out of the tube and walk up the steps to see them right in front of you, the beauty, detail and scale is amazing.

BUCKINGHAM PALACE - Be sure to check out 'parks' below, as I mention ST James's Park follows on great from this, with it being so close. In general most of the places you visit in London will be filled with tourists, and the Palace is no different, unless you want to make it there for sunrise. Entry into the Palace is pricey but there are always guards around marching outside, which the kids really enjoy and it helps to keep costs down. We were lucky to see a horse and cart picking someone up inside the fences but also if you time it right you can watch the Changing Of The Guard , which is also free!

TRAFALGAR SQUARE - The kids loved the fountains and the giant Lion statues here. They even got some photos on one!

and of course we had some fun in the famous, 'Red Telephone Box'.

If your kids are a little older they might appreciate you bringing along some in detail history about each of them, or looking something up on google, but ours can't remember what they had for tea the night before LOL so generally we just give them a little of what we know on each thing, and hope for the best. It might seem like a lot to see, but I didn't want to go all the way to London to see and do things I can do in any other place. So as much as Im sure all the attractions you can pay for in London are great to do, like a boat ride on the Thames , a ride on the London Eye, The View from the Shard , if you can't afford it or are really on a tight budget, there is really no need. We didn't choose these, but don't forget, you also have many museums and great places to get a good view over London, for free. The Tate is a good one, not just because of the range of Art but also the views over London. We will also, definitly check out 'Sky Garden' next time! It is one of the newest skyscrapers to appear on London's skyline and is it's highest public garden, with free observation decks. Best of all it's free!

2. PARKS
This could technically go into the category above, but I think they deserve one of their own because they take you into a completely different world within the urban jungle and you can spend a lot of time there before you even know it, with so much to do. We chose St James's Park and Kensington Palace, within Kensington Gardens.

ST JAMES'S PARK - We chose St James's mainly because it's right by Buckingham Palace and we walked through it to get to the next place, but having been there, I'm so happy we went! It has the most beautiful lake, which even the kids stared at for some time. There is a fun little park at the beginning which gives the kids a break from walking and sight seeing. This closed on this day at 4ish (like Central Park in New York, these parks are huge, so check out maps). There was so much wildlife here, even in winter, I was so shocked to see. There are always people around with nuts or seeds feeding the animals, that are very kind and offer some to the kids. Check out our videos and you will see the squirrel came right up to Kallan and gently took the nut from the palm of his hand.
Have you ever seen the 'bird lady' in home alone 2? Well St James's Park has it's very own 'bird man' and if you visit, I really hope you get to see him. We visited at around 4pm....I have my fingers crossed for you! The birds flocked around him, sat on his head, shoulders, arms and ate food straight from his hands. It is so humbling to see someone taking time to feed wild animals with food they have bought, yet they have holes in their own clothes. With the chill of winter running through your body, the most beautiful backdrop and huge magical trees, towering over your head, so close to christmas, this was the most warming sight ever.

KENSINGTON GARDENS - I almost don't even feel like I can blog about these places properly, as I have since checked out the parks website and seen just how much there is to do here, yet here I am pointing out just one or two. But this is my point with London, you can't do it all in a weekend. We chose Kensington Gardens because we stayed in a hotel in Kensington, so location wise it just made sense, and we had a very special time here! I felt like there were a lot of open spaces and as soon as we got in through the gates, the kids started running around like they had never seen grass before. With huge trees and winding paths the kids spent quite a bit of time playing and even convinced me to have a little game of 'you're it'. It is a great place to teach them about trees and nuts because there are many different kinds. Further up from the point we entered, you come to the palace but you won't need to do any educating here! There is a large white statue of the queen that sits in front of the palace and there is now an interactive feature, that sits along side it. When you connect, by entering details or scanning the information, the queen calls you! Yes that's right, she actually calls your mobile phone, says hello, asks a question and then starts walking you through a little history....she even cracks a little joke! Of course I know the queen is not calling, but you should have seen the kids faces! I caught them on camera, so be sure to check out vlog 3 when its finished. Across the way from the palace, is another beautiful lake, with so many birds, ducks and swans.

3. FOOD

When it comes to food, the best thing about London, is you have literally every type of food you could possibly want to choose from and if you're a foodie like me, again you will think 'food', deserves it's own section. It is one of the things I don't mind spending money on, because its one of the things we need. Plus, when you're doing it three or four times a day, getting good food can really make a difference to how you remember the trip! Whether you're on the prowl for vegan (click here for my favourite vegan restaurant) , street, michelin star, London will have what you're fancying. Now Im going to contradict myself here, because although I said I don't want to do something here, I can do in other places, we decided on Nando's the one night. It is one of my favourite places, its familiar, we really fancied it, hadn't been there in ages and do you know what, after a full day of being outside, literally being as London as we could be, Nando's was honestly perfect. So another perk, is it has all the comfortable choices you're probably used to if you live in Wales like us; good old pub food and restaurant chains. If you're anywhere in London and you know what you're fancying, you can look online and it won't be far away. Big tips with saving on food, would be get a good deal, with a hotel and breakfast included, so you can nip downstairs and everyone can fill their boots. With all the walking you can work up quite an appetite, so if this only keeps you tied over until lunchtime, you can pick up some cheap street food, or sandwiches for lunch! You can then eat these anywhere with a great view. We ate them in the park and it was perfect. We also got to feed the ducks the leftovers :) By the time you've toured London, you might be quite happy to crash in your accommodation with a take away, but if not check out this link to find a good place to eat in London.

4. TRAVEL

WE VOTE LONDON UNDERGROUND - I suppose this one ,will really come down to the individual and what you find entertaining, but the moving around itself, is time consuming and fun. Whatever way you choose to do it, a roof top double decker bus, a black taxi cab, a tuck tuck, a boat ride, you should be entertained. With both time and money being a priority, I would recommend the London Underground. It is quick, easy, cheap and kids under 10 years go free. Even though you won't do much sightseeing on the underground, you can people watch aaaallllll day! Plus the kids love a good train ride.

5. THE EXTRAS

Of course when you're travelling around, you will come across little things here and there that you can do.

CAROUSEL - Just up from the London Eye is a beautiful little carousel that the kids spotted right away. At 2 pound a go, its not too expensive, its a welcome little treat in between all the free stuff and it's a great opportunity to spend some time by the Thames.

ARCADE - Down the steps, by Westminster Bridge is an arcade. The kids had a little flutter on the 2p machines on the way past. Another little break from walking and a chance to get out of the cold and warm up.

SHOPPING - We had a little nose in some of the shops as we passed in Kensington and even though this isn't the main shopping area of London, in general everything is bigger and better. In London, some of the shops themselves are an experience and if we had had more time, we would have like to have visited the famous Harrods.

MONUMENTS - As we walked around London, we passed many monuments and the kids always enjoy getting photos by these and learning about who they are or what they represent.

LONDON'S MUSICIANS - I don't like the word 'busker' so I prefer to call them London's musicians, after all many of them are super talented and it just wouldn't be London without a variety of music on every corner. Rather than walk past, we always give the kids a little donation to pop into the hat and then we have a little dance! Yes you might be the only ones doing it but hey, you get a chance to stop in the madness, enjoy the music and put a smile on the artists face, as Im sure it can get disheartening playing all day to people walking right past. Check out our cinematic video from London and you will see Ian and Maddie have a little dance!

LONDON'S HOMELESS - They are always in need. It won't take you very long to come across someone who doesn't have a home and although you won't help everyone on your visit, we always try our best to help at least someone. We were lucky enough to pass a cafe van one evening, on our way to food. It was either dedicated to the homeless or they were doing something especially for them that night. Even though we didn't need to buy any food or drink, it was lovely for us all to see the help on such a big scale and we even got to have a chat with everyone. This was Kallan and Maddie's first time seeing someone homeless where they started asking questions and I think it's important for them to learn about difficulties anyone can experience, not just so they can be grateful for what they have, but also so they know they can help. If you see someone homeless, it is best not to offer money. Instead get them a hot drink and/or some food and make contact with Street Link. In London, 75% of people who sleep rough do so for only one night thanks to charities like this. Give them as much information as you can and they will do what they can to get them off the street and get them the support they need. They even send you an update on the person within 10 days if you have requested it.

HOTEL FACILITIES - I would be lying if I said the hotel is just a place to sleep for us. Don't get me wrong, if it was a total dive, sure I wouldn't spend much time there, but in general, the 'staying in a hotel' is a big part of the fun for us. As a result, we tend to choose very carefully and always try to book somewhere with great facilities, it doesn't mean you cant get a good deal. You've paid for this hotel and especially when you are on a budget, you would be cheating yourself if you didn't make the most of it. Picture this - a long day out in London, you're sweaty from all the walking but also chilly from being outside all day, the kids have loved the day (because you've bribed them and promised to take them swimming when you get back). Your food has had a chance to digest so you all jump in the pool, the kids use the last of the little energy they have left, their evening shower is taken care of when you get them out and boom.....back to the room and they sleep right through. It is okay, you're welcome :) Feel free to thank me in the comments! LOL That refreshing feeling after a day like this? PRICELESS! Anyway, when choosing a hotel in London, we highly recommend staying very central. We stayed in The Holiday Inn, Kensington High Street. Very nice, great value and amazing location. When you're travelling around central London all day, the last thing you want is a big journey in and out of it too!

So all in all, we didn't spend a whole lot of money!
Hotel - We all stayed in the same room and in the same bed it was so big! Our children are still quite small so we can get away with it. £150 with breakfast and parking included but Im sure you can get cheaper.
Train - You pay as you go on the underground and this can actually save you money , even doing several journeys. It is also capped, so if you get to the point where you've spent the same as a day ticket, you won't pay anymore. If more than one adult is travelling, you will each need a card to use the pay as you go facility. £10 for two days tube.
Food - £40 per day with snacks.
Carousel - £4
Arcade - £2
Donation - £1

TOTAL - £247

We will be visiting again soon, so if you guys have any tips for our next time, please comment them below so we can all benefit <3 If you enjoyed or this helped you in some way, let us know below :D