Our trip to London

Oh London you were wonderful!!

We had an amazing time on our family vacation to London, England last week. I wanted to share some of our photos but also give some information if any of you decide to travel there or are just curious. 

London is such a crazy busy & fun city. It is an amazing place with SO much to do. I feel like we could have stayed a month & not seen everything there was to see. Or....ate at all the amazing places there were to dine at! 

But we sure tried to make the most of our time there & enjoy some kid friendly activities with our 15 month old. 

HOTEL: we stayed at the Park Plaza Hotel County Hall. This was a trip advisor call since we had never been & weren't too sure where to stay. We wanted a low key family friendly hotel with plenty of space for our son. We also needed a crib, a bathtub, a kitchen, & a microwave & refrigerator. This hotel was amazing!!! We had an executive suite with great views & all the baby items we needed. They offered a buffet breakfast selection & we were able to enjoy croissants, scrambled eggs, fruit, yogurt, & juices. The hotel was walking distance to Starbucks (that's like the main thing!) , the aquarium & coca-cola experience, & the London eye. It was a short walk across the bridge to see Big Ben & Westminster. 

Must see sights: 

Big Ben--was built in the 1800's & stands tall near the house of Parliament. The name Big Ben is actually in reference to the bell, not the tower. 

The London Eye--from our hotel we got a lovely view of this great landmark & if you are anywhere close to the main landmarks you can see the Eye from a distance. You can ride the London Eye Ferris wheel (about $50 a person) & enjoy some lovely views of London. If you aren't into heights, this is not the landmark for you. 

London Aquarium--there is lots to do here (you can look online & buy packages). including the aquarium there is the Coca Cola experience, a Shrek 4D adventure, a movie experience, & much more! It's a quick walk from the London Eye & you can even get discount package tickets. Logan was a little young for all these activities here accept for the aquarium. 

Buckingham Palace was a must see, the queen resides here. Although you won't get to see her, this historic landmark is worth the view. At 11am you can also watch the changing of the guards ceremony (a little long & boring for a 15 month old) but really a cool site.

Piccadilly Circus--this whole area was a really fun experience. There's lots of lights, street performers, shops, & fun. A quick walk away we enjoyed The Rainforest Cafe for dinner. 

Hamleys--if you have children...do not miss this! The famous toy store is HUGE!!!!! There was a live puppet show, activities everywhere & literally every toy imaginable. There are traditional London souvenirs & books you can buy, & I enjoyed getting Logan some original "Paddington" items. (If you don't know about Paddington, look him up--the story of a little lost bear). 

Other fun places to tour around were: Harrods

Trafalgar Square

Tower of London

Westminster Abbey 

Downing Street 

Transportation: The trains & underground bus stations were pretty simple to understand & get around in. We took the train from the airport & then either walked or took a black taxi. We chose to just do taxis instead of the bus system because of time. Buses run on a schedule & our 15 month old doesn't! It was much easier when Logan got bored, tired, or hungry to just hail a cab & head to the next destination. The black taxis are safe & regulated...they also fit your strollers with no folding needed. I cannot even tell you how convenient it was to just roll the stroller right in without folding it up or hassling to fit it in the trunk. The taxis are costly though, so staying central was key. If the destination was 2 miles or less, we walked (strolled Logan). If he got fussy I would strap him in the Ergo 360 carrier & he loved that. 

Overall I give London 5 out of 5 stars! It was a wonderful place to escape to & enjoy. We really had a fabulous time as a family of 3 & if you are thinking about ever going, I highly recommend! 

-Morgan