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Tips for Traveling to London with Kids
by Donna Schwartz Mills
My husband was born and raised in Wales, and was a grad
student in Los Angeles when we met. I must admit that one of
the things I found most attractive about him then was his
sexy British accent, and I loved the idea of traveling to
the UK to meet his family.
Twelve years later, I barely notice the accent any more, and
have made the trip so many times that I played tour guide
recently for friends who joined us. As romantic as Britain
sounded to me back then, I had not counted upon what happens
when you add kids to the equation. Whereby you can "wing it"
when you are carefree and single, taking your family along
requires some extra planning. So here are my tips for taking
a London vacation with your kids:
SAVING MONEY ON AIRFARE
Your biggest expenses will be lodging, transportation and
airfare. You can save up to 70% on the latter by planning
ahead and traveling in the 'low season' -- November to April
(excluding the holiday periods).
There are several disadvantages to this approach:
- Your school age children will miss their classes for a
couple of weeks. (You may be able to talk their teachers
into assigning a report they can work on over the course of
the trip -- after all, visiting another country is an
educational experience, too.)
- Britain is known for its wet weather and cold, blustery
winds (and that's in the summer!) This is the time of year
when both are at their peak. (Pack warm clothes and plenty
of cold medication!)
- If winter days are short in the U.S., they are even
shorter in the UK (thanks to the location of the British
Isles -- at a latitude of about 50 degrees N). On our recent
January visit, the sun did not rise each morning until
around 8:00 a.m. -- and set again at 4:00! (Plan your days
wisely).
However, if cost is your biggest concern, you can't beat
winter prices. Round trip economy flights from L.A. to
London sell for about $950 in July. You can take the same
trip in February for just $480.
Save more money by joining your favorite airline's frequent
flyer program. We like Virgin Atlantic because the food is
good and each seat has its own entertainment center, with
programming just for kids. Although we only make the trip
every 18 months or so, we are able to rack up miles quickly
by using their partner companies for things like car
rentals. Virgin is currently giving their 'Freeway' members
a discount that can bring the cost of that February round
trip ticket down to around $280.
You can add to your frequent flyer miles by using a credit
card with a mileage program. We like the Membership Rewards
program offered by American Express, because you can
transfer your points into any of 12 different airline
programs, five hotel chains and four car rental agencies.
Best of all, the points never expire -- making it easier to
accumulate enough to pay for the trip of your dreams -- or
just airline tickets for the family. We use our Amex card
for everything we can: Groceries, gasoline, our telephone
carrier -- and my husband uses it for all his business
expenses. Since these are all things we're buying anyway, it
is no problem to pay the bill in full each month, and we
don't carry extra finance charges.
If one of your children is an infant under one year old, you
have the option of carrying the baby on your lap without
having to pay for a ticket. Virgin and other airlines offer
'bassinettes' on built-in pull-down shelves, allowing baby
to sleep peacefully during the flight. However, this is not
the safest option for your child. You are better off buying
a ticket (often discounted for children) and either bringing
your own infant car seat or using one that belongs to the
airline.
When booking your flight, do let the airline know that you
are traveling with children. Families with infants are often
assigned bulkhead seats, which offer more legroom than other
aisles in the economy section. This is also a good time to
order your child's kid meal, if the airline offers one.
If any of your children is three years or younger, you may
wish to take along an umbrella stroller as a carry-on item.
This will make it much easier to get around Heathrow Airport
once you land.
PASSPORTS AND VISAS
The U.S. State Department requires that all citizens carry a
valid passport -- even infants. So the first thing you need
to think about is obtaining one for every member of your
family.
While adults with existing passports are able to renew by
mail, you are required to apply in person when applying for
or renewing one for your child (however, children under the
age of 13 do not have to be present -- only you). You need
to bring your completed application form, proof of your
child's identity and U.S. residency (usually a birth
certificate issued by the city, county, or state), proof of
your own identity (your passport, drivers license, green
card, etc.) and two photos that comply with the State
Department's rules for passports. You need to allow six
weeks for your new passports to be delivered, so it pays to
plan ahead.
Click here for complete details and requirements for U.S. passports - as well as printable forms.
STAYING HEALTHY ON YOUR VACATION
The State Department issues plenty of warnings about health
hazards for world travelers. Luckily, the British Isles are
not a hotbed of diseases like malaria or yellow fever, and
no special immunizations are required for entry to the UK or
back to the United States. But you still may have a reason
to visit a doctor while abroad.
I never fail to come down with something the first week
we're away. (Probably because of the recycled air in the
plane cabin, which a friend describes as a "flying Petri
dish.") What's more, my daughter usually gets it, too. While
British residents enjoy free medical care through the
country's National Health Service, that does not apply to
Americans -- and your health insurance may not cover you
outside the country. So it is wise for international
travelers to take out additional insurance for their trip.
You'll find an easy-to-order policy over at
MedicinePlanet.com, which also features some nifty
customized health plans for travelers.
Travelers medical insurance is also offered by the folks at
American Express. This is a great option if you do a lot of
traveling; you can purchase insurance for your entire family
on a yearly basis which keeps you covered each time you go
away. Plus, if you are enrolled in the Member Rewards
program, you'll earn miles for your next trip.
Luckily, our family is usually only plagued by colds
(especially when making the trip in the winter), so we get
by with over-the-counter medication. However, a familiar
brand like Tylenol is not easy to find in Britain, nor by
its generic version, acetaminophen. That's because in the
UK, the same drug is known as 'paracetamol.' I now pack our
favorite cold remedies and any prescription medications we
are using in a carry-on bag.
Be sure to include your thermometer. We forgot to do that
one time and had to buy a new one there -- which registered
temperatures in Centigrade. Translating 32 degrees C into
Fahrenheit is not an exercise I recommend when you're
worried about your child (although it might be a good math
or science exercise for one of your older kids).
If your child is running a fever and you've run out of
Children's Tylenol, go to the nearest Boots (a drug store
chain founded back in the 1700's) and pick up something
called Calpol. It accomplishes the same thing.
Should you run out of decongestant and need to buy more, you
may be surprised when you get to the store: You won't find
any! To get that package of Sudafed, you will need to get
assistance from a pharmacist.
Most stores we visited had two lines at the pharmacy counter
-- one for prescriptions and another for those seeking
advice. Don't be shy; just get into the latter and tell the
clerk what you are looking for. If you know exactly what is
in the remedy you need (the main ingredient of Sudafed is
pseudoepinephrin), let them know. If they suggest something
that is unfamiliar, ask questions about what its ingredients
and any side effects you might expect. On our last trip, I
made the mistake of keeping quiet, and the remedy they gave
me was so disorienting, I had to discard it.
PACKING YOUR KIDS' CARRY-ON BAGS
Carry-on bags for Economy passengers are often limited to
one per person, so you need to pack wisely. Luckily, each of
your kids is entitled to a bag, so this makes it possible to
include items that will make the flight easier.
Make sure your kids have some activities to keep them busy.
If your school-age children were given some assignments to
do, the long flight is a great place to start. Younger
children will be grateful for some coloring books, notepads,
colored pens and crayons.
Include comfort items for your young children. Our
daughter's bag held her pillow from home, her favorite
blanket and one of the dolls she sleeps with (we limited her
to just three toys from home; explaining how difficult it
would be to get back anything we left in another country).
Tell your children how jet lag works and that they will feel
much better when they arrive if they get a little sleep on
the plane. Our 4-year-old agreed to turn off her little TV
after just one showing of Pokemon 2000. With her comfy
pillow and blanket, she had no problems sleeping and was
probably the best rested member of our family.
SPEAKING OF JET LAG
As miraculous as it is to travel thousands of miles in hours
instead of days, you and your family are bound to suffer
from jet lag. It isn't only the fact that you will have lost
five to eight hours of sleep just by flying overseas -- but
crossing all those time zones messes with the body's
circadian rhythms, resulting in more sleep loss, as well as
disorientation, dehydration and low immunity levels.
When I first started "crossing the pond," those symptoms
kept me from enjoying the first week of my visit. Aside from
the long, uncomfortable flight, it was the thing I dreaded
most about international travel.
But before our last trip, a friend told me about an herbal,
homeopathic remedy she tried that alleviated almost all her
jet lag symptoms (everything but the ones associated with
lack of sleep). It's called No Jet Lag, costs about $10 and
is available at health food stores all over the country.
I'm skeptical of the claims of most herbal remedies, but
decided to give it a try... and it worked! I have never had
such an easy time adjusting to the new time zone. My
husband, on the other hand, is a scientist -- and even more
of a skeptic than I. He did not try it on the trip over...
and he was miserable (especially since I kept bragging about
how good I felt). That convinced him to try it on the return
trip... and it worked for him, too. We will never go to
Europe without this stuff again, and next time I will
consult our pediatrician to see if it is OK for our daughter
to take it, too.
Read more about No Jet Lag and find additional ways to
combat the syndrome.
LODGING IN LONDON
Here are some sites we found that specialize in finding
bargain hotel rooms in Europe:
London is a big city, so you want take care not to pick a
hotel on the outskirts of town. Narrow your search to areas
of Central London close to popular destinations, like:
- Southwest London (encompassing Buckingham Palace and the
shopping district)
- West London (Piccadilly, Mayfair and the
theatre district)
- West Central London (Madame Tussaud's and
the London Planetarium)
When checking prices, be sure to note if you are being
quoted in US dollars (USD) or Great Britain Pounds (GBP).
Remember that a pound is worth approximately $1.50. Some
hotel websites offer pound-to-dollar conversion calculators,
which can be a great help in estimating what your actual
cost may be (of course, the value of each country's currency
changes from day to day, so this serves as an estimate
only).
You must also note whether the hotels you are looking at are
charging on a per-person basis and if you need to pay a full
adult price for each child.
You should also find out if the price you are quoted
includes VAT (Value Added Tax). If it does not, expect to
add an additional 17.5% to your total.
Once you've narrowed down your choices, you can check their
ratings in the UK's Automobile Association guide.
MEALTIME
One of the highlights of our recent trip was joining up with
friends who also have a 4-year-old. We ended up staying in
their favorite hotel, an exclusive boutique establishment in
fashionable South Kensington (not far from Kensington
Palace, which was the home of Princess Diana).
There were plenty of chic bistros and trendy restaurants
about... but it was pretty apparent that London families do
not do a lot of dining out together - at least, not in that
neighborhood.
We eventually found a friendly Italian joint that served
more than just pizza.
If you enjoy dining out, you may not get to do a lot of that
with your young children in London. Plan on spending time at
Burger King and Pizza Hut and McDonald's (there's a lovely
one right across the street from Marble Arch).
If you're feeling adventurous and just have to sample the
local cuisine, you might want to check out one of the many
pubs (you'll find at least one on just about every street in
London). They tend to be noisy, have pretty extensive menus
and allow kids -- at lunchtime.
You may want to steer away (no pun intended) from dishes
containing beef. Although BSE (more commonly known as Mad
Cow Disease) appears to have been eradicated from the
British herds, it continues to be a problem throughout
Europe (and I have my doubts about the safety of the beef we
buy in America). You will still have plenty of dishes to
choose from among lamb, pork, and poultry selections -- plus
you'll find two or three vegetarian choices at just about
every restaurant in Britain.
GETTING AROUND
Unlike my home town of Los Angeles, London has a terrific
public transportation system. If you're not near a tube
(subway) station, you can easily find a cab or bus to take
you where you want to go. If you're up to it after your
flight and your kids can handle it, you can even take the
tube from Heathrow to your destination in Central London.
However, you'll be tired, you'll have luggage -- and you'll
most likely prefer to ride in a cab. Expect to spend about
$60 on the trip to the city.
Do plan on using the tube or riding the famous double-decker
buses once you're there -- the kids will love them. (You
should be aware that the top tier of the bus tends to be
full of smokers).
One of your best bets for getting around on your first full
day is a guided sightseeing tour. You may have scoffed at
these when you were an adventurous single, but let me tell
you -- walking several miles in an unfamiliar city with kids
in tow is no picnic. Take the bus and relax while a
knowledgeable tour guide points out all the interesting
stuff along the way.
The "Original Tour" company utilizes open top double-decker
buses on four different lines, with over 90 stops. Your
ticket is good for 24 hours and you get to hop on and hop
off wherever you choose. You may also gain priority entry,
reduced admission charges or both at several popular tourist
attractions.
If you are visiting London in the cold "low season," you
will be more comfortable sitting on the enclosed lower deck.
Unfortunately, the view of Big Ben and the Tower Bridge will
not be as spectacular, but you will definitely be cozier
down below.
You can save one pound per ticket by ordering them in
advance online.
WHAT TO SEE
There is so much to see and do in London that you could
write a whole book about it (and several people have).
You'll witness so many historic landmarks that your kids
will have absolutely no problems writing that report for
their teachers. Here are some suggestions:
- The Tower of London has attractions that will satisfy every
member of the family -- from the Jewel House where you can
see the Hope Diamond, various crowns and other artifacts of
the Royal Family -- to its infamous torture chamber.
Admission is pricey but well worth it.
- Your kids will probably enjoy the drive over London Bridge
(even if they are disappointed at its ordinariness next to
its picturesque sister, the Tower Bridge):
- The changing of the guard at Buckingham Palace takes place
daily in the summer, but only every other day in the winter,
at 11:30 a.m. While tours of the Palace are in August and
September, they do have an exceptionally nice gift shop open
year-round (and which of your friends *wouldn't* like a nice
souvenir with 'Buckingham Palace' stamped upon it?)
- London has some of the most respected museums in the world.
One that is a winner with kids is the Natural History
Museum
- Click here to find more information on British sights and attractions.
London is one the world's great cities and while not known
as a budget destination, it does not have to bankrupt your
family. With so much to see and do, it's a great place for a
special vacation.
Copyright © 2001 Donna Schwartz Mills. When she's not gallivanting around the United Kingdom, Donna Schwartz Mills writes about the specific needs of work at home parents at her website, The ParentPreneur Club ("For Parents Who Want Choices, Not Office Politics"). Visit for the latest news, tips, and tools you need to help grow your home based business while raising a family. Subscribe to our weekly newsletter!
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