We are in the midst of planning a trip to London with kids-it’s actually a little bigger than a London trip and we’re headed to Brussels and Cologne as well. We also should probably be more in the countdown and pack phase than the planning stage but isn’t this what happens when you’re planning a trip around life? We booked this trip because we found a reasonably priced direct flight from Seattle to London (and we’ve seen more of these kinds of flights at lower rates than a trip from Seattle to Hawaii) which also makes a great gateway for European travel. One of my bucketlist dreams is to go to a German Christmas Market and this year we will be able to do it. By taking a flight to London we can access train routes to Germany and this is how we’ll see the Christmas Markets. We will still have a few days in London though so if you’re planning a trip to London in the winter this might be helpful and if you’re tempted to go a little farther, maybe this will help you too.
FLIGHTS FROM SEATTLE TO LONDON AND KEEPING YOUR WHOLE FAMILY TOGETHER ON THE AIRPLANE
First of all, I have no idea why airlines are trying to make it less and less comfortable for people to fly. I get that there is a cost thing but at some point doesn’t it become totally inhumane the way they totally squish us like sardines into these flying tin cans? When we booked our flight from Seattle to London the difference between our basic economy seats and the next type of seats was over 200 dollars each and it seemed insane to have to spend 800 dollars just to get a family to sit together. Right before we booked our tickets we had been on another flight where we thought we would be seated in roomy exit row seats behind my kids who were not in an exit row because of my husband’s flight status. We were forced to change to other seats to sit with our kids in a 3/1 configuration because we couldn’t be in exit row seats if we had kids younger than 15 on the flight with us. We are always learning new things about traveling with kids in tow.
I called the airlines to check about our options for our flight from Seattle to London and learned that the law to make sure kids are seated together with their parents is up to the interpretation of the airlines too-families seated together means that kids can be in the seat in front or behind the parents or maybe even just ‘near’ the parents and suddenly I imagined us all in a line of 4 middle seats in a row during flu season. Thankfully I was able to upgrade each ticket for 30 pounds so we could all sit together guaranteed. I still feel like I lost a bit, but I no longer have to stress about where we’ll sit on the plane (Maybe. We’ll see. There are no certainties with air travel.)
WHERE TO STAY IN LONDON
Because we travel with kids and because no one needs to know in real time where we actually are in the world-I’ll let you know exactly where we stayed when we get back from our trip. But for now, because we are dependent on train travel to get to Brussels and if you are headed there too, it might be wise to try and book near St Pancratz station to make it easier to take the Eurostar. Otherwise, we have stayed at the Collingham Serviced Apartments on a past trip to London and that was a pretty convenient property with kids in a cool area of London too. And we chose train travel over flying even within Europe because trains are becoming such an easier, more environmental and comfortable way to travel than flying.
IDEAS FOR A LONDON TRIP WITH KIDS
In the winter there are a few big holiday markets in London we are excited to check out. There is Hyde Park Winter Wonderland and I have been debating booking a family pack for the Magical Ice Kingdom ice sculptures or just showing up and seeing what we want to do that day. I have also been checking the Sky Garden site to book free tickets to visit this place-it seems a little like the Amazon Spheres near where we live where it is open to the public but only at certain times. I think they release the tickets about a month out but I’m not sure how fast the times get booked up. I’ve asked the kids what they want to do in London and what they really want to do is stand on the Prime Meridian and they want to go to a high tea. For high teas with kids in London I’ve seen a lot of posts with the Science Afternoon Tea at the Ampersand Hotel and the Potion High Tea at Cutter and Squidge looks quite delightful too.
Last time we went to London with the kids when they were younger, we had tea at Muriel’s Kitchen and it was adorable. We also went to the Tower of London and then rented a car and drove north to Edinburgh. Our favorite spots along our trip were Hadrian’s Wall, York, the Football museum and exploring pottery shops and finding monkeys in Stoke on Trente. We almost lost one of our kids in a big crowd in Edinburgh (this is the same kid who almost got lost in Cancun years ago too) and it was absolutely terrifying but thankfully we were all reunited quickly.
IF YOU WANT TO VISIT HARRY POTTER IN LONDON
We totally missed out booking a Harry Potter tour in London at the lowest price directly from Warner Brothers Studios and once I see there is a lowest price it is hard for me convince myself to book a higher one. We might still be able to get tickets from a tour company that includes train travel too but we might also have missed our chances. I think if seeing Harry Potter in London is a must on your list of things to do than you should start watching the ticket site before you make your travel plans.
My guys are into another book series right now and are only slowly moving through book 4 of Harry Potter so I don’t feel overly compelled to try and get them to see the Harry Potter tour this trip. We will probably visit Platform 9 3/4 and the Harry Potter store nearby. ( On our last trip to London we drove up to Edinburgh and took in a few Harry Potter sites up there too.) Maybe by the next time we visit they’ll be more excited to check it out.
CHRISTMAS MARKETS IN LONDON
I didn’t realize that London had so many Christmas and Winter markets. The biggest reason I was excited to fly from Seattle to London at wintertime was because I know they have the coolest advent calendars. I love advent calendars and we can’t get most of the best ones from Europe in the United States. I’m excited to see the beauty advent calendar at Harrods in real life. Fortnum and Mason also has the first advent calendar refill pack that I’ve ever seen and I think it’s brilliant. I know we’ll go to the Hyde Park Winter Wonderland and I’m also tempted to make the trek to see Kew Gardens all lit up for the holidays. The holiday lights at Oxford street seem like something out of a movie too.
And do you have any tips for London with kids in Winter for me?
I’ve had a bunch of help through Instagram and I’m getting really excited for this trip. I know that Stylishly Colorful went last month to The Knot Churros and I hope we get to see it too! I also follow The Only Way Is Latte on instagram and she has posted some cool places near London as well. Have you ever been to London and do you have fun places to visit with kids for the holidays?
PS. How cold does it get in London in the Wintertime?
-from a Seattleite
Terumi Pong is a Seattle-based family travel writer and mom of twin teenage boys. She loves coffee and pastries, shopping local and looking for greener ways to live. She is also known as Scout’s mom (Scout is a 5ish pound little black yorkie-poo)
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