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trevorgriffiths
| | Posted on Monday, July 29, 2002 - 07:38 am: | 
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Heading over to visit family in London. Any body have suggestions for highlights and fun for a 9 year old boy and his dad? Offroading, factories, anything?
Thanks,
Trevor |
trevorgriffiths
| | Posted on Monday, July 29, 2002 - 07:39 am: |
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We are heading out on the 17th of Aug |
L_Tilly
| | Posted on Monday, July 29, 2002 - 07:54 am: |
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I was over to UK several times while in the Air Force, but most of those were quick trips. I had one chance to get into London for a 24 hour period and it was great.
Now, being a young boy at heart myself, I would probably suggest a Tower of London tour. I will admit that I'm not positive about a 9 yr old's attention span (we are still about 7 months away from our first), but of the various attractions in and around the city I would have to guess that if anything can "wow" him it's going to be this. I'm a big castle fan anyway so it was high on my list of wanna-see. I was not disappointed. If your boy has any interrest in castles this place will knock his socks off. The tour was fun, didn't take too long, and moved at an easy pace. You get to hear about all the beheadings, tortures, betrayals and all the other bloody details of old English history. After the brief guided tour you're cut loose in the courtyard and have several options of what to see next. The crown jewels are always popular w/ adults, but I don't know if it's neat enough for a 9 year old. The hall of arms and armour are really fun to look thru...I wasn't the only kid in that exibit. My only disappointment was that the exibit with all the torture equipment was close for renovation. Oh well.
Many of the other things we saw on our wirl-wind run of the city were either not interresting for youngsters or just not the proper place for them. I'm sure some others on this board have taken kids over and may have additional suggestions. I hope you have a great visit and be sure to get up and walk around on the flight...it's a long one.
Lawrence [email protected]
96 Disco "Beowulf"
NH, USA |
Markd1x2 (Markd1x2)
| | Posted on Monday, July 29, 2002 - 08:38 am: |
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Take the Thames boat tour down to Greenwich, where the Cutty Sark is in dry dock. Kids love ships like the Cutty Sark. From there climb the hill to the Zero Meridian at the Greenwich Observatory. The boat tour takes about an hour each way and the guides will point out many interesting things along the river. You will pass the new Globe Theater, Tower of London (Traitors' Gate), and restaurant/hotel ships. Note that the tide on the Thames can be very extreme.
My wife and I have been to England & Scotland on two-week vacations several times and have spent many fun filled days in London.... but we are partial to Scotland (Edinburgh). When we've visited London, our accommodations have been rented "flats" near Victoria Station and Euston Station.
Once on a basic "hop on - hop off" bus tour of London, our stop at Tragfalgar Sq. was highlighted by the fact that the World Cup (soccer) fans from Scotland had taken over the Square, had climbed the monument, were singing, and from what I could tell were all drunk. London is not all museums... enjoy ! |
Chris (C_M_Sharpe)
| | Posted on Monday, July 29, 2002 - 12:24 pm: |
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3 words: Imperial War Museum |
Willie Joubert (Willie)
| | Posted on Monday, July 29, 2002 - 12:40 pm: |
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LR offers tours of the factory or plant, great thing to do for a LR owner or fan. |
Bill Bettridge (Billb)
| | Posted on Monday, July 29, 2002 - 02:49 pm: |
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Trevor - take Tyler to the "London Dungeon" - plenty of scary crap there for a boy (and his Dad)!
I think the rest of my sugggestions would not be PG rated (probably not even R) 
Bill |
Cal
| | Posted on Tuesday, July 30, 2002 - 12:04 am: |
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Go to the town of York. Great castle and walls. Roman ruins from the 2nd century are still there and don't forget to get a pint of Old Peculiar for yourself.
Cal |
michael burt (Mikeyb)
| | Posted on Tuesday, July 30, 2002 - 12:54 am: |
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if you do make it to york take the "pirates of the carribean" style ride at the viking history center. a little hokey, but the sights and smells (yes, smells) of an ancient viking village should be pretty interesting to a young man. and there is a haunted walking tour of both york and london. not bad. i think i would skip the jack the ripper tour in london, though. not too good for a youngster. the british musuem has plenty of mummies and the chance to empart a little extra learning under the guise of seeing the former. and i second the tower of london. |
DChrismon
| | Posted on Tuesday, July 30, 2002 - 01:57 am: |
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Yeah the Imperial War Musem is very interesting |
Chris Browne
| | Posted on Tuesday, July 30, 2002 - 02:47 am: |
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Trevor: I'm heading over on the 17th too with my 6 and three year old and will be staying with family in London and Brighton.
In London, they'll enjoy the Millenium wheel, any of the various zoos, double decker buses, London transport museum at Covent Garden, Legoland near Heathrow not far from Windsor Castle, boat trips on the Thames, Hampton Court Palace and its Maze, Hendon air museum,
Most of these places are accessible by train or tube check your local bookstore and have a fun time
Chris |
Chris Browne
| | Posted on Tuesday, July 30, 2002 - 02:53 am: |
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Oh yeah Climbing up St Pauls Cathedral into the dome is a great experience too for kids!
The Greenwich Museum is great and a fun boat ride from the Millenium eye. Take time to visit the town too. BTW the tour guide on the boat always claims that they pay for the speaker system themselves and appreciate your support (ie money...) and have done for the last 20 or so years....
Other ideas out of London, HMS Victory in Southampton, |
mark quint (Toiletduck)
| | Posted on Tuesday, July 30, 2002 - 12:17 pm: |
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HMS Victory is in Portsmouth :o
^ which also has quite a few sea and navy stuff if you're into that kind of thing.
In London look out for the Madame Tussards Waxworks, which is next to the London Planitarium. |
Chris Browne
| | Posted on Saturday, August 03, 2002 - 11:07 pm: |
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HMS Belfast right next to the tower of london and tower bridge. |
jim
| | Posted on Sunday, August 04, 2002 - 02:49 am: |
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I used to go there quite often for work. Spent about 9 months during one of my heavy travel years there. I loved going down to Brighton and hanging around by the beach. Plus driving the countryside is the other of my most enjoyable times there. London is pretty cool lots to see. I would reccomend doing some type of tour there. |
Ricky Smart (Rikstaboogie)
| | Posted on Sunday, August 04, 2002 - 03:03 am: |
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come to winchester!!! we got a 1000 yr old cathedral etc. It used to be the capital of england (wessex) before london. http://www.winchester.gov.uk/visiting_winchester/index.htm
Its about an hour from west london :-) |
Andy Nichols
| | Posted on Sunday, August 04, 2002 - 08:05 am: |
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Don't waste time visting Stonehenge - it's a long way out for just a bunch of rocks sticking out of the ground!!
Try Bath, a great Roman city with plenty to see.
Ditto Imp. War museum. Also, if you go to York (recommended) try the Transport museum too.
London's Science museum is fantastic too. There is a small and relatively unknown WW 2 museum on the south of the Thames, 'Churchill' I think, that's good too.
The Land Rover factory has an offroad training course and there's the other one at Eastnor Castle. You will probably have to book well in advance tho'.
Lok in LROI/LRM and see if there are any club events. Call the secretary and see if they'll take you with them! You can get to see some beautiful places that way. |
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