There is no shortage of things to do in London. While most big cities have a number of museums, historical sites, and must see attractions, London takes it to the next level.

Museums

There is every type of museum you can think of in London. From those centered around artifacts (British Museum), art (Tate Modern), history (London Museum, Docklands Museum), to science (Science Museum, Natural History Museum), there are museums for nearly any type of interest. You could spend hours or days in each of these museums. We had a list of about a dozen museums we anted to visit on our stay knowing we wouldn’t get to many of them. Fortunately many of the museums have free admission or ask for a donation so there isn’t the pressure to plan your day around a particular museum if it’s not holding your interest.

Historical Sites

London has played a central role in European and world history for hundreds of years. Places like the Tower of London to the Churchill War Rooms have played key roles in shaping the world we live in today. From Big Ben and Westminster Abby to Buckingham and Kensington Palaces, everywhere you look in the city it seems you can find some place of historical importance. We would definitely be exploring many of those places on the trip.

Endless Parks

During my first visit to London in 2003 I was surprised at how many parks and how much green space there was in the city. Hyde Park, Regents Park, Kensington Gardens, and St. James Park are all huge parks that are (almost) connected and provide miles of uninterrupted open space. The kids love having a place to get out and run around to get their energy out and these parks are the perfect place for that. Both our hotels would be within sight of a park and we would surely be taking advantage!

Cambridge Day Trip

I had never been to Cambridge but my wife had been during one of her work trips. We wanted to visit the town and go punting, which is kind of like a large canoe that the driver propels up and down the river via a long wooden or aluminum pole. My wife had done it on her previous trip and it sounded like fun.

There are no shortage of unique experiences in London. We wouldn’t be short on things to do and we’d definitely have to make some tough decisions on what we would have to skip. We’d generally play thing by ear based on how the kids were doing and how everyone was adjusting. The day trip to Cambridge was the only thing we really set a day for as we knew a Sunday would be a less busy day to travel there.

So many things! So little time!