Sep 1, 2009, 13:40 GMT
London - A vacation for young children does not have to mean spending a couple of weeks in summer camp. It's also possible to have a family holiday and travel to one of the great European capitals such as London. Thanks to the favourable exchange rate some currencies are enjoying against the British pound, now is a good time to go there. However, it is important to remember to plan the trip with children's needs in mind.
First impressions count and that is why it's a good idea to begin the first day with something special. Harry Potter has attained a special place in kids' hearts so what could be better than a trip to King's Cross station to see the place where the Hogworth Express train departs. There is no express train in reality but management at the station have supplied a photo opportunity.
Take the underground to King's Cross and walk along platform 8 until you reach a bicycle stand where a sign bearing the words 'Platform 9 3/4' marks the spot where Harry departs for school.
Below the sign, one half of a luggage trolley has been attached to the wall giving the appearance it is about to disappear into the wall. In the summer months Harry Potter fans can be seen queuing up to get a photograph of themselves with the trolley. The station scenes in the movies were shot on platforms 4 and 5 while St Pancreas Station provided the exterior shots.
Other locations in London supplied the backdrops for other scenes from the Potter films. The entrance to Australia House on the corner of Aldwych and the Strand served as Gringotts Wizarding Bank. Leadenhall Market was Diagon Alley and the walls of government buildings in Whitehall became the location for the Ministry of Magic. The filmmakers shot those scenes on the corner of Scotland Place and Great Scotland Yard.
Another special place to visit is the Millennium Bridge, designed by Norman Foster, which features at the beginning of the new Potter movie.
One advantage of taking a child on a city visit is that you can save the bother of visiting all those galleries and simply go for a coffee instead. If your kids are still small a good place to go is Kensington Gardens which has the Diana Memorial Playground with a pirate ship. Parents can relax and have a cappuccino and muffin or go to the nearby Orangerie and enjoy some afternoon tea.
Close to Kensington Gardens is the Natural History Museum with a skeleton of a diplodocus dinosaur in the entrance. In the building's left wing can be found a moving, growling T-Rex.
'Let's go to the beach today!' Parents have to be prepared for a request like that from their child - even in London. When the tide is out, the river Thames reveals small, sandy beaches on its southern shore near the Tate Gallery. Kids can look for crabs as you enjoy the view of St Paul's Cathedral.
London's Transport Museum in Covent Garden with its red buses is another good place to stop off. Taking a tour in a double-decker is a popular activity but you don't need to buy an expensive ticket on an official tour. Just hop on one of the ordinary bus routes and make sure you get a seat on top at the front.
Some activities in London are very expensive: a four person ticket to Madame Tussaud's costs 140 dollars. You will also probably have to wait for one or two hours in a queue before getting inside.
For the more sporting a trip to Arsenal or Chelsea football stadiums should not be missed. If you want to watch a match you will need to book ahead online. The tennis museum in Wimbledon is another place to check out.
Little girls, on the other hand, might look forward to a visit to a real palace. London's palaces look nothing like their fictional equivalents in Disney movies. Kensington Palace, for example, is a modest looking brick building and clunky Buckingham Palace would never make a good location for Snow White's home.
But from the inside Buck House, as the palace is known, does fulfil every girl's dream of what a royal home should look like. The golden throne under a crimson canopy, the enormous candelabras, the neverending dining sets - exactly as it would be in a fairytale. Buckingham Palace can only be viewed when the queen takes her summer holiday over eight weeks in August and September.
These are just a few of the things children can do and see when in London. They provide plenty of stories to tell on the first day back at school and will be a big contrast to tales of days spent playing mini golf or riding ponies.
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