6 Family Friendly Day Trips From London - 3

For the historians in the group, Kew Palace on the garden grounds is a must-see. Built in 1631 by a wealthy Dutch Merchant, it became the family home of King George III who ruled during the American Revolution. Recently reopened to the public after 10 years of restoration, it is intimate as palaces go. Venue for a recent birthday party for Queen Elizabeth II, it's the place to glimpse the private life of the monarchy. Particularly charming is the dollhouse built by King George III’s daughters.

If the 300 acres prove too much for your feet, there's a little steam train to take you around the grounds, and some stunning gardens for a gentle stroll, including the Japanese garden complete with cherry trees and a slender, ornate pagoda. 

Practicalities

Getting there:
Kew can be reached in 45 minutes from Central London via the tube (subway) on the District Line (one stop before Richmond). 

During your visit:
Kew itself is a lovely little village, with a good selection of shopping, restaurants and pubs. If the family wants pizza, near the tube station is ever reliable Pizza Express (10 Station Approach Richmond TW9 3QB). If you want something more upscale, try The Glasshouse, a sleek-fronted contemporary restaurant that offers a three-course fixed price lunch menu at £25/$49 (14 Station Parade, TW9 3PZ). It boasts a brilliant wine list, and such innovative cooking that won it a Michelin star. Reservations are essential.

LEGOLAND Windsor

After taking tea with the Queen, you can build a model spaceship. Well, not quite, but almost! Windsor Castle is one of the Queen’s official residences with a magnificent art collection, while LEGOLAND in Windsor features over 50 rides, shows and workshops about—you guessed it—building with LEGOs. This is a kid’s paradise, primarily aimed at the under 12 set, and it takes all day to visit.

• Miniature London at the LEGOLAND park in Windsor.
• Gary Bembridge

At the Robolab workshop, children are shown how to build their own animated machines, or they can watch master model builders make representations of the Crown Jewels as well as a model of the cockpit of a Boeing 747. Miniland uses 35 million of the ubiquitous plastic blocks to reproduce the Tower of London and Big Ben, the Eiffel Tower, and the canals of Amsterdam, as well as many other famous European landscapes. If only world travel was always this easy!

In addition to building, children can also learn to pan “gold” (fool’s gold mixed with sand), “pilot” a hot-air balloon, “steer” a boat though a series of canals (not as easy as it looks, trust me!) and learn the tricks of the trade—the magician’s trade that is—with a backstage sneak peek at how magicians saw a lady in half or make coins disappear. If the kids want a “driving license,” they can get that too (without parental heart palpitations), by driving a LEGO car around a set of tracks complete with traffic lights and road signs. There are also shows throughout the day that range from traditional fairy tales for the little ones to live action extravaganzas featuring a LEGO character called Johnny Thunder.

Practicalities

Getting There:
LEGOLAND is a great day out, but for a large family, tickets can be expensive. To save time and money, book ahead and investigate some of the package deals on hotels and tickets. If you want to go to the end-of-season fireworks displays, reserve well ahead of time, as tickets sell out fast.

If you go by car, LEGOLAND is on the B3022 Bracknell/Ascot road two miles from Windsor. Follow signs from the M4, and expect some congestion both on arrival and departure. “Preferred parking” is not worth the extra cost, as the normal parking facilities are adequate. An easier way is to get there is by train. LEGOLAND is about 30 minutes from London Paddington to Windsor Central via Slough, or you can catch a direct train from London Waterloo to Windsor and Eton Riverside. There is a bus to the park which stops near both train stations, and is well signposted.

During your visit:
Because LEGOLAND often gets very crowded, try to arrive before 10 a.m. To avoid long lines, walk the opposite direction of the crowds, visiting from the bottom of the park to the top. Another strategy is to visit the popular rides such as the Jungle Coaster, Wave Surfer and the Dragon Rides first. The attractions are tucked away and only get crowded as the day goes on and people discover them. Many of the rides are water features, and you will get wet, so wear clothes that dry quickly. The LEGO “Big Shop” is also pandemonium at closing time, so visit at lunchtime instead. The quality of food at LEGOLAND is excellent with a wide choice, but it is expensive. There are many picnic facilities available.