- Today, I have Ashley here
from the blog, 'The Lazy Travelers'.
And she is going to give us some tips
on how to navigate London, with young children.
Because I have no children
and I have absolutely no experience in this topic,
I've brought the expert here to help.
Okay, so Ashley, what's your first tip for people
who are coming to visit London with young children?
- So, if you're using a stroller, or a buggy or a pram,
which is what they call it here in the U.K.,
I really recommend, just kind of, walking everywhere.
The Tube isn't super buggy-friendly, to be honest.
So I personally avoid it.
I just give myself extra time
so I can walk wherever I need to go.
And it's, actually, a really nice way
to see more of the city
and kind of get your lay-of-the-land, a little bit.
And it just makes it easier.
- Okay, and what about if you want
to take an Uber or a taxi, when you have a pram?
- Honestly, the black cabs here, are amazing.
Because all you have to do is push your buggy
right into the back.
You pop on the brake and you can
keep your baby seated in their stroller.
So that's what I tend to do,
if I really need to take a taxi.
Ubers can be a little bit more difficult and more of a pain.
So I just avoid them.
- So London's museums are the absolute best with kids.
Because a lot of them have dedicated, soft-play space
or interactive museums for younger ones.
Some of my favorites are The Natural History Museum
and the Science Museum which is right next door.
Those are both down in Kensington.
We also really like the National Maritime Museum
which is out in Greenwich.
And the Transport Museum in Covent Garden is amazing.
And it's also in a really fun neighborhood
so there's lots to do for the whole family,
before and after the museum.
The great thing about the museums here
is that most of them are totally free for the whole family.
And the ones that do charge admission,
are still free for kids under twelve.
- Amazing.
So Ashley, how family-friendly, would you say,
that the restaurants scene is here?
- So, you can definitely dine out with your kids in London.
I've actually found it to be one of the most family-friendly
restaurant scenes, out of anywhere that we've visited.
Basically, anytime from lunch and brunch, is really best.
As long as you go before five PM,
I've never had a problem, or felt unwelcomed.
Like anywhere, I would maybe avoid
going to anything that's super high-end or fancy,
unless your kids are older or really well-behaved,
which my toddler's just not quite there yet.
But, yeah, for the most part,
if you're not trying to go out to dinner with little kids,
I find it to be really easy and doable.
- And what about the pub scene here?
- Totally family-friendly.
Definitely, don't skip having a pint at a pub,
just because you're here with your kids.
I actually find it to be,
not only that they don't mind kids,
they're actually very welcoming.
It's kind of something that you do
with your family on the weekends.
And so Saturdays, and especially Sundays,
for a roast, you'll see the whole family there,
again, until about maybe five PM,
you can get away with going to the pub.
- Also, you've brought Margo
to afternoon teas before, right?
- Yeah, quite a few.
We've done some more casual options
and we've done some higher-end, kind of, fancy teas.
And she's always been welcomed with open arms.
And a lot of them also have toddler-friendly meal options.
So that's worth asking too.
- Okay, I always get people asking me for ideas
for activities and sights to see
that are family-friendly.
What are your thoughts on that?
- So if you're a first-timer coming to London,
with your kids, honestly, every single thing
that you would want to see is gonna be family-friendly.
All of the museums, for the most part, are great for kids.
The London Eye, Buckingham Palace,
there's really not too much that you can't do
because you have your kids with you.
- I guess, also, just thinking about the major attractions,
most of them will have child tickets, right?
So if they have child tickets available,
then it must be a pretty family-friendly thing to do.
- Yep, exactly.
And a lot of them, maybe the cutoff will be
under fives are free,
under twelves are free a lot of the time.
So sometimes it's not even a discount,
they're just totally free.
- I like that.
What are some of your favorite neighborhoods to explore,
that you think are, like really, family-friendly?
- So we have Notting Hill, Hampstead Heath
and the surrounding village.
Hampstead Heath has a huge park, so it's great with kids.
And Chelsea is also really, family-friendly.
In any of those, you're not gonna feel like you stick out
just because you have your buggy with you.
There's tons of families that live around there.
And they also have wider sidewalks, for the most part.
So it's a little bit easier to navigate
than say the windy and cobblestone streets
over in Soho, or something.
So if you're worried about unpredictable weather in London,
which is a totally valid concern,
really, you just need what you would take with you
to survive a rainy day and still be pretty comfortable.
So, I always have my rain cover for my buggy.
Bring an extra umbrella, or two.
And I would pack a backup outfit,
just in case things really go awry,
so that you don't have a soggy kid with you all day.
But, for the most part, that's not something
that you need to change your plans
or be super worried about.
- Awesome.
Thank you so much, Ashley, for coming on
and sharing your expertise.
It is very welcome, considering I have absolutely none.
And you're the person I always go to
when people ask me questions about kid stuff in London.
So thanks for coming on.
- Thank you.
- Yay!
Make sure you check out 'The Lazy Travelers'.
The blog and the Instagram.
I'll put links to both of those
down in the description box.
Especially, because you have a lot of tips
for families and people traveling with young children,
on the blog, don't you?
- For sure.
And not just in London.
We have some stuff for all over Europe.
- Perfect.
So go check that out.
If you want some more London tips, make sure
that you subscribe to the 'Love and London' channel.
I have new videos that come out every Thursday
that will help you with your trip.
And I will see you in the next video.