Children's Itinerary

London Zoo

Only slightly older than Brown's Hotel, London Zoo (or the Zoological Society of London) was founded in 1826 by Sir Stamford Raffles; today it is home to 12,000 animals.

Major new attractions include the Gorilla Kingdom (see one of man's closest animal relations up close and personal) and Clore Rainforest Lookout - where you can see tropical trees, monkeys and birds all the way from South America.

Jason's Trip

Close to the Zoo, on Regent's canal, is where you can catch Jason's Trip, the original Regent's canal cruise. They have been operating since 1951 as a trip boat; Jason is 101 years-old probably the oldest working narrowboat in the world. Scheduled trips run to Camden three times a day in season.

Wetland Centre

A mosaic of created wetland habitats, developed on the site of a disused Victorian reservoir, forms the site of the London Wetland Centre. Wander around and explore the wetlands, but also make sure you include The Peter Scott Visitor Centre in your trip. The Visitor Centre allows people to get closer to wildlife. There are TV monitors in the buildings broadcasting pictures beamed from the wilderness areas of the reserve, coupled with interactive computers allowing visitors to explore the secret world of birds and wetlands wildlife.

Mudchute City Farm

Mudchute Farm's wide range of farmyard animals, including sheep, pigs, horses, cows, ducks, geese and dogs, are perfect for petting. The farm, however, forms only a small part of this 31 acres of open space, which is now a major leisure and recreation resource, an official Local Nature Reserve and in every sense a "People's Park". An equestrian centre is located in the heart of this lush park. Catering for all riders, children and adults, from beginners to the advanced, this could be a great way to spend an afternoon with the family.

The Transport Museum

After a two-year, £22 million refurbishment the London Transport Museum reopened on 22 November 2007 revealing more exhibition space public transport, arranged according to several themes: London Transport's famous design heritage, the poster collection, public transport during both World Wars and plans for the capital's development in the twenty-first century.

V&A Museum of Childhood

Part of the Victoria and Albert Museum, the Bethnal Green Museum of Childhood houses a collection of toys, dolls and dolls' houses, children's costumes and nursery antiques. It offers a lively programme of activities at weekends and in the holidays. One of the first things you see when you enter the building is a collection of beautiful, striking chandeliers called the 'Bethnal Green Illuminations'. They have been made by local children and families, working with a professional artist following an extensive re-furbishment programme which began in 2003.

Science Museum

Home to one of the world's most magnificent collections of science, industry, technology and medicine, the Science Museum is one of London's most hands-on and interactive museums. Funded by the profits of the Great Exhibition of 1851, it started life in the 19th century as part of Prince Albert's grand scheme to promote industrial technology. 

London Duck Tours

If you've spent a few days in London you've probably spotted the bright yellow London Duck Tours tanks driving around town - they're hard to miss! The amphibious Duck Tours vehicles date back to 1942 and were first used in World War II for the D-Day landings when more than 21,000 were built to take the troops and supplies from ship to shore. There are just five of the tanks, originally known as 'DUKWS', in the Duck fleet, taking visitors around town on the roads and on the river. 

Natural History Museum

An 8-metre long giant squid, a walrus from Hudson Bay overstuffed by a London taxidermist in the 1880s, the skeleton of a Triceratops, a life-size Blue Whale and a sea cow are just a few of the 70 million items to call this exciting, interactive, life and earth science museum home.