Fun for kids in and around London. English amusement parks for kids and adults London's newest tourist attraction

If you decide to visit London with your children and want their vacation to be exciting and eventful, then it is better to think about entertainment for them in advance.

London can be called a children's paradise. It is here that the largest toy store in the world is located. London is home to the oldest zoo on the planet, and there is also a safari park and the London Aquarium. How can you forget amusement parks and gardens "Thorpe park" (Thorpe), "Chessington World of Adventures" (Chessington), "LegoLand" (Legoland). Or fabulous castles- Windsor and Tower, or children's musicals, travel by boat and on the largest Ferris wheel in Europe? You can't list everything!

We also suggest that you familiarize yourself with the section of our handbook:
We will be happy to help you organize leisure activities for your children!

It could be like individual program, taking into account all your wishes and preferences, or you can choose a ready-made offer:

The excursion includes: a visit to the "London Eye" Ferris wheel, "London Aquarium" (London aquarium), a walk on the "londonducktours" (an all-terrain vehicle that looks like a duck), lunch at the children's restaurant "Rainforest cafe" ( Rainy forest) in the Piccadili area, a visit to the largest toy store in Europe "Hamleys" (Hamlees).

Thorpe Park

This amusement park certainly deserves to be ranked # 1 on any tourist's list. The air here is literally saturated with fun and adrenaline, and everyone who dares to look here is unlikely to leave this place willingly.

The attractions at Thorpe Park are particularly varied. There are both completely harmless options for the smallest, and terrifying monsters, from the mere sight of which even desperate daredevils can have treacherous tremors in their knees. The latter include the famous: "Samurai"; "Detonator"; "No exit"; "Inferno".

Another feature of Thorpe Park is that its fear rooms are stylized after famous horror films, such as the famous horror movie "Saw".

The park is open from March 20 to November 9, and the exact opening hours can be found at https://www.thorpepark.com/. The cost of adult and children's tickets is the same - 24.99 pounds for one day and 30.99 for two.

London eye

Another popular attraction. This Ferris wheel differs from others in the huge size of the cabins, inside which you can move freely to get a better view different areas cities. Full revolution takes about half an hour, so while driving it is quite possible to have time to take a photo for memory.

The wheel operates according to the following schedule: from January to March and September to December, the London Eye is available from 10.00 to 20.30; from April to July: 10.00 - 21.00; July to August: 10.00 - 21.30. An adult ticket costs a little over 18 pounds, a child ticket costs 10 pounds, and children under 4 years old are admitted free.

The attraction also has its own website https://www.londoneye.com/, and tickets can be bought right there. In this case, even a 10% discount is provided, and for an additional fee, you can hire a guide, as well as order wine and various treats.

London is one of the largest and oldest European capitals, and at the same time such a turbulent, different and lively city that God forbid everyone to look like that in more than 2000 years! And in London, they speak the most correct English, so parents bring their students there on vacation to apply their knowledge of a foreign language acquired during the school year. How to please and surprise children in London - a report from the scene.

The royal stables are guarded by female guards

How does an avid lover of classic English literature imagine London? Cold, foggy, restrained. But London in July dispelled all prejudices: the weather is gorgeous, hot - not a cloud all week, not to mention fog. And the crowd of tourists from all over the world, sweeping away attractions, shops and restaurants on their way, confirmed that all roads lead to London. Which, however, could have been assumed even at the stage of booking a hotel - any at least something similar to hotels with adequate prices were packed with more nimble travelers.

In the children's section of the gift shop - a fairy tale about a real prince and princess

As a result, my 11-year-old son and I stayed at a small hotel opposite Kensington Gardens - more precisely, it was called an apartment with a kitchen. The kitchen looked comical: in a tiny - well, this is normal for London - room - two doors, and behind them, right in this dark cabinet - a stove, sink, refrigerator, microwave. And some dishes. But, in fact, with a small child, such a kitchen would be a real salvation - not to run to a restaurant every time the kid wants porridge. We kept the NZ there in case of attacks of night hunger.

There are many Russian tourists in London with small children - and even more with grown-ups. For those traveling with strollers, this is of course the ideal city. Almost everywhere there are special entrances, ramps, elevators - including the metro. V different places For example, the Science Museum even has a separate entrance - so as not to stand in line and immediately move down the ramp to the very children's part of the exposition.

All museums must have Special offers: family tickets, discounts for early booking, "wholesale" discounts for visiting several museums at once, fast track tickets that allow you to skip most of the queue - all you need to look at (or already buy if you are ready to fully plan your trip in advance) on the sites of museums.

To entertain and develop a child at the same time, we try this recipe: popular entertainment attractions like Madame Tussaud's wax museum and the London Dungeon, and then - layers of something more intellectual - say, the Tower and the Science Museum. Be sure to top - walks through the marvelous London parks. Shake but do not mix. Try slowly and with pleasure.

Tower of London

Immediately after entering, audio guides are offered (£ 4), there is also in Russian. So that the child, and you yourself, do not get confused in the numerous buildings of the Tower, it is better to take an audio guide - they tell it clearly, and moving around the territory, as in an adventure game, can captivate the child.

Do not pass by - after entering the fortress immediately to the left - the former Mint, which was located in the Tower for 500 years, and which was headed by Isaac Newton for almost 30 years until his death.

The exhibition opened in May this year, there are many interesting facts, funny games and installations. For example, a video where the minted profiles of Oliver Cromwell and Charles II on coins come to life and discuss views on the monarchy and, of course, quarrel. No textbook will tell you about the difference in coins (and reigns) of these two historical characters so vividly! In another room, behind a small door, shouts are heard from the Mint workers, who were locked during breakfast in the dining room by their "colleague" James Thornbull - so as not to interfere with the theft of heavy sacks of golden guineas. It happened in 1798, when a thief was caught in the port of Dover and hanged. The bags lie right there - you can lift them up - and assess the recklessness of the attacker.

The most famous part of the Tower - the slender cube of the White Tower - was built at the end of the 11th century. A wooden staircase leads directly to the second floor - just like in antiquity. When the enemy approached, the stairs were removed. Inside - a lot of armor, weapons, knights - expanse for lovers of the Middle Ages and military history.

There were no amateurs among us, so the interactive hall caused more joy, where you can try to shoot from a bow (on a simulator), from a cannon (on a computer), and also try to raise a real musket - very heavy!

The queue passed quickly to the gallery, which houses the royal regalia of different eras and the very crown that Elizabeth II wears at official ceremonies, but the son was more impressed by the huge steel doors installed in the vault than the crowns of English monarchs strewn with sapphires, rubies and diamonds, along which are transported on a travolator.

The oldest exhibit, the 12th-century anointing spoon, survived even the destruction of royal regalia during the Republic and Oliver Cromwell's time thanks to some clever man. The courtier retained the valuable item - and a few years later, profitably sold it to the new king Charles II after the restoration of the monarchy.

Tourists rest at the execution site of the Tower prisoners

The gift shop sells this paper model for assembly. If everything is done correctly, the rack will stretch, and the head will fall into the basket ...

The tower bridge

Madame Tussauds museum

The installation with Spider-Man is done "upside down" - so that the photo creates the effect that you are stuck to the ceiling

In addition to the stereo picture, there are real special effects: it really starts to blow from the chair when the green giant Hulk claps his hands, and splashes water when the double-decker red London bus falls into the fountain. The children are delighted.

Harry Potter Museum (Harry Potter Tour)

Well, another large-scale attraction, which, perhaps, will soon catch up in popularity and surpass Madame Tussaud's - the Harry Potter Museum. In general, the British should have long ago awarded J.K. Rowling for his contribution to the tourism industry: it’s scary to imagine how many children were eager to visit England after reading the epic about Hogwarts and young wizards.

This huge studio complex is located 40 minutes from London. You can take a train, and then on a special bus - or go on a guided tour directly from London. You can book a time for an independent visit and buy tickets only in advance, on the website. But when I decided to do this, there were no more places ... We are not big fans of Harry Potter, so we steadfastly survived the failure, but the more dedicated fans who did get there would highly recommend everyone to visit this place.

Venue

In the former town hall building, which stretches along the waterfront, if you go from the Parliament building and Big Ben along Westminster Bridge, you can stay for a long time. There are several entertainments for children of different ages at once: the London Dungeon, the Aquarium, the cinema museum - and this is crowned with the monumental London Eye Ferris wheel.

The London Dungeon

London Aquarium (Sea Life London Aquarium)

For those who are not ripe for strong sensations, but simply want to admire wildlife, and who have small children, the London Aquarium will be preferred to the dungeon. It is immediately visible: there are crowded groups of London kindergarteners in the same bright vests - so that the kids do not get lost. What was pleasantly surprised, almost always young men are found among the educators: patient and caring, real "mustachioed nannies". Or maybe this is their alternative military service?

There are many amusement parks in the UK. The most famous are in Staffordshire (Alton Towers, Drayton Manor Park), Lancashire (Pleaure Beach Blackpool), Windsor (Legoland) and London. It is the attractions of the capital of Great Britain that we will consider in more detail.

London eye

Probably in many developed cities there is a ferris wheel. From there, you can often see the roofs of distant high-rise buildings. But another thing is the Ferris wheel in London, on south bank the famous Thames.

The London Eye was the winner in a competition for building designs to be built in the capital in connection with the new millennium. Its architects, D. Marks and D. Barfield designed truly giant structure... Just think: the height of the London Eye is 135 meters. He is considered one of the most great attractions of this type all over the world.

Such a huge structure took 6 years to build. The builders managed to commission the facility just before the onset of the third millennium: December 31, 1999. In its shape, the attraction resembles a large bicycle wheel with spokes. The wheel parts were so impressive that they could only be delivered by river barges. They combined the individual elements of the London Eye into one whole, also on the water. For this purpose, river platforms were built. The most difficult thing was to lift the finished object, because its weight is 1700 tons! A special system lifted the wheel at a speed of only 2 degrees per hour.

All cabins of the Ferris wheel are tightly closed, which is the reason for the installation of air conditioners in them. Each booth weighs more than 10 tons and is shaped like an egg. London Eye booths are designed for 25 people each. By the way, the number of booths is 32, which means the number of districts in London.

The wheel rotates at a speed of almost a kilometer per hour. Thus, from embarkation to disembarkation, it takes 30 minutes to enjoy the amazing landscapes of London. They say that if the weather is clear, then at the highest point of the wheel you can see objects that are 40 km away from you.

In 2006, the rides were equipped with Color Kinetics lighting, and now you can use the wheel to navigate the terrain even at night. And from January 20, 2011 to January 20, 2014 official name wheels - EDF Energy London Eye. At the beginning of the name - the sponsor of the attraction.

The London Eye is located at Jubilee Gardens, South Bank, SE1, Waterloo Tube. An adult needs to pay approximately 15 pounds for a ticket, children 8 pounds. Prices are constantly changing, so you can find them on the official website.

Thorpe Park

Attractions in London are presented a large number of amusement parks. The most famous is Thorpe Park. It was built back in 1979, but this does not mean at all that all the attractions in it are outdated, not only physically, but also morally. It was created for people who want to get a huge adrenaline rush without risking their life and health.

Thorpe Park is subdivided into specific areas. The most popular is the Port of Atlantis. It has Lost city with a lot of unique entertainment. These are Colossus, Zodiac, Vortex, Samurai and others. Also in the Port of Atlantis there are shops, bars, restaurants.

In addition to this zone, Thorpe Park has Amity Cove, Canadian Creek, Calypso, Octopus Garden and others. In each zone there are attractions of a certain orientation.

There are always entertaining show programs for small children in Thorp Park, Seashore, where children can safely swim and sunbathe on an artificial beach.

Thorpe Park is known all over the world for its unique attractions... Are you not afraid of blood? Then you should definitely visit the building called Lost. Created this entertainment on the plot of the horror "Saw". You need to go through 6 rooms, in which you will see a heap of blood, broken human bones, you will observe how a person breaks his leg or jaw, and other terrible "entertainment". And to get out of this nightmare, you need to fall down from a slide 30 meters high. The park is located outside London, Chertsey, Surrey KT16 8PN, the price of an adult ticket is 45 pounds.

London Duck Tours

Do you want to take a ride through the historical sights of London on the very same sights? Then the London Duckling Tour is perfect for you. As vehicle an amphibious vehicle that can ride and float on water is used. These cars are rare, they even took part in the Second World War. Without leaving such an amphibian, you can see the County Hall building, Westminster Bridge, Downing Street, Buckingham Palace etc.

Tours are conducted daily, departures every 30-60 minutes. Adults £ 21 and children £ 15.

Skyscraper The Shard

If you saw a very tall building from glass itself in the center of London - rest assured, this is The Shard skyscraper. With a height of 309 meters, the English skyscraper has become the most tall building the weight. It has more than 70 floors, and the observation deck occupies as many as 4 floors - from the 68th to the 72nd floor. A unique lift will take you to the top of the building in just 30 seconds. An adult needs to pay 25 pounds to enter the site, and 19 pounds for a child.

From the very beginning of construction, the public protested against the construction of this skyscraper, arguing that it would spoil the appearance of the city. But soon all problems were resolved and the construction of the skyscraper continued.

The skyscraper houses offices, apartments, restaurants and even the five-star Shangri-La Hotel, which is considered one of the most elite hotels in the world.

Tower "Orbit"

A miracle of modern building art - the Orbit Tower, was created especially before the 2012 Olympic Games, which were held in the UK. It is a 115-meter high interwoven steel structure. The idea of creating such a tower did not find much support among ordinary Englishmen, but connoisseurs of art recognized the tower as almost the main attraction of London.

There are 2 at the top of the tower observation decks from which the whole city is perfectly visible. The rings of the tower with their weaves symbolize the famous Olympic rings, and the tower itself is, as it were, imbued with a sports spirit.

There are many amusement parks similar to Disneyland in the UK. Here they are called theme parks. Adults and children alike spend time here with pleasure. The parks host festive parades of heroes of fairy tales, legends, films, entertainment is provided for those who are looking for a calm family vacation with children, and for those seeking the thrill of speed and flying over the ground on giant roller coasters.

Rita ride at Alton Towers

Nearby, as a rule, there are hotels where you can stay for several days in order to catch all the attractions. The most favorite parks of the British in 2016 are Alton Towers, Thorpe Park, Legoland, Blackpool Pleasure Beach (on the coast, near Manchester) and Drayton Manor (near Birmingham).

Alton towers

The most popular theme park attractions in the UK, Alton Towers, is located in the heart of the UK near the cities of Manchester and Birmingham. In 2014, it was visited by 2.9 million people. The park has become the most visited in the United Kingdom and the seventh in Europe. Its territory covers 42 hectares. There are four hotels, a water park, an aquarium, several types of roller coasters, a challenging rope trail through the tops of trees and entertaining attractions for children.

Thrill-seekers will love roller coasters such as Nemesis (flying over the rocks and the Forbidden Valley River), Obvilion (almost vertical fall from a height of 60 meters), Rita (you can experience 4.5G G-force in 2.5 seconds reaching a speed of 100 m / h ). In 2016, a new attraction Galactica opened, using the capabilities of virtual reality, in which visitors soar in interstellar space, observing the wonders of space close up.

Younger children also have a lot to do. You can go boating at the Charlie and the Chocolate Factory, take a trip on a vintage train, visit the shark aquarium and water park. All of the above is only a tenth of the entertainment offered by Alton Towers.

Four Alton Towers hotels offer double rooms from £ 130 with breakfast, parking, free WIFI and a free second day in the park. Hotel guests can also enjoy early morning access to the park, while there are no queues for popular attractions.

Alton Towers is open from March to November, from 10 am to 5 pm. Ticket prices fluctuate depending on the season. In May 2016, the total ticket price for the first day was £ 51.60 for adults and £ 46.40 for children under 12. The second day in the park costs only £ 7.50. If you order tickets on the park website https://www.altontowers.com 5 days in advance, you will receive a 30% discount.

The water park is open from 10 am to 5 pm. Admission costs £ 15 for adults and £ 10.50 for children (3-11 years old).

How to get there

You can get there from London by public transport in three hours. It is best to take the train to Manchester from the train station to Stoke-on-Trent (Hanley) station. One way ticket costs £ 34. The journey will take an hour and a half. It will take another hour to travel by bus 32A from Uttoxeter Town Center to Alton Towers Entrance.

Thorpe Park

Located near Chertsey, 20 miles from London, Thorpe Park is designed for people with strong nerves. Here are some of the most large slides in Europe immersed in frightening surroundings such as Stealth (flying at 80 mph at 205 feet), SAW - The Ride (the world's first horror roller coaster movie based on the movie "Saw"), COLOSSUS ( flight including vertical loop, cobra, double spin and roll). The park is perfect for adrenaline junkies and thrill seekers, but there is fun for young children too.

For families with children aged eight and older, the labyrinth I’m a Celebrity Get me Out of Here, opened in 2015, is suitable! This is a journey through the jungle, over vibrating bridges, catacombs and a tropical cyclone.

In May 2016, the world's first psychological attraction DERREN BROWN'S GHOST TRAIN, developed by the famous illusionist Derren Brown, in which virtual travel on a Victorian train will make you doubt the reality around you.

The Shark is located next to the park Hotel hotel Room rates start at £ 130 and include a 2-day ticket, parking, breakfast and early access to attractions.

The park is open from 9.30 am to 5 pm. Entrance tickets for 1 day at Thorpe Park Resort are 51.50, and if bought online, then £ 27.99.

The queues can be very long. If you don't want to spend most of your day waiting, purchase a Fastrack and lunch package ticket for £ 75.99 or online for £ 49.99.

How to get there

The most convenient way to travel is by regular trains from Waterloo Station to Staines. Travel time is from 30 to 50 minutes. From Steins train station every 15-20 minutes there is a bus-express # 950 at THORPE PARK. The cost of a round-trip express ticket for adults is £ 3.70, for children from 4 to 12 years old - £ 2.70. Travel time is 8 minutes.

LEGOLAND® Windsor Resort

What child doesn't dream of becoming a knight, explorer or pilot and enter the exciting world of adventure? With over 55 LEGOLAND® Windsor Resort Parks, kids can fly through tree tops, hunt formidable dragons, ride Viking boats, or take divers on a magical underwater adventure in Atlantis.

Legoland Windsor was opened in 1996 and is intended for families with children between the ages of 3 and 12. It is just a few miles from Windsor Castle and 8 miles from Heathrow Airport.

The park has many water attractions in which visitors can be doused from head to toe. Fortunately, there are stand-up dryers next to them, bringing you back to market in a matter of minutes and pounds, and the stores sell raincoats. The most dangerous attraction in this respect is DUPLO Valley, in which 1200 liters of water pours out of the tower, flooding everything around.

Another popular attraction for young children is Fairy Tale Brook. it slow travel on a boat through a magical world made of 5 million Lego bricks, where children meet Little Red Riding Hood, three pigs, Cinderella, Snow White and the seven dwarfs.

Pirate camp

English weather is not often sunny. Therefore, although all the rides continue to operate even if it rains, in Legoland some of the rides are kept indoors. Among them, the LEGO Star Wars Miniland Model Display depicts scenes from the films “ star Wars», Atlantis Submarine Voyage, a journey through the underwater world.

The park is very popular, especially on sunny days and during school holidays... To save time waiting in line, you can purchase Qbot. Depending on the cost, Qbot offers a different level of service.

Q-Bot Regular (£ 20) - Same waiting times as others, but you can skip the line.

Q-Bot Express (£ 35) - Halves wait times.

Q-Bot Ultimate (£ 75) - Gives you almost instant access to the rides.

The Legoland® Resort Hotel offers themed family rooms (2 adults / up to 3 children) starting at £ 247 per low season up to £ 337 at high, which include breakfast and two-day park tickets, plus special perks like early check-in times for popular attractions. While the park closes from November to March, the hotel is open all year round.

1.Download the Resort App for free from the Legoland Windsor website in advance, because there is no WiFi or any 3G signal in the park.

2. Buy tickets online and print at home.

3. Although the rides open at 10 am, the turnstiles are already open at 9:30 am.

4. It is best to start at the back of the park where the lines are shorter.

5. Dress children in bright clothes, put your phone number in the child's pocket.

6. There are many food outlets in the park, but you will save time and money if you bring food and especially water with you.

The park is open from March to November from 10 am daily. Closing times vary throughout the season from 5pm to 7pm.

Tickets in 2016 for adults were from £ 34.20, for children (3-15) from £ 27.45.

How to get there

Just half an hour by train from Paddington Station to and Central, via Slough, or from Waterloo to Windsor & Eton Riverside. Travel time from the station is less than one hour. From both railway stations there is a bus to the park. The fare is paid.