Note: This is the third and final post for our trip to Africa. See earlier posts for information on Cape Town and Kruger National Park. Victoria Falls was the final stop of our trip.
Victoria Falls is one of the seven natural wonders of the world, and located on the border between Zambia and Zimbabwe. You can access the falls from either Livingstone, Zambia or Victoria Falls, Zimbabwe. We stayed on the Zambia side, at the Royal Livingstone Hotel on the Zambezi River. This was the final stop of our Africa trip with our teenage children and another family.
Getting through customs in Zambia took a LONG time and was frustrating, but fortunately our travel agent had warned us of that, and our driver was still waiting for us when we finally got through. After dropping our bags at the hotel we headed out for a sunset cruise on the African Queen on the Zambezi River. This was like a real life version of Disneyland’s Jungle Cruise ride. (Hmm, looks like I got better pictures of the African Princess, which is very similar to the African Queen and was leaving at the same time.)
the African Princess
We relaxed on deck while being served cocktails and snacks. Part of the cruise went along the river’s edge, where we saw alligator and hippos. The sunset was spectacular.
view from the boat, with chairs along the edges facing out
The next morning we set off on an elephant back safari. This was one of the highlights of our trip to Africa. We started at the elephant camp with some general information about elephants and impacts on their population in the world. Then we split off with the guides and elephants. As we walked, our guide told us about the elephants and their behaviors.
The baby elephants walked along with the group.At the end of the ride we got to feed the elephants and give them their reward.
We were all giddy from the elephant encounter and headed back to the hotel to relax for a bit before our afternoon tour. Some chose to hang out or rest in their rooms but most of the adults sat by the pool, which overlooks the Zambezi River.
Not a bad place to spend a couple of hours.
One of the unique things about the Royal Livingstone Hotel is that there are zebra and giraffe wandering the property.
I don’t think he saw the sign.Giraffe selfies.My giraffe friend.
Now for the original reason we came to Victoria Falls…the Falls! The water levels vary throughout the year depending on whether you are during rainy season (late November to early April) or during dry season. The higher water levels during rainy season make the falls larger and more spectacular, but the spray and mist in the air make it hard to see at that time. Our visit during July was an ideal time as water levels were still high enough to be impressive but not so high that the visibility was bad. (Note: Unlike in Kruger Park, I did get bitten by mosquitos in Zambia even though it was dry season, so was glad we were all taking anti-malaria medicine.)
We visited the falls with a guide who talked to us about the history and geology of the area and led us through the trails offering multiple viewpoints. He also loaned us rain ponchos which we definitely needed.
Even with the ponchos on we still got wet, especially our feet and legs. Wear waterproof shoes and bare legs or pants that will dry quickly. The falls are magnificent and worth getting soaked for.
The hotel has a deck overlooking the Zambezi River and you could see the spray from the falls from there. This is where we spent our last evening in Africa, enjoying another stunning sunset and looking back over all the adventures we’d had in the past two weeks.
We had so many wonderful and memorable experiences, in Zambia and also in Cape Town and the safari. I flew home very grateful for the experience and getting to share it with family and friends.
Note: This is part 2 of our 3 part trip to Africa (Cape Town, Kruger National Park, and Victoria Falls). See other posts for detail of the Cape Town and Victoria Falls segments.
After some research, we chose Kruger National Park in South Africa for our family safari trip. We worked with a travel agent in South Africa to select the Lion Sands Narina Lodge which is along the Sabie River. It was WONDERFUL. We stayed for three nights but would have happily stayed longer.
We flew into the small Skukuza Airport, which is definitely the coolest airport I have ever been to.
Skukuza Airport
Our guide for our stay met us at the airport and drove us the short distance to the lodge. He would be our driver for all of our game drives.
When we got to the lodge we were welcomed with food and drinks, which we would soon find out would be plentiful during our stay. We ate so much. And we got to try some unusual game, like warthog and kudu (both of which we also saw on game drives).
Our welcome lunch. Yep, the teens found the WiFi.
Our trip was in Africa’s winter (summer in the U.S.), which is dry season in Kruger. This means the river is low, and the animals spend a lot of time close to the river because water is scarce (and we had no problems with mosquitos). The lack of foliage at this time of year can make it easier to spot the animals. The Narina Lodge is right on the Sabie River, so we saw animals at the river, both from the main lodge and also from our rooms (and bathrooms). Our friend saw a leopard from her outdoor shower on two different days!
Our room – there was a welcome message written in flowers on the bed.All of the rooms had decks with plunge pools overlooking the river. This is where we spent time in the afternoon between game drives.The bathroom also overlooked the river. You could watch wildlife while showering.
There were a lot of monkeys around and you had to remember to make sure all doors and windows were locked so they wouldn’t go into your room. Apparently they can open doors!
monkey selfie
There were two game drives every day, one in the morning and the second in the late afternoon/early evening. This is when the wildlife is most active. Ismael, our guide, drove the vehicle and Collin, our tracker, sat in the jump seat to track the animals.
Our guide Ismael
We always made a stop during the drive for some snacks and refreshments.
Getting ready to pour some “sundowners”The sunsets were spectacular.
Many people hope to see the “Big Five” while on safari; lion, elephant, leopard, rhinoceros, and Cape buffalo. We saw all of the Big Five and so many other animals too.
The Big 5:
The lions had just had a kill so we kept our distance (if you look closely you can see the blood on the face and sides of the lioness). But with most of the other animals we were shocked with how close we got to them. It was so exhilarating to see them up close in their natural habitat.
Here are some photos that I think give you a feel for how close we were to the animals:
This was rare for us to be out of the vehicle but we did get a few opportunities when the Guide and Tracker felt it was safe.
The lions weren’t the only animals we saw who had just had a kill. We also came across a pack of hyenas with blood on their faces and necks.
Giraffes are a favorite of mine, so while they may not be in the Big 5, I loved seeing them.
I had never seen a hippo out of the water before. Apparently hippos are very aggressive and one of the most dangerous animals in Africa.
Hippo by the river
On one of our evening drives our guide had us stay in the jeep while he went to check out a spot he knows. After deciding it was safe, he had us follow him down to the river where a large group of hippos were submerged.
When you look closer you find out many of the “rocks” were hippos – with all eyes on us. I would guess there were at least 20 in the pool.
Zebra were also on my list of “hope to see” so I was happy when we found a herd of them on one of our drives.
One morning after our game drive Ismael took us on a bush walk. He showed us scat and tracks along the way, and explained what he looks for and what clues animals leave behind.
This safari was a such an amazing experience for all of us. We weren’t ready to leave when it was over, and would have loved to stay longer (or to have followed it with a lodge in another area). It is a bucket list trip that I highly recommend to anyone, especially animal lovers.
Planning note: We did take anti-malarial pills for visiting Kruger Park, but none of us got bitten at all (and mosquitos love me). I’m assuming visiting during dry season helps with the mosquitos. The doctor also had us take prescription and OTC medications for stomach issues but none of us needed it.
Note: I am breaking our AMAZING trip to Africa into 3 posts, one for each leg of the trip: Cape Town, Kruger National Park, and Victoria Falls. This is the first post.
I’ve had a hard time starting this blog post because I really want to do this trip justice. It was truly a trip of a lifetime, a wonderful experience for every member of my family. First a comment on traveling with teens – I LOVE it. Yes, we like to share new experiences and cultures with our children. But what stands out to me most at this age (currently 16 and 13) is that we get to enjoy them without all the distractions of home. We are at a point in their lives where it has gotten harder to find quality time together. Busy lives of today’s teens don’t always allow for a lot of free time. When they do have it, they want to spend it with their friends, on their phones, in their rooms, or on the computer. And I know it won’t be long before they go off and start their own lives separate from us. So we savor the moments of laughter and conversation that we have with our kids when we are lucky enough to travel with them – knowing that they were much less likely to happen at home when everyone is going different directions.
It also added to the joy of the trip that we traveled with another family, close friends who also have two teenagers. I think we all might be just a little better behaved when we’re with people who don’t live with us every day, who aren’t as intimately familiar with our individual flaws and idiosyncrasies. You have more people you love to turn to with a grin plastered on your face and say “Can you believe we’re here?? This is amazing!”. You know if something goes wrong, you have good friends to keep you company and commiserate with. And adding other teens for mine to interact with prompted some interesting group dinner conversations.
We started our trip to Africa in Cape Town, which is a wonderful city to visit as a family. It is beautiful, full of a variety of things to do and see, really something for all interests. We experienced stunning scenery, a variety of wildlife, culture, history, and great food and wine. And the exchange rate between the US dollar and the Rand is so generous right now that everything felt like a steal.
We had been advised to head to Table Mountain as soon as we had good weather because the Cableway is weather dependent. I pre-booked tickets online before our arrival, which are valid for a 7 day period. It was a nice sunny day when we arrived in Cape Town, so after checking into our hotel we headed to the lower cable station.
Cable car approaching the upper station with Lion’s Head mountain in the background
Once at the top there are magnificent views of the city and beyond. It was a great way to get a visual overview of the layout of the city and surrounding areas.
Cape Town city bowllooking Northlooking South towards the Cape of Good Hope
Is this how you pictured Africa? Not me – I wasn’t expecting so much green and mountains. Such a gorgeous part of the world. We were glad we visited Table Mountain the day we did because there was wind (and a little rain) later in our visit and the tram was closed intermittently.
The next morning we set off on a cultural day tour to learn about apartheid and its impact on South Africa. The first stop was the District Six Museum which is in the former inner-city residential area where non-whites were forced out during apartheid.
plaque outside the museum
The museum includes pictures and other artifacts to give you a feel for what the community was like before apartheid and how residents’ lives were impacted.
The map on the floor of the museum showing what District Six was like before it was bulldozed.
After visiting the museum and getting an understanding of how people were forced from their homes, we visited some of the townships, where people were moved. I was surprised to learn that a majority of Cape Town residents still live in these primitive living conditions.
township outside of Cape Town
At one of the townships we visited we went on a guided walking tour and saw inside some of the homes. When we were choosing our activities before leaving home for the trip, my 16 year-old wasn’t thrilled about the idea of visiting a township because he didn’t want people to feel like they were animals in a zoo for people to come and ogle out. While it was an informative and eye-opening visit, there were uncomfortable moments where we felt exactly like that. But the people in the townships were very welcoming and friendly, and the visits provide some revenue to the residents.
Part of our township tour included a visit to a pre-school.
The children were darling and sang songs for us, and a couple of the kids danced.
After visiting the townships we returned to the city and caught the ferry to Robben Island, the former prison where Nelson Mandela was imprisoned along with other political prisoners. When we arrived on Robben Island, the tour started with a bus ride around the island.
Robben Island
Then you go on a walking tour in and around the cell block where Mandela lived, with tours led by former Robben Island prisoners.
Our tour guide, a former prisoner, standing outside the cell that was Nelson Mandela’s
Nelson Mandela’s cell
This was a powerful and thought-provoking day for all of us.
The following day we went for a complete change of pace. South Africa is one of the top places in the world to see great white sharks, so we ventured out on a shark cage diving trip! Most companies go out of Gansbaii, but we were there at a time of year when you can also go from False Bay, which is much closer to Cape Town. The boat heads out to Seal Island, home to 60,000 seals, which attracts the sharks.
Seal Island
The crew lures sharks to the boat using a fake seal as bait. We put on wetsuits and climbed into the cage on the side of the boat.
In the cage
When a shark approaches everyone dives under the water to get an underwater view of the shark. This was much less scary than I expected it to be. I was envisioning the shark attacking the cage but they would actually gracefully glide by.
A shark approaches!
Some of our friends chose not to go in the cage but still got a great surface view of the sharks from the deck of the boat.
surface view of one of the sharks we saw
All of us thought this was an awesome experience, whether we dove in the cage or not.
The following day we went on another day tour, this time to the Cape of Good Hope, the most south-western point of the African continent. No, it apparently is not the most southern point, as many people believe. On the drive down the cape we stopped in a few scenic coastal towns and an ostrich farm (where we fed the ostriches – their beaks are strong!).
We hiked up to the lighthouse at the Cape of Good Hope for amazing views in every direction.
distances from the Cape of Good Hope
We then hiked from the lighthouse down to Cape Point.
looking west from the cliffs above Cape Point
It was very windy at Cape Point and our guide said sometimes it is so windy that they have a hard time getting the car door open.
sign at the Cape of Good Hope
One of the last stops of our day was Boulders Beach to see the African Penguins. They were so cute!
Boulders Beach
Phew – we’ve packed a lot of amazing stuff into a few fabulous days. Our final day in Cape Town we stayed in town and explored the City Bowl area. We started with the Castle of Good Hope, a 17th century fort that is the oldest building in South Africa. The military museum there is supposed to be very interesting but unfortunately it was closed during our visit due to Castle renovations.
Castle of Good Hope, with Table Mountain in the background
The Castle Guard performs a key ceremony twice a day which depicts the unlocking of the Castle. This is followed by the firing of the signal cannon.
Key ceremony
We got to fire the cannon!
After the Castle we headed to the Company’s Garden, the large park and garden in central Cape Town.
views of Table Mountain from Company’s Garden
It is a large park with many attractions, including a rose garden, Japanese garden, fish pond, and aviary. Rather than a large open space there were many small areas to explore. We enjoyed the chess set that we came across.
chess set in Company’s Garden
We did some shopping and had lunch nearby, and then the teenagers decided they were ready for a relaxing afternoon. We had covered a lot of ground in the last few days. So the kids headed back to the hotel while the adults did more shopping and wandering. We checked out the Bo-Kaap area which is known for its brightly painted houses.
Bo-Kaap, a primarily Muslim community
Finally, since the kids were back relaxing at the hotel, the adults decided to go wine tasting at a nearby estate. Groot Constantia is the oldest wine producing farm in South Africa. This pretty estate, about 20 minutes from central Cape Town, has been producing wine for over 300 years. We opted for the chocolate and wine pairing tasting, that includes five wines (although they gave us a try of an extra too) with a series of chocolates specially made to go with each of the wines you taste.
Groot Constantia
South Africa is known for making excellent wine. Some day I would love to get to the outlying areas like Stellenbosch and Franschhoek that are said to have excellent wine tasting routes.
We loved Cape Town. We had a variety of experiences, the area is beautiful, and the people were warm and friendly. We would be thrilled to visit again some day. I wish it were closer.
Whistler is a great destination with something to appeal to everyone – both skiers and non-skiers alike. There are great restaurants and shopping, and a wide range of outdoor activities. We’ve visited with and without kids, in the winter and also in the summer, with friends and on our own. We have always enjoyed it.
Our most recent trip was in February with the kids. Our family skis and/or snowboards, and Whistler Blackcomb has miles of runs for all ability levels with beautiful views across the valley. The Peak 2 Peak gondola makes it very easy to move back and forth between Whistler and Blackcomb.
View from Blackcomb
There are several on-mountain dining options, with large lodges but also some small alpine huts with tasty choices. Our favorite is the Crystal Hut on Blackcomb that serves delicious Belgian waffles. Yum!
Crystal Hut waffle – berries on one side, chocolate on the other
This trip we had a whole week at Whistler so wanted to try some new activities on the days we weren’t skiing. The first one we chose was zip-lining. We did the Eagle Tour with ZipTrek Eco Tours. Heights make me nervous but I still had a lot of fun. The guides were great and made us feel very safe. It was definitely a thrill!
Hanging upside down is not required 🙂
The thrill-seekers in my family wanted another adventure, so two of us (NOT me) decided to do the Whistler Bungee. You jump 160 feet over the Cheakamus River. There is no minimum age (although you need parental permission under 19) so our 12 year-old decided to take the plunge. She’s already talking about going back and doing it again (with a back-flip next time).
Whistler hosted the 2010 Winter Olympics which brought some fun additions to the area, including the Olympic Rings (nice photo op), the Sliding Centre (where you can try the luge, bobsleigh, or skeleton), and Inukshuk statues on both mountains.
Inukshuk on Blackcomb
The current exchange rate between the U.S. dollar and the Canadian dollar means U.S. residents can find some good deals on shopping right now. We found the best deals (when considering the conversion) were at Canadian brands (like Lululemon). It’s also nice to save on dining and lift tickets.
If you are a resident of Canada, Washington, or Oregon state, Whistler offers the EDGE Card which gives discounts on lift tickets, dining, and some activities and stores . Beyond being a money saver it’s also very convenient because you don’t have to wait in line to buy lift tickets, your card will automatically be charged when you get on the lift. The EDGE Card can also be linked to your credit card for retail purchases so that you can use it for on-mountain purchases and don’t have to bring your wallet on the slopes.
Whether you’re taking part in the on-mountain activities or sticking to the village, everyone will find something to enjoy in Whistler.
Paris is a beautiful city with much to offer for all ages. We visited Paris last summer as a family, with our kids aged 12 and 15. The kids loved seeing in person places they had heard of and seen pictures of – and of course loved the pastries and chocolate.
I was shocked by how long the lines were (sometimes 2-3 hours long), and was very thankful that I had made some plans in advance that allowed us to avoid many of them. Keep your eye out for a follow up blog post where I will give specific suggestions on skipping the lines in Paris.
One general tip – it is a good idea for everyone in your family (children too) to know that it is polite to say “bonjour” when you enter a restaurant, store, or café (you will typically be greeted this way as well). My husband almost didn’t get his ice cream because he forgot to say “bonjour” first! For example, in the U.S. we might say “Mint chip please” but in Paris you should say “Bonjour. Mint chip please”.
ITINERARY:
Day 1:
We arrived in Paris during a heat wave (“la canicule”). It was uncomfortably hot (100 degrees and humid); most of the cafés were not air-conditioned and even the museum air conditioners were having a hard time keeping up. So we took it easy our first couple days until the weather cooled off a bit.
Our first evening in Paris we took a Seine cruise on one of the Bateaux-Mouches. This is a nice way to get an overview of the city, and the breeze felt so good on a hot evening.
Day 2:
Early on our first morning in Paris (before it got too hot and the crowds came out) we met with a local photographer to take some family photos. I had come across the idea on tripadvisor, and we ended up with some wonderful images to commemorate our trip – and great options for our Christmas card.
In the afternoon we went on a Chocolate and Pastry Tour . During this 3 hour tour in the St. Germain des Pres neighborhood we tasted chocolates, macarons, bread, croissants, and the most amazing hot chocolate!
First stop on our tour
It was still very warm that afternoon so we scrapped our original plan to do some sightseeing and instead had fun at the amusement park that is set up in the Jardin des Tuileries every summer.
A fun way to cool off on a hot day
Day 3:
We took the train out to Versailles where we started our visit with a guided tour of the private apartments of the Kings. This was a small group tour that took us into rooms that we could not have seen otherwise, and was a much more pleasant experience than fighting the crowds in the rest of the palace (which we did after the tour) – – and it allowed us to bypass the HUGE lines which had already formed first thing in the morning.
A private apartment of the kings
After seeing the main palace, we rented a golf cart and visited the gardens, the Trianon Palaces, and Marie-Antoinette’s Estate.
The golf cart was a fun way to ride around the gardens, and you can stop and park it in various places in the Estate.
Grand Trianon
After we were done at the palace and grounds, we headed over to the Royal Stables (outside the estate) to see a show by the Versailles Academy of Equestrian Arts. These are some very talented horses and riders! After the show you are able to walk through the stables and get a closer look at the horses.
After a full day in Versailles we headed back to Paris for the evening.
Day 4:
We started the day on a private tour of the Louvre with Paris Muse. We took the Louvre Quest family tour aimed at ages 13 and up, which involves an interactive game where you solve a number of clues as you work your way through the museum. This was an excellent way to see the Louvre, which is so large that it can be overwhelming. I had visited the Louvre on my own in the past, and this was a much better experience. We all learned and saw so much, and our guide was able to maneuver us through the crowds and put us right in front of the popular (and mobbed) pieces of art or artifacts.
The mob of people waiting to take a picture of the Mona Lisa – our guide brought us right to the front of the line
After the Louvre we checked out the nearby Palais Royal grounds (and grabbed a bite to eat).
Palais Royal
In the afternoon we explored the Ile de la Cité: the Conciergerie (where Marie Antoinette was imprisoned), Notre Dame (we did not climb the towers as the line was crazy long, and opted for an ice cream break instead), and Sainte-Chapelle.
Notre Dame
We relaxed at a sidewalk café for a while before taking a sunset tour of the Eiffel Tower. This was a great time to visit, watching the sunset from the top of the tower. When we came down, we watched the light show that occurs every hour after dark.
Day 5:
Our final day in Paris started with a visit to the Arc de Triomphe, where we climbed to the top for great views of the city.
After a delicious lunch at a creperie, we went on a self-guided walking tour (using Frommer’s suggestions as a rough guide) of the Marais neighborhood that includes the historic Jewish quarter.
a street in Le Marais
We spent our final evening in Paris at a relaxing dinner, before packing up to head home. Oh Paris, j’adore. Until we meet again…
London is a wonderful city to visit with teenagers. You get to experience a foreign country while still being able to speak the language, and there are tons of things to do that appeal to that age group. We traveled there last summer as a family of 4, kids ages 15 and 12 (okay, our daughter wasn’t technically a teenager yet, but she sure seems like one!). When I was planning our trip I found a lot of information on traveling with young children, but not as much on teens. So I did a lot of research and found activities that I thought would appeal to our whole family. We had such a great time! I hope this information is helpful to other people planning a trip there (you don’t have to be a teen to enjoy it!).
LODGING: We rented a flat for a week through A Place Like Home. I’ll admit, I was a little nervous going through a rental agency in another country. But this was an excellent experience – they were responsive, helped us find an appropriate flat (good sleeping arrangements, in a convenient neighborhood, and close to a tube stop), arranged transportation, etc. Many European hotels limit you to 3 people, so as a family of four we would have had to stay in two hotel rooms. We found renting a flat to be a better option – more space, laundry and kitchen, and also less expensive – plus you feel like a local.
Then we took a cruise along the River Thames which was a nice introduction to the city – – and all we could handle after our long flight and lack of sleep, so headed back to the flat to catch some Z’s.
the London Eye seen from the River Thames
Day 2:
We started our day at St. Paul’s Cathedral, where we climbed up to the top of the dome to get a great view of the city. We all enjoyed the Whispering Gallery with acoustics that carry a whisper from one side of the dome to the other.
View of London from the top of St. Paul’s Cathedral
Then we moved on to the British Museum, which is of course an amazing museum with lots of things interesting to kids and adults alike (e.g. the Rosetta Stone and mummy shown below) but was also hot and crowded.
the Rosetta Stone
mummy at the British Museum
We checked out Forbidden Planet which is a megastore for Dr. Who, Star Wars, and comic book fans and then did some shopping along Oxford Street. Last activity for the day was riding the London Eye for great views of the city.
London Eye capsule
Parliament as seen from the London Eye
Day 3:
This morning we went on Fat Tire’s Royal Bike Tour which gave a great overview of royal London. The ride included a stop where we could pop into a traditional English pub.
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In the afternoon we headed out to the Warner Bros. Studio Tour where we spent the evening. This was enjoyed by all, even those of us not very knowledgeable about Harry Potter. The description of the movie making process and getting to walk through the original movie sets was fascinating. [NOTE: Tickets must be booked in advance and tour times will fill up during peak travel times.]
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Day 4:
On our fourth day we visited the Tower of London, where we took a Beefeater Tour and saw the Crown Jewels.
After a few busy days, the kids were ready for some down time, so they stayed in for the evening while my husband and I went to dinner and a West End show (Bradley Cooper in The Elephant Man – excellent!).
Day 5:
Today we went on a full day trip to Bath and Stonehenge on a small group tour with The English Bus. Our guide for the day was great, and I much prefer a small group tour to going with a big bus full of people. The tour also made a stop in a “secret place” – I’m not supposed to give it away but we loved it! While it is true that you don’t get a lot of time in Bath doing a daytrip like this (versus staying the night), we still felt like we had plenty of time to wander around, grab some lunch, and enjoy the town.
Stonehenge is fascinating, and awesome to see in person something that we’d all seen pictures of.
We watched a bit of the Changing of the Guard at Buckingham Palace, but it was so crowded you couldn’t see much. We did get a close up view of the Guard marching to the Palace.
Next we moved on to visit the Churchill War Rooms. It was intriguing to see the rooms where Winston Churchill ran Britain’s campaign in World War II which have been pretty much frozen in time.
We had a traditional afternoon tea at Fortnum & Mason. I was surprised by how much the 15 year old son enjoyed this!
In the afternoon we checked out Harrods, the famous department store. Wow, it’s HUGE, and for the most part very expensive, but fun to wander around and check it out. It’s easy to get lost there!
That evening we went to see Matilda at a West End theatre. All four of us loved the show!
Day 7:
Our final day in London started with a horseback ride in Hyde Park. This was definitely one of my favorite experiences in London! We got to ride along Rotten Row, the same path kings used to travel between palaces.
We spent our afternoon at Hampton Court Palace, a short train ride outside of London. We wandered the palace and grounds, and tried to find our way out of the maze. This is a fun palace to visit because it has an interactive feel to it, where you can sit at a banquet table, play a traditional board game, and they even provide free cloaks you can wear while visiting.
Then it was back to London for a relaxing dinner near our flat before we had to pack up and get ready to leave London for the next leg of our trip. We loved visiting London – there was so much to do and see that appealed to each of us!
PLAN AHEAD:
2FOR1 – There is much debate online over whether the London Pass (which covers 60+ London attractions) is worth it or not. For our family we were better off using the Days Out 2FOR1 vouchers. Before our trip I printed vouchers for attractions I thought we might visit. You then show the voucher and your train ticket (or Travelcard) when purchasing tickets. This was a huge money saver for us.
ADVANCE BOOKINGS – Many of the attractions we visited can be booked ahead. In some instances this allows you to skip lines, which can be incredibly long during peak travel times. I did not buy tickets in advance if I wasn’t sure when or if we would visit a specific attraction, or if I planned to use a 2FOR1 voucher (in which case you have to buy the tickets at the attraction and show your train ticket). For the attractions we chose, I booked the following in advance:
Bike tour (Fat Tire’s website says you don’t need reservations, but we were traveling during a busy time and some people who showed up were not able to be accommodated)
Warner Bros. Studio Tour (this must be purchased in advance)
Show tickets
Bath and Stonehenge day tour
Horseback ride in Hyde Park
I hope you’ve enjoyed my trip report and found some useful pieces of information!
After seeing the main palace, we rented a golf cart and visited the gardens, the Trianon Palaces, and Marie-Antoinette’s Estate.
Trips and Tips 