Great Waking Tour of London
February 27, 2024 3:48 AM Subscribe
Anyone done one recently? Open to all ideas! Particularly good if kid-friendly but OK if not.
On our recent trip to Paris, we did a walking tour through Paris Walks. It was inexpensive, guided by a native English speaker, it was great fun & informative, and they were exceedingly flexible when we had unforeseen complications. (Two or three hours of chocolate shops, with a discount: SO GOOD.)
ANYWAY.
Paris Walks was founded by a British couple (expats), which have a vaguely described but definite relationship with London Walks, who also offer cheap (£10!), well-informed, fun tours that are kid-friendly: https://www.walks.com/
When I was sketching out a London trip two years ago, I think I came down to "only" two or three London Walks tours that would include our four (pre-teen to post-college) kids! We didn't go to London this time, but I saved those notes because we love walking and a trip built around these walking tours would be awesome.
posted by wenestvedt at 6:04 AM on February 27, 2024
ANYWAY.
Paris Walks was founded by a British couple (expats), which have a vaguely described but definite relationship with London Walks, who also offer cheap (£10!), well-informed, fun tours that are kid-friendly: https://www.walks.com/
When I was sketching out a London trip two years ago, I think I came down to "only" two or three London Walks tours that would include our four (pre-teen to post-college) kids! We didn't go to London this time, but I saved those notes because we love walking and a trip built around these walking tours would be awesome.
posted by wenestvedt at 6:04 AM on February 27, 2024
I would also recommend London Walks (I have done two with them). Both the guides were interesting, well-informed, enthusiastic and audible. One was an actor I think. Can't comment re child-friendly.
posted by paduasoy at 6:29 AM on February 27, 2024
posted by paduasoy at 6:29 AM on February 27, 2024
You can also look into food tours. They usually involve walking around a chosen neighborhood while the guide tells you of its history. Basically, a walking tour with stops for eating! We did the Shoreditch tour in London, which I thought was very interesting and tasty.
posted by Don_K at 6:39 AM on February 27, 2024
posted by Don_K at 6:39 AM on February 27, 2024
I'm a grown adult with no children, but a few years ago I did this Tour for Muggles and really enjoyed it. If you're in to Harry Potter, it's a lot of fun to see the actual locations they used in the films. I did an evening tour in the off season and I think it was just myself and a few other adults, but definitely a kid-friendly tour with an engaging guide who encouraged lots of questions.
On the opposite end of the kid-friendly spectrum, I also did a drinking tour that I really enjoyed. There's some really neat pubs around London and the guide was a great source of information and history. They sell half-pints at pubs so you can get a drink at each stop and not go overboard.
I've done several London Walks tours and I did like them. For people really interested in history or art or something, they're a great and economical. They might be a bit too dry for kids and sometimes the groups can get large to the point where it's hard to hear and/or not great for asking questions.
If you've got a bit more money to spare and you can plan well in advance, the Underground tours operated by the London Transport Museum are so cool. These are great for kids.
posted by shornco at 7:30 AM on February 27, 2024 [1 favorite]
On the opposite end of the kid-friendly spectrum, I also did a drinking tour that I really enjoyed. There's some really neat pubs around London and the guide was a great source of information and history. They sell half-pints at pubs so you can get a drink at each stop and not go overboard.
I've done several London Walks tours and I did like them. For people really interested in history or art or something, they're a great and economical. They might be a bit too dry for kids and sometimes the groups can get large to the point where it's hard to hear and/or not great for asking questions.
If you've got a bit more money to spare and you can plan well in advance, the Underground tours operated by the London Transport Museum are so cool. These are great for kids.
posted by shornco at 7:30 AM on February 27, 2024 [1 favorite]
Once again, I'm here to tell you: mudlarking. Tours guided by friendly archeologists here. You'll take home bits of history and stories forever.
posted by The Bellman at 7:54 AM on February 27, 2024 [4 favorites]
posted by The Bellman at 7:54 AM on February 27, 2024 [4 favorites]
J. Draper recently had a post on the blue. You can peruse her youtube channel to sense of what she’s like.
posted by 1970s Antihero at 8:48 AM on February 27, 2024 [1 favorite]
posted by 1970s Antihero at 8:48 AM on February 27, 2024 [1 favorite]
Response by poster: Apologies, missed the edit window -- Walking! These are terrific and just what I wanted, thank you so much (and feel free to add any more.)
posted by caoimhe at 11:05 AM on February 27, 2024
posted by caoimhe at 11:05 AM on February 27, 2024
I did the Brick Lane one last year with Unseen Tours, and I would recommend it, but maybe not for kids (lots of discussion on the street art and history of the area). There may be other ones which fit your needs? https://unseentours.org.uk/
The guides are people who have previously experienced homelessness.
posted by Laura in Canada at 12:06 PM on February 27, 2024
The guides are people who have previously experienced homelessness.
posted by Laura in Canada at 12:06 PM on February 27, 2024
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