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Kew Gardens, London travel advice.... 13:25 - Nov 1 with 2080 viewsitfcjoe

In a few weeks I have a weekend away with Mrs where I need to achieve the following:

Sat - Drive somewhere in/close to London to a hotel and park up
Travel into London with buggy and baby to do a bit of touristy stuff like Santa in big department store etc
Travel back to hotel

Sunday - Do something in the day, either back in London or close by to where staying
Go to Kew Gardens about 6pm-8pm then get back to hotel/car and drive home

Any suggestions on somewhere convenient to stay on that side of London allowing easy access to both Central, and Kew as I get a bit lost on the West....

Cheers

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Kew Gardens, London travel advice.... on 08:18 - Nov 2 with 1967 viewsitfcjoe

Bump

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on 08:58 - Nov 2 with 1942 views_

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Kew Gardens, London travel advice.... on 09:05 - Nov 2 with 1927 viewsDanny_G

How about Richmond? It's a nice place with parks and a palace. You can walk to Kew Gardens from there in about 15 minutes and it's a 25 minute train from Waterloo (South West train - not Tube - so hopefully more buggy space).
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Kew Gardens, London travel advice.... on 09:07 - Nov 2 with 1923 viewscatch74

Are you thinking of driving round the M25 then in to London or into London from Suffolk side ?

There's a direct overground train from Stratford to Kew Gardens but it takes about an hour although you'd save the hassle of the drive in.
Think if you are going to risk M25 probably take the A10 then 406 in (or if you're further round the M4 takes you very close to Kew ) - so maybe stay in Brentford,Chiswick or Kew itself - less London transport with buggy! Hoping roads would be ok on Saturday but not much personal experience of the first route. I guess whichever route people would normally take to Brentford!
From my perspective I'd bomb up the A3 to Kingston and stay there, avoiding the road traffic further in, still 30 mins train to Kew though.

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Kew Gardens, London travel advice.... on 10:07 - Nov 2 with 1899 viewsconnorscontract

Have you got an appointment in Kew Gardens at 6pm on the Sunday, and you are trying to fit a weekend around it?

I don't want to be a downer, but that sounds a pretty stressful weekend to try and do with a baby. You say buggy and baby, not toddler, so I'm guessing somewhere between 6 and 12 months. Baby's first Christmas?

I'd book a hotel with a spa so Mum can have a massage or other treatment she likes. Buy one of those floating seat things for babies and the special swimming pool nappies so you can have some bonding time in the pool.

Book somewhere near one of those farms for kids. You'll get great reactions and photos. They often also have a nativity scene at Christmas, so that's cute baby's first Christmas photos ticked off.

Drive into London after rush hour and after Congestion Charge and drive round the centre, see all the sights from the car: loads of lights. Babies love twinkling lights, but don't know what a Buckingham Palace is. Drive over Tower Bridge. It's stunning at night. Baby will just love the lights.

Do Santa in a local shopping centre (or Farm as mentioned above is even better, find one that does Santa) rather than central London. Central London pavements and shops will be rammed and frantic and the queue for Santa will be massive there. Not easy with buggy. Shops are very hot and babies wrapped up against cold overheat and get fractious quickly.

Go for the pleasant, bonding, de-stress experience over the crowds, heat and stroppiness of pre-Christmas Oxford Street.

Just my opinion, but based on experience.
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Kew Gardens, London travel advice.... on 10:14 - Nov 2 with 1880 viewsLord_Lucan

I have stayed a few times in The Richmond Hill hotel, I like it. There is also an amazing Tapas bar in Richmond called Rincon I think. It's blooming lovely.

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Kew Gardens, London travel advice.... on 10:14 - Nov 2 with 1884 viewsitfcjoe

Kew Gardens, London travel advice.... on 10:07 - Nov 2 by connorscontract

Have you got an appointment in Kew Gardens at 6pm on the Sunday, and you are trying to fit a weekend around it?

I don't want to be a downer, but that sounds a pretty stressful weekend to try and do with a baby. You say buggy and baby, not toddler, so I'm guessing somewhere between 6 and 12 months. Baby's first Christmas?

I'd book a hotel with a spa so Mum can have a massage or other treatment she likes. Buy one of those floating seat things for babies and the special swimming pool nappies so you can have some bonding time in the pool.

Book somewhere near one of those farms for kids. You'll get great reactions and photos. They often also have a nativity scene at Christmas, so that's cute baby's first Christmas photos ticked off.

Drive into London after rush hour and after Congestion Charge and drive round the centre, see all the sights from the car: loads of lights. Babies love twinkling lights, but don't know what a Buckingham Palace is. Drive over Tower Bridge. It's stunning at night. Baby will just love the lights.

Do Santa in a local shopping centre (or Farm as mentioned above is even better, find one that does Santa) rather than central London. Central London pavements and shops will be rammed and frantic and the queue for Santa will be massive there. Not easy with buggy. Shops are very hot and babies wrapped up against cold overheat and get fractious quickly.

Go for the pleasant, bonding, de-stress experience over the crowds, heat and stroppiness of pre-Christmas Oxford Street.

Just my opinion, but based on experience.


I don't disagree on the whole - my boy is 1 now so about the age you suggest.

Mrs itfcjoe wants to take him up to London before she goes back to work in January to see a Santa there, I'm not overly keen but have decided to pick battles in this case. I won't be bustling round shops all day though with him as will be a nightmare.

Kew Gardens does a light show that we did a few years ago, he'll love that and the Sunday will be more of a relaxing day, maybe just mooching around Richmond or similar and not heading into London.

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Kew Gardens, London travel advice.... on 10:21 - Nov 2 with 1872 viewsconnorscontract

Kew Gardens, London travel advice.... on 10:14 - Nov 2 by itfcjoe

I don't disagree on the whole - my boy is 1 now so about the age you suggest.

Mrs itfcjoe wants to take him up to London before she goes back to work in January to see a Santa there, I'm not overly keen but have decided to pick battles in this case. I won't be bustling round shops all day though with him as will be a nightmare.

Kew Gardens does a light show that we did a few years ago, he'll love that and the Sunday will be more of a relaxing day, maybe just mooching around Richmond or similar and not heading into London.


Still look for a kids farm, though. Best thing to do, pound for pound, with babies and toddlers.

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Kew Gardens, London travel advice.... on 10:32 - Nov 2 with 1859 viewsRyorry

Kew Gardens, London travel advice.... on 10:14 - Nov 2 by itfcjoe

I don't disagree on the whole - my boy is 1 now so about the age you suggest.

Mrs itfcjoe wants to take him up to London before she goes back to work in January to see a Santa there, I'm not overly keen but have decided to pick battles in this case. I won't be bustling round shops all day though with him as will be a nightmare.

Kew Gardens does a light show that we did a few years ago, he'll love that and the Sunday will be more of a relaxing day, maybe just mooching around Richmond or similar and not heading into London.


I don't know if the dates will coincide, but Syon Park is just opposite Kew Gardens, on the other bank of the Thames! -

http://www.enchantedwoodland.com/

Unfortunately the house and rest of the gardens are now closed for the winter (re-open 12/3/18) - but the large garden/grounds in particular = wonderful, secluded, tranquil spaces to stroll around, sit, chill out - highly recommended when they re-open.
[Post edited 2 Nov 2017 10:35]

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Kew Gardens, London travel advice.... on 10:39 - Nov 2 with 1847 viewsMedwayTractor

No suggestions to make on what to do, but if you are thinking of SW London as a base, the first thing you should do before deciding the date (unless you have no choice) is to check on Twickenham rugby fixtures (possibly other sports taking place there as well). The whole area gets rammed when there's a match on, really difficult on all the roads in the area, especially along the main roads.

Perhaps the answer is to aim for a base north of the river. Lots of hotels around Heathrow & good access to central London on the tube. Don't use taxis to get into the centre, unless you have just won the lottery!

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Kew Gardens, London travel advice.... on 10:43 - Nov 2 with 1838 viewsBanksterDebtSlave

My idea of hell on earth, but.....

http://hydeparkwinterwonderland.com/

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