The Japan Times - London Kids' Open-Top Bus Tour Offers Family Alternative to the Tube

They say we don't make the most of what's on our doorstep, and this is certainly true for me when it comes to London. I've caught the train from Surrey into the city dozens and dozens of times, but I've never really spent the day as a tourist there. I usually head up town for a concert, a celebratory meal or for work meetings, but being that it was the school summer holidays (and was in desperate need of ways to entertain my little one), my daughter and I headed into the capital for a day trip.

If I have the pram with me try, I try to avoid the Tube at all costs as I have no patience with the lifts (that's if the station actually has one) and don't get me started on the Piccadilly line . The Original Tour, London’s original hop-on hop-off sightseeing bus tour, is a brilliant way to explore the city without having to navigate the Underground . The tour takes in some of London’s most iconic sights, including Buckingham Palace, Big Ben, Tower Bridge, Westminster Abbey, St Paul’s Cathedral and the London Eye, with open-top views and audio commentary available in 11 languages.

But the one thing that surprised me the most was that there was a dedicated Kids Tour. The 45-minute version is also an open-top sightseeing experience but it is designed specifically for children, combining fun storytelling with some of London’s most famous landmarks. Plus, if your bundle of joy has a meltdown mid-journey, you're not going to be inundated with disproving stares!

I was invited to give the Kids Tour a go, so we caught the overground to London Waterloo, walked over Golden Jubilee Bridge and picked up the vibrant red double-decker waiting for us at Charles II Street (SW1Y 4QN). The pick up/return point near Trafalgar Square was easy to find. We waved hello to the big lions surrounding Nelson's Column on our 25-minute stroll from the train station, and naturally, stopped at Southbank Centre for a toilet break.

There was plenty of room to store pushchairs on the ground floor of the bus and we were welcome to bring food and drink on board, because as we know toddlers can't go five minutes without a snack. We left pronto at 12.15pm (arrive 15 minutes early to settle in) and circled some of London's top attractions along with lots of other excited families. We were handed an activity book with quizzes, games and trivia, which I popped in my bag for when boredom struck.

But we never got it out. The commentary was fun and entertaining, and as we passed The Duke of York Column, the whole bus broke out into the classic nursery rhyme. My two and a half year old daughter was so amazed at all of the sights and sounds from up high, and I learnt a fair few facts along the way.

We really enjoyed ourselves and 45-minutes was just the right amount of time to keep her still. All tickets include a Thames River Cruise, giving families another way to see the city during the holidays, and children under two travel free on the Kids Tour. Tickets cost £24 each, to book visit theoriginaltour.com/kids-tour.

The Original Tour is currently offering 25% off all child tickets on the Kids Tour until the end of August, making them £18.

K.Tanaka--JT