London is a buffet of museum mind-food mania. Unlike much in England’s capital,most are free (bar temporary exhibits),but which one? There’s the double whammy of the neighbouringNatural History Museum andScience Museum,the first featuring an excitingly terrifying robotic T Rex and the latter boasting space exhibits including anactual spacecraft and impressive code-breaking equipment. Then head next door toThe Ampersand Hotel for a science-themed high tea served with crucibles,test tubes and planet-shaped macaroons. Also steam over to theTransport Museum to steer a double-decker bus and drive a virtual train. The gift shops are next level for that niche present of space slime or palaeontology dig set. Seevisitbritan.com
Catch a show
Visiting the West End will raise the curtains on any budding theatre love. The theatres themselves are showstoppers,like the red velvet-lined Vaudeville Theatre,home to the musicalSix,a 60-minute #girlpower sassy song-fest about Henry VIII’s six wives.Frozen is housed in the 350-year-old marble-decked Theatre Royal Drury Lane and perennial all-age pleaser is top tier (in both price and experience)The Lion King.Big shows are big bucks,book months ahead (restricted view tickets can be bargains,preview visibility atseatplan.com) and for limited release “rush” tickets,the Today Tix app is your best friend. Use bathrooms at nearby eateries pre or post show to avoid long venue queues. Seetodaytix.com
Take a ride
If there’s just one London activity to make non-negotiable,it’s the family-guided bike tour with Tally Ho Experiences. In three hours you cover serious territory,including winding down a wonky-door street in Westminster or adding to the street art with spray paint cans (supplied) in Banksy Tunnel. Kids will burn energy and it’s the ultimate parent pleaser – switch off while following your guide who’s on an eye-catching vintage Pashley bicycle complete with music box playing 1950s music. The cherry on the cake is tag-along bike options for little legs.HitLower Marsh Market post cycle for fast and delicious ethnic street food. See tallyho.cc