Crowds start to form an hour before the Changing of the Guard ceremony each morning at 11:30 a.m. If you want to see all the pomp and circumstance, including marching bands and the men who stand guard in their voluminous bearskin hats, best get here early. Better yet, book the Sunday Westminster and West End Tour with London Walks (www.walks.com). For a mere £8 per adult (children under 15 are free), you'll be led on a two-hour stroll to the Houses of Parliament, Westminster Abbey, St. James Park, and yes, Buckingham Palace, right before the Changing of the Guard ceremony. It's a great way to learn about the history of the West End and of the monarchy.
Buckingham Palace's State Rooms are open to the public for touring from late July to September, when the Queen is away in Scotland for the summer. (You can tell when the queen is "at home" when the flag flies over the palace.)
London Attractions
 | Changing of the Guard at Buckingham Palace 41 Buckingham Palace Road London, England Best For: Kids (7-9)•Tweens (10-12)•Teens (13+) |
 | London Eye Riverside Building Westminster Bridge Road London, England • 870-400-3006 Sure, it's slow, taking almost 30 minutes to make one revolution. And yes, you're behind a sheet of plexiglass, not open-air, so the ride feels more like a gondola than a Ferris wheel. Yet, the views are worth every penny and are a great introduction to the city for all members of the family. You can spot Big Ben, Houses of Parliament, St. Paul's Cathedral, and farther afield, you can just make out Wembley Stadium. Try to get here when the ride opens at 10 a.m. to avoid the long lines, especially in summer. Best For: Tots (0-2)•Kids (3-6)•Kids (7-9)•Tweens (10-12)•Teens (13+) |
 | Museum of Science Exhibition Road London, England • 207-942-4000 Like all museums in London, the Museum of Science is free (though there is an extra cost for any IMAX films). Head to the Launch Pad on the third floor to try all the hands-on exhibits, including ones with liquid, sand, wind, magnets and electricity. Also check out the oldest steam engine in the world, Puffing Billy, first built in 1813 to 1814, and as slow as a person walking. There's also the intriguing "Who Am I?" exhibition that focuses on the gender, health and longevity of the species known as homo sapiens. Best For: Kids (3-6)•Kids (7-9)•Tweens (10-12)•Teens (13+) |
 | National Gallery Trafalgar Square London, England • 207-747-2885 This is no ordinary art museum. Indeed, each room, you'll find another classic work you studied in Art History 101. There's "Arnolfini's Wedding," with its curved mirror, one of the first works to show perspective. Another hallway displays epic works of Peter Paul Rubens, like the struggle between Sampson and Delilah. You can find self-portraits of Rembrandt as both a young and old man, van Gogh's sunflowers, Monet's Japanese bridge, and other impressive wares by the like of Caravaggio, Titian, and Velasquez. If you visit one art museum with the kids in London, this is the one. Best For: Kids (3-6)•Kids (7-9)•Tweens (10-12)•Teens (13+) |
 | Thames River Cruise London, England • 207-740-0400 After getting a bird's eye view of London on the Eye, head down to the docks to get a close up look at many of the major sites in the city on this 45-minute tour. You'll see the new Globe Theatre, where Shakespeare's works are performed in an open-air theater reminiscent of the stage where the plays were first shown in the 1500s. You'll also see the Tate Modern, the Tower of London, and cruise under many bridges, including the picturesque Tower Bridge. Catch the cruises at Westminster, Tower and Greenwich Piers. Best For: Tots (0-2)•Kids (3-6)•Kids (7-9)•Tweens (10-12)•Teens (13+) |
 | Tower of London 202-203 Grange Road London, England • 203-166-6000 Dating back to the times of William the Conqueror in 1097, the Tower of London is a maze of buildings, hallways and galleries that contains the priceless crown jewels, the crown worn by the king or queen of England during coronation, and armour worn by British knights. A special treat for older children are the torture devices, like the rack used for stretching a person, and the small cell called Little Ease, where a person can't stand or be comfortable at all. Get a guided tour from the Yeoman Warders of the Tower, the Beefeaters dressed in uniform, and you'll also be led to the spot where Anne Boleyn, the wife of Henry the VIII, was beheaded. Grisly! Best For: Kids (7-9)•Tweens (10-12)•Teens (13+) |
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