Get set for a feast of family-friendly fun
Attractions across Greater London are reopening with a safety-first strategy for all – and there’s everything from big tourist destinations to undiscovered gems to look forward to
HAMPTON COURT PALACE
Henry VIII’s magnificent residence will be reopening its doors today and offering a royal welcome to visitors via pre-booked, timed-entry tickets. If you’ve not yet secured your entry tickets, you can still visit the extensive outdoor spaces, pictured top, although the Magic Garden and Maze are to remain closed for the time being.
⬤ From 17 July; children from
£12.20, adults from £24.50; hrp.org.uk/hampton-court-palace
CUTTY SARK AT ROYAL MUSEUMS GREENWICH
While many of the historic buildings of Royal Museums Greenwich are closed for
now, the Cutty Sark, above, will soon be reopening to visitors who have pre-booked a time slot. In the meantime, the regular market is already back on, while the spectacular Greenwich Park is also open to those wanting to get a fix of the great outdoors.
⬤ From 20 July; under-4s free, children £7.50, adults £15; rmg.co.uk
UP AT THE O2
With just 10 people per climb instead of the usual 30, fewer people than normal will be quietly judging your fitness as you tackle the steps up outside of The O2 dome, above left. Prepare to marvel at the 360° views – but with enhanced health and safety measures in place, tickets must be pre-booked and availability is limited ⬤ Ages 8 to adult from £32; tickets. aegeurope.com/ upattheo2
CHESSINGTON WORLD OF ADVENTURES
The theme park at Chessington World of Adventures is open to thrill-seekers again, pictured top, along with its resort hotels for those who feel like one day is never enough. Most of the rides and attractions are back in action, although some are still not accepting riders, so check in advance if there’s a favourite you simply must go on.
⬤ From £29.50; chessington.com
THE DRIVE IN
Cruise over to Edmonton for a well-polished body of classic movies and popcorn flicks you can enjoy from the comfort of your car at The Drive In, above right. While the experience oozes nostalgia for Fifties America, the app-based food orders and contact-free ticketing is thoroughly modern.
⬤ £35 per car; the drivein.london
NATIONAL ARMY MUSEUM
Keeping things orderly is second nature to the military, so it’s little surprise that there is now an efficient one-way system in place to guide visitors through the five galleries of
The National Army Museum and its impressive collection of militaria. Entry is free, but tickets must be booked in advance.
⬤ Free; nam.ac.uk
KENSINGTON PALACE
The official home to The Duke and Duchess of Cambridge was also the birthplace of Queen Victoria. As it welcomes visitors once again in reduced numbers, it’s the ideal opportunity to take a wander through her reimagined childhood rooms without the usual crowds.
⬤ From 30 July; children from £8.50, adults from £17; hrp.org.uk/ kensington-palace
PETTS WOOD AND HAWKWOOD
This escape from London’s seemingly endless sprawl once supplied oak timber to the Royal Dockyards. Now it provides an idyllic respite for weary urbanites where heritage crafts such as charcoal burning keep the past alive and provide a reminder of simpler times.
⬤ Free; nationaltrust.org.uk/ petts-wood-and-hawkwood
ROYAL BOTANIC GARDENS, KEW
With 300 acres of gorgeously designed green space, it’s easy to find a quiet spot to yourself at the Royal Botanic Gardens, Kew. Most of the major attractions – pictured above, the Alpine House – will have been reopened by now to the public, but entry is currently only via ticketed time slots that are booked in advance. ⬤ Under-4s free, 4-15s £3, 16-24s from £4.50, over-25s from £9; kew.org
MORDEN HALL PARK AND WATERMEADS
Take a leisurely stroll through the tranquil Morden Hall, pictured left, an enticing 125-acre oasis of English countryside divided by the meandering River Wandle. The nearby Watermeads area has also recently been reopened after restoration works made it easier and safer for the public to explore. ⬤ Free; nationaltrust.org.uk/ morden-hall-park
OSTERLEY HOUSE PARK AND GARDENS
While the house and café remain closed for now, Osterley House’s
charming gardens have recently opened to visitors again. You must book in advance, however, but if you have no luck getting tickets, you can still visit the parkland, which is open to all.
⬤ Free; nationaltrust.org.uk/ osterley-park-and-house
ELTHAM PALACE GARDENS
While Eltham Palace itself remains closed for now, the extensive gardens and grounds are welcoming visitors once again and the café is providing a takeaway menu of lighter options. Due to the one-way system necessitated by social distancing, the gardens are not currently accessible to wheelchair users, unfortunately.
⬤ Under-5s free, 5-17s from £7.50, adults from £12.50; english-heritage. org.uk/visit/places/eltham-palaceand-gardens
THE NATIONAL GALLERY
It’s laudable that many galleries provided virtual tours of their collections during lockdown for anyone to view, but an online perusal cannot compare to being in the presence of the real deal. Thankfully, the National Gallery is now open again for you to see its treasures in person.
⬤ Free, must be pre-booked; nationalgallery.org.uk
THE WALLACE COLLECTION
In its entire 120-year history, there have been only two other occasions when the expansive and exquisite Wallace Collection was forced to close its doors for any great length of time. Now, with two world wars and, hopefully, the worst of the pandemic behind us, fingers crossed they can remain open for many decades to come.
⬤ From 15 July; free, must be pre-booked; wallacecollection.org
RAF MUSEUM LONDON
The Royal Air Force impressive museum’s collection is arranged across vast hangars that let you get up close to awe-inspiring machines and explore the stories behind the people who flew and maintained them. Tickets must be booked in advance.
Free; rafmuseum.org.uk
ROOFTOP FILM CLUB’S DRIVE-IN CINEMA
Despite the name, the Rooftop
Film Club has not set up a drive-in cinema atop a building. Instead, it’s high on the hill at Alexandra Palace and has a full roster of favourites, such as Grease, The Big Lebowski, Back to the Future and plenty more movie gems on its schedule.
⬤ From £27.50 per vehicle; rooftopfilmclub.com/london
BATTERSEA PARK CHILDREN’S ZOO
Since its scheduled talks have been put on hold, Battersea
Park Children’s Zoo, left, has introduced a system that can send information to your smartphone about its fascinating mammals, birds and reptiles as you roam along the one-way system linking the enclosures. The café is open too, serving takeaway.
⬤ Open now; children £7.95, adults £9.95; batterseaparkzoo.co.uk
LONDON WETLAND CENTRE
The hides have been opened again at the London Wetland Centre, just in time to look out for recently fledged birds and migratory visitors. Oystercatchers and peregrines have all been spotted in recent weeks.
⬤ Under-4s free, 4-16s from
£8.13, adults from £13.40, pre-booking essential; wwt.org.uk/ wetland-centres/london
GOBOAT
Book a little electric motorboat for up to eight people (two households per boat) and captain it yourself along Regent’s Canal from Paddington, through
Little Venice, the Maida Hill Tunnel, past Regent’s
Park and
London Zoo to Camden Lock. No experience is necessary and each craft has a picnic-perfect table.
⬤ From £79 per boat, per hour; goboat.co.uk
THORPE PARK
Most of the attractions are back in action at Thorpe Park, including its popular roller coasters, such as the Stealth. Tickets must be pre-booked and you will need to bring a face mask to be able to go on some of the rides.
⬤ From £39; thorpepark.com