Part 1- London Stop 1!

Recently, I had the privilege to go back to the UK just to work in the libraries and archives for material for my PhD in Edinburgh and wow is my head still spinning! It was incredibly important to me that I obviously maximized my work time, but also got to experience Edinburgh. It is my dark academia dream after all! To top it off, I had my husband and 20 month old daughter accompany me so there was a lot going on, but I did my homework ahead of time and it all worked out. I came home with some incredible material (one of which could be the fodder for its own manuscript in the future!!!) and some beautiful experiences. In this blog I’ll detail some tips and tricks for researchers as well as families with little ones. Keep in mind this was our second trip in 6 months and I think I’m getting it down!

One disclaimer– we got CRAZY LUCKY with weather since we went mid-January. It was mild for January, only rained a bit of the last day and we only had one day where we felt like it was too cold for the baby. However, there’s some serious upsides to January if you can brave whatever comes your way- it’s empty! We walked into all tourist attractions, never had to make reservations for dinner- it was incredibly slow paced and relaxing. Given that I worked the mornings and early afternoons, this also helped me maximise my time because I could just meet my family at an attraction and max out our time before close. Things are also a bit cheaper.

Day 1- Getting to London

We had two purposes in going to London. 1. That was supposed to be the “vacation” and 2. We had a really bad experience the first time we went to Scotland with a connecting flight to Edinburgh. Our pilot had circled too long and we missed the connector. The next was hours later. New York airports are starting to offer direct to Edinburgh and when I have to travel solo for some PhD engagements in 2026 I’ll probably make the commute to NYC, but this time it didn’t make sense for our family. This way we arrived in London and spent 48 hours on the ground acclimating before taking the LNER train to Edinburgh.

Given that we had 48 hours in London, I wanted to make sure we were in a location that would enable us to see a large amount of historical attractions but also be walkable so we stayed at the St. James (Hilton Curio Collection) right in Trafalgar Square. If you have minimal time and easily want to reach a lot of big attractions- pick a hotel in this area. It actually was in Trafalgar Sqaure, not the outskirts, so when we left, the Square was in front of us including the National Galleries (FREE!!). It was also a 10ish minute walk down the Mall to Buckingham Palace as well as a 10ish minute walk to Big Ben and Parliament.

The first day unfortunately we were down and out and no one was feeling well. So we took our time and then got going in the afternoon. We checked out the square and then walked the Mall. There was a handful of people at Buckingham palace and we got some amazing pics. On our way back, we went through St.James park which is pretty incredible, minus all the aggressive looking birds just walking around… The park is great though because there’s still plenty to see in the winter and they had little coffee kiosks.

The next day we were ready to roll and maxed out the day. Anyone who knows me knows this is a huge personality flaw in me ha! After breakfast at the hotel (this is always our go to with the baby. Check your CC company programs and points- many times you can get it included) we made our way to Westminster Abbey. Again no line, no wait, we walked right in. The last time I had been in London was the summer of 2006 so everything was PACKED. I felt like I had all these amazing places to myself this time.

Westminster Abbey has an entry fee of £30.00 per adult, but babes under 6 don’t pay. For an additional £5 you can go up in the Abbey and view the Queen’s Jubilee galleries. For the extra £5 it is beyond worth it! There are some seriously amazing pieces. Whilst the price seems steep- it all goes to the Abbey. The Abbey itself has plenty to keep you busy though should you not opt for the galleries. Queen Elizabeth’s tomb is a major draw, as well as the Grave of the Unknown Warrior. Poets corner is also a huge draw and you can pay your respect to literary greats like Jane Austen and the Brontë sisters.

After, we went across the street to Westminster Bridge to see Big Ben and Parliament and snap a few pics of Parliament on the Thames. Such an incredible sight that never gets old. Fun fact. Did you know the tower is actually called the Elizabeth Tower? It’s the Bell itself that’s called Big Ben!

We rounded out the touristy part of our day with the Churchill War Rooms and Museum that are underground. This cost us about 33 pounds and the baby was free (minus the Winston Churchill rubber duck she found and HAD to have. Absolutely my child) The War Rooms are maybe a 4 minute walk from the Abbey and Parliament and borders St. James Park. So great location and easy to find. These rooms were the underground location of Churchill’s WWII headquarters and had rooms for everyone of any importance throughout the war. When the war was finished, they simply boarded them up and left them. Now they look as they did in WWII and give a great look at what it was like for Churchill and his staff. Additionally, there’s a pretty modern and well kept museum about Churchill that’s attached that is a must for any Churchill fan. Ironically, our little one slept through all attractions minus this one and enjoyed stretching her legs in the cabinet rooms!

For dinner we decided to have a high tea experience. We ended up choosing Claridge’s traditional experience. It was a bit fancier than Fortnum and Mason, but not as upscale at the Ritz or Savoy. Honestly, Ritz prices weren’t too far off of Claridge’s. I nixed it because it had a dress code. I’m all for getting dressed up in my best Kate Middleton ensemble but not in the winter when I’d need to change again and waste a ton of time I didn’t have. Maybe on a summer trip when I could pull off a sun dress?

The next morning we were up at dawn and set off for King’s Cross Station to board our LNER train to Edinburgh, Waverley Station. 48 hours in London and we did a lot with a little time. We’ll be back for one more night though at the end of the trip!

***Baby Travel Tips- more compact strollers are a complete must. The first time went our little one was able to fit in a Doona and that was a complete dream at it was a car seat and stroller in one. Sadly, she outgrew it for this trip. We opted them for the GB Pockit All-Terrain option. The Pockit folds up to something like the size of a briefcase and we found an accessory option that was a backpack carrying case. It went right in the overhead. Despite being smaller and not as sturdy as our usual stroller it took the cobblestones like a champ.

If you haven’t done plane travel yet, snacks and fun travel toys are key. We’re not tablet or electronic toy parents but we did allow her some Bluey and Disney movies on the iPad throughout the trip just to keep her relaxed on the plane and train. Totally up to parent preference. For toys though, we went with Ooly travel colouring books and Wikki Stix. Wow were the Wikki Stix a big hit and easy to bring out anywhere. We also brought a travel version of Crayola’s Magnatiles.

Important– unlike the U.S there are some traditional pubs all over the UK that at no time allow children on the premise, not even during lunch. Some who do, will ask that children are out in the evening. Make sure you do your homework on kid friendly places. For instance Deacon Broadie’s on the mile, little ones allowed as long you’re having a meal. The Bow Bar on historic Victoria Street has a sign saying no children. George IV Pub on the George IV bridge has no problem with kids.