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We are going to London this month (weather permitting) for Littly's 8th birthday. She wants to go to the Natural History Museum (I know!!) for her day out. I've always taken the train to London and tubed around (I love the tube!) but as we are going so far South we want to go to Bournemouth and stay overnight with a friend afterwards, so we're driving!!  ???
I've only gone via car once and that was about 15 years ago. I think we parked in Richmond and tubed in? Does this sound right? We're coming from the Midlands this time though, then I was coming from the South.
Any advice would be most welcome-I cannot bear trawling through another site about LondonTown only to find no answer!! ;D

I've got a list of tube station car parks if that is any help

http://www.tfl.gov.uk/roadusers/tubestationcarparks/default.aspx

London transport

http://www.tfl.gov.uk/     

Journey Planner

http://www.transportdirect.info/Web2/Home.aspx?cacheparam=0

That museum is usually great fun for all ages, the other national museums are all good and they are close together too. 
   

Hi Emmy

Do you want to avoid driving in London?  If so, do you want to be parked north of the capital (i.e. closer to the Midlands) or south of the capital (i.e. closer to Bournmouth)?  

G x

Thanks PH-I'll have a look at those in a sec.
Hi Georgie-I'd rather not be driving around and finding parking in London. The museum is S Kensington and the NHM website says parking is difficult and expensive! Also it would be nice to be free to go somewhere afterwards if we have time and be free of the car.
It doesn't really matter where we are closer to when we park except that we'll be coming in from the Midlands and then leaving to go South to B-mouth. Does that make sense?!

http://freetopark.co.uk/2009/07/27/free-parking-boost-for-businesses-in-richmond/

Is this where i would need to be? If it is, it's free to park! That would be nice.  ;)

Spoke to OH....he suggests follow north circular going west to Hangar Lane. There is a residential street first left at the big Hangar Lane roundabout where you can park (he has done this but not recently, there didn't use to be any residential restrictions when he last did this a year ago) and go on the tube. That also leaves you well positioned to pick up the M4 at the Chiswick roundabout.

Other option, carry on and pick up the south circular and head Sheen, Rohampton, Wimbledon way, park in a side street there and pick up the District Line from Wimbledon or Southfields into town and head south afterwards to pick up the M4 again.

Hi Emmy

we get a lot of people from the midlands driving down the M40 to Hillingdon station on Football days (Wembley).
It is 2 junctions on the A40 wihich is on the end of the M40.
you can get the Piccadilly straight to south Kensington.

Hillingdon Station is 1 Mile from the M25 for your journey on.

Hope this helps

Dimmo

we live in surrey and go to the science museum (next to natural history) with our two children quite a bit, we drive straight there and find a space, it's usually pretty easy just make sure you have a lot of pound coins for the meters. The thought of using the underground with children would be enough to make me stay at home!

PS the science museum is well worth a trip too, it's next door, free and has loads of interactive stuff an 8 year old would love!

Have a look here for park and ride schemes in London.

http://www.parkandride.net/London_Greater/london_frameset.shtml

When we go up there, we come off the M25 at Barnet.... straight through High Barnet , can park in a side road and hop on the northern line to get into London or go a bit further and park near Totteridge and Whetstone Tube station.... but is only 1 stop nearer on the N line.

Have a bit of an advantage though as we grew up in Barnet so know where we are going.... ;D Its a great day out!

Wow! Lots of suggestions, thanks guys!
Parking outside would be great if it's as easy as you say reddyreddy! I'll check out the Science Museum site - I did want to squeeze in as much as poss and as you say it is next door-they may have all the parking which is why the NHM say they've got none-how many is many pound coins!!???

£3/hour

http://www.rbkc.gov.uk/PDF/30010%20Pay%20&%20Display%20Parking%20tariff%20map.pdf

Graah! Although once I've done tube fares prob not a lot in it!

Hillingdon sounds good but never tried it.

I generally use Hampton Court / Thames Ditton/ Surbiton/ Kingston. If I cant find street parking at one then I try the next (they are all about 5/10 mins apart). Kingston, being a shopping area will have plenty of paid parking, but is my last resort. (Once I even parked in Richmond park and got the buss into Kingston :))

The reason for these is that they're train rather than tube, much quicker, 30-35 mins into Clapham/Waterloo, at the same cost.

When I lived in East Midlands I'd take the A1 down and also park in Totteridge and Whetstone, but its a bit posh for my car.

Its a tricky one Emmy..Weekends are different - normally free.
Most Londoners wont drive into London as we tend to have travel or Oyster cards so it's much cheaper to use public transport.   Finding a d**n space can be a tricky thing and if you have never driven around central London it may be harder than you think..

Personally, I wouldn't dream of driving into town unless you know it like the back of your hand! (And I've lived in the suburbs all my life, used to drive up to town several times a week and my father-in-law & brother-in-law were both cabbies.)

Are you seriously intending to do all this in one day? Bournemouth is another 3 hours from London. In that case, you want to leave the car somewhere near the M25, near the junction with the M3, so that at least the later stage is straight-forward. Personally, I'd look for a motel or similar in that area and stay the night, either before or after.

And get pre-paid Oyster cards before you go. (Go to the tfl website and you can buy them on-line.)

I wouldn't drive into London if you paid me, my Dad was a cabbie for 35+ years, not my cup of tea though.    ???      ;D ;D ;D

Sorry to hijack the thread, but I am supposed to be driving in this sunday to help my daughter move somewhere around paddington station. Do you think I would be better waiting until after the freeze or is London ice free. I have a dreaded 4x4 and the M3 should be clear by then.

I can only speak for my neck of the woods ACE but main roads are pretty much clear at the moment.  Side roads are icy but in the main usable esp in a 4x4.  I drove today with no issues.  The main issue is other drivers - as usual in London!

Sunday is the day of the great snow blizzard, I'd keep well away.    ??? ??? ???     :'( :'( :'(