London Eye
Opened as the world ’ s largest cantilevered observation wheel to celebrate the new millennium , The London Eye was initially only meant to be a temporary installation . But with over 3 million visitors each year flocking to discover the breathtaking 360 º panoramic views across the capital , this South Bank fixture is set to stay !
Having dominated the London skyline for over 20 years , today , The London Eye is the most popular paid tourist attraction in the whole of the UK and the top-rated London attraction .
And from the first step on board one of the ever-moving ‘ pods ’ it ’ s easy to see why !
The 32 fully enclosed pods ( although they are numbered 1 - 33 with pod 13 left out for good luck ) take roughly 30 minutes to complete a full rotation , moving slowly enough to allow guests to board and disembark without the wheel having to fully stop . On a clear day you ’ ll not only be able to see the local landmarks ; Big Ben , The Tower of London and The Shard , but also across the entire city as far as Windsor Castle , some 40km away !
Having benefited from pod updates , all offer enhanced ventilation , heating and cooling systems with extra special opportunities to hire private pods or even ride in the Pub Pod !
For families , it ’ s a great way of seeing the very top of London ’ s iconic skyline and most admired landmarks without tiring out little feet !
Family standard tickets cost from £ 22 per person , however the great thing here is that you can buy multiattraction tickets allowing you to combine your London Eye experience with a host of other top London attractions such as the hop-on-hop-off BIG BUS Tour , Madame Tussauds , London Dungeon , SEA LIFE London Aquarium , and Shrek ' s Adventure !
www . londoneye . com
The Coal Shed
All that adventuring is bound to build up an appetite ! Thankfully conveniently situated just steps from Tower Bridge is the London location of the renowned The Coal Shed .
As the name suggests the menu offering here celebrates coal-roasted fayre , elevated further by it ’ s top end produce ; think rare breed and heritage meats and South Coast seafood ; all inspired by the Persian roots of founder Raz Helalat . crackling , chargrilled peach and rainbow chard ; so large it probably didn ’ t require the side order of short rib mac n cheese ( although it is so divine we implore you to order it ) or triple cooked chips .
© Haydon Perrior
Occupying two floors , the feel is industrial luxe ; floor-to-ceiling blackframed glass , deep rich wood , leather banquette benches , and metallic accents ; fusing the exclusivity of a high end cocktail bar with the welcoming vibe of the modern , open-plan restaurant .
Alongside the main á la carte menu , is a respectably priced 2 or 3 course set menu , and children are welcome too , with a specially designed menu just for them !
As the kids delighted in their plentiful portion of minute steak with fries followed by ice cream , we were able to re-fuel and indulge with our respected perfectly seared fillet steak with chimichurri ; and Old Spot pork T-bone with
Aside from the acclaimed grill options , desserts and cocktails here are pretty remarkable too .
The Virunga chocolate pot with vanilla ice cream was an instant hit , whilst the sharp subtle notes of the burnt lemon tart with raspberries and clotted cream was the perfect sweet treat for a perfect day of family fun !
www . coalshed-restaurantlondon . co . uk
THE BEST WAY TO GET TO LONDON
With super fast connections courtesy of Southeastern ’ s High Speed trains , families can venture to London in less than an hour , all ready to enjoy some family fun and adventure . www . southeasternrailway . co . uk
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