London with kids - best location to rent a flat (and cycle of course)

[jyyanks]

Hi Ladies

I'm planning a trip to London in the summertime with my husband and 2 kids (7 and 14). I haven't decided yet if we will stay in a hotel as I would like some room to spread out. I've been looking at flats to rent but I'm not familiar with London and what areas would work for a family with kids. Ideally, the location should be close to attractions/restaurants/shopping but we'd like to avoid seedy areas (obviously) as well as areas with a busy night scene. For those who have been to London or currently live there, do you have any suggestions?

I know London is known for it's cycling culture but not sure if the busy street will be ok for my youngest who just learned to ride a bike recently. Any thoughts and suggestions would be appreciated. Thank is advance for your help.

[IBrakeforPastry]

I've been to London several times and I honestly never had the desire to cycle there. It's congested and unlike newer cities that may be laid out in a grid, the streets are twisty and haphazard. Maybe the parks?

I have ridden in the English countryside. There are organizations that may help you plan a day out. Take the train somewhere and set you up with bikes and maps.

How long will you be staying? And is it just a vacation, or is business involved? If it's going to be for a while, I would try to find a more residential neighborhood (probably better biking) and rely on the "Tube" to get to the sites.

[Giulianna23]

I used to travel to London a few years ago in between 2001 -2005 when I had a long distance love relationship. We used to visit eachother frequently and I used to go at least twice a year. I love London its so beautiful and different . But our favorite spot was Brighton...the beach, the pier....very bicycle friendly (at least back then ...dont know now... I didnt cycle back then but I notice a lot of people riding their bikes from young to elders),...not to much traffic. As far as I remember it is about 40 minutes from the border of London and another 45min to 1hour from the center of London(because of traffic of course) . I fell in love with Brighton and I really want to go back one day.

[indysteel]

If we're talking central London, I'm partial to Bloomsbury. It's very centrally located and is, generally speaking, a relatively quiet area. The British Museum is nearby, as is the Russell Square tube stop. I have no idea what rentals are available though. I have no idea what cycling in the area would be like. I'm not sure how inclined I'd be to ride on the streets in Central London. I think taking a day trip to, say, Oxford for a bike ride would be more fun.

[jyyanks]

Thanks for your suggestions. This will be our family vacation and we are planning on staying for a week. I like the advice of staying somewhere in Central London and making a side trip to a less congested area to cycle. I will look into Bloombury as we would like a nice quiet area to stay. Brighton sounds wonderful and definitely worth a side trip, especially since we have 7 days to kill. Thanks All!

[indysteel]

Seven days in London will be super easy to kill. There's SO much to do and see! Have fun!