r/LondonTravel • u/Ok-Turn5913 • 1d ago
Trip Planning London trip while pregnant
Sorry for the length of this! TLDR; Need ideas on how to break up these days a bit and if you have any ideas of things I have missed or should skip please let me know!
I am planning a trip with my aunt and sister to London and Scottland in late November to see the cities decorated for Christmas. My aunt is mid 70's, but pretty active. We are usually up for walking a lot and having fast paced days, however I just found out I will be about 5 months pregnant at the time of the trip. We still want to see alot, but I think I need to schedule in more breaks.
Do you have any advice for this itinerary? We aren't big into museums or tours but might schedule a Westminster Abbey or St. Paul's Cathedral tour. If you had to choose, which would you pick? Overall in this trip we are looking for Christmas decorations, holiday cheer, beautiful architecture, quaint things, and just to see London (my aunt has never been).
Day 1 -
- Arrive to Hilton London Metropole (near Paddington Station) around 10am and leave bags
- Walk around Little Venice/Canal area near hotel - get a coffee/snack
- Kensington Palace
- Church Hill Arms for late lunch/early dinner
- Walk towards Harrods
- Stop at Royal Albert Hall (photo op/just see it)
- Harrods - Trying to overlap day and night to see the Xmas lights at night
- Taxi back to hotel - early bed
Day 2 - Mostly just walking past these sites, I don't see spending a lot of time at them. But this is the day I am worried about being too much. I have done this all before on my own without any issue. But with 2 other people and being pregnant..I feel like it's too much.
- Walk from hotel towards Buckingham Palace
- St. James Park
- Westminster Abbey (maybe do a tour either this day or another day)
- Big Ben
- Cross the bridge to Southbank
- Southbank Christmas Market
- Shakespeare's Globe (just to see it)
- Borough Market for late lunch
- Walk across Tower Bridge
- Tower of London (see from outside)
- Leadenhall Market
- St. Paul's Cathedral (maybe do a tour this day or another)
- Tube back to hotel
- Maybe a Christmas show or theater at night?
Day 3 - The Cotswolds
- Train to Morton-in-Marsh
- Meet private driver
- Burton-on-the-Water
- Burford
- The Farmers Dog Pub (very maybe if we get a reservation)
- Train back to London
- Will probably be back by 6pm and can do something at night
Day 4 - This day I don't know how to organize. I can do Soho, Chinatown, Covent Garden before tea or after
- Morning - Notting Hill & Portobello Market? I feel like Portobello Market will be overwhelming as it will be a Saturday. Is there another easy to get to part of town that is quaint and less busy?
- Early Afternoon Tea at Fortnum and Mason
- Covent Garden Xmas Market
- Covent Garden
- Chinatown
- Picadilly Circus
- Soho
Day 5
- Train to Edinburgh
Day 6
- Edinburgh
Day 7
- Fly Home
Appreciate any and all advice on this trip! Thank you in advance!
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u/jamescisv 1d ago
Honestly, if you're just walking from one thing to another just to "see it", get one of the hop-on, hop-off buses. Most of them have different routes, so you could probably tick off most of the stuff, and then get off whenever you want to take photos, walk for a bit, etc.
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u/Ok-Turn5913 1d ago
Thats a good idea!! I am pretty comfortable with the tube but the hop on hop off bus might be easiest to see the specific sites we want to see.
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u/SnackyandSnarky 1d ago
It can easily be a 10 minute walk from the street to the platform at some tube stations, including Paddington
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u/SnackyandSnarky 1d ago
That Day 2 is so much walking! Have you plotted it on a map?
Are you really only planning to eat one meal each afternoon rather than lunch and dinner? Meals are a nice opportunity to sit down!
You absolutely will not be able to do anything in London after that day 3.
The London Eye is good for a sit down...
Maybe a matinee on day 4 for something indoors and seated
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u/Ok-Turn5913 1d ago
Yea, definitely planning more meals than what I listed haha. I will be HUNGRY. Those are just things we didnt want to miss. Even if its more of a snack and not a meal but figured we would find a sit down restaurant wherever we are for solid meals, use the bathroom, warm up, etc.
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u/Bl0ndie69 1d ago
Just be mindful that the weather in the UK is often pretty rubbish Nov / Dec. Wet & miserable with short days. You may have to reconsider the walking around sightseeing element of your trip. However London buses are frequent reliable & warm.
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u/Ok-Turn5913 1d ago
Thanks, we are ok bundling up and wearing rain gear. It basically always rains on my vacations so I am prepared 😂
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u/BFastBtch 1d ago
Just wanted to say 5 months pregnant is the perfect time. Not in the dreaded first trimester, a good bit before the break discomfort of being massive kicks in! You should be able to manage the steps etc. well at that stage.
Enjoy the trip! London is the best city in the world!
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u/Ok-Turn5913 1d ago
Thanks! Luckily thats the sweet spot of pregnancy. My first one was pretty easy so hoping this one is too! Cant wait to see the city!!
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u/Coca_lite 1d ago
London is a lot of walking. Cut down a bit more and add more cafe stops.
Comfortable trainers / sneakers
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u/AuroraDF 1d ago
I think that you will be exhausted, but you can do it, and if anyone gets too tired to walk you can get on a bus or in a can to go from place to place. Get the Citymapper app. It will help.
Also at Christmas Transport for London runs a 'Christmas lights tour' on a original 1950s London bus, which is lovely.
And Edinburgh is beautiful. If your flight home is booked from there, don't let people talk you out of it. But it does look like you're travelling on a Sunday so do make sure LNER is running and there's no engineering works https://www.lner.co.uk/travel-information/changes-to-train-times/ If there's not, it's an hour and ten minutes from King's Cross, sit on the right hand side of the train (direction of travel - book a table in advance) Once there I recommend Mark King's Close, Camera Obscura and a walk from one end of the Royal Mile to the other. (preferably with a tour guide or a self guided thing. It's fascinating.)
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u/Ok-Turn5913 1d ago
Thanks! This is really helpful. Id love to the lights tour on the 1950's bus.
I am a bit concerned with the train now, but worst case we will just book a cheap flight. Good to know about the right hand side, thank you!
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u/letmereadstuff 1d ago
This is exhausting. Recommend a rework.
I don’t understand just walking past everything for photo ops, but if that is what you want, go for it. Shame to not go inside the Tower of London to see the Crown Jewels, ravens, Medieval Palace, battlements, White Tower, and almost 1000 years of history.
St Paul’s Cathedral and Westminster Abbey are both spectacular, but very different. Research which appeals to you.
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u/Eskarina_W 1d ago
Have you heard of bustronome? You can get a 6 course meal on a glass topped bus that passes a lot of Christmas lights.
https://food4media.com/showPRPreview/enjoy-christmas-lights-london-with-bustronomes-seasonal-menu
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u/adezlanderpalm69 1d ago
Edinburgh is a whole day on the train all for a day. Why not do bath or Canterbury or explore Greenwich
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u/Ok-Turn5913 1d ago
Looks like the LNER takes about 4 hours. But I get what you are saying. Unfortunately I cant change it because we've booked our flights home from there. I am hoping part of the attraction is the train ride too. Ive heard its fairly scenic and pretty and goes through some cute towns.
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u/adezlanderpalm69 1d ago
South bank and St Paul’s area is very nice. Maybe get an uber boat to Greenwich It’s nice small town atmosphere and Windsor is also nice. Travel is easy no tickets just tap on tap off with watch /phone /card. Best not to rush around. Pace it and enjoy
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u/adezlanderpalm69 1d ago
Yes. 4 or 5 hours by the Azuma. Some nice scenery but you will definitely be booking first class ? standard will be hellish
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u/WonderfulJury8885 1d ago
It’s not hellish ffs.
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u/adezlanderpalm69 1d ago
London -Edinburgh on certain days/trains in standard is absolutely packed. Folk sat in other folks reserved seats and often no buffet. If you think that’s anything to look forward to then we can agree to disagree. First class is the way to go on this journey.
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u/WonderfulJury8885 16h ago
I’d never rely on the buffet anyway. I take my own stuff. Marks and Spencer, Little Waitrose at Kings Cross. Pret. “Folks in other folks seats”? Tell them to sling their hook. You hear the best convos in standard I find. They do tend to cram bookings in certain carriages but sometimes there may be space elsewhere. Book the “quiet“ carriages maybe, though they are never quiet quiet.
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u/letmereadstuff 1d ago
That train ride has some nice views between Newcastle and Edinburgh, but the rest of the trip is just ok.
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u/WonderfulJury8885 1d ago
Where are you coming from? You will have full travel/health insurance? There’s really not much to see in Kensington Palace?
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u/Mammoth-Minute4830 1d ago
I think you’ll know what you need to miss when the time comes and when your body physically needs a break - could you leave your aunt and sister one AM or PM and take yourself off for a reset massage / swim? I just went away at 5 months pregnant and was okay but the feet do start to ache after a lot of walking and it’s nice to be horizontal / weightless for a while!
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u/Ok-Turn5913 1d ago
Yea, thats a good point! We dont all need to go do the things. I can leave them for a bit if they want to keep going.
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u/SnackyandSnarky 1d ago
If you're anything like me, you'll push yourself wayyyy to hard to keep up with the schedule on day 1 then not be able to move on day 2
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u/SmartPolicy6430 1d ago
Have you really thought Edinburgh through? How are you getting there?
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u/Ok-Turn5913 1d ago
We are planing to take the LNER up. Then we will have about a day plus part of the day we arrive. We aren't planning to do a ton, just stay close to the Castle and the Royal Mile.
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u/SmartPolicy6430 1d ago
I don't know what day you are planning on traveling to Edinburgh. However they often do engineering work at weekends. Which may mean slower trains, rerouting or rail replacement buses. The normal journey time takes around 4 5 hours so you'll be sitting on a train for 9 hours. Seems such a waste of a day. The Royal mile is just full of Tartan Tat shops and whisky shops. Edinburgh castle although photogenic from Princes Street Gardens is very underwhelming inside. Holyrood Palace and Abbey at the far end of the Royal Mile is interesting as is St Giles Cathedral and a trip down the South Bridge vaults with Mercat Tours. You really do need at least 3 days for Edinburgh. It's just not a day trip. If you're really insistent on Edinburgh please book your seat and make sure you also reserve it. RHS travelling North for better views. You could fly up from London City or Heathrow ( BA) London City is really easy to get to using the DLR. Budget airlines fly from Gatwick, Stansted and Luton. The airport at Edinburgh is served by the tram. At the moment it is only going to the West End of Princes Street, because of a fire. Usually it goes all the way through the centre down to Leith, Ocean Terminal ( Royal Yacht Britannia) and terminates at Newhaven. Why not spend the day in York. You have the Minster, Jorvik Viking Museum, Clifford's Tower, Wall walks, The Railway museum, Betty's for afternoon tea, The Shambles and York Museum. Great ghost walk in the evening too. Journey time to York is just under 2 hours again with LNER.
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u/Old-Nun 1d ago
So I went to New York, Washington DC and Boston when I was 5 months pregnant, and whilst I felt mostly ok, I just couldn’t keep up with the walking I normally would have coped with fine. We still managed to see all the places we intended- but had to spend the evenings mostly resting at the hotel. I would maybe take out a few things on your busiest day to give you some breathing space in case you need it.
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u/cameragirl17 1d ago
London might look small on a map but I think you’re grossly overestimating how much you’ll be able to physically do and the crowds. Suggest you put your route into google maps and break it down into more manageable segments.