Itinerary #3: Hyde Park and Museums

This intinerary includes Hyde Park, V&A (and/or other museum), and Harrods. As with all these itineraries, you can do this one in reverse as well. If you’re visiting at a busy time of year, you definitely want to hit Harrod’s in the morning if possible.

For this walk, the place to start is the Marble Arch tube stop.

Hyde Park is massive, so this walk will only take you through part of it (but the most interesting parts in my opinion). You’ll enter the park very near Speakers Corner, which is only of note on Sundays, when a handful of lunatics turn up to spout complete nonsense. Ed would scold me for that…it has a long history, of course. He marched us through one weekend, and I personally couldn’t wait to get away but to each his own.

Head across the park, following signs for the Serpentine – a large lake in the center. You’ll know it when you see it. You’ll come across a café and beer garden along the water, where you can pay an exorbitant amount of money for refreshments (there are also refreshment carts all throughout the park). Cross the bridge and keep walking along the lake….pretty and a few interesting things to see, including the oldest lido (swimming club) in England. It’s open to the public for a fee; and if you’re there in summer, you can swim most any day between June and September. There’s also a café where you can get drinks and lunch. We were never brave enough to try this, but it could be an interesting experience for the adventurous (and cold-blooded) traveler.

Continue on to the Princess Diana fountain, a nice place to sit for a bit on a sunny day. If you have young kids, they can splash and play in the water. When ready to move on, head toward the Albert Memorial, an impressive monument built by Victoria for her beloved husband. Exit the park on Exhibition Road (Queen’s Gate is fine too).

Possible side stop: If you have younger kids, the Princess Diana playground isn’t terribly far from the fountain (nor is it as close as you would think). It’s a great playground with a huge ship built in the middle…definitely worth a stop.

Possible side stop: If you’re a Royals buff, Kensington Palace is on the edge of the park and reasonably close to the playground. For years, they’ve had an exhibition of Princess Diana’s dresses. I did a tour and found it pretty interesting. Ed would have hated it.

Note: Hyde Park has numerous bike rental stations where you can grab one and pay by the hour. You’re supposed to be 16 to use the bikes. We never did it, but I believe there’s an app where you can pretty easily set up an account. The park is quite big so this could be a good option if you want to conserve energy…it also looks fun!

If you’ve exited on Exhibition Road, you’ll pass the Science Museum and soon come upon the Natural History Museum on your right and the V&A (Victoria & Albert) museum on your left. If you’ve exited via Queens Gate, you’ll pass the Natural History Museum on your left. Turn left on Cromwell Road to get to the V&A. Where you head is entirely dependent on your interests; and of course, you could spend days or weeks in each of these museums. Entrance to all museums in London is free (with the exception of special exhibits), so it’s easy to pop in and out – nothing to lose.

My kids have a fairly low tolerance for museums, so I usually choose the V&A and combine it with a lunch stop. They have a lovely café, including a nice outside area with a fountain that kids can splash in on sunny days. We’ll have a bite to eat and then hit the Cast Courts, which are massive halls that have reproductions of famous sculptures and structures. It’s visually impressive so great for kids. They also have a nice gift shop (so intellectual that Haines family!).

We’ve also been to both the Natural History Museum and the Science Museum. At the Natural History Museum, our kids got a kick out of the T-Rex exhibit, but they didn’t end up wanting to stay long overall. The Science Museum was more manageable from a size perspective. If you have younger kids, there’s a great interactive gallery (I’d say for kids up to about 11). They also have a 3-D theater and several flight simulators on the top floor.

Note: In the winter, there’s an ice-skating rink at the Natural History Museum. We did this one year…fun but crowded.

Take a left on Cromwell Road as you leave the V&A and proceed to Harrods (about a 10-minute walk). You’ll come upon Harrods on your right. It’s huge so no chance of missing it. This is entirely down to personal choice (and financial circumstances!), but Harrods isn’t a place we go to shop. However, we do end up here fairly often. Below is what captures our interest. If you’re prioritizing time, I would personally put Harrods lower on my list.

Note: If visiting Harrods on a weekend or a busy time of year, you’ll definitely want to reverse this itinerary and be there in the morning. I’ve been when it was so busy that I started being pushed along in a crowd. Totally not worth it at that point. If you’re reversing, go to the Knightsbridge tube stop. Harrods is right there.

The Food Hall – My favorite part of the store, without question. It’s on the bottom floor and for me, it’s totally fascinating. Even if you aren’t a foodie, it’s worth checking out. They have fresh and prepared foods, bakery and confectionary items, coffee, a caviar bar, everything. There are numerous places where you can sit around a counter and eat, although be prepared to pay for the privilege. The major downside is that if you get food to go, there’s nowhere to eat it. However, if you’re doing this itinerary in reverse and the weather is kind, you could take your purchases to Hyde Park for a picnic.

The Egyptian escalator – This just a more interesting way to move between floors but definitely worth finding (in the center of the store) rather than taking the stairs or elevators.

The toy department – It’s not all that big really; but if you go at a less crowded time, they have people demonstrating various toys for the kids. The stuffed animal room is always a hit with my girls. You’ll find children’s clothes on this same floor. They’re really nice and interesting. Of course, most cost an arm and a leg.

The shoe department – Oh my. What a place. If you’re a shoe person, don’t miss it.

Ice cream parlour – On the second floor. You can get some incredible creations here but be prepared to pay (did I mention Harrods is expensive)? It can make for a memorable experience.

The team rooms – On the fourth floor. We’ve never had high tea there, but we’ve enjoyed tea and crumpets/scones a few times; and I have to say, it was delicious and fun. It felt special.

From Harrods, you can jump on the Tube at the Knightsbridge stop (Piccadilly line) to move on to your next destination.

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• n_haines@bellsouth.net