Summer Holidays Near Knightsbridge: Boats, a Pirate Ship and Free Art
With the school holidays about to begin, Knightsbridge families face the annual question of how to fill six weeks without crossing London every day. The good news is that some of the best days out in the city are a short walk from Brompton Road, and several cost little or nothing. Here is a plan built around the two great parks on the doorstep, with a museum for the inevitable wet afternoon.
On the water: Serpentine boating
The Boathouse on the Serpentine in Hyde Park is open daily from 10am, and in June, July and August it stays open until 8pm, which makes an after-supper row a real possibility on warm evenings. Booking online is available but not essential; you can simply walk up on the day, though the queue may close early at busy times. Prices from the Royal Parks boating page:
- 30 minutes: adult £10.95, child £4.95, family £28.50
- 60 minutes: adult £13.95, child £6.95, family £37.10
- Off-peak, 10am to midday: 30 minutes for £7.10 per adult and £3.45 per child
- Electric pedalos: £52 per boat for 30 minutes
Children's tickets cover ages three to 15, and under-threes go free with their carers. The family ticket covers two adults and up to three children. The early off-peak slot is the clear bargain for families who are up and about early anyway.
In Kensington Gardens: the pirate ship
Walk west into Kensington Gardens for the Diana, Princess of Wales Memorial Playground, opened in 2000 next to Kensington Palace. Its centrepiece is a large wooden pirate ship with its own beach, and it is aimed at children under 12. Nearby, look for the Peter Pan statue down by the Long Water and the Elfin Oak, a small woodland world of creatures that younger children love to inspect. The Kensington Gardens guide has a map of all three. Older children with an interest in royal history might prefer Kensington Palace itself, Diana's former home and now the official London residence of the Prince and Princess of Wales; visits must be booked ahead, so plan that one before you leave the house.
Art they are allowed to touch
On the way back, stop at Serpentine South for Jesús Rafael Soto's Pénétrable BBL Jaune, a ten-metre block of 4,000 hanging yellow tubes that visitors are meant to walk through and touch. It is free, open Tuesday to Sunday, and children tend to go through it more than once.
For a rainy day
If the weather turns, the Science Museum on Exhibition Road is free to enter, with general admission tickets booked in advance. Its Wonderlab gallery, with more than 50 interactive exhibits, is ticketed and cheaper when booked ahead; it is open daily until 5.40pm.
From Knightsbridge, enter Hyde Park at Albert Gate for the Boathouse, then continue west for Kensington Gardens. Bring water, sun cream and a picnic blanket. For more holiday ideas, see our things to do guide.
