London for Families [ILLUSTRATED] (Paperback)

by Larry Lain (Author), Michael Lain (Author) "A good family vacation, especially one to somewhere you've never been before, starts months before you leave home..." (more)
Key Phrases: Covent Garden, Hyde Park, British Museum (more...)

Editorial Reviews

From Library Journal
This father-and-son team has written an eminently useful guide for planning a first or even second trip to London. Their book encourages the traveler to have a great time seeing the major sights while living like a native, keeping expenses to a minimum, and avoiding the pitfalls of travel to a new country. The Lains advise on accommodations (an apartment will be cheaper and roomier than many hotel rooms), keeping children occupied on the trip over, pacing yourself, and keeping family quarrels to a minimum. Information on specific hotels, bed and breakfasts, apartments, and restaurants is not included, although details on historic sights, museums, and day trips are ample. Chapters on dealing with daily life (shopping, money, getting around) and the planning section at the back will be of help not only to families but to first-time visitors to London of any age, including college students and seniors. Recommended for all libraries with active travel collections.?Linda M. Kaufmann, Massachusetts Coll. of Liberal Arts Lib., North Adams
Copyright 1998 Reed Business Information, Inc.

Review
Billed as the first guidebook for families seeking to "live like a local" on their vacation in London, London for Families is an accessible, well-organized and even friendly guide to a fun and hassle free trip abroad. Foreign travel can bring families together, give kids a new interest in history and social studies, and provide lasting lessons in cultural identity, according to authors, the brothers Larry and Michael Lain, who stress that these benefits are made easier in London where there is no real language barrier. "Foreign travel is a marvelous thing to offer to young people," write the authors. "The world is shrinking at a pace their parents could have never imagined: young people must be more world-oriented than their parents to live in the new century, and will need a greater understanding of world cultures than previous generations needed." With practical recommendations, like the best place to watch the Changing of the Guard at Buckingham Palace (in front of the Victoria Monument) and the location of Lewis Carroll's original handwritten copy of Alice in Wonderland (in the galleries of the British Library), London for Families is a must-have. -- From Independent Publisher

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Product Details

• Paperback: 256 pages
• Publisher: Interlink Publishing Group; illustrated edition edition (December 1997)
• Language: English
• ISBN-10: 1566562678
• ISBN-13: 978-1566562676
• Product Dimensions: 8.2 x 5.2 x 0.8 inches
• Shipping Weight: 11.2 ounces
• Average Customer Review: 4.1 out of 5 stars See all reviews (10 customer reviews)
• Amazon.com Sales Rank: #3,709,133 in Books (See Bestsellers in Books)

Customer Reviews

Most Helpful Customer Reviews

22 of 23 people found the following review helpful:

4.0 out of 5 stars Great London Strategy, June 1, 2000

By	Kyle H. Pickford (Santa Barbara, CA United States) - See all my reviews

This review is from: London for Families (Family Travel Guides) (Paperback)

The Lain's deal with the question of 'London for Families' in the manner that a company would view a potential new venture. What are the positives, negatives, risks, rewards, and ways of maximizing returns? Approaching the problem like any good management consultant, they provide guidance for generally WHAT to do; but are light on how to do it. This book is devoid of references to web sites (even in the 2000 edition), phone numbers, and other ways of actually determining the specifics of HOW to do it, once you decide what to do. And, like any good management consultant, there is some promotion here. Just try and get apartments for the $ they reference and you will die trying (except in off locations, and in off-seasons, which is not well explained in the book). None-the-less, there is no better book I have found for planning the generalities of your trip. And this advice is not trivial; it is both unique and valuable. For example, if not for the admonitions of the Lain's, we never would have considered renting a London flat, and we have been to London many times. That advice alone, not unique to travel books, but forcefully stated like no other on the shelf, paid for the book many times over. Buy this book for strategy; it is well worth the investment. But for tactics, HOW to do what the Lain's advise, rely on other books, (Take the Kids London, Cadogan.... is the best I have found)

10 of 10 people found the following review helpful:

5.0 out of 5 stars Everything a parent needs to know!, March 6, 2000

By	Judy (a suburb of Philadelphia) - See all my reviews

This review is from: London for Families (Family Travel Guides) (Paperback)

This book is wonderful! It covers everything, including choosing a place to stay (hotel? B&B? apartment?), what to pack, and what to see when you finally get to London. One of my favorite parts is an hour-by-hour list of how to spend your first half a day in London.

There are chapters on favorite family attractions, organized by type (museums, history, theatre, etc.) for your whole family to read. There is even a checklist of these attractions -- every family member can check off their top choices, so that planning the trip becomes a family experience, too.

The authors clearly understand what travelling with children is like - they advise readers to leave time to go to the park, not to overschedule - and even what to do if someone gets lost (one great suggestion: everyone should carry taxi fare and a piece of paper with the address of the hotel). We are planning our first overseas trip with our three children, and I feel so much more capable after reading this book. THANK YOU to Larry and Michael Lain. A must-buy!

11 of 12 people found the following review helpful:

3.0 out of 5 stars Close but no British Cigar., January 28, 2001

By	"hart-barge" (Wappingers Falls, NY USA) - See all my reviews

This review is from: London for Families (Family Travel Guides) (Paperback)

This book was good for those planning the trip from home. The accomodations advise was wonderful. Once you get to London, though, this book is virtually useless it is so general. For specific details of what to do, where to go, what age group will be best served, and where to eat while in that particular neighborhood, I say get the Cadogan book. I had it in my pocket for 10 days in London with a 9 yr old and we had a blast. Caveat for all books: call the restaurant or event before going. No book can be THAT up to date and a trip off-season or on- to a defunct restaurant can be a real precious time waster. CADOGAN rules.