• Even with this year's more favorable exchange rate, London cabs are costly and that meant Julian did a lot more walking than he's used to at home.
• London's comprehensive subway, bus and tram system is child-friendly. A reloadable Oyster Card is available prior to travel through visitbritain.us and caps each day's fares at $11, plus children 10 and under travel free with an adult.
• Museums and other "static" attractions are best tackled in the morning when mind and feet are less weary.
• Many attractions offer online discounts.
• Visitlondon.com has a family section with good tips under the "People Like You" section.
• On a clear day, the 443-foot-high London Eye observation wheel -- the world's tallest -- offers the city's finest view. The 30-minute revolution was a good way for Julian to ease into the sights. Tickets $28; children 15 and under $14 (011-44-87-0500-0600; londoneye.com).
• As we rode along the Original Tour, Julian traced the double-decker's route past city sights on a two-hour loop. Tickets are $40; children 15 and under $20 (011-44-20-8877-1722; theoriginaltour.com).
• Children are welcome at afternoon tea at most of the city's top hotels and department stores. Prices start at about $25 per person; tea at the Ritz runs $61 and reservations are essential (011-44-20-7493-8181; theritzlondon.com).
• If you're under 6 feet tall, the changing of the guard at Buckingham Palace is hard to see unless you arrive at least an hour prior and snag a front-row spot.
Julian got in place easily to view the changing of the guard at Windsor Castle, the queen's 900-year-old weekend home, where a children's audio guide kept him intrigued for about an hour. Windsor is a one-hour train ride from London ($15 round trip, children $7.50). Admission $26, children $15 (011-44-20-7766-7304; royalcollection.org.uk).
• Julian's awareness of World War II from the History Channel kept him absorbed at the interconnected Churchill Museum and Cabinet War Rooms, where Churchill and his inner circle managed the war below the government treasury chambers. Admission is $21; children under 16 free (011-44-20-7766-0141; iwm.org.uk/cabinet).
• I expected the Tower of London to be a hit, but Julian grew impatient with the free, 60-minute guided tour. His eyes popped, however, for the Crown Jewels. Admission is $28; children under 16 cost $16 (011-44-84-4482-7799; hrp.org.uk)
• Julian's favorite museum was the London Transport Museum, where a fleet of old trams and subway cars could be boarded and exhibits traced the history of British transportation. Admission is $17; children 15 and under are free (011-44-20-7379-6344; www.ltmuseum.co.uk).
• At the monumental British Museum, Julian was briefly interested in the Egyptian mummies, then started plotting the Underground route back to our hotel. Wished I'd discovered the children's-oriented itinerary on the museum's website. Admission is free (011-44-20-7323-8000; www.thebritishmuseum.ac.uk).
• The Flying Fish produced the widest grins of the trip. It's a guided jet boat tour down the River Thames to Greenwich and to the little-seen Thames Barrier (to protect London from flooding).
Tickets are $48, children 12 and under $33 (011-44-84-4991-5050; flyingfishtours.co.uk).
• The Benjamin Franklin House is the only home in which the founding father lived that is still standing. The 45-minute tour was nominally engaging for Julian, but an upper-floor science center designed for younger visitors -- open Tuesdays and on request -- sparked his interest. Admission is $12; children under 15 free (011-44-20-7925-1405; benjamin franklinhouse.org).
• London's Science Museum has an exhibit through Nov. 28 called "Wallace & Gromit's World of Crackling Ideas." Admission is $15; children $12 (011-44-87-0870-4868; sciencemuseum.org.uk).
DAVID SWANSON
