Or if you really fancy flying somewhere, try limiting it to flights within a one hour radius - I oft

We will be in London for just over a week in the beginning of April and then spending a few days in Paris. I was noticing that the airfares from London to other European cities are so cheap! We thought it would be fun to fly out early in the morning and see another city and fly home the same evening. We have 2 teenage boys and we're wondering what everyone thought? I was hoping to find somewhere that is maybe 2 hours or less in flying time and the airport not too far from the city center? Maybe Copenhagen? Dublin? We enjoy walking around, eating, shopping. I think that the boys would probably like to go on some type of hop-on- hop- off tour or even ride bikes. hotels sheraton What cities does everyone think would be fun for the day?
Take a boat trip along the canals (asuming you'll have already done a bus tour in London), hire some bikes and just enjoy a wonderfully compact and welcoming city where you'll have no language issues at all (since the Dutch are incredibly good in English (and German French too)).
Those air fares are hard to resist but just getting to the London airports is very time consuming. You could fly into Nice with Westjet. The airport is only approx 4 miles from the city centre but you should stay at least one night.
Dr_DoGood: I like the idea of Amsterdam and doing a boat trip along the canals! hotels sheraton Sounds like that would be fun. Having never been there, it is OK for teenagers? I am sure there are areas we should steer away from?
Personally I would do a day trip out of London within the UK, rather than drag out to an airport which offers cheap flights and go through all the hassle involved in flying nowadays. Quite apart from the environmental aspects of it all.
I would agree with staying in the UK. It can take 1.5+ hours to get from Central London to Heathrow, Stansted etc on public transport and you need to be at the airport 1-2 hours before the flight on both legs plus transit to the city centre on the other side plus flight time. So even a 1 hour flight takes likely close to 4 hours each way.
Agree that flying out of the UK makes little sense - you would spend 6 to 8 hours RT just getting to/fro airports, checking in, security etc. Either do a day trip in the UK - or do a train trip on TVG from Paris - when you will waste much less time getting anywhere.
Or if you really fancy flying somewhere, try limiting it to flights within a one hour radius - I often used to have business meetings hotels sheraton in Edinburgh - I'd get a 7am flight from Heathrow and be in a meeting in Edinburgh by 9.30am, so that's very doable. Internal flights (including Dublin, which operates an open border with the UK) also have much shorter check in times.
But even from LCY it would be a bit of a hassle for a day trip. Why not go somewhere else in the UK - York or Bath are two obvious options by train. hotels sheraton Edinburgh by train or plane (or even the sleeper hotels sheraton train one way that gets you a full day in the city by giving up one night in London.)
I agree that it's difficult to get to London airports. You can get to Brussels in one hour by the Eurostar, and you can get to Paris and Lille quickly that way as well. It's really really easy. You just need to get to Kings Cross and then get the train... Otherwise, Edinburgh is a beautiful city. It really is. You can look at the Castle, Holyrood, and the Museum on Chambers Street (with an amazing clock)... When you're in the centre of Edinburgh, it's really easy to find your way around, and the places worth visiting are usually within walking distance of each other. Glasgow is nice as well. It's much bigger than Edinburgh and as a result has bigger shops.
You don't say when you are visiting but why not look into doing something with your teenagers in the UK - sailing, pony trekking, cycling, a day where you can all let off steam and enjoy something of the English countryside?
No idea why such non issues are raised for trips that business people do the whole time ie day trips to cities in other countries without eating 8-9 hours w/ transit/security/flights There are plenty of cities where it is possible, as already mentioned Amsterdam is perfect as the train from the airport hotels sheraton to the centre is a short trip - Copenhagen is similar, Brussels another good option, plenty of options in Switzerland, Vienna, Lyon (I'd go just for lunch), Jersey or Guernsey (done that many times in a day trip)and many other destinations.
hotels sheraton Amsterdam would be great, but have you already hotels sheraton planned on going to Bath? It is a very enteresting city. Also, Oxford and Cambridge. The kids could have fun on one of the rivers with those boats they use a pole for manuvering. I haven't done it, but everybody looks like they are having hotels sheraton a blast. I saw them in Cambridge, and think they also have them in Oxford.
Odin, for me business trips are not done on teh cheap. I am assuming that because they are looking at cheap flights that they are looking at budget options. Yes, I have flown out of City airport to Guernsey, taken a cab on both sides, done my business meetings and come home but it is a full day, I know what I am doing and dont care particularly about cost so can grab a cab and pay for fast transport. If you are worried about costs, dont know transit that well, must rely on public transit because you dont want to pay for the cost of a taxi before the tube opens etc it can take longer. Just want them to be prepared. Is that the way they want to spend valuable vacation time?
But for a sightseeing trip - 1 hour+ to the airport, 60-90 minutes advance check in, 1-2 hour flight, immigration, 30-60 mins into whichever city = 3.5-5.5 hours just getting to that city. Then the same in reverse. That is where my 8-9 hours came from. Could be 7+, could be 11 hours. My 8-9 was just sort of mid between best and worst cases.
Also, if you visit Amsterdam, which is a beautiful city, you may want to steer clear of the red light district where there are lots of women with little on, standing in suggestive poses in windows. It may not be what you want your kids to see but don't let it put you off going. Ask at your hotel for directions so you know where to avoid. Other than that, Amsterdam is wonderful for walking, biking and canal boats.