- Head to a Live Site
Live Sites are a great way to get into the spirit and community excitement of the Games without straying too far from your neighborhood. The London 2012 Olympics website has a list of all the official locations. Keep in mind certain places (like Hyde Park) might still require tickets for the biggest events, like the Opening Ceremonies, but this will be clearly shown on the website, so be sure to check before you leave.
- Go for a ride in London’s first cable car
Called Emirates Air Line, a single fare costs £4.30 while those using “Oyster” travel cards pay £3.20. It departs from the North Greenwich area, and will connect to three different Olympic venues and ending at the Olympic Park north of the Thames. It’s a great way to show the kids spectacular views of London itself while getting a bird’s-eye-view of the Olympic venues. Who knows, you might even bump into Daniel Sturridge or Rebecca Adlington!
- Celebrate the Closing Weekend at the Thames Festival
The annual Thames Festival falls on the closing weekend of the Olympic Games this year, September 8 & 9, so head to this free event with the children, as it promises to be more spectacular than ever before. This outdoor festival takes place on the river, walkways, roads and bridges on the river from the London Eye to St Katharine Docks, celebrating the River Thames and the cultural diversity and creativity of London in grand style.
- Attend a Cultural Olympiad Event
Want to experience an Olympiad without actually attending the Games? The 2012 London Festival has loads of free cultural Olympiad events scattered throughout the city. Search by keyword, postcode, or date and see what’s near you. The Festival runs from 21 June through 9 September, so you have lots of dates to choose from.
- See Real Olympic Medals
With the 2012 Games, London has hosted the Olympics three times, more than any other city in the world. With such an impressive track record, they must also be pros at making the hundreds of medals necessary. The British Museum’s exhibition, “The London 2012 Olympic and Paralympic Games Medals” runs from 8 February – 9 September 2012 and is completely free. Visitors can see real 2012 Olympic medals and learn all about their journey, from mining the metal to creating the designs, and the actual production by the Royal Mint.
Whatever you decide, we hope you and your kids will make the most out of this historic and exciting event.
Go Team GB!
