With all of the hoopla going on with the upcoming wedding of Kate Middleton and Prince William, it is difficult not to feel the excitement even way over here across the pond.
For little girls (as well as some of us big girls) it is a princess story that ranks right up there with the those of Cinderella, Snow White, Belle and Jasmine.
If you wanted to take a trip to London to see the royal wedding there is still availability at some of the many hotels, although the price may have increased due to the celebration.
Those close to Westminster Abbey where the royal wedding will be taking place on April 29, will get the best views of the procession to and from the church. The wedding route will more than likely follow the traditional route from Westminster Abby, which will include Parliament Square, Whitehall, Horse Guards Parade and The Mall and end at Buckingham Palace where the Queen will host a reception for the bride and groom and their wedding guests. In the evening, Prince Charles will host a wedding dinner there as well.
Those lucky enough to get a spot along the parade route will most likely see the bride in her carriage and royal guardsmen on horseback parading to the church and the prince and princess in the open carriage on their way back to Buckingham Palace.
Those even luckier might have a room in a hotel that is located along the route. Surprisingly, as of this writing, there is still availability in some of the hotels close by.
Without all the royal wedding happenings, London is such an incredible city. It has everything: culture, arts, history, and of course, the Royals themselves. There is certainly something for everyone's interests in London.
There are numerous tour companies that offer tours of London and the surrounding areas and even more that have London as just one of their many stops on British Isles tours.
There are fly and stay packages that include the air, hotel, and some other additional amenities such as rail passes, city tours, etc. Additionally, there are some packages that may include tickets to the London Stage and area attractions.
The Antheneaum Hotel is located across from Green Park, which stands in front of Buckingham Palace. This five-star hotel offers incredible views of London and sits along the proposed parade route.
What is incredibly amazing with this hotel is that it offers both adult and children's concierge. The children's concierge will help your little princess (or prince) plan exciting things to do such as a performance at the Puppet Theatre, "Cinderella" at the Royal Opera House (April 7 - May 6), "The Wizard of Oz" at The Palladium and The Dinosaur roarrr! (The UK's largest animatronic dinosaur adventure).
Enchanted Palace is a unique exhibition at Kensington Palace that weaves fashion, performance and dreamlike installations to depict the hidden stories of the princesses including Victoria, Margaret and Diana who once lived there. This is currently running (until Jan. 2012) and no doubt will be one of the hot spots for those who are Royal Princess-watchers.
The Antheneaum also has nannies available so that mom and dad can slip out to see one of London's top shows. As a matter of fact, this spring the hotel is offering nannies for five hours of complimentary babysitting with a hotel stay. These nannies come highly recommended and are highly sought after. Of course, it is all based on availability at the time of reservation. So don't wait too long to make a reservation for London - it will be a trip fit for a princess.
Patty Toppa is a travel consultant with Gadabout Travel. She can be reached at patty@cruisetraveltours.com or www.cruisetraveltours.com.