For nearly 30 years, Rick Steves and his guides have combined the spontaneity of independent travel with the efficiency of touring — delivering maximum thrills per mile, minute and dollar. Kidding Around London and Paris, presented by Rick Steves is one of the great tours you and your family can enjoy! Here's what Rick has to say about it:

London and Paris are surprisingly kid-friendly, with many parks, fun squares, and youth-oriented sights. Here are some family-tested tips for tackling two of Europe's most impressive cities.

• Take advantage of local information sources. Ask at tourist offices about kids' events. Get entertainment guides cheap at newsstands. In London, pick up the handy Kids Out, Time Out, and What's On for information on children's activities and shows. The Time Out guidebook, London for Children (£9, available in bookstores and many newsstands) is chock-a-block full of ideas for the serious parent tour guide in London.

• Hotel selection is key. Ideally, choose a hotel in a low-traffic area near a park. London's big-budget chain hotels allow two kids to sleep for free in their already-reasonable rooms. The Premier Travel Inn chain has several locations, including one at the London Eye observation wheel, and another located south of the Thames, near Shakespeare's Globe Theatre.

• Public restrooms can be hard to find. Try department stores, museums, and restaurants, particularly fast-food restaurants.

• Visit popular sights early or late to beat the crowds. Kids get antsy in long museum lines. At each sight, ask about a kids' guide or flier.
  Don't overdo it. Tackle one key sight each day and mix in a healthy dose of fun activities.

Touring London - For an overview of London, consider the two-hour, double-decker bus tours. These drive by all the major sights, are fun for kids, and stress-free for parents. You can stay on the bus the entire time, or "hop-on and hop-off" at any of the 20-plus stops and catch a later bus. Stop by the Tower of London to see the Crown Jewels, and take an entertaining Beefeater tour that involves kids in a memorable and fun way. A delight for the whole family, the London Eye Ferris wheel offers the best views of the city from 450 feet high. Twenty-five people can ride in each of its 32 air-conditioned capsules for the 30-minute rotation (you go around only once so save a camera shot on top for the glass capsule next to yours).

While in London, visit the Natural History Museum's wonderful world of dinosaurs, volcanoes, meteors, and creepy-crawlies with creative, interactive displays. Next door, the Science Museum is a sprawling wonderland for curious minds, with lots of hands-on fun, an IMAX theater, and a kid's zone in the basement. Madame Tussaud's Waxworks, near Regents Park in north London, is popular with kids for its gory scenes and lifelike pop and movie stars.

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This is just one of the exciting Rick Steves Tours available. To learn more visit http://www.ricksteves.com.

These are just a few suggestions for a romantic trip to London. For more ideas and general London including attractions, accommodation and events, log onto www.visitlondon.com.