What To Do In London With Kids: Coram’s Fields

by Dave Seminara on

London can be an exhausting place, especially if you’re only 2 or 3 feet tall. If you’re taking small children to London, chances are you’ll drag them to the British Museum, which may or may not push them over the edge, depending on their age and how long you stay. Their reward should be a visit to Coram’s Fields, an outstanding playground and urban farm on Guilford Street, just a short walk from both the British Museum and the Charles Dickens Museum.

My 2- and 4-year-old boys had to be pried, practically kicking and screaming from Coram’s Fields, which was London’s first public playground and remains one of the best free attractions for children in the British capital. The place has two great playgrounds, zip-line swings and a slew of farm animals including sheep, goats, birds and some ridiculously fluffy bunnies that would melt the hearts of even the most evil serial killer.

Coram’s Fields is run by a non-profit charity and also boasts a vegetarian café, a day care and various youth sports and art programs. By all means, take your kids here, but make sure you have an exit strategy because they won’t want to leave.

[Image by Sara~ on Flickr]

Potter Fans Want Quidditch To Be An Olympic Sport

by Kraig Becker on

Harry Potter fans from around the globe have descended on Oxford, England, to take part in the first major international quidditch tournament and to promote the sport for possible inclusion in future Olympic Games. Players say that the real world version of the fictional sport, created by author J.K. Rowling, is as physically demanding and competitive as Rugby and less ridiculous than some of the other sports that are already included in the Olympics.

In the Harry Potter books and films quidditch players fly around the playing field on magical brooms while attempting to score goals on their opponents. Since no one has figured out how to create a flying broom just yet, the game was adapted for play on the ground instead. In 2005, a group of students from Middlebury College in Vermont came up with a set of rules for the sport, which features teams of seven and employs three different balls. In a nod back to the original source material, each of the players are also required to keep a broom between his or her legs at all times.

Since its creation the rules of the game have been refined and ground quidditch has taken off across the globe. The sport is now played by 700 teams in 25 countries around the globe and while many players are obviously Potter fans, an increasing number have never read the books or seen the movies. They’re all drawn to the unique combination of rugby, dodge ball and tag that makes the sport stand out from any other.

Whether or not quidditch will ever get included in the Olympics remains to be seen. Before it can achieve that level of recognition, it first must become more universally recognized around the world as a true sport and create an international governing body. Once that is achieved, that governing body can file an application to be included in the Games as a demonstration sport. After that, a second application can be filed for full inclusion in the next Olympics.

While I have to admit the game actually sounds kind of fun, the thought of running around a field with a broom between my legs just seems ridiculous. Then again, curling uses brooms and it seems way sillier than this.

[Photo credit: Christopher Capozziello/Getty Images]

10 Things You Didn’t Know About The Olympics

by Jessica Festa on

The 2012 Olympics are quickly approaching and people from all over the world are making travel plans to go see The Games in person. While most people know the event takes place July 27 to August 12, and that the location for this year is London, there are a lot of facts about the Olympics that people do not know. To help people get to know the quirkier side of the event, My Destination has created a fun infographic.

Did you know at 62.7 meters, the Olympics stadium is 1.5 times taller than Rio de Janeiro‘s “Christ The Redeemer” statue? Or that the logo for the 2012 Olympics cost £400,000 to create, the same price it would be to adopt a panda in China for 365 years? These are just some of the fun facts you’ll learn from the infographic.

To view the infographic, continue to the next page.


Click to enlarge
Made by My Destination: locally informed, globally inspired travel guides and information

Can’t Find A Hotel For The Olympics? Sleep In A Taxi

by Jessica Festa on

Worried about where to stay during the 2012 London Olympics? No problem if you can’t find a hotel, as taxi driver David Weekes has turned his black cab into a comfortable hotel room.

Not only does the “accommodation” come with a foam mattress, duvet, pillow with official Olympic pillow case and bedside lamp, but also a Paddington Bear teddy, solar-powered fridge, a radio and an iPad. For those interested, the taxi hotel is £50 (about $78) a night, and you can visit the Wimdu website to book.

“I’m really excited that the Olympics are coming to the city but it’s going to be a nightmare for cab drives,” says Mr. Weekes. “So when I heard that I could rent out my taxi on Wimdu, I thought it was a no-brainer – after all, who knows London better than a cabbie?”

The only stipulation is guests must be packed up and gone before Mr. Weekes starts his shift in the morning. Moreover, those staying in the taxi can choose if they would like to stay outside of Mr. Weekes’ house in north London, where they would be able to use his bathroom, or somewhere else possible by law.

[image via Wimdu]

Last Minute London Room Needed? Check Flexiroom

by McLean Robbins on

“Turn your spare room into spare change” is the unofficial motto of new London startup Flexiroom. The start-up has launched an Airbnb-style website that could prove infinitely useful for those visiting during the upcoming summer Olympics in London.

The website provides an online platform for hosts and bed and breakfast operators to sell spare or open rooms for paying guests from all over the world, and offers an incentive for hosts as well. Up to £4,250 of tax-free gross income is allowed each year for people who rent out a spare room or rooms, thanks to an official government plan. This breaks down to £300 tax-free each month.

In addition to its UK focus, Flexiroom offers professional cleaning at no cost to the guest or property for anyone staying over a week.

The properties on the website appear to be affordable, although there aren’t nearly the number of reviews we’ve seen on other sites. This is one site we’ll keep an eye on for future visits.