Family Vacation In London

A family vacation in London is a great experience for any travel family. Taking off on an adventure with your spouse and children is an amazing situation to be in. A family vacation can be an unforgettable experience that creates lifelong memories. Everyone loves spending time with their family, laughing, telling stories and enjoying one another’s company.

Are you traveling to London? Are you looking for fun things to do in London to keep the kids occupied and entertained? This is the perfect post for you as we’ve done all the extensive research on entertaining activities during your family vacation in London.

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Best Family Experiences London

London is one of the most iconic cities in the world, and a family trip to London is a great way to connect with your kids and have a behind-the-scenes adventure. While everyone thinks they know London, they don’t. Many people are scared off from taking a family vacation in London because they think it will be expensive. The truth is everything in London is cheaper than New York City, but that doesn’t mean you can’t experience luxury. This travel guide for family vacation in London will show you how to make your trip unforgettable. Plus, you can use my step-by-step guide for booking an affordable family vacation in London using my discount codes for attractions and hotels!

Just a quick note to let you know that I’ve updated and expanded my previous vacation guide to London. There’s more info than before about things like museum passes, a section about traveling with kids, and the unofficial Brexit Update (Brexit may actually affect travel!). Check it out if you need some helpful information before planning your big vacation!

Many people have family vacations that usually involve going someplace warm, or staying home and enjoying their favorite tourist spots. Either way, it does not have to be boring for the entire family. There are many options for activities that even the youngest children and most seasoned adults will enjoy at once.

Planning a family trip to the United Kingdom and needing an itinerary for the best things to do with kids in London?  There are so many great activities for kids in London.

I am often asked, “How do I plan a trip to London with kids?”  Well, London is a big city, though it is actually quote manageable.  With a robust transportation system, and so many child-friendly activities, it is a great place to take kids.

If you are wondering how to plan a trip to London with kids, I have a great list of things to do in London.  After living there twice, once when I had three kids under four years old, my five days in London itinerary is full of family-friendly activities your kids will love!

Why Visit London With Kids

London is one of my absolute favorite cities in the world, and it is very kid-friendly.  You can also find some of the best family hotels in London to make your stay that much easier.

It is also fairly easy to navigate with its robust transportation system.  So, when visiting London with kids, it is easy to get around using an Oyster card on the London tube or bus system.

And, there are many FREE things to do in London with kids!

If you are visiting London with kids, you could certainly visit marquis attractions like Buckingham Palace or the London Eye, or spend days visiting one of the city’s incredible free museums (like the British Museum, Natural History Museum and Victoria and Albert Museum) if that is your cup of (British) tea.

Because of its history, you want to make sure your visit to London with children is educational as well as fun.

But, we actually have a few different ideas of London kids activities they will truly enjoy.

These are my suggestions for the best things to do with kids in London  (as someone who lived there with kids and visited London many times after!)    Your young globetrotters will LOVE this EPIC five days in London itinerary with some of our family’s favorite kids activities.

Free Things To Do In London With Kids

The Ultimate Five Days In London Itinerary With Kids

London with children is definitely one of the best cities in Europe for your travel bucket list.  It is a big city, but it is easy to navigate and feels more mid-sized.  It is also the perfect introduction if it is a first trip to a new country.

There are so many things to do with kids in London, it is hard to narrow it down to five days.  But five days in London is long enough to see a lot in the city and get a very full family experience.

And, London with children is easy because lots of Londoners HAVE children and live in the city.  It is full of awesome neighborhoods. Rest assured if you are looking for the best area to stay in London with kids, you will find many choices close to kid-friendly activities.

Planning to spend three days in London or looking for an itinerary for four days in London? Or perhaps you plan to spend longer than five days in the majestic city?

You can use my five days in London itinerary to plan more or less depending on how much time you have.

7 Day London Itinerary With Family

Almost all of the items on my itinerary are definitely things to do in London with toddlers, though the Harry Potter Studio Tour might be a bit much.

If you want to swap something out in London for kids or if you have extra days in London with a tot under age five, there are plenty of great day trips from the city ideal for kids, especially if you are traveling to London with toddlers.

When we lived in London with children (our twin two-year-old toddlers and four-year-old son) our favorite day trips included Thomas Land at Drayton Manor, Legoland in Windsor, and the beloved Peppa Pig World in Paulton’s Park.  These are a great alternative to do if you are in London with toddlers because they can stretch their legs, have some toddler fun and meet some of their favorite cartoon friends.  And the UK has some of the best theme parks in Europe.

But if you are planning to stay in central London, here is my tried and true favorite five days in London itinerary your kids will love!

• Arrival Into London
• Check Into Accommodations/Store Luggage
• Hop-On Hop-Off Bus Tour
• Princess Diana Memorial Playground/ Kensington Gardens (if you are traveling with kids under five)
• London Transport Museum/Convent Garden

Hop-On Hop-Off Bus Tour

As many families fly into London on the first day, and you may have jetlag, the first day is usually light. If you are unable to check into your accommodations right away, you can ask the hotel to store your luggage until the room is ready, which is what we usually do.

I recommend that for the jetlagged and travel-weary travelers enjoy an open top  Hop-On Hop-Off Bus Tour for the first thing on their first day in London.  It is a great way to kick-off your five days in London itinerary, and it is one of my favorite things to do in London with kids.

It is also a great thing to do in London with children if it is your first time or the one time to visit the city.  It is a good way to get acclimated to the city if it is the first thing you do.

On the tour, you can get great views of the city and see many of the major landmarks, such as the Tower of London, Picadilly Circus, Westminster Abby, Tower Bridge, St. Paul’s Cathedral and more.  Hop and hop off wherever you like or just enjoy the full ride.

You can book either a 24, 48, or 72-hour pass, so if you would like to spend more days than one touring around the city, you certainly can do so.

BVWK Tip

Did you know there are many completely FREE museums in London?  While you are using your open top Hop On Hop Off Bus experience, you can get off at these museums rather than using the underground or public bus (especially if you already have a ticket!) which will help you save money.  It’s also a great way to get an overview of the city and see iconic London landmarks like Houses of Parliament, Buckingham Palace, London Bridge, Trafalgar Square, and the London Eye.

Princess Diana Memorial Playground In Kensington Gardens

If you are traveling with kids under the age of five, I highly recommend a visit to Princess Diana Memorial Playground in Kensington Gardens, South Kensington. This is absolutely, hands down, one of the best things to do in London with toddlers and kids love it.

It is a GREAT kids’ playground not to be missed.

Not only is it a great place for little ones to stretch their legs, but this wonderland themed after Peter Pan has plenty of climbing structures and interactive activities to keep the little ones busy.

From the large pirate ship in the center, mini log houses, teepees, a sensory trail, sand, slides, and musical instruments, it is a special place that honors the late Princess Diana while catering to younger children. It is one of the best FREE things to do in London with kids!

London Transport Museum

I also recommend on the first day a visit to the London Transport Museum in Covent Garden.  The best thing is that this wonderful gem is FREE for children under age 17, where kids can discover London’s iconic transportation and its history.  And, it is full of free activities kids love.

Where To Stay In London With Kids

Bankside, South Bank and London Waterloo

Just across the river from Big Ben, the South Bank is littered with some of London’s best attractions, kid-friendly restaurants and fun family activities. You’ll also be close to Waterloo Station which offers fantastic transport links to the south of England, while the Underground station is served by the Northern, Bakerloo and Jubilee Tube lines.

Choose a hotel in South Bank, and treat the little ones to a sky-high ride on the nearby London Eye or venture to the depths of the ocean at SEA LIFE London Aquarium. This popular riverside spot welcomes daily street performances next to the banks of the Thames, and is also home to Shrek’s Adventure! London, The London Dungeon and the Southbank Centre.

There’s also the kid-friendly area of Bankside, where you can catch an open-air theatre show at Shakespeare’s Globe or while away an afternoon with Tate Modern’s free family activities. Little ones can embark on a swashbuckling adventure aboard the world-famous sailing galleon, The Golden Hinde, as well as visit nearby HMS Belfast.

South Kensington

With some of the city’s top free-to-enter museums, handy transport links and two Royal Parks right on its doorstep, South Kensington is an ideal place to visit in London with kids.

Stay at a hotel in South Kensington to be within close reach of London’s Museum Quarter, where kids can come face-to-face with dinosaurs at the world-famous Natural History Museum, get hands on with the Science Museum’s interactive exhibits and wander through the beautiful galleries of the Victoria and Albert Museum.

Let little ones run wild in the 142-hectare (350-acre) Hyde Park, before taking a rowing boat out onto the Serpentine lake or searching for famous monuments across the pretty London park. Feel like royalty for the day while exploring Kensington Palace or wander through Kensington Gardens, where youngsters can take to the imaginary high seas on the Diana, Princess of Wales Memorial Playground’s pirate ship.

St James’s

St James’s borders some of the city’s most popular attractions and is within easy walking distance to London’s West End, making it a great choice for a family-friendly London break.

Stay at one of the area’s hotels, and you’ll have the spectacular Buckingham Palace on your doorstep. Marvel at the famous Changing the Guard ceremony which takes place outside the royal residence, then watch the pelicans being fed in nearby St James’s Park or stop off for a picnic in the tranquil Green Park.

You can also explore the National Gallery and National Portrait Gallery during your stay in London, before taking family photographs in front of the iconic lion statues in Trafalgar Square. If the little ones have been good, don’t forget to treat them to a visit to the magical Hamleys on Regent Street – one of London’s oldest toyshops.

Paddington  

Paddington is a great place to stay in London with kids. Choose a hotel in Paddington to be situated close to two Royal Parks, Notting Hill and the West End, which is brimming with fabulous children’s theatre shows.

During your London break, follow in the footsteps of the famous Paddington Bear with a visit to some of the top locations from the children’s books and film. Take a stroll along the Grand Union Canal from Paddington to the picturesque area of Little Venice, where you can drop by the Puppet Theatre Barge to watch a family-friendly show or hop on a boat over to ZSL London Zoo to meet the animals.

If you’re arriving in London by train, Paddington Station is served by trains coming to and from West and South West England, as well as South Wales and Heathrow Airport. Paddington Underground Station is also on the Hammersmith and City, Circle, District and Bakerloo lines. 

Greenwich

Boasting fast transport links from Central London and a charming atmosphere, Greenwich is a brilliant base for a family trip to London.

Book your hotel in Greenwich, and experience the delights of the Royal Museums Greenwich collection. Drop by the National Maritime Museum to learn about Britain’s seafaring history, admire spectacular artwork at the Queen’s House or visit the famous Cutty Sark tea clipper. Youngsters can be dazzled by stars at the Royal Observatory’s planetarium and stand on the Prime Meridian Line, which divides the Eastern and Western Hemispheres.

During your stay in Greenwich, make sure to enjoy a spot of sightseeing from the water with a river cruise or soar above the Thames with the IFS Cloud Cable Car. If you’re in town to catch a show, you’ll also be within easy reach of The O2.

Crystal Palace and Forest Hill  

Stay in the suburbs of Crystal Palace or Forest Hill to enjoy sprawling green spaces and kid-friendly attractions, while being only a 30-minute train ride from London Bridge.

Get up close to full-size dinosaur statues at Crystal Palace Park, before venturing further to explore the park’s children’s farm, playground and maze. You can also meet the gigantic walrus at the Horniman Museum and Gardens in Forest Hill, where there are plenty of free activities on offer to keep youngsters entertained.

If you’re looking for a London hotel in another area of the capital, check out these fantastic places to stay in London and discover the top things to do with kids during your family trip.

3 Days In London With Family

Be sure to pick up an Oyster Card for public transportation – it works for the Tube as well as the bus. While the Tube is great for getting you longer distances, we loved taking the bus for short hops. It’s just so fun riding on the top deck!

Keep reading for a fantastic itinerary for 3 days in London with kids – and some suggestions for extra days if you have them! These are our best suggestions to plan a family trip to London.

London with Kids Itinerary – 3 Days

Family Trip to London – Day 1

• Kensington Palace
• Princess Diana Playground
• Kensington Gardens/Peter Pan Statue/Parakeets/Hyde Park
• Natural History Museum and/or Victoria & Albert Museum
• Afternoon Tea

(Grab some food for a picnic this morning before heading out, or plan to pick up something quick near the Diana playground. Also, if your kids have a tendency to want to get wet and sandy, a change of clothes might be a good thing to take along, as well.)

Kensington Palace with Kids

For your first day in London with kids, kick things off while kids are fresh with a dose of British royalty by heading to Kensington Palace. Kids will love all the little activities they have inside, including some little toys like those enjoyed by Queen Victoria. The Princess Diana exhibit is dreamy with all her beautiful outfits, so this will be especially fun if you have some little fashionistas! It’s such a charming stop on 3 days in London.

(Tip: If you’re traveling as a family to London and plan to visit this and even one other attraction on the list of Historic Royal Palaces, it may be worth it to get an annual pass.)

Lunch & Princess Diana Playground

From there, take a short walk to the Diana, Princess of Wales’ Memorial Playground. This is one of the highlights of visiting London with kids and you could easily spend hours here – it’s multiple playgrounds within a single complex. There’s a giant ship, sand areas, a tiny stream, and tons more. Beware that it can get quite busy, and the lines to enter can get long (although we were there on a sunny day in July and didn’t have to wait at all so…who knows?). Either eat your pre-packed picnic lunch here, or grab some food right outside the playground.

Kensington Gardens

After that, stroll through Kensington Gardens. Be sure to stop at the Peter Pan statue, and pause to visit the parakeets who flock around you! My kids were mildly terrified at first but quickly found it was a delight. Consider crossing over to Hyde Park, as well; if it’s warm, you could even rent a pedal boat or rowboat!

Natural History Museum and/or Victoria & Albert with Kids

Once you exit the gardens, head over to the Natural History Museum. It’s truly a kid wonderland; the dino exhibit is our favorite.

The Victoria & Albert Museum next door is also a fantastic spot when visiting London with kids. It has a whole series of multimedia children’s backpacks you can check out (for free!) to learn about different art collections.

And the best part? Both museums are completely free!

Afternoon Tea in London with Kids

After that, head to a late afternoon tea. Many places serve until 5pm, and some do until 7! I recommend going around 4:30 or 5 when planning your London itinerary with kids – you’ll miss the earlier rush and most people won’t be bothered if you’re not completely silent. Plus, then it doubles as an early dinner, and your exhausted kiddos can go back and head straight to bed. Some have a stricter dress code, but others aren’t that particular – be sure to check at your location.

Kensington Palace itself hosts one in the gorgeous Sunken Gardens, and many hotels do, as well. We loved the afternoon tea tea we did at Fortnum & Mason – the food hall is spectacular! Wherever you go, be sure to check if they have a children’s tea, and the ages for which they charge.

•  British Museum
• Transport Museum
• Savory Pies
• National Gallery
• Houses of Parliament/Big Ben/Westminster Abbey
• Buckingham Palace and/or London Eye

British Museum with Kids

For the second day of your family trip to London, start out the day by heading in for a brief visit at the British Museum; seeing the original Rosetta Stone is truly awe-inspiring. There are so many treasures there that it would be impossible to see them all, but they have multiple highlights tours so you can spend anywhere from half an hour to 6 months. I’d recommend keeping it brief (30-60 minutes) to see the incredible building and just a couple highlights before heading to your next stop.

London Transport Museum with Kids

After that quick stop, head over to the Transport Museum – any vehicle-obsessed kid’s idea of heaven! This is such a fun and unique spot when visiting London with kids. There are so many fun forms of transport on display in both miniature and full-size form.

Lunch at Admiralty’s

After that, head in to Admiralty’s pub for lunch, which serves Fuller’s Ale & Pies. My friend who lived in London says these are the best pies in London and I can’t argue – they were fantastic!

National Gallery

After that, pop into the National Gallery across the street (also free!), one of the most kid-friendly art museums I’ve ever visited. This may not be top of mind when visiting London with kids, but the museum has several self-guided highlights tours and children’s tours on their website, as well as lots of guided tours. The gift shop also has a number of wonderful guidebooks you can purchase.

At the start of our time, we purchased a book with a brief description of pieces of art along with stickers for each one that the kids stuck on after finding it. We meant to spend half an hour here and ended up staying for 2.5 hours, but I think planning for 45 minutes-1 hour will allow you to see some of the major works. (Another option is to look into their evening hours on certain days – we loved going when it was much less crowded.)

Houses of Parliament, Westminster Abbey, Buckingham Palace, London Eye

Finally, head down to the iconic Houses of Parliament. Big Ben is currently under construction, but it’s still pretty incredible to see the building on the banks of the Thames. Wander over to Westminster Abbey and Buckingham Palace, or hop on the London Eye for an arial view of the city.

Based on time, we couldn’t go inside Westminster Abbey or the Houses of Parliament, but I’d really recommend it if you have time. There are some terrific tours that we hope to do the next time we go! Afterwards, if you’re lucky, you’ll catch the sun setting and casting a rosy glow on the water.

• Tower of London
• Borough Market
• Millennium Bridge & St. Paul’s Cathedral
• Last afternoon options

Tower of London with Kids

Start off the last day of your family trip to London at the Tower of London. You can purchase a ticket ahead of time. You may decide to purchase the Historic Royal Palaces pass, which is worth it if you want to visit 2 or more sites on the list of 6.

Head to see the Crown Jewels first, before the crowds arrive, then go back and catch the Beefeaters tour. The tour is included in your ticket and is well worth it. They are extraordinarily knowledgeable and usually quite funny, too.

Tower Bridge & Lunch at Borough Market

When you’ve finished your tour, stroll over the Tower Bridge itself (much more identifiable than its famous-in-name-only cousin, London Bridge). Again, because of time constraints, we didn’t go up and look through the glass floor. But I think it would be so fun if you do have time!

Then head up the Thames to Borough Market for some lunch. You could spend ages here just wandering stalls. Do not miss getting some Bread Ahead doughnuts while here! Be sure to wander around getting a few samples before you settle on what to get – there are tons of options. Or you could take a food tasting tour!

Globe Theater, Millennium Bridge, St. Paul’s Cathedral

Mosey on by the Globe Theater (and consider a show if you have older children or there’s something really compelling playing). You could even do a behind-the-scenes tour.

Then walk back over the river on Millennium Bridge to St. Paul’s Cathedral. The lines for the cathedral can get long, so if you choose to go inside, be sure purchase tickets in advance. Or you could consider attending Evensong later in the day; it was truly ethereal. Just be aware that children should be able to remain fairly still and quiet – we only kept our older ones inside.

If you’re a modern art fan, the Tate Modern (directly across Millennium Bridge from St. Paul’s) has really outstanding children’s programming – also for free!

More Options for a London trip with Kids

Let’s be honest, there’s just too much good stuff to see it all in a London 3 day itinerary, so here are a few options for your final afternoon:

London Harry Potter Sites with Kids

If you or your kids are Harry Potter fans, it’s definitely worth finding a few sites. Platform 9 3/4 is almost always crowded, but it’s fun to see, regardless. We opted not to wait in the line for a photo and just paused by the side of it.

The Studio tour in Leavenworth is an all-day event, but I’ve heard it’s fantastic. It sells out quickly, so be sure to purchase tickets in advance.

If you’d like to stay in London itself, THIS Harry Potter walking tour would be perfect for all the Muggles in your group!

London Neighborhoods Walking Tour

London is filled with amazing, walkable, beautiful neighborhoods. Consider strolling South Kensington or Notting Hill; the Portobello Road market is always buzzing with activity next door. There are plenty of opportunities for self-guided tours or just wandering, and lots of beautiful buildings and markets along the way. If you’d like something more organized, there are more OPTIONS than you could imagine!

Thames River Cruise

It’s always delightful seeing London from a boat! This evening cruise sounds dreamy, or you could do a hop-on-hop-off London river cruise to get to various sites along the way. Or if you’d like to visit the London Eye, this combined ticket would be perfect.

(Even without the river cruise, if you choose to visit the London Eye, I’d absolutely recommend an advance purchase Fast-Track ticket. The lines get crazy!)

Churchill War Rooms

We missed this last time as tickets were completely sold out, so be sure to purchase tickets in advance. So many people have told me how incredible this place is that I’m really looking forward to returning sometime soon!

British Library

We REALLY loved going here and seeing so many incredible manuscripts, including an original Magna Carta. If your kids are into books, this would be a wonderful (and free) stop.

Any of these would be wonderful options if you have extra days in the city, as well. Truly, you could spend a lifetime in London with kids and not do it all! If you do have some more days, there are a number of fantastic day trips in the area, as well.