And, it is one of the most famous attractions in London, so it is a must do! Cant wait to go again! Lets hear from the kids: It was fun that we could sit on top of the bus, you could see everything! It wasnt easy to do as we visited so many places, one more impressive than the other. If you don't stay at The Connaught Hotel, you can visit it for afternoon tea, a great thing to do when visting London with kids! We also don't often visit big cities with kids, but London is one of the few exceptions. If you are looking for a luxury experience, The Connaught Hotel in Mayfair is an exquisite hotel where you will have a top of the line experience (butlers, chauffers, Michelein 3 star restaurants, etc.). There are so many things to do with kids in London, it is hard to narrow it down to five days. We also took a river cruise (included in the 24hr ticket) and seeing London from the water was another highlight of the trip. And, there are many FREE things to do in London with kids! London with children is definitely one of the best cities in Europe for your travel bucket list. Hi, and thanks for stopping by! As many families fly into London on the first day, and you may have jetlag, the first day is usually light. But, unless you book online your tickets in advance, you risk getting all of the way there and not being able to get in. Your ticket will include a bus ride, an entrance to the studio which allows you about four hours to explore, and a bus ride home. Fans of Harry Potter films and books will love this incredible look into the studio that brought the magical Harry Potter to life in films. Help spread the word. An evening riverboat cruise on the Thames River. I def want to do an afternoon tea, london eye, paddington stuff, but didnt realize we could do a river cruise as well. and tips for visiting London for the first time. If you are wondering on the best areas in London for where to stay, there are many great neighborhoods to check out. Here you can check availability and book regular and fast-track London Eye tickets. Man this post is packed FULL of helpful information for people traveling to London. Check it out! Sea Life London is not very big, so youll only need an hour an hour and a half to visit, and it also means that kids dont get bored for a second. And The queensRolls-Royce is huge! Featured image photo credit: @lunamarina | Depositphotos.com. Some of these are adult only so check in advance if they are suitable for families. You can book a 5-attractions ticket or a 3-attractions pass. Thanks. There are many kid-friendly shows your kids will love. In London, we chose the Tootbus hop-on hop-off buses (previously, Original Tour). 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. document.getElementById( "ak_js_1" ).setAttribute( "value", ( new Date() ).getTime() ); This site uses Akismet to reduce spam. It also makes for great rainy day activities in London with kids. Did you know there are many completely FREE museums in London? You can use my five days in London itinerary to plan more or less depending on how much time you have. Hop and hop off wherever you like or just enjoy the full ride. If you are wondering how to plan a trip to London with kids, I have a great list of things to do in London. I would love to see the Princess Diana Memorial Playground and the Tower of London. 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! And There were so many ducks everywhere, we also saw seven baby swans. It saved us so much time and frustration because the kids were already tired after the whole day of sightseeing so it was great to be able to go up right away. They are great. The Best Road Trip Food: 101+ Easy Meal & Snack Ideas Youll Love! You can see a Paddington statue at Paddington station (there is a shop there as well) and inside Hamleys. The views are amazing, and especially around sunset when the light is really beautiful. These cookies do not store any personal information. An evening performance of a West End Show. TIP: Madame Tussauds is an extremely popular attraction, so its best to book in advance. I recommend booking online in advance. We saw the stables and a couple of horses, but the most impressive were of course the Royal carriages. I dont think I can find the right words to describe how much the kids enjoyed the 4D Marvel Super Heroes movie. We also use third-party cookies that help us analyze and understand how you use this website. It would have given us more time to explore London and to really take advantage of this very convenient hop-on hop-off system. More travel tips and inspiration for all over theUK: READ ALSO: Best Traditional British Food. There are so many things for 8 year olds and kids of all ages can do in London. Traveling with kids is an adventure, and I hope to inspire you to enjoy the journey! The Marriott Marble Arch can accommodate families of four and it is very centrally located to access transportation. It is full of interesting exhibits and interactive experiences. Lets hear from the kids: That golden carriage was really impressive. Here you can read all about our afternoon tea experience in London with kids. Head up to the toy area for another exciting kid-friendly spot, and then on to the London souvenir shop if you care to take home a souvenir (a teapot is one of my favorite things to take home from London.). Whether you do five days in London with kids or more, or even if you are looking for what to do in London with kids for one to four days, my five days in London itinerary offers you a variety of ideas from someone who has lived there. fantastic FREE things to do your kids will love, https://bikeclub.com/collections/mini-2-5-years, 50+ Best Snacks in Disney World You Must Try. Studio Tour London, tips for visiting London for the first time, Northern Norway Travel Itinerary (+Map & Info): Lofoten, Vesteralen, Senja, Troms, Visiting Amalfi Coast (Italy): 17 Travel Tips & Tricks for a Better Experience, How to Visit Mt Vesuvius Volcano, Italy: by Car, Bus & Best Tours, Where to Stay in Bangkok, Thailand: 7 Best Neighborhoods (+Insider Tips), 17+ BEST Places to See & Things to Do in Salzburg, Austria (+Map & Tips), Yellowstone South Loop: 27 Places to See & Things to Do (+Map & Tips). The most recent addition the Diamond Jubilee State Coach dates from2014. I hope it will be a good source of inspiration for your family trip to London. It will save you lots of waiting time as well. They just have several of these spots around the city : For something different, there are actually a couple of roof-top bars that are kid-friendly! The Paddington Bear book series is a great way to introduce young kids to London. I've always wanted to visit London with my children, but was afraid that the city would be too much for them. We passed a 2-3hr queue in just a minute. At the bottom of this article, you can find even more inspiration and suggestions for all those other things we wish we had more time to see and do in London with kids. So, based on our experience, I would definitely recommend Madame Tussauds as one of the nice things to do with kids in London. If you are an aspiring Hogwarts student and are headed to England, a London Harry Potter experience is an absolute must! Thank you so much for sharing your experience about London with kids . There is so much action there, especially at the toy departments, that its really something you should do when visiting London with kids! Hi There, We also won the quacking game against the other buses twice! Having a traditional English afternoon tea was a really nice experience for the whole family. Lets hear from the kids: The London Eye is the tallest Ferris wheel we have ever been on, almost like being on top of Burj Khalifa in Dubai. Not only do these guides have expertise in working with kids, but they will also tell them stories that will captivate them, educate them, and have them talking about the Tower of London long after your visit. Planning a family trip to the United Kingdom and needing an itinerary for the best things to do with kids in London? Longer duration tickets also include a river cruise to Greenwich, which is another really nice place to visit with kids. It will save you A LOT OF money. First, it saves you (and the kids) a lot of walking. You can reserve your tickets here, make sure to book in advance! Oh, and that colorful m&ms wall never seen so many sweets in my life! about me, my family, and our trips all over the world check availability and book regular and fast-track London Eye tickets, check availability and book your tickets here, find the prices and book the ticketshere, book your hop-on bus tickets online in advance, our afternoon tea experience in London with kids, Harry Potter filming locations walking tours in the city, bus tours that cover all the main Harry Potter sights in London, Boat ride on the canals of the Regents Park, The Making of Harry Potter at Warner Bros. Lets hear from the kids: The parks were great, as it was too hot in the city. Get a free printable travel planner and packing list! These are the best things to do in London with kids: The London Eye is one of the absolute musts in London, with or without kids. Thank you for all the great ideas and useful format of your post. 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! Talking about kids, they also offer a free Kids London activity pack that was handed to us by the driver of the first bus we stopped on. We visited London for three full days in spring and had amazing weather all the time. The best part of the tour was of course the splashdown onto the Thames. London is a great city for getting around London with kids because of its comprehensive public transport system of the Underground (the tube,) busses, and of course the iconic taxis. And I wish they had those red phone booths here in Belgium I just picked up the receiver and someone was talking to me on the other side of the line. We are traveling in July with our 2, 3, and 5 year olds and I was wondering about scooter rentals for the littlesany reccomendations?? Its a rather short visit, so perfect with kids. Another hotel we like is the DoubleTree by Hilton across from Kensington Garden. But opting out of some of these cookies may affect your browsing experience. This hotel also has really spacious family rooms for up to 4 people (some with views of Big Ben) and even an indoor pool. Especially if they love Harry Potter! Did you know you can take a day trip to Paris during your London vacation? This post may contain affiliate links, which means that we may earn a small commission, at no cost to you, for qualifying purchases. We spent more time on the water than I had expected and went all the way from MI6 to the Houses of Parliament and the Big Ben tower. It has an excellent location close to the London Eye and Westminster Bridge that is perfect for exploring London with kids. We recommend Park Plaza Westminster Bridge London for families visiting London with kids. I think that is an important part of traveling with kids! We did the Classic Sightseeing Tour that brings you past all the main landmarks of central London, coupled with live commentary. Family-friendly Afternoon Tea at St. Ermins in London, 17 Best Day Trips from Amsterdam (& Tips for How to Visit). The studios are located outside the city, but most tours include bus transfers. One of my kids' favorite places to visit right outside of central London and a must-do on your five days in London itinerary is Hampton Court Palace. This is one thing we didnt get to do in London with kids because they were simply too young for Harry Potter at the time of our visit. Kids of all ages will love Hampton Court Palace, the Tower of London, the London Eye, some of the fun and free musuems like the Natural History Museum and the London Transportation Musuem. And, it is full of free activities kids love. Thanks for sharing this, Kev. The others are equipped with an audio guide that is available in 10 languages, and also offers a special Kids Club commentary (only in English). 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. We were looking for a kid-friendly experience and chose Sea Life as it looked like the best choice for our family. Good to know. I strongly recommend to buy your tickets online in advance (its so much faster and its cheaper). You also have the option to opt-out of these cookies. There are also great walking tours, West End Shows, science museums, the London Zoo, and so much more. Its also very correctly priced for London. TIP: Book your London musical tickets in advance, that way you can choose seats and show times that suit your family best. He even visits the Tower of London, Hampton Court Palace, and of course Notting Hill where Mr. Grubers shop is located. Either before an evening performance or after a matinee performance, I recommend dinner at either Gordon Ramsay's, Pingback: 20 FREE THINGS TO DO IN LONDON Creative Travel Guide. When we lived there with three kids under age four, we exclusively traveled by bus, which is easy to use and there are spots on busses for strollers (prams). We then hopped into a famous English black cab for the Spirit of London Ride, learning about the darker chapters of Londons history, and the recovery after the Great Fire. It is definitely one of the most outstanding areas of natural beauty in the UK. Royal Mews is a great attraction for any family looking to show the Royal side of London to their kids. What a fabulous article.thanks for making it easy for parents doing their research . See my disclaimer. These cookies will be stored in your browser only with your consent. There is also a tour departs from Kings Cross. This neighborhood is also close to Regent's Park. Paddington travels all over the city. We will assume you are okay with it but you can opt out if you wish. Since Buckingham Palace is closed for visits during the biggest part of the year and Windsor Castle requires a whole day trip from London, I thought that visiting the Royal Mews might be a good way to shortly introduce the kids to the Royal side of England. Commentdocument.getElementById("comment").setAttribute( "id", "a879509faf444eb0a9a3d45b1b3785b7" );document.getElementById("bd3535ec54").setAttribute( "id", "comment" ); Save my name, email, and website in this browser for the next time I comment. It's worth checking when you book these excursions if you can get a combo ticket as that is a great way to save money. Evening walking tours (the Jack The Ripper walking tour is the best one but only suitable for teens and up due to the content. No guide to London for families would be complete without its most famous places. Its a really nice place to visit with young children, one they will truly enjoy. 2022 Bon Voyage With Kids, LLC | All Rights Reserved. It's is a unique way to view iconic London's South Bank attractions including Big Ben, Tower Bridge, London Bridge, Houses of Parliament, and more. As an Amazon Associate I earn from qualifying purchases. With a robust transportation system, and so many child-friendly activities, it is a great place to take kids. In the same building, you can also find Shreks Adventure andthe London Dungeon. They saw many attractions that really captured their attention and they were fully engaged. Thank you! With period furniture and tapestries, well-stocked, interactive exhibits like the Tudor kitchen, and a thematic play area, there is so much for kids and parents to discover. READ ALSO: Where to Find the Best Views in London. Otherwise, you might want to pick one up from their Visitor Centre. This is on of my favorite tips on traveling to London with kids. But five days in London is long enough to see a lot in the city and get a very full family experience. So we decided to visit Sea Life and it was a good choice! Glad to hear this, Shailja. I recommend booking an advance ticket and bus ride from Victoria Station through one of the companies that provide this option. Make sure to also read our guide to London off the beaten path (incredible hidden gems!) It is well worth visiting, and is a short walk from the Oxford Circus tube station. Sign up for my newsletter and youll be onboard for my latest travel tips, resources, and inspiration for your next family trip. Especiallythe eight horse-drawn Gold State Coach that has been used at every coronation of British monarchs since the late 18th century. Once my kids came, I knew I wanted to keep traveling as a family, to have experiences together and to show our kids the world. St. Ermins Hotel did it all right: from stylish and delicious treats for adults to special menus for kids, accompanied by a visit to see the hotels bees. If you booked the open airHop-On Hop-Off Bus Tour from the day before, you may have a River Thames boat ticket included in the ticket prices, or you can buy tickets right at the riverfront. Studio Tour near London. There are Harry Potter filming locations walking tours in the city and also bus tours that cover all the main Harry Potter sights in London. If you feel up to an evening activity, you can take a trip around Harrods (or save that for the next evening). This is absolutely, hands down, one of the best things to do in London with toddlers and kids love it. The Best Things To Do On Anna Maria Island For Families, The Ultimate Guide For Things To Do In Maui With Kids, Dinner at or Heddon Street Kitchen or *, Stop inWestminster Abbey (fun fact, my choir sang in here when I was in college! Even I found all of these London shops really worth visiting; our kids were beyond excited! For the youngest globe trotters, there areTudor dress-up costumes, which can be found in the audio-guide rental room. 35+ Best Road Trip Activities Kids Will Love! You could co-pilot a spaceship with Chewbacca, fight against Darth Vader with a real lightsaber of Luke Skywalker, or take a picture with BB8 (or princess Leia for the dads ;)). How many of us muggles wouldn't want to see Harry's world up close? This is an awesome itinerary and I love how you have organized it day-by-day with all of the details!!! The West End is London's Broadway, but as London is known for its incredible theater, you can't leave the city without seeing a performance. They now also have a special family-oriented kids tour (its just 45 minutes, so not comparable to the traditional hop-on/hop-off system). But they can be expensive. London is great for families! Hope this helps! I recommend starting your morning with a Magical Harry Potter Walking Tour that kids will love. 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!) These cookies ensure basic functionalities and security features of the website, anonymously. London's taxis are also easy to use and can fit strollers (you often don't have to even fold them). I wish I had done a Thames river cruise when I was in London. This highly-rated Harry Potter at Warner Bros. You can enjoy a dinner at one of the kid-friendly restaurants listed below. SUPER helpful!! Get an Oyster card when you arrive to the city and you can keep using it throughout the trip. This post contains affiliate links which means I receive a small commission at no additional cost to you should you make a purchase using this link. 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. Also, its very affordable for London standards (you can find the prices and book the ticketshere). One of our favorite spots is the Marriott Marble Arch. Some buses have live commentary which was entertaining and really good. most outstanding areas of natural beauty in the UK. And, with most tours, kids will see where in the Tower of London the Crown Jewels are kept, incredible weaponry and armor, and all of this in a way they will be captivated. You really should try and visit a couple of these shops with kids! There is so much to explore in this incredible UNESCO World Heritage site, kids will be mesmerized. However, it quickly changed when they recognized a couple of people, like Donald Trump or Barack Obama. We have to see some of those musicals! Kids will also find this site interesting and educational as they offer kid-version audio guides. Hope you found it useful! Tower Bridge, Big Ben, Westminster Abbey, St. Pauls Cathedral, Buckingham Palace, Trafalgar Square, Piccadilly Circus, Tower of London, the Royal Guards Below are our kids favorites. AndRemember where we could put our heads between the penguins?! I also recommend on the first day a visit to the London Transport Museum in Covent Garden. And Shreks Adventure looks really fun but is not ideal if your kids dont understand English. Yes, London is VERY child friendly. Update: Duck Tours were obliged to sell the land that was used to enter/exit Thames river, so they cannot do the splashdown in the river anymore. There are plenty of family friendly restaurants, parks, special events and special exhibits, and attractions all over the city my kids loved. It may be a bit too dark and scary for little ones. The guide on the river cruise was really funny, he said not to forget your favorite kids when leaving the boat, because he was left behind and has been on that boat since he was 8. This website uses cookies to improve your experience while you navigate through the website. So, Ive actually never considered what traveling to London with kids would be like, but after reading all this I think it sounds like such an amazing city to explore with your kids. Even the busses have spaces for the prams (strollers) and kids on scooters are everywhere. If you found this post useful, dont forget to bookmark it and share it with your friends. This is one of the best London attractions for kids. Its short, but really nicely done. Princess Diana Memorial Playground In Kensington Gardens, Travel From Home: The Best Harry Potter Virtual Tours And Experiences For Muggles Of All Ages. An alternate day trip you could consider is an outing to Windsor, home to one of the Queen's palaces (and the locale of Harry and Meghan's nuptials!) Out of these, the cookies that are categorized as necessary are stored on your browser as they are essential for the working of basic functionalities of the website. You could stay here for a month and still not see everything that you want to. We all loved it! On our last trip to London during our school holidays, we did one of these family tours, and my kids STILL talk about the stories they heard from the guide. This itinerary looks like it would definitely keep the kids happy. Or, you can enjoy a River Thames Cruise With Afternoon Tea! London is a very child friendly city. My daughter has been watching Paddington on repeat (its one of the few free on demand movies) and has made me promise to take her to London when the coronavirus is gone! You will be centrally located in Convent Garden, so afterward you can grab a meal at one of the kid-friendly restaurants recommended below. Studio Tour departs from Victoria Coach Station in the city center. Hamleys is said to be the only store that sells the Playmobil Royal Guard figurines (although I think it might have changed now as I found them on Amazon UK too ;)). We were a bit concerned whether the kids wouldnt get bored on this ride, since they dont speak or understand English, but we translated some of the stories for them and they didnt seem to be bored for a second. In order to get the most of your family vacation in London, its best to stay in the city center, within walking distance to the main attractions. I asked my kids to sort this list of London attractions, landmarks, and family-friendly activities based on what they enjoyed the most. Check out this website for kid scooter rentals: https://mobilebikeshop.co.uk/hire/ or this site https://bikeclub.com/collections/mini-2-5-years. Afterward, your bus will bring you back to Victoria Station. If you have some night owls, there are plenty of things families can do at night in London. It is a perfect start to a fun filled day. 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. Necessary cookies are absolutely essential for the website to function properly. They have five different routes that cover all the major highlights of central London. In fact, you could even do a Paddington Bear London experience based on the places that little bear visits! Visit the Hampstead Observatory for stargazing. Having lived in England I wonder if you were able to travel to any neighboring areas in the UK, and if so, please make a travel itinerary for them! They are used specifically to collect user personal data via analytics, ads, performance, function, or other embedded content which help the user experience. In the past known as Coca-Cola London Eye, its now called lastminute.com London Eye. It's one of my favorite things to do when we visit London. In this article, we feature only the very best of London for kids! This is the ultimate London itinerary with kids they will love and a perfect destination for family travel! Hop-on hop-off busses are probably the best way to see a big city with kids. TIP: If you are planning to visit several London attractions from Merlin Entertainments group (Shreks Adventure! And, don't forget to enjoy many of the street performers and shops in Covent Garden, one of the most iconic areas to visit in the city.
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