London Itinerary: 6 Days in London for First-Time Visitors (Family-Friendly & Realistic)
On our first day in London, we created our own little self-guided walking tour, which included a stop at Westminster Abbey.
In early May 2025, we spent 6 days in London with our two children. It was our first visit there, and we had a memorable family-friendly trip which included visiting many famous landmarks, exploring world-famous museums, and going on unforgettable day trips.
Below is our actual itinerary.
Our travel style is pretty active. Even though we can’t see it all, we like to see as much as we can.
Our kids were 9 and 7 at the time and were able to keep up and enjoy themselves.
For this trip, we landed in London very early in the morning. So, our “Day 1” begins with us landing in London (severely jet-lagged) and dropping our things off at the hotel, and then venturing out to explore. We flew back home early on Day 7.
Our 6-Day London Itinerary at a Glance
Day 1: Westminster, Buckingham Palace, Natural History Museum
Day 2: Stonehenge, Science Museum
Day 3: Windsor Castle, Covent Garden, Leicester Square
Day 4: Tower of London, Tower Bridge, Globe Theatre
Day 5: Harry Potter Studio Tour
Day 6: British Museum, British Library, South Bank
Is 6 Days Enough for London?
Absolutely. One of my biggest travel pet peeves is when people say a trip isn’t worth it if you don’t have X number of days.
Will you be able to see ALL of London in six days? No.
But you can see a ton of iconic sites and create memories you will cherish for a lifetime.
(And you can still see a lot in two days. Or three days.)
Day 1: Westminster & Royal London (Jet Lag Day)
We landed at London Heathrow early in the morning and took the tube to our hotel, which graciously allowed us to leave our bags with them even though we were there hours before our check-in time.
It was barely breakfast time, and we were already exhausted. My husband is a great sleeper and does well with overnight flights.
My kids and I are unable to sleep.
At all.
We were running on pure adrenaline and excitement. But the most important rule about traveling across time zones is to force yourself to adjust as quickly as possible. Fortunately, we booked a hotel in London’s South Bank, which was within easy walking distance of numerous famous sites.
Big Ben and Westminster Abbey
First, we saw Big Ben. (The tower’s actually called the Elizabeth Tower. Big Ben is the bell.) Walking across the bridge and seeing it in person was mind-boggling. It’s one of those iconic sites that you always dream of seeing but worry you never actually will. Because we were there so early, the bridge wasn’t too crowded, so we were able to get some nice photographs. (We don’t share photos of our family on this site to respect their privacy. But in general, seeing sites early is the best time to get pictures!)
From there, we walked by Westminster Abbey. We only saw it from the outside, but it was beautiful.
A photograph taken of the Elizabeth Tower, known as Big Ben, from Westminster Bridge in London.
St. James's Park
Then, we walked through St. James Park. We didn’t expect much from it. We mostly walked that way because it would get us to our next site. But we actually really loved it. It had a peacefulness about it that felt very soothing after such an exhausting trip and the overwhelm of being in a new city. The kids were excited to discover that the park had a playground and swing set. They enjoyed burning off some energy after a long flight.
We walked through the beautiful St. James Park on our way to Buckingham Palace in London.
Buckingham Palace
From there, we headed to Buckingham Palace. We were there in early May, and they weren’t offering interior tours, so we only saw it from the outside. Still, it was worth it to say we’ve seen it with our own eyes.
Princess Diana Memorial Playground
After that, we headed to the Princess Diana Memorial Playground in Kensington Gardens. If you have kids who still enjoy playgrounds, they will absolutely love it! There was a massive wooden ship that they could play on. It was pretty epic as far as playgrounds go.
Natural History Museum
Finally, we walked through Hyde Park (also beautiful) and headed to the Natural History Museum. We all loved seeing the dinosaur fossils.
We wrapped up our first day in London by visiting the Natural History Museum. In addition to the amazing fossils inside, we found the exterior of the museum itself to be absolutely stunning.
By this point, jet lag got the best of us. We headed back to the hotel and crashed. The kids and I slept until about 1 or 2 in the morning and watched TV until my husband woke up and we could head out to explore more.
Day 2: Stonehenge Day Trip + Science Museum
Stonehenge
We were already up bright and early due to jet lag, so we grabbed breakfast at our hotel and headed to the pickup location for our Stonehenge tour.
When I was researching for our trip to London, I saw a lot of back and forth online about whether Stonehenge was worth it as a day trip. We were all very eager to see it, but we doubted ourselves because of some of the things we read on forums. People seem to either love it or hate it. To us, it was incredible and one of the highlights of our trip.
Ours was the first bus to arrive that morning, so we were able to get great family photos without crowds in the background.
Because we were on the first tour bus to arrive at Stonehenge, we were able to get great photos without the crowds.
We got to leisurely stroll around and try to wrap our heads around the fact that we were looking at something built about 5,000 years ago.
I also found it especially interesting that there were so many sheep nearby. I never saw any sheep in pictures when I was researching, so I was surprised that there were so many of them. I distinctly remember the “sheep smell” as I walked around Stonehenge. I really regret not taking a picture of the sheep in the background.
The Visitor’s Centre onsite was small but well done. They had an exhibit that featured the facial reconstruction of a man from the time period. That made a lasting impression on the kids. It was neat to put a face to the people who built this structure.
Outside of the Visitor’s Centre, they had a sarsen stone that you could try to pull. Our little one was convinced he was able to move it by himself. Haha.
So, is Stonehenge worth visiting from London? Absolutely! We still talk about our trip to Stonehenge regularly and marvel over the fact that we actually got to go there and see it.
Science Museum
After our tour bus dropped us off at the designated spot, we headed to the Science Museum. I wasn’t feeling great by the time we got there, so I didn’t explore as much as the rest of the family did. But a stand-out from the museum was the Enigma machine.
After that, we were pretty tired, so we headed back toward our hotel.
One of the most interesting things we saw at the Science Museum in London was the Enigma machine.
Day 3: Windsor Castle + Central London Fun
Windsor Castle
On our third day, the main attraction was Windsor Castle. We went first thing in the morning. (You’ll find that’s a common theme of our travels. The crowds are almost always smaller right when a site opens.)
It’s interesting because you walk out of the train station and turn a corner, and bam. It’s right there!
The grounds were breathtaking. The gardens were beautifully manicured and even just looking at the castle from the outside was a real treat.
Pictures were not allowed inside, but it was absolutely stunning. The history of the castle is so vast and significant, it’s hard to sum up in a brief itinerary review. But it was incredible to walk the same grounds that so many significant historical figures walked before us.
The Great Hall was a favorite of ours, as we loved seeing the suits of armor that lined it. It looked exactly like what you picture in your head as a kid when you envision a castle.
The gardens at Windsor Castle were perfectly manicured. We enjoyed taking in the scenery before walking inside and exploring the castle during our day trip from London to Windsor Castle.
St. George’s Chapel
We also visited St. George’s Chapel, which is on the castle grounds. Many notable monarchs have been buried there, including Queen Elizabeth II, Prince Philip, Duke of Edinburgh, and Henry VIII. The chapel has also been the venue for many royal weddings, including Prince Harry and Meghan Markle.
After we finished our morning visit to the castle, we enjoyed checking out the various shops nearby and picking up some souvenirs for friends.
Leicester Square, Chinatown, Covent Garden, and Seven Dials Market
After that, we headed back to London and went to Leicester Square.
We visited the world’s biggest candy store, an M&M Store. It was the “biggest” in size, but a lot of it was merchandise. I don’t know who is going there to buy M&M pajamas and salt shakers, but to each their own.
We also went to the Lego Store, walked through Chinatown and went to Covent Garden and Seven Dials Market. We didn’t eat there, but we spotted a restaurant with 3D printed steak on the menu!
The brick displays at The LEGO Store in Leicester Square were just as epic as you would expect. We stopped in to check it out during our family trip to London and the kids loved looking at all of the displays, especially the Harry Potter ones.
This was our first time ever seeing 3D printed food on a menu! The menu of this restaurant in Seven Dials in London featured a 3D printed steak.
Day 4: Tower of London + Tower Bridge + Shakespeare’s Globe
Tower of London, The Crown Jewels, and Beefeater Tours
On our fourth day, the main attraction was the Tower of London. We got tickets to get in as soon as they opened.
We hurried straight to the Crown Jewels before the line became too insane. (Unfortunately, no photography is allowed inside.) It was amazing but also a little overwhelming. When you go to see the jewels, you’re basically on a slow moving sidewalk. I would have loved more time to look at the jewels more closely, but I can understand why they want to keep the crowds moving.
This is an exterior shot of the Tower of London. It’s wild that it’s right there in the middle of the city. The juxtoposition between the old and new architecture was really interesting.
Then, we took one of the free Beefeater Tours led by the official guards. That part was all outdoors. The tour actually began in the moat, which is now a garden.
It was entertaining and informative - highly recommend. In fact, it was another one of the highlights of the trip for me and definitely worth it. The kids didn’t quite understand all of the history and references, but they were good sports about it.
After that, we crossed Tower Bridge.
The Beefeater Tour at the Tower of London was totally worth it. They are a wealth of knowledge, and the tour was both informative and funny.
Borough Market
We had originally planned to eat at Borough Market and walked all the way there, but we made the mistake of going near lunchtime and it was slammed. Like, it was hard just to navigate our way out of there without losing sight of each other. So we found another spot to eat and continued on with the rest of our day’s itinerary.
Shakespeare’s Globe
We headed to Shakespeare’s Globe Theater next. We did not have tickets to see a show, although we would have loved to fit that in. But it was still neat to see it from the outside and say we’ve been there.
During our family vacation to London with kids, we stopped by Shakespeare’s Globe Theater. The kids didn’t quite understand the significance yet, but we bet they’ll be much more interested in Shakespeare when the learn about him in school now that they’ve seen his theater.
Tate Modern
We still had some extra time, so we went to the Tate Modern next. We weren’t huge fans, but we did find a little play area. Our youngest found another little kid to play with. It was so sweet. Ours was speaking English, the other German, but it didn’t matter. Somehow they worked together to build an elaborate block tower, laughing hysterically the whole time. That little detour ended up being one of our favorite memories of the entire London vacation.
Day 5: Harry Potter Studio Tour (Warner Bros.)
Day Trip to See the Making of Harry Potter
For Harry Potter fans, no trip to London would feel complete without a day trip to Warner Bros. Studio Tour London.
Our oldest absolutely loves the books, so this was a dream come true for her.
It was surreal seeing the actual sets and how lifelike they looked in person. That may sound silly, but sometimes it’s hard to tell what’s “movie magic” vs. what things actually look like in real life. I was blown away by how realistic and detailed the sets were.
During our family vacation to London, we went to Warner Bros. Studios Tour London and saw props and sets from the movies. We loved this peek into Privett Drive.
And how can you top seeing the actual Sorcerer’s Stone (or Philosopher’s Stone)?!
The tour was self-paced, so you could explore at your leisure.
The kids loved the wand combat session, where they learned some of the wand choreography from the movies and got to “fight” the Death Eaters.
Warner Bros. Studio Tour London vs. The Wizarding World of Harry Potter
We had actually visited Universal Studios in Orlando the year before this trip, so we had that experience to compare it to. Obviously Universal has rollercoasters, but we are wimps and don’t do them. So we were really just comparing the experience of feeling like you’re wandering through the world of Harry Potter.
While Universal’s theming is incredible (the interiors of Gringotts Bank looked identical at both locations, as far as we could tell), there’s something to be said about seeing the “real deal.”
The set for Gringotts Bank at the Warner Bros. Studio Tour in London was absolutely stunning. We were also very impressed with how realistic the one at Universal Studios in Orlando was by comparison.
The only thing Universal did 100% better was the Butterbeer.
We absolutely loved it in Orlando. The Butterbeer at the London studio was extremely disappointing by comparison. We had been so looking forward to having it again on this trip, but were sorely disappointed. We couldn’t figure out if the machine was broken, we got a bad batch, or there is actually a flavor difference between the two. But whatever we had on the London tour was not nearly as delicious as what we had at Universal Studios. The ice cream version of it was good, though.
Is a Day Trip to the Harry Potter Studios Tour in London Worth It?
If you love Harry Potter, absolutely.
Yes, you can see London without it. But we would have regretted missing out on it.
The kid were really impressed with the model of Hogwarts at the Warner Bros. Studio Tour London – The Making of Harry Potter.
Day 6: British Museum + British Library + Local London Wind Down
This was our last full day in London.
We started the day by visiting the British Museum.
The highlights for me were seeing real hieroglyphics and a Moai from Easter Island.
The kids and I had been watching documentaries about Easter Island prior to our trip, so seeing a Moai statue in person was really cool!
We loved the Parthenon sculptures.
We also saw a crystal skull and the Cyrus Cylinder - an early charter of human rights under Cyrus the Great.
The coolest part, though, was that they had stone tools we could hold. One was 5,000 years old!
Then, we headed to the British Library to visit the Treasures Gallery. There, we saw the Codex Sinaiticus, the earliest surviving manuscript with the complete New Testament.
We also saw the Magna Carta.
The funniest part, though, was an Egyptian homework tablet from 2,000 years ago. The child had made the same mistake twice, noted on the museum label. Imagine messing up on your homework and it being on display 2,000 years later.
Can you imagine messing up on your homework and it ending up in a museum for people to see thousands of years later?
We finished the day by eating at a pub, letting the kids ride a carousel, and finding the most amazing playground behind the London Eye. It was the perfect way to end the trip!
When and Where We Stayed in London
We visited London in early May of 2025. We got very lucky and hit a heat wave, so we had perfect weather the entire trip. In fact, it didn’t start raining until we boarded our plane for the flight home!
As for our hotel, we stayed at Park Plaza County Hall London. It’s situated on the South Bank, just a few minutes’ walk from the London Eye, Big Ben, and the Palace of Westminster. (We also discovered that there’s an amazing playground behind the London Eye!)
It’s located near plenty of restaurants and was convenient for walking to the tube, the train station, and the bus stop.
They allowed us to drop our carry-ons off with them when we got there long before check-in, which allowed us to be able to explore the city.
The room was very comfortable for our family of four. The bathroom could have been a little cleaner, but considering the spaciousness and proximity to so many famous landmarks, we would gladly stay there again.
The room also came with a free buffet breakfast. Honestly, that was a huge bonus. Because we plan all of our must-see attractions for first thing in the morning, it was so nice to be able to grab breakfast and go. The hotel staff was very generous and even gave us to-go boxes a couple of times so that we could hurry to the train station. The food was exactly what you’d expect from a hotel breakfast buffet, but it did offer decent variety, and we appreciated the convenience.
Tips for Visiting London With Kids
Jet Lag
Jetlag is no joke.
I wish I had better advice for you. We tried sleeping masks, earplugs, etc.
We’re not great sleepers in our own time zone, so we find it nearly impossible to sleep on planes. We knew our kids were up for hitting the ground running. If yours aren’t the kind that can push through, I’d remove a day from this itinerary (or add another one on), and just spend the first day adjusting.
Walking All Day
Walking fatigue is a real thing, too. It’s hard to go, go, go all day. We try to prep our kids before the trip by taking long walks. For the most part, the excitement of seeing the next thing keeps them going. But you should absolutely consider how your kid is feeling. It’s not worth making them miserable just to see the next thing. This is part of why we schedule our absolute must-sees for the first thing in the morning. That way, if we have to cut something, it’s something we can live without seeing if we have to.
Museum Pacing
We know our kids do not have the patience to spend seven hours exploring the British Museum. Could you spend days there? Yes. But when visiting any museum with kids, we pick a handful of things we’re dying to see and find those first. If they have more energy to explore, great. If not, we still call it a win.
Transportation
Getting around in London with kids was very easy. They did great on the tube, buses, and trains. The biggest thing with little ones is to pay attention to the gap between the trains and the platforms and make sure you’re holding hands so you don’t get separated if the doors start to close.
What We Would Do Differently
I would skip Borough Market in the future (or would go right when they open). The crowds were insane. And I realize that we’re saying that as fellow tourists, so we have no right to complain. It just wasn’t worth it to us.
I could have lived without seeing Leicester Square, Chinatown, Covent Garden, and Seven Dials Market. I’m still happy we saw them, but I could have easily cut them from the trip and still enjoyed the trip just as much.
I also wish we had known about the playground behind the London Eye sooner. It was the coolest playground we’ve ever seen, and our kids absolutely loved it. We didn’t discover it was there until the night before we flew home. If I could go back in time and change anything, I would have taken them there at the end of each day.
Final Thoughts
I hope you’ve found this information helpful as you plan out your itinerary for your trip to London. We had a wonderful time there.
The people were kind and friendly.
We got lucky with the weather and had sunny skies, so we may have been spoiled in that regard.
We saw so many things we’ve read about in history books.
We made memories that we will cherish for the rest of our lives.
Going to London as a family was definitely worth it, and we are so glad that we got to experience a little taste of what London has to offer.
