London with Kids: A Realistic Guide for First-Time Families
Before our first trip, we weren't sure how London would work with kids. Would they get bored? Would the city feel overwhelming? After six days exploring London as a family, we found it to be one of the easiest European destinations we've visited. Here's what surprised us, what we'd do differently, and whether we'd recommend London to other families.
So, is London good for kids?
Short Answer: Yes. London is one of the easiest European cities to visit with kids thanks to excellent public transportation, family-friendly attractions, English-speaking locals, and plenty of free museums and parks. After spending six days there with our own kids, we'd absolutely recommend it to first-time family travelers.
In fact, our 7-year-old son didn’t want to leave and asked if we could stay six more days and do the exact trip all over again. (He denies it now, but at the time, he said he loved it even more than Disney World! And he loves Disney.)
If you’re considering planning a trip to London as a family, here’s a look at what it’s like visiting London with kids.
At a Glance
London is a great vacation destination for families. Here are a handful of reasons we think it’s worth a trip with little ones:
Easy public transportation
Access to familiar food
Lots of free attractions
Beautiful parks and playgrounds
Plenty of castles to explore
Is London Worth Visiting with Kids?
Compared to other European cities we’ve visited, London was very easy.
Transportation is excellent, and there is a wide variety of famous sites to explore.
Our kids never got bored there. Whether your kids are fascinated by royalty, enjoy exploring museums, or are curious about castles, they won’t run out of attractions that capture their imaginations, like the Tower of London and the Harry Potter Studio Tour.
Why London Works So Well for Families
Easy to Get Around
The Underground wasn’t as overwhelming as we worried it might be. With the Citymapper app, we were able to easily find the nearest Underground station and figure out which train to take. That app is a lifesaver!
I would highly recommend using public transportation rather than renting a car to get around London. It’s a major city, and driving there seemed very intimidating. After seeing how congested traffic could get, we were so glad we didn’t even attempt to drive!
The Natural History Museum is a great pick for kids who love dinosaurs. We thought the exterior of the building was beautiful, too!
Attractions Kids Actually Enjoy
One thing we especially loved about London is that there were so many things to do that every day felt like a unique experience. One day we were visiting Stonehenge, another a castle, and another Harry Potter Studios.
Countless attractions appeal to kids, like:
Natural History Museum (dinosaurs)
British Museum (Ancient Egyptian and Greek artifacts)
LEGO Store (lots of Harry Potter displays)
Beautiful parks (great for burning energy)
Playgrounds (being around other kids and having fun outdoors)
There Are Lots of Free Activities
Paying entrance fees can really add up when traveling as a family. Luckily, London has a wide variety of heavy-hitting attractions you can enjoy for free, including:
Natural History Museum
Science Museum
British Library’s Treasures Room
Parks
Playgrounds
Strolling past sites like Big Ben, Westminster, and Buckingham Palace
Having options like these helped offset the cost of paid attractions, such as the Harry Potter Studio Tour and our day trip to Stonehenge.
While we didn’t get a chance to see the inside, the exterior of Westminster Abbey was absolutely beautiful.
English Removes a Lot of Stress
As American travelers, we found that everything being in English removed a layer of stress. We could easily navigate, order, and ask questions.
If you’ve never traveled abroad, London is the perfect first destination for that reason alone!
Things to Know Before Visiting London with Kids
Don’t Go into the Red Phone Booths
They smell like urine. Just snap your pics from the outside.
Stand on the Right Side of the Escalator
The right side is for standing; the left side is for people in a hurry. (Remember, you’re a tourist, but they have to get to work!)
Mind the Gap
There’s a pretty big step between the trains and the platform in the Underground. Prepare kids for this, and hold hands to make sure they can get on/off safely.
Food Allergies
While we do not have any food allergies, we were thoroughly impressed by how every restaurant asked us whether we had any food allergies. A couple even verified more than once!
A Kid's POV
Our kids were 7 and 9 when we went to London. Here are their thoughts on whether other kids would enjoy the trip:
Daughter (9 at the time):
“I’m not sure if younger kids would enjoy learning about history. It might not be as fun for younger kids as for older kids.”
Son (7 at the time):
“Yes, because it’s really fun!”
Our day trip to the Warner Bros. Harry Potter Studio Tour was a big hit with the whole family.
Our Best Tips for Visiting London with Kids
Expect Lots of Walking
Make sure everyone has comfortable walking shoes. For past European trips, I wore whatever tennis shoes I already had on hand. This time, I had better quality shoes (Karhu). I couldn’t believe the difference they made! My feet and back were so much happier.
We start going on long walks with our kids weeks/months before our trips to get them used to it. We’ve found our kids don’t complain much because they’re so excited to go on to the next activity. But make sure you’re thinking of your kids’ needs, too, and not running them ragged.
Don't Overschedule
We pick one “must-do” attraction per day, first thing in the morning. If we do that one thing, our day is a success.
We have plans for the rest of the day, but we keep them flexible.
Book Popular Attractions Early
You need to book anything you want to see as soon as possible.
In this post-COVID world, most attractions are timed entry and require reservations. If you show up without reservations, you might still be able to get tickets, but you’ll likely be in line for an hour or more.
Make sure to book major attractions like the Tower of London, Harry Potter Studio Tour, British Museum, and any day trips like Stonehenge and Windsor Castle for early time slots to allow plenty of time to explore.
Build in Park Time
Our one regret of our trip to London was not building in more playground time.
The kids found the playgrounds, like the one behind the London Eye, to be way more fun than the ones they’ve frequented in the U.S.
Going on big trips is a lot on kids, even the best-behaved ones. They deserve some downtime to enjoy being kids, even on vacation.
We loved walking through St. James’s Park on our stroll to Buckingham Palace while visiting London. It was so peaceful and made you forget you were in the middle of a bustling city.
What We Packed That Helped
Refillable water bottles: When we get to a city, we go to a store and grab a few large bottles of water. Each morning, we fill our four Nalgene bottles before heading out to explore.
Portable charger: We use our phones a lot, both for photography and navigation. The last thing we’d want to happen is to have a fun day sightseeing only to realize we’d drained our batteries and don’t have enough to get us back to our hotel!
Comfortable shoes: I mentioned this above, but I’ve learned my lesson about what a difference good walking shoes make on vacation. My feet and back were much happier now that I switched to Karhu, but any shoe store that specializes in personalized shoe fit can help you find what works best for your body. (We go to our local Fleet Feet store for fittings.)
Waterproof shoes or waterproof spray: We’ve struggled to find waterproof shoes that work for us, so we rely on waterproof spray. It’s not perfect, but it does help!
TravelOn purse: I’m always concerned about pickpockets, so I feel more comfortable using a TravelOn purse for added security.
Lightweight rain jackets: We didn’t end up needing them because we hit a rare sunny week, but we had them ready to go. They’ve been lifesavers on other trips, though!
What We'd Do Differently Next Time
Spend more time at playgrounds:
The kids were so excited when we found the one behind the London Eye, Jubilee Gardens Playground. It was wooden, and they said it was the best playground they’ve ever been on. If we’d known about it sooner, we would have wrapped up every day there.
Spend more time exploring the parks:
We walked through a few parks but didn’t dedicate much time to enjoying them. The kids would have enjoyed having space to run around.
Skip the Tate Modern:
This may be controversial, but it just wasn’t our thing. We’re not big modern art fans, but we went because we felt like we should. We could have spent that time enjoying another attraction.
Try to visit Hampton Court Palace:
We saw a ton of major sites, but we just couldn’t fit this one in. If we’d had more time, I would have loved to see it.
Stonehenge was our favorite day trip from London. We thought it was 100% worth it with kids.
Who Will Enjoy London Most?
Families who will enjoy visiting if they:
are interested in British history
are fascinated by royalty
enjoy museums
want an easy first trip to Europe (no language barrier)
want access to fun day trips
Families might struggle if they:
don’t like bustling cities
don’t like crowds
dislike walking or public transportation
are on a tight budget
Frequently Asked Questions
Is London worth visiting with kids?
Yes. London is one of the easiest European cities to visit with kids, especially for families traveling internationally for the first time. Our kids loved exploring the museums, strolling through the parks, going on day trips, and playing on playgrounds.
What age is best for London?
While it’s great for all ages, kids in the upper elementary grades and up will probably get more out of the trip because of better understanding of the significance of what they’re seeing.
How many days do you need in London with kids?
People saying you HAVE to spend X days in a city to make it worth it is a huge pet peeve of mine.
We spent six full days and had a blast. We would have still had a blast with only three days.
Go whenever works for you, and for how long works for you.
Is London expensive for families?
It wasn’t as outrageous as we expected, but our experience was a bit unique in that we had a couple of things working in our favor.
We used points to snag a deal on our flights, and by luck we caught a Black Friday deal on our hotel.
There are so many fun free things to do there like the museums, parks, and playgrounds. You don’t have to spend a fortune on activities.
Food is one expense that’s hard to avoid, but we didn’t find it terribly expensive compared to other large cities.
We frequented Nando’s quite a bit for delicious, kid-friendly meals.
Can kids use the Underground easily?
Yes. Our kids felt comfortable on the public transportation.
By the end of the trip, our youngest was quipping, “Mind the gap between the train and the platform,” as played in the Underground at regular intervals.
Windsor Castle turned out to be a great day trip for our family!
Our 6-Day London Itinerary
Here’s a look at the major highlights we focused on during our trip to London:
Day 1:
Buckingham Palace
Natural History Museum
Princess Diana Memorial Playground
Day 2:
Stonehenge
Science Museum
Day 3:
Windsor Castle
Day 4:
Tower of London
Borough Market
Globe Theater
Day 5:
Warner Bros Harry Potter Studio Tour
Day 6:
British Museum
British Library Treasures Gallery
Final Thoughts
We had a fantastic week in London and don't regret going for a second.
At the same time, Europe has so many incredible destinations that we'd probably choose somewhere new before returning.
If you're deciding whether London is worth visiting with kids, though, we'd absolutely recommend it.
Continue Planning Your London Trip
Planning a trip to London can feel overwhelming, but it doesn't have to be.
We've put together practical guides based on our family's experience to help you make the most of your vacation—from choosing what to see to building a realistic itinerary.
Check out the articles below to continue planning your trip:
