I am very passionate about traveling with kids so at age five my daughter has visited 7 countries. As a travel lover, from time to time she brings up the special moments from the trips she was old enough to remember. But, her very favorite was our London family vacation.
The British capital is one of the most entertaining metropolises in the world, and as you can imagine selecting the best things to do in London with kids or teens is no easy task. But, keep calm and relax because with my tips and recommendations you will know just about everything for your perfect London family vacation.
London Family Vacation – Walking around Kensington with an umbrella.
When To Go To London With Your Family?
There is no way to plan a family vacation in London without taking the weather into consideration. Although London is charming in every season, it sure is more pleasant for kids from June to September when it is warmer and the sun shines more often.
That is, if your family travel style involves lots of walking, enjoying outdoor activities, and relying on public transportation. If your family is used to cooler temperatures and heavier clothes, any season in the British capital will do for you.
But remember, no matter what season you choose, pack or plan on buying a few umbrellas. You are sure to need them!
London Family Vacation – South Kensington is the perfect neighborhood for families traveling to London.
Where To Stay on Your London Family Trip?
This is a big one for me, and again, it will depend on your travel style. I am a big fan of staying centrally located on my trips, but not necessarily where the hustle and bustle happen. I like to stay within walking distance from some attractions, but yet surrounded by locals.
So in London, South Kensington made the perfect neighborhood for my family and I. Notting Hill, St. James’s, and Paddington are also great options if you share my neighborhood taste.
Now, if this is not your cup of tea, West End and Westminster might be better options for you.
London Family Vacation – Relaxing in Kensington Gardens
Things To Do In Your London Family Vacation
London offers an infinite of attractions and activities, and selecting and distributing them throughout your vacation days is no easy task.
However, the first thing to keep in mind is that not all of them will be the best fit for your family. For instance, I had high expectations for our ride at the London Eye and surprisingly, my five year old was quite bored and not very excited. On the other hand, she still talks about Sky Garden.
That is to say, you know your family better than anyone else, so my suggestion is, don’t feel forced to see all of the top attractions just because everyone else visits them. Follow your heart and don’t be afraid to look for off the beaten path experiences in London, like the ones in this article by The Times, London: Ultimate City Guide.
As for my family, we love historic sites, parks, gardens, and attractions with city views. But best of all, we always look for fun experiences with hands-on activities where we can learn something new. With that in mind, these are the family activities I highly recommend in London.
TIP: The London Pass is a great option if you plan to visit more than 5 attractions. Just plan well as some major attractions are free and the London Eye is not included.
London Family Vacation – Beautiful views from Sky Garden
Sky Garden
Of course I have to start by the top floors at 1, Sky Garden Walk. This place has my little one still talking about London and as I mentioned in my post Feel Like a Local in London, Sky Garden is one of the busiest attractions in the British capital. This is no surprise because it offers incredible views of the city, great restaurants, beautiful gardens, and best of all, it is free.
As many London attractions, it requires reservation, and given its popularity it is recommended to book your entrance way in advance.
Another option is to make reservations in one of the restaurants and enjoy a meal with jaw dropping views. In fact, we opted to have brunch here and it was an experience we will never forget. Just keep in mind children under 16 are not able to enter Sky Garden after 6pm weekdays and 9pm on weekends.
London Family Vacation – Exploring the Tower Bridge inside and out
Tower Bridge
The Tower Bridge experience was one of my favorites London attraction with kids because it had everything: views, history, and very educational and fun hands-on experiences.
On our visit we walked across the pedestrian bridge, and we took the lift to the Sky Bridge where we had the thrilling experience of walking its glass floors, had incredible views, and we learned about the bridge’s constructions.
Besides that, the Engine Room although located on the other side of the bridge, was totally worth visiting. If offers many hands-on activities, including computer games that thought us how the bridge works. Too bad we were not lucky to be there on time to watch the bridge opening and closing. Perhaps you will be.
Although pedestrian access to Tower Bridge is free, there is an admission fee for those visiting the Sky Bridge. The entrance is included with the London Pass and families with kids or those with disability can use the elevator.
London Family Vacation – Walking the Tower of London walls and playing at its exhibits.
Tower of London
This historic castle is fun for all ages and a must on you London family trip. It offers a variety of tours that are entertaining and that teach everything about the site and London. Also, you can experience the ceremony of keys, see the royal guards from up close, and walk the entire wall where the kids can enjoy some hands-on activities along the way.
The main attraction at the Tower of London is the Crown Jewels sections so it tends to be very busy. For this reason, it is a good idea to start your tour here and as early as possible, although we arrived past noon and the lines weren’t so bad.
Also, you can expect to be here at least two hours, so plan accordingly. And if you get hungry on your way to or from the Tower of London, the Riverside Walk is full of great eating options like food trucks, cafes, and very nice restaurants. So, just pick one and enjoy the views of the castle, the Tower Bridge and the Thames river.
London Family Vacation – Covent Garden Market
Covent Garden
The Covent Garden market and district are a must for families visiting London. In the market you encounter food from around the world, local products, cultural festivals and events. This is the place to take your time and enjoy the street shows while having delicious food.
Walking around this district towards Soho was one of my family’s favorite activities in the British capital. The streets are beautiful and filled with cute shops, beautiful buildings, typical British pubs, and great energy.
TIP: Be sure to include Neal’s Yard at Seven Dials on your route.
London Family Vacation – Fun at the London Transport Museum
London Transport Museum
The London Transport Museum recently won the London Tourism Awards Visitor Attraction of the Year and I am not surprised. This place is as fun as can be, very informative, and fully hands-on.
Kids can drive Double Deckers, create their own bus passes, and hop inside antique buses and trains. All this while learning about 200 years of London’s transport history and the people who traveled and worked in the city.
Not to mention that the museum is right off of Covent Garden Market, so combining the two activities will make the perfect family day in London.
London Family Vacation – Double Deckers around London
Ride a Double Decker and a boat
Speaking of transportation, a family vacation in London is not complete without a ride on a Double Decker and on a boat on the Thames River.
Aside from the fact that kids just love an unusual ride, these are two amazing ways to view the British capital from other angles and to make you feel like a Londoner.
Riding the Double Deckers is not only fun but easy, and you can either scan a credit card or your London Pass, Since they run throughout the entire city, you will probably end up riding it more than once.
As for the boat, be it a tour boat, the Uber boat (that works just like a bus with its fixed stops but in the water), or a private boat, you are sure to enjoy it! These are the perfect rides to get a drink, put your legs up and relax while enjoying the beautiful views.
Want help booking a private boat in London? Let me handle it for you!
London Family Vacation – Kensington Palace’s dollhouse and gardens
Kensington Palace
A visit to the residency of the Prince of Wales is perfect for families visiting London with kids. It is filled with history and hands-on fun.
Kensington Palace is the birthplace of Queen Victoria, so during our visit we were able to follow in her footsteps since childhood and relieve it by playing with replicas of her toys, dressing up in royal costumes, and admiring her giant doll house. But the highlight was watching an opera show at a puppet theater barge. So cool!
Another great thing about this palace is that it is small so you can tour the inside and everyone will still have lots of energy to enjoy the beautiful Kensington Gardens and the Diana, Princess of Wales Memorial Playground located right next to it.
TIP: Kensington Palace Pavilion is the only place in London where you can enjoy a traditional afternoon tea in the grounds of a royal palace, so if this is something you would like to experience, be sure to book in advance.
London Family Vacation – Princess Diana’s Memorial Fountain and Playground in Hyde Park
Hyde Park
Hyde Park is the largest central and royal park of London and it is almost an extension of Kensington Gardens. So combining the two is a great idea for families visiting London!
In our case, after some great fun at the playground we headed for a picnic by Princess Diana Memorial Fountain. Since we had the most amazing weather we all got to wet our toes (well, my daughter literally swam) in its waters and I have to say this was a frigid and emotional experience.
Besides the fountain you can also plan to see other highlights of the park like the Crystal Palace, the Holocaust Memorial and a formal rose garden. Or, you can just skip to my next suggestion which is what we did.
London Family Vacation – Beautiful Notting Hill and Kensington neighborhoods
Wander around Kensington and Notting Hill beautiful streets
I just love a relaxing walk around cozy neighborhoods, so in our trip to London I included the beautiful streets of Kensington and Notting Hill, like Hillgate Place, Ladbroke Square, and Kensington Park gardens to our itinerary.
Now, as I mentioned in my post Feel Like a Local in London, by no means do I encourage tourists to be evasive and disrupt the peace of the locals in these beautiful streets.
So, if you also plan on doing this activity, be mindful of them by not being loud, not peeking in windows, or sitting in the front steps of houses without permission. Just enjoy the moment!
No time to plan your London trip? Let me handle it for you!
London Family Vacation – Dressed like a princess in the Windsor Castle
Windsor Castle Day Trip
A visit to Windsor Castle was the cherry on top of our vacation days in London because it not only gave us a chance to get a feel of an English small town, but also to experience a fully functioning castle. Between the castle and a nice walk around the town, we spent an amazing full day there.
On our visit to Windsor Castle we got to see a change of guard ceremony without crowds, and we visited St George’s Chapel where many royals got married (including Prince Harry and Meghan Markle). On top of that we also learned a great amount of history with the audio guide.
Another plus is the fat that the tickets for the castle are included with the London Pass, so in case you opt to go with the pass, you just need to reserve a time slot.
Although Windsor is one hour away from London, catching the train was easy, the ride very pleasant, and an adventure for our little one.
TIP: If your kids still enjoy dressing up, be sure to bring a princess or a knight’s costume to make your their visit to the castle even more memorable. Also, depending on their age, pick up a kids audio guide. They are sure to learn a lot while listening to the dragon’s story about the castle.
London Family Vacation – Magnificent Buckingham Palace
Buckingham Palace
A family trip to London is not complete without a visit to the magnificent Buckingham Palace. As you can imagine, this is a very large palace so my first advice is to plan a whole day here and take things slow.
Also, it is a great idea to get the family multimedia guide, perfect for children under the age of 12. This will complement your visit to the State Rooms and make it more entertaining while you see The Throne Room and The Ballroom. Here, the kids can also dress up like royalty and ride a rocking horse at the Family Pavilion.
And to complete your tour, head to the Royal Mews where the kids can burn lots of energy walking around elegant cars, carriages, and visiting the Queen’s horses in their stables.
Now, if you are not a fan of crowds, a great option to make your Buckingham Palace visit extra special is to book a Family Guided Tour when the Palace is not usually open to the public.
In this one hour tour designed for children, everyone is sure to learn stories about the Palace and its history directly from the best guides.
Need help booking your experiences in London? Get in touch!
These were some of our favorite activities we did during our five days in the British capital. However, London is magnificent and offers endless experiences for families. The important thing is to always remember that travel is not a one size fits all thing. So, stay true to your family’s travel style and have a well balanced plan with kids and adult like activities.
London is waiting for you with open arms, and so am I, in case you need help putting this itinerary together.
