Family Trip to London

London is a great place to visit with children and is full of family-friendly attractions from the many and varied open parks and spaces to the interactive and fun attractions which are spread out across the city.  There is literally no end of ways to keep the whole family occupied in the capital city and first time visitors shouldn’t feel daunted at the prospect, although we understand how easy it can be to feel this way.  Questions such as:

Will you spend the whole time stuck on the tube whizzing back and forth to various places?  Will you find somewhere which appeals to children (and adults) of all ages?

Will you get lost in London, which is such a vast place?

Will it be incredibly expensive to get into the attractions as a family and will the queues be worth it?

Are all legitimate questions, particularly for people who aren’t familiar with the city and all that it offers to families.  At the same time however, there is also no need to have these worries as planning out your visit to London could not be easier.  Our major tip would be to divide London into its different areas and consider each one individually.  Choose the one which appeals to you most and then spend your time in the capital really getting to know that particular neighbourhood, rather than trying to spread your time across the entire city and finding that some of the above concerns may really come true.  Each of London’s diverse neighbourhoods has their own culture, their own heritage and their own individuality and each is worthy of a weekend or an extended break; trust us when we say you will not run out of things to do! 

Here are some examples:-

The City of London

This is the oldest part of London and is where you will find traditional landmarks such as the Tower of London, St Paul’s Cathedral and Tower Bridge.  You will also find the Museum of London here which is a great place to visit, especially if the weather isn’t great.  It is free entry and has lots of interactive elements for children of all ages.  Children aged between 4-11 can make use of the family activity bags which are available free of charge from the museum’s information desk and there are also plenty of interactive games and activities dotted around the museum as well.

The South Bank

If you cross over the bridge you can discover London’s South Bank which is home to HMS Belfast, the Tate Modern and Shakespeare’s Globe Theatre (for anyone who has perhaps studied the old Bard during the school year).  The Tate Modern is ideal for introducing children to contemporary art.  There are often family friendly special events taking place at the art gallery which have been designed to help children of all ages engage with art and it is well equipped for families to visit.  If you want to take in a show but don’t fancy heading out to the West End then the Unicorn Theatre is also situated here and puts on a range of interactive and fun performances throughout the year.  If your children don’t mind a bit of a fright they might enjoy a visit to London’s Dungeons, or alternatively take to the skies and book a capsule on the London Eye to get a fabulous bird’s eye view of the landmarks and skyline of the city.  For younger children, a visit to the Aquarium might be more suitable.

West London

Head back over the River Thames on Westminster Bridge and you will be heading into West London, home of some of the city’s most well known and loved landmarks and attractions.  Big Ben, Buckingham Palace, Westminster Abbey and Hyde Park are all situated here as well as London’s West End which not only features stunning shows but also has a number of excellent family friendly accommodation options such as The Piccadilly London West End Hotel.  Take the children to a matinee performance if you don’t think they will last until the evening (these can sometimes be cheaper as well) There is so much to do in this part of London from visiting the popular Natural History Museum and the Victoria & Albert Museum to letting your little one release their inner prince or princess and dress like a Royal at Kensington Palace.  If the kids need to let off steam then try the Princess Diana Memorial Playground or for a more relaxed afternoon take a boat up the Serpentine Lake in Hyde Park. 

North London

The biggest draw for families to North London is probably Regent’s Park, which is also home to ZSL London Zoo.  It is also situated next to Primrose Hill which is the ideal place to enjoy a picnic and appreciate the panoramic views over the city.  Keep older kids occupied by getting them to see how many famous landmarks they can spot on a clear day.  There’s also a paddling pool at the foot of Parliament Hill during the warmer months which younger children will love, just remember to pack a change of clothes if you are heading that way.  In this area you will also find the Jewish Museum, the House of Illustration and the London Canal Museum with Coram’s Fields just a short walk away as well.

East London

This part of the capital is generally made up of sub-neighbourhoods such as Hoxton, Spitalfields and Whitechapel.  You can find the likes of the Olympic Park here, Westfield Stratford and the Columbia Road Flower Market too.  Perhaps less here for the younger children, although it is home to the V&A Museum of Childhood which is a slightly less popular sister museum to the more commonly known V&A, it will most likely prove a big hit with teenagers as this is generally considered the more fashionable part of the city these days.