The capital of the United Kingdom, London, is one of those cities where families will find a wide range of child-friendly places and activities. Here, you will see the famous red double-decker buses and the old telephone booths. In addition, almost everyone can easily name the most visited landmarks in the city – London Bridge, Big Ben, and the London Eye. So, London with kids becomes a journey through one of the largest and most important cities in the world.
Although it may seem that the families behind Kelionės su vaikais have already visited many places around the world, we still keep the United Kingdom on our must-visit list with children. This time, our loyal follower and reader Ineta Bukelevičė shares her impressions from a trip to London. London with children – Ineta explains what you can see and do during three days of travel.
London with children
Even though many of our friends had visited this city long ago, we kept postponing our trip. The reason was simple. We first visited London about 7 years ago, and the city pushed us away. It felt overwhelming because of its fast pace, huge crowds of tourists and locals, and skyscrapers reaching the sky. We simply experienced a classic big city shock.
Travel to London by plane
However, we decided to return to London quite spontaneously. As our son grew older and we live in a calmer coastal city, we enjoy short escapes to big cities. This way, we can feel the energy, pace, and culture again. So, we chose a flight from Palanga Airport to London, picked convenient dates, and off we went.
We flew to London Stansted Airport. Although we landed around 11 PM, convenient shuttle buses took us to Stansted station in about an hour. Then, to reach a relative’s home, we used Uber, which is very popular in London. From the very first moments, the trip surprised us. The Uber we ordered was a Tesla, and for our ten-year-old, it was simply WOW.
London is known for wind, grey skies, and rain. However, we were not afraid of the weather. Living by the sea taught us to enjoy any kind of weather and adapt to it. This time, the weather surprised us in the best way. It was warm every day, around 24°C, and there was no rain at all – it felt like summer.
London with children – first day of the trip
On the first day, we followed a planned itinerary. First, we spent about an hour walking around Silvertown streets. At the same time, we got familiar with the metro, trains, and canal system. Then, we started our adventures.
Our first stop was the Greenwich area, which we reached by Uberboat. It is a comfortable and affordable way to travel. Plus, it gives you that “wind in your hair” feeling. In Greenwich, we explored a historic ship museum with various exhibitions. Nearby, you will also find the National Maritime Museum, a naval college, and a beautiful hill. There are green lawns, walking paths, and picnic spots. At the top, you will see the observatory and the Prime Meridian. Yes, this is where time zones are measured. You can visit the observatory (paid entry), while the nearby viewpoint offers one of the most beautiful city views.
After exploring, we continued our journey. This time, we walked through a tunnel under the river instead of using the metro. The entrance is near the pier, and the walk takes about 10–15 minutes. During the day, many people use the tunnel. However, in the evening, it is not recommended to walk there alone. The tunnel is impressive but also quite cool and slightly eerie. Naturally, you want to walk through it quickly, knowing you are under the river.
Covent Garden area
After leaving the tunnel, we headed toward Covent Garden and Soho. We chose smaller streets and little shops along the way. Gradually, we reached the famous Chinatown. The area feels very lively, with crowds of locals and tourists. There are many shops, street food stands, restaurants, and red lanterns.
Since we were extremely hungry, we searched for a place to eat. Unfortunately, the restaurant we chose disappointed us. The food was not great, but the price was shocking. So, a quick tip – check places in advance.
What to see and do in Covent Garden
In Covent Garden, we visited the Royal Opera House. Visitors can explore parts of the building, have coffee, and see costumes from upcoming performances. You can also step onto the terrace, which offers a view of the city and the theatre workshops. The cultural atmosphere there feels truly special.
In addition, Covent Garden has a food hall with flavors from all over the world. You will also find the London Transport Museum, where you can explore all types of transport. It presents metro lines and their colors, as each line has its own color identity. For example, the newer Jubilee and Elizabeth lines are modern, bright, and very deep underground, and they are often crowded.
If you plan to use public transport, an Oyster card will be useful. You can top it up with any amount. You must tap it when entering and exiting. Alternatively, you can pay with a bank card or phone app, which is very convenient. Also, public transport is free for children. They just need to pass the gates together with an adult using the family entrance.
In the evening, we saved the best part for last. We walked through the park toward Buckingham Palace. Along the way, we looked for squirrels and watched ducks in the river. Then, we reached Westminster Abbey and Big Ben. Of course, we took photos from every angle. After crossing the main bridge, we walked toward the London Eye.
If you plan to ride it, be ready to spend quite a bit. Tickets cost from £42 for adults and from £38 for children.
Second day
The second day started sunny and warm. After a morning run and breakfast, we headed toward Liverpool Street. Walking there feels special. You move between skyscrapers and feel the true energy of a big city. At the same time, you notice business people in suits and hear conversations from meetings in nearby cafés.
In this area, we planned to visit the Bank of England Museum. The museum is free, so we highly recommend it. You will learn about money, banking history, and future currencies. You can also play interactive games and try to lift a real gold bar weighing about 13 kg. Interestingly, the Bank of England stores around 400,000 such bars.
After the museum, prepare for a security check. Next, we searched for a rooftop terrace in a skyscraper. Although tickets are free, it is best to book them in advance. We visited the Sky Garden. Tickets are released on Mondays. We tried our luck in the live queue, waited about 30 minutes, and reached the 35th floor.
Here, you will enjoy a 360-degree view of the city. There is also a greenhouse, cafés, and luxury restaurants. Naturally, you will want to take many photos and admire London from above. It truly feels impressive.
Harry Potter tour at Warner Bros studio
We visited St. Paul’s Cathedral, passed by the London Museum, which is currently closed, walked through the Barbican streets, and had lunch at a great American grill restaurant. Then, with full stomachs, we headed to an evening adventure that not only our son but also we were eagerly waiting for.
This is the Harry Potter film-making tour at Warner Bros. Studio Tour London – The Making of Harry Potter. If you decide to join this tour, we recommend buying tickets as early as possible so you can get better time slots. Our tour started at 17:30, and you should not be late.
We found tickets at good prices in the partner system of Travel 4 kids:
- best price offer for the Harry Potter studio and a bonus – a boat ride on the River Thames!
- offer with a discount and local transfers.
- offer with transfer by a themed bus from central London.
- and if you want to stay near the Harry Potter studio and visit it without any stress – this offer is for you!
The studio is quite far, about 30 km from the city center. So, you will need to take the metro to Euston, then a train to Watford, and from there a special Harry Potter double-decker bus will take you to the studio. Keep in mind that many visitors wait for this bus, so you might not get on. To avoid the risk of being late, we took bus 20 and went to the studio on our own. We had to walk for about 10 minutes, but we arrived on time.
What will you see on this tour?
As you enter the studio, a large dragon and a guide will welcome you. The guide will explain the main tour rules and open the doors to the world of Harry Potter. Everyone feels excited – here you will see the Great Hall with floating candles, castle stairs, rooms, paintings, spells, potions, the Defense Against the Dark Arts classroom, teachers, the Quidditch broom scene, and the dark forest with giant spiders, as well as the famous bank with goblins and dragons.
You will also hear insights and explanations from directors and actors about how this magical world was created. You will have the chance to touch mandrakes growing in the greenhouse, which scream when pulled out, see the Dursleys’ house and walk inside it, visit Diagon Alley, cross part of the castle bridge, sit in the famous blue car, and much more. You can also taste the potion drink, visit the famous platform 9¾, step onto the steam train, and explore the souvenir shop, where you will find everything your heart desires. So, get ready to buy your own magic wand.
The tour lasts about 3 hours. After it, a fast Harry Potter bus will take you to the Watford station (free for those with tour tickets), and the rest of the journey back will take more time.
We decided to explore London at night. So, on our way back, we went to Tower Bridge, as its night lights and the view from the river are truly magical. In the evening, it gets cooler in London, so make sure to bring something warmer. We ended the second day with pizza at 2 AM, but after all, it was a holiday.
Third day
On the third day in London with children, we planned another adventure. We took a cable car toward the The O2 Arena. It operates daily from 7 AM to 11 PM. Each cabin has a different color, so from afar, it looks like a colorful garland above the river. After crossing, we walked around Greenwich again. The area truly feels charming. Then, we went through the tunnel once more and took the metro toward the Tate Museum.
Tate art museum
The Tate Modern is a paradise for modern art lovers. You will find endless galleries and can easily spend a whole day there. During our visit, there was an exhibition by Yoko Ono. Her message of peace felt powerful and meaningful. The museum also has a very romantic balcony with a beautiful view.
Did you know that many museums offer virtual tours? For example, the British Museum allows visitors to explore it from home. So, you can experience it without traveling. You can find more about this in the article TOP10 virtual tours through the museums of Lithuania.
After leaving Tate, we walked back toward Big Ben, the Houses of Parliament, and Westminster Abbey. At that time, a large protest for a cleaner planet took place, so we had to move through crowds. Then, we spent a couple of hours walking in Green Park near Buckingham Palace. We wondered where kings live and enjoyed nature in Hyde Park. In summer, many people have picnics and spend active time outdoors. Later, we visited a Lebanese restaurant in the Paddington area. The food tasted incredible, and we finally relaxed. As mentioned before, it is worth searching for good places.
Our trip ended with a walk along Oxford Street. There are millions of shops, from luxury to affordable ones. The street feels full of life. We also visited the famous Selfridges. Inside, you will see beautiful tableware, food products, and luxury jewelry. You can also enjoy traditional afternoon tea with desserts and tea. Interestingly, even younger people keep this tradition alive.
By the way, “Kelionės su vaikais” recommends the Peppa Pig afternoon tea experience on a themed bus.
Finally, we returned home with smiles and a promise to come back. After all, we only saw a small part of this big city.
