London is one of the best cities for an international family trip, and for good reason. Some of the city’s best museums are completely free, kids under 11 ride buses and the Underground for free with a paying adult, and there’s always a park or playground nearby when everyone needs a break. With three days in London, you can see many of the city’s biggest sights, mix in plenty of kid-friendly fun, and still keep the pace manageable for the whole family.

This London with kids itinerary keeps each day in a single part of the city, so you’re not moving across the city in one day, which can be daunting: London is huge. Day one covers Westminster and the River Thames, day two is the museum district and Hyde Park, and day three is the Tower and the east side. If you have more time, I’ve added some of my favorite additional day trips to round out a 4- or 5-day stay across the pond.

Before You Go: Quick Planning Notes

Best Time to Visit London With Kids

London has plenty to see and do in every season, but you may prefer one over the other for your family:

• April to June: Long days, gardens in bloom, and the weather is as good as London gets. This is the best window for families.
• July and August: Warmest and busiest. Attractions sell out, prices can climb, and museums get packed. Book everything ahead of time. Summer heat is also a real consideration now in a way it wasn’t ten years ago, with heat waves creeping in.
• September and October: Still mild, noticeably quieter once British schools go back, and hotel prices come down.
• November to March: Short days and plenty of grey skies, but the city comes to life around the holidays. Christmas lights, ice rinks, and every free museum is a great idea when it’s raining. If you’re going in December, I have a full guide to Christmas in London with kids.

Whatever month you pick, pack a rain jacket for everyone and shoes that can get wet. London rain is rarely dramatic, but it’s almost always present.

Getting Around London With Kids

London has a fabulous public transit system that makes getting around with kids a breeze. Children under 11 travel free on the Tube, DLR, Overground and Elizabeth line when they’re with a fare-paying adult, up to four kids per adult. They don’t need a ticket at all. You take them through the wide gate with you. Under 11s also ride buses and trams free at any time, with or without an adult.

For kids aged 11 to 15, ask staff at any Tube station to add the Young Visitor discount to an Oyster card. It gives them child fares and lasts 14 days, which covers almost any family trip.

Adults just tap a contactless card or phone. There’s a daily cap, so once you’ve made a few journeys the rest of the day is effectively free. Buses are a flat fare no matter how far you go, and the Hopper fare means you can change buses as many times as you like within an hour for that one fare.

Some things to know to make your day easier:

• Buses can be better than the Tube with young children. You get a view, there are no stairs, and the top deck front seats are the cheapest attraction in London.
• Not every Tube station has a lift (elevator). If you have a stroller, check step-free access before you plan a route, or take the bus instead. Buses are one step up from the street to enter, so that’s much easier with a folded stroller.
• The Uber Boat river service on the Thames is real public transport rather than a tour, and it’s a good way to cover distance while the kids think they’re on a boat ride. Keep in mind that the inside has no AC, so you’ll want to sit in the back where it’s open on warm days.

Practical Tips for London With Kids

• The big museums are free. The British Museum, Natural History Museum, Science Museum, Victoria and Albert Museum, Tate Modern and National Gallery all cost nothing to walk into.
• Book paid attractions in advance. The Tower of London, the London Eye, and anything Harry Potter related sell out in school holidays.
• Pubs are family friendly at lunch. Most welcome children until early evening and almost all have a kids menu.
• Public toilets are scarce and often cost money. Use the ones in museums and department stores while you have the chance.
• Look right before you cross. It’s painted on the road for a reason, and it’s the one thing worth drilling into kids before you land.
• Build in park time. London has green space everywhere, and a park is a great way to end a long sightseeing day.
• Sort out your data before you land. You’ll be checking maps and bus routes constantly in London, so having a connection the moment you step off the plane matters. Try Holafly for an eSIM, which installs before you leave home and switches on when you arrive, so there’s no hunting for a SIM card in an airport with tired kids. Use code MARIHOLAFLY for a discount.

Where to Stay in London With Kids

London is really big, so when you’re planning London with kids the neighborhood matters as much as the hotel. What you want is somewhere with a Tube station, somewhere with a range of places to eat, and a park within walking distance. These areas do all of that.

South Kensington

This is the easiest area for families. The Natural History Museum, Science Museum and Victoria & Albert Museum are all on the same street, Hyde Park is a short walk north, and the neighborhood is calm in the evening. If you’re traveling with younger kids and want to be able to walk home for a nap, stay here.

Westminster and the South Bank

Staying near the river puts you walking distance from Big Ben, the London Eye, Borough Market and the Tate Modern. The South Bank in particular is a good base because the whole riverside walk is flat, wide and stroller friendly, and there’s almost always something happening on it.

Covent Garden and Bloomsbury

Central, walkable, and close to the British Museum. Covent Garden has street performers going most of the day, which buys you a free half hour whenever you need one. Bloomsbury just north is quieter and often better value, and Coram’s Fields is there, a seven-acre playground where adults are only allowed in if they arrive with a child under 16.

East London

On our last trip, we stayed at the Hyatt Place London City East. Our room was spacious for being in the city, included free breakfast, and was walking distance to a Tube station and other attractions like the Tower of London. We used points to get our stay for no cash out of pocket.

London With Kids Itinerary Map

Here’s every stop from this itinerary on one map. Blue is day one around Westminster, red is day two in South Kensington and Hyde Park, and green is day three around the Tower and Borough Market.

3 Day London Itinerary

Here’s how I recommend breaking down the days on your London with kids itinerary:

• Day 1: Westminster, Buckingham Palace, and the river
• Day 2: The South Kensington museums and Hyde Park
• Day 3: Tower of London, Tower Bridge, and Borough Market

Day 1: Westminster and the River Thames

Start at Westminster station. Come up the stairs and Big Ben is directly in front of you, which is a delightful first moment for kids who have only seen it on TV. The bridge behind it gives you the postcard view back toward the London Eye.

This is a great time to actually ride the London Eye if it’s on your list, and you’re not afraid of heights. Make sure to buy a timed ticket in advance, and remember that you will still wait in the line to get into a pod, even with a timed ticket. On hot or cold days, the London Eye can be a great break since the pods are temperature controlled, with both heat and AC.

Walk up Whitehall toward Trafalgar Square. You’ll pass Downing Street behind its gates and the Horse Guards, where two mounted soldiers sit completely still while tourists photograph them.

Trafalgar Square is worth a stop. The four bronze lions at the base of Nelson’s Column are the thing kids head straight for, but you’re meant to stay on the stone bases rather than climb onto the lions themselves. The bronze has been worn thin in places after more than a hundred and fifty years of climbers, and the statues stand around eleven feet tall. The plinth gets you the same photo without climbing.

The National Gallery is in the Square and free. With kids, don’t try to do the whole gallery. Pick three paintings, find them, and leave, or play the animal game, where each child counts how many of a certain animal they see in the paintings.

Buckingham Palace is a fifteen minute walk through St James Park, which is one of the nicest walks in central London and has a lake full of pelicans. If you want to see the Changing of the Guard, check the schedule ahead (it doesn’t run every day), and get there early, so little ones can see (it’s standing only). It is free, and can get crowded, but it is worth doing.

In the afternoon, get out on the water. The Uber Boat runs from Westminster Pier and takes you east past the whole skyline. You can ride it to Tower Bridge or all the way to Greenwich, if you’re enjoying the ride.

For the evening, Covent Garden is a ten minute walk from Trafalgar Square and the street performers run until late. You can get dinner at one of the food stalls, and the covered market is a good place to sit if it’s raining.

Day 2: Museums and Hyde Park

Day two is the reason South Kensington is such a good base for London with kids. Three world-class museums, all free, all within two blocks.

Start at the Natural History Museum and get there for opening. The building is incredible, with a blue whale skeleton hanging in the entrance hall. The dinosaur gallery is the main event, and it gets busy fast, so do it first before the other galleries. A free timed ticket is recommended but not strictly mandatory for general admission, though booking online in advance helps you skip the main queue.

The Science Museum is directly next door, and it’s great for a hands-on experience. Wonderlab is the interactive gallery for kids aged between 7 and 14, and it’s the one paid part of the museum.

The Victoria & Albert Museum is across the road and is the most adult-focused of the three, but the courtyard has a shallow paddling pool that children run straight into on a warm day. It’s a good place to eat lunch and let everyone reset.

In the afternoon, walk north into Kensington Gardens. The Diana Memorial Playground is here and it’s the best free playground in central London, built around a wooden pirate ship in a sand pit. Adults are only admitted with a child, so there are no strangers milling around. It gets busy in the afternoon, and they cap numbers, so there can be a line.

From there you can walk through Hyde Park to the Serpentine, where you can rent a pedal boat, or just keep walking east and come out near Marble Arch.

Day 3: The Tower, Tower Bridge, and Borough Market

The Tower of London is the one paid attraction in this itinerary that’s worth the money. It’s a real castle, there are live ravens, the Crown Jewels are inside, and the Yeoman Warder tours are included in your ticket and can be really funny. They are performers as much as guides, and they hold children’s attention very well.

Book online for a timed slot and go first thing. The Crown Jewels queue is the longest between midday and mid-afternoon. Children under five are free.

Tower Bridge is right there and you can walk across it for free. If you want to go up, the Tower Bridge Exhibition takes you along the high walkways with a glass floor you can look straight down through. Kids can follow the Tower Bridge Cat Trail to collect stamps in an activity booklet or passport by finding Bella the Tower Bridge Cat along the high-level walkways and engine rooms.

Cross the bridge and walk west along the south bank to Borough Market. This is the best food stop in this itinerary. It’s a real market rather than a tourist one, and you can ask for samples. Picking lunch from the different stalls can be more fun for kids than sitting in a restaurant. Go on a weekday if you can, because Saturday is chaos.

The Internet famous Turnips at Borough Market is worth the hype. They serve fresh, whole strawberries in a cup and generously coated with warm, silky melted Belgian milk chocolate from a fountain machine. One cup was enough for the four of us to share. Find them at stall 43.

From Borough Market you’re a short walk from the Tate Modern and the Millennium Bridge, which crosses to St Paul’s. Walking the bridge is free and the view back along the river is one of the best in the city. The Tate Modern is free to enter, although timed tickets are recommended. If you don’t want to see the exhibits, skip to the cafe, which has an outdoor balcony that has a lovely view over the Thames. It can be a great spot for a quick snack or walking break.

If anyone still has energy, Sky Garden is free with an advance booking and gives you the best view in London without the London Eye queue.

What to Add If You Have More Time in London With Kids

Three days covers central London. If you have more time, these are the side trips I’d add. Each one is a full day, so plan for that when adding them on.

Richmond

Richmond is twenty minutes from central London and feels like a quaint village. There’s a deer park, a riverside, and if anyone in your family watches Ted Lasso, many scenes from the show were filmed there. I have a full guide to spending a day in Richmond with kids.

Kew Gardens

Kew Gardens is about the same distance out and a short hop from Richmond, so you could pair the two if you had a long day or wanted to stay over nearer to LHR on your first or last day. It’s a UNESCO World Heritage site and it’s enormous, with glasshouses full of plants you won’t see anywhere else. For kids the draws are the Treetop Walkway, which puts you up at canopy height, and the Children’s Garden, which is one of the biggest play spaces in London (it is massive and endless!). Plan on most of a day.

Greenwich

Greenwich is a spot that feels different from central London, and getting there is half the fun because you can take the river boat all the way down. The Cutty Sark is a real tea clipper you can walk underneath, the National Maritime Museum is free, and up the hill in Greenwich Park, the Royal Observatory lets kids stand on the Prime Meridian with a foot in each hemisphere. The view back toward the city from the top of the park is beautiful.

Harry Potter

The Warner Bros Studio Tour is where the Harry Potter films were made. It’s outside London, tickets sell out weeks ahead, and it takes a full day. If you have a child who is into the books, it’s worth building the trip around.

The British Museum

The British Museum deserves its own morning rather than being squeezed in. It’s free, it’s enormous, and the Egyptian galleries are fun and interesting for the whole family.

Even More London

If you’re still looking for more to do in London, the best way forward is to consider what your family likes best. After all, London is a huge city like NYC or San Francisco, and there’s truly something for everyone.

If you’re movie fans, Notting Hill is a short trip from the museum district and lovely to walk through. Portobello Road market runs on Saturday and is the one place that’s better when it’s busy.

If you have Beatles fans, the Abbey Road crossing is in St John’s Wood and costs nothing, and there’s a shop next to it selling endless Beatles merchandise. Liverpool is the real Beatles home, but it’s two and a half hours each way by train, which makes it an overnight rather than a day trip.

A Note on Summer Heat and Air Conditioning

We’ve now visited London twice in June, and it’s important from an American family perspective (aka AC lovers) that you know what to expect. UK summers have changed dramatically in recent years. Summer 2025 was the warmest on record for the UK, with four separate heatwaves. Summer 2026 ran hotter still, and by mid-July had already logged more days above 86℉ than typical for entire summers. The UK all-time record is 104.5℉.

Most of the city still has no air conditioning. Hotels, restaurants, shops, homes, and much of the transport network were built for a cool damp climate that never needed it. A 95℉ day in a building with no cooling is a very different experience from a 95℉ day in Florida, and you’re going to feel it.

If you’re traveling in June, July, or August, a few things help:

• Confirm your hotel has air conditioning. Many older and mid-range London hotels still don’t have it, and a fan isn’t the same thing when nobody can sleep. Even places with AC usually only get down to 74℉ at the coolest, which can make settling down for sleep a challenge.
• Know which Tube lines are cooled. The deep lines run hot and have no air conditioning, which includes the Central, Northern, Piccadilly, Bakerloo, Victoria and Jubilee. The District, Circle, Hammersmith and City, Metropolitan and Elizabeth lines are air conditioned, and so are the buses. On a hot day, it’s worth taking a slower cooled route over a faster hot one.
• Use the museums as your midday cooling break, but check first whether they’re air conditioned. The British Museum, for example, doesn’t have full air conditioning across the whole building, which can make certain galleries uncomfortably hot on a summer day.
• Carry refillable water bottles both for kids and adults. Refill points are common across the city now, and any pub or restaurant that serves alcohol has to give you free tap water if you ask for it.
• Move the outdoor parts of each day to the morning and the evening. London stays light until well past nine in midsummer, so an evening park walk is easy to build in.

None of this means avoid summer! But if your dates are flexible, late May, September, and early October give you long days without the weather risk, and that’s a large part of why the shoulder seasons are the better bet for London with kids.

Frequently Asked Questions

How many days do you need in London with kids?

Three days is enough to cover the major sights without rushing. Five lets you add Richmond, Kew, or Greenwich, and gives you a slower pace, which is usually the better trip with younger children.

Do kids travel free on the Tube in London?

Children under 11 travel free on the Tube, DLR, Overground, and Elizabeth line, when accompanied by a fare-paying adult, up to four children per adult, and they do not need a ticket. Under 11s also travel free on buses and trams at any time. Children aged 11 to 15 can get child fares by asking Tube station staff to add the Young Visitor discount to an Oyster card.

To be clear, this means 10 years old or younger. Don’t get caught with an 11 year-old without a ticket because there is a hefty fine.

Is London expensive with a family?

It can be, but many of the biggest attractions are free. The major museums cost nothing, the parks are free, children ride public transit free, and the best views in the city are from Sky Garden and the Millennium Bridge, which are also free. Accommodation and food are where most of your budget will go. However, accommodations can become significantly cheaper or even free when utilizing points and miles.

What is the best area to stay in London with kids?

South Kensington is the easiest, because three major museums and Hyde Park are all walkable and the area is quiet at night. The South Bank and Bloomsbury are also good, and both are more central. East London can be lovely if you are prioritizing the Tower Bridge area.

Is London walkable with young children?

Central London is very walkable, but distances look shorter on a map than they feel. Plan on using buses between neighborhoods and walking within them. Not all Tube stations have lifts (elevators), so check access if you have a stroller.

Do Americans need anything to enter the UK besides a passport?

Yes. US citizens now need an Electronic Travel Authorization (ETA) to visit the UK, and that includes babies and kids. It costs £20 per person and you apply through the official UK ETA app or on the UK government website. It usually takes a few minutes, but give yourself at least three working days before your flight in case yours needs extra review. Your ETA is linked to the passport you apply with and lasts two years or until that passport expires, so if you renew anyone’s passport before the trip, apply with the new one. Only use the official app or gov.uk, since other websites charge a lot more for the same thing.

Final Thoughts

There’s a good reason London is so popular with families. With free family-friendly attractions, discounts on public transit for kids, history, entertainment, great food, playgrounds, and more all around, you’re never short on fun things to do on a family trip. If you want even more London, check out my 22 Best Things to Do in London With Kids.

If you’re planning a Europe itinerary, these places pair particularly well with a London trip due to proximity: Ireland Itinerary With Kids, 5-Day Copenhagen With Kids Itinerary, and What to Do in Lisbon With Kids? 20 Fun Activities.

If you have any questions, send me a message on Instagram. I’m always happy to share more tips. I’m also a travel advisor, and I’d love to help you plan and book your London trip! To get started, please fill out my trip planning form and tell me a little about the trip you have in mind, and I’ll be in touch about next steps. Happy travels!

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  Abroad | Best Moments | England | Europe | Family | Featured

  London With Kids: The Perfect 3 Day Itinerary

  ByMari October 4, 2026October 6, 2026

  London is one of the best cities for an international family trip, and for good reason. Some of the city’s best museums are completely free, kids under 11 ride buses and the Underground for free with a paying adult, and there’s always a park or playground nearby when everyone needs a break. With three days in London, you can see many of the city’s biggest sights, mix in plenty of kid-friendly fun, and still keep the pace manageable for the whole family.

  This London with kids itinerary is keeps each day in a single part of the city, so you’re not moving across the city in one day, which can be daunting: London is huge. Day one covers Westminster and the River Thames, day two is the museum district and Hyde Park, and day three is the Tower and the east side. If you have more time, I’ve added some of my favorite additional day trips to round out a 4- or 5-day stay across the pond.

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  Abroad | Advice | Best Moments | Career | England | Europe | Family | Featured

  22 Best Things to Do in London With Kids

  ByMari October 4, 2026October 6, 2026

  London is easier with kids than most people expect. The biggest museums are free, children ride the buses and the Underground for nothing, and there’s a park every few blocks for the moment when everyone needs to stop walking.

  London is big, and the difference between a good day and an exhausting one is usually how much time you spent getting between places instead of being in them. The key to an enjoyable trip is grouping your time by location to avoid hopping around too much in one day.

  If you’re trying to figure out the best things to do in London with your family, this is my list of 22, with the family tips and logistics that make each one go more smoothly.

The post London With Kids: The Perfect 3 Day Itinerary appeared first on Mari on the Map.

London is easier with kids than most people expect. The biggest museums are free, children ride the buses and the Underground for nothing, and there’s a park every few blocks for the moment when everyone needs to stop walking.

London is big, and the difference between a good day and an exhausting one is usually how much time you spent getting between places instead of being in them. The key to an enjoyable trip is grouping your time by location to avoid hopping around too much in one day.

If you’re trying to figure out the best things to do in London with your family, this is my list of 22, with the family tips and logistics that make each one go more smoothly.

22 Best Things to Do in London With Kids

1. Start With a Guided Tour

Starting with a tour is one of the best things to do in London with kids on your first day, before you do anything else. It changes the rest of the trip. Instead of walking past buildings and checking a map to figure out what they are, you recognize things, and the kids remember places much better when someone has told them a story about them. London especially rewards this, because so much of the city is layered with history that’s invisible if nobody points it out.

There are three good ways to do it, and which one you pick depends mostly on the age of your kids. Book a morning slot whatever you choose. Patience is always highest before lunch.

Hop On Hop Off Bus

This is the one I’d choose with younger children. We like to treat these as our transportation for the day rather than as a tour, so we ride a few stops, get off for a look or a snack, then get back on when legs start to get tired. You cover a lot of ground without anyone having to walk it, with a wonderful view from the top deck.

Walking Tour

A walking tour gives you far more detail and takes you into the smaller streets a bus can’t reach. It’s the better option if your kids can handle a couple of hours on foot with breaks. Pick a shorter route and do it early in the day, when everyone has the most stamina.

River Cruise

A cruise on the Thames is the easiest one to sell to kids, because who doesn’t love a boat ride? You get the whole skyline from the water, everyone is sitting down, and it works well on a first afternoon when the jet lag is still catching up with you.

2. Ride a Red Double Decker Bus

Riding a red double decker bus is one of the simplest things to do in London with children, and you don’t need a tour bus for it. The regular London buses are double deckers, and the front seats on the top deck give you the best view in the city for the price of a normal fare.

Children under 11 ride the buses free at any time, so you’re only paying for the adults. It’s a flat fare no matter how far you go, and the Hopper fare means you can change buses as many times as you like within an hour without paying again.

If you want a route that passes a lot of landmarks, numbers 11, 15 and 24 all do well. Route 15 also runs the old style Routemaster buses on part of its route, which are the ones with the open platform at the back.

One thing that makes all of this easier is sorting out your data before you land. You’ll be checking maps and bus routes constantly in London, so having a connection the moment you step off the plane matters. Try Holafly for an eSIM, which installs before you leave home and switches on when you arrive, so there’s no hunting for a SIM card in an airport with tired kids. Use code MARIHOLAFLY for a discount.

3. See Big Ben and Westminster

Coming up out of Westminster station and finding Big Ben directly in front of you is a good first moment, especially for kids who have only ever seen it in cartoons. It’s bigger than they expect and it’s right there, with no build up.

Walk out onto Westminster Bridge for the view back toward the London Eye, which is the one most people picture when they think of London. The Houses of Parliament run along the river beside it, and the whole stretch is flat and easy with a stroller.

Westminster Abbey is next door if you want to go inside. With younger kids I’d look at it from the outside, explain that this is where the coronations happen, and save the interior for a trip when they’re older.

4. Explore Trafalgar Square

Trafalgar Square is an easy stop because it’s open, flat and full of space to move around. After narrow pavements and busy streets, that matters more than it sounds. The four bronze lions at the base of Nelson’s Column are the highlight of the stop.

One thing worth knowing before they do. You’re meant to stay on the stone bases rather than climb onto the lions themselves. The signs around the square ask people not to climb the statues, and while it isn’t strictly enforced, there are good reasons for it. The lions have been there since 1867 and generations of climbers have worn the bronze thin in places, with cracks along the backs and tails where people use them as a step. They also stand around eleven feet tall, and falls have caused serious injuries.

The stone plinth gets you the same photo without either problem, so that’s where we’d put the kids.

The National Gallery sits along one whole side of the square and it’s free to walk into. With small children I wouldn’t attempt the full collection. Choose two or three paintings ahead of time, find those, and let that be the visit. The gift shop makes a reasonable trade for their cooperation.

There are public toilets and cafes here, which is worth knowing because both are harder to find when you visit London.

5. Watch the Changing of the Guard

The Changing of the Guard at Buckingham Palace is free and it’s a thing worth doing once, even though it’s crowded and you’ll spend more time waiting than watching. The uniforms, the band, and the horses are what the kids remember.

It doesn’t run every day, and the schedule changes with the season, so check before you build your morning around it. This is the official Household Division schedule page.

Watching the Changing of the Guard is one of the most typical things to do in London, so get there at least forty-five minutes early if you want a spot at the gates. If you arrive later than that, don’t fight the crowd. Stand along The Mall instead and watch the guards march past on their way in, which is honestly a better view for a short child anyway.

6. Walk Through St James’s Park

The route from Trafalgar Square to Buckingham Palace goes straight through St James’s Park, and it’s a nice 15-minute walk through central London. If you’re doing the Changing of the Guard, you’ll pass through the park anyway, so give yourself some extra time and treat it as a stop rather than just part of the route.

There’s a lake through the middle with a bridge across it that has a great view of the palace. The park is also known for its pelicans, which have lived there since the 1600s when they were given to the king as a gift from a Russian ambassador. They get fed in the afternoon and kids love watching it.

7. Ride the London Eye

The London Eye is a giant observation wheel on the South Bank of the River Thames. The full rotation takes about 30 minutes, giving you views across central London from the glass capsules. It moves slowly, so there’s no need to wait for it to stop. You simply step on and off while it continues moving.

Book online and choose a timed slot. Queues can be long if you buy tickets at the door, and waiting around with young kids isn’t ideal.

Go on a clear day if you can be flexible, and go late in the afternoon in winter, when it gets dark early and you get the city lit up.

This is one of the only spots in London with consistent air conditioning, so it’s also worth hopping on if you visit during a heat wave.

8. Go Up to Sky Garden for Free

Sky Garden is at the top of a building in the City with a public garden inside and a viewing terrace, and the whole thing is free. You book a slot online in advance and they release tickets a few weeks ahead, so this needs a little planning but no money.

The view takes in the Thames, Tower Bridge and the Shard, and because it’s indoors it works on a day when the weather has ruined everything else. This is one of the best things to do in London with kids that costs nothing at all, there’s no ticket queue and there’s space to sit down.

9. Take a Boat Down the Thames

The Uber Boat river service is proper public transport rather than a sightseeing cruise, which means it’s cheaper and you can use it to actually get somewhere. It runs the length of central London, so you can ride from Westminster all the way east past the whole skyline and get off wherever you’re headed next.

This is one of my favorite things to do in London with kids. They get the fun of a boat ride while you’re also getting from one part of the city to another. Everyone can sit down, and you get a completely different view of London than you would from the Underground.

Sit outside at the back if the weather allows. There is no air conditioning inside.

10. Visit the Tower of London

Of all the paid things to do in London, this is the one I’d spend the money on. It’s a real castle in the middle of the city, nearly a thousand years old, and there’s enough going on inside that kids stay interested for hours.

The Crown Jewels are here, and so are the ravens, which have their own keeper and their own legend about the kingdom falling if they ever leave. The Yeoman Warder tours are included with your ticket and they’re the best part of the visit. The warders are performers as much as guides, and they hold children’s attention better than any audio guide.

Book a timed slot online and go as early as you can. The queue for the Crown Jewels builds through the morning and is at its worst from midday onward.

Children under five are free. Do the Warder tour first while everyone is fresh, then the Crown Jewels, then let the kids run around the walls and the green at the end when nobody wants to concentrate anymore.

11. Walk Across Tower Bridge

Tower Bridge is the one people actually picture when they think of things to do in London, and walking across it costs nothing. It’s right beside the Tower, so the two go together naturally in the same day.

If you want more than the walk, the Tower Bridge Exhibition takes you up into the high walkways between the two towers, where there’s a glass floor you can look straight down through at the traffic and the river.

Ask about the Tower Bridge Cat Trail when you enter. Kids can collect stamps in an activity booklet or passport by finding Bella the Tower Bridge Cat along the high-level walkways and engine rooms.

The bridge still lifts for tall ships, and the schedule is published on the Tower Bridge website. If you can time your visit to catch a lift, it’s worth planning around.

12. Visit Borough Market

Borough Market is my favorite food stop in London with kids. It’s a proper working market rather than a tourist one, it has been on the same site in some form for around a thousand years, and it’s under a railway arch so it works in the rain.

What makes it good with children is that you’re not sitting still in a restaurant waiting for food. You walk through, everyone points at what they want, and you build lunch from six different stalls. There are samples everywhere, which handles the problem of a child who says they don’t like something they have never tried.

Turnips at Borough Market, which serves fresh, whole strawberries in a cup and generously coated with warm, silky melted Belgian milk chocolate from a fountain machine, is absolutely worth the hype. The lines are not as long as you see on TikTok. It costs around £8.50 to £9.50 per cup, but your whole family can share one. We got two, and it was a lot. You can find them at Stall 43.

Go on a weekday if you can. Saturday is shoulder to shoulder and harder with a stroller or a small child who wants to look at things.

13. Visit the Natural History Museum

The Natural History Museum is free and it’s the one I’d put first if you only do one museum in London. The building itself gets a reaction before you’ve seen a single exhibit, with a huge vaulted entrance hall and a blue whale skeleton hanging from the ceiling. There are even huge dinosaur fossil recreations outside before you enter.

The dinosaur gallery is what most kids come for, and it’s the busiest part of the museum, so go there first and work backward through everything else. The rest of the collection is enormous and you’re not going to see it all, which is fine. Because there’s no ticket, there’s no pressure to get your money’s worth.

Check the website the day before, because free timed tickets are sometimes needed during busy periods.

14. Visit the Science Museum

The Science Museum is directly next door to the Natural History Museum, which makes South Kensington the easiest area in London for a family day. This is the better of the two for kids who need to touch things rather than look at them.

Wonderlab is the interactive gallery and it’s the one part of the museum you pay for. It’s worth it if your kids are between 7 and 14 years old. There are live demonstrations, things to pull and push and set off, and it holds a wide age range at the same time, which isn’t easy to find.

If your children love interactive museums, this is the one you should choose!

15. Visit the British Museum

The British Museum is free, and it’s so big that going in without a plan is a mistake with children. The building alone is worth walking into for the Great Court, which is a covered courtyard with a glass roof in the middle of the museum.

With kids, I’d go straight to the Egyptian galleries. The mummies are the thing they’ll talk about afterward, and the Rosetta Stone is on the way. Do that, see anything else you happen to walk past, and leave before anyone gets tired of it.

This deserves its own morning rather than being added onto the end of a full day. It is a fifteen minute walk from Covent Garden if you want to pair the two.

16. Play at the Diana Memorial Playground

This is the best free playground in central London, in Kensington Gardens, and it’s built around a full sized wooden pirate ship sitting in an enormous sand pit. There are also teepees, a sensory trail and plenty of space to run.

One thing worth knowing is that adults are only allowed in if they arrive with a child, which is a safeguarding rule and also means the whole place is genuinely built for kids rather than shared with everyone else.

It gets busy in the afternoon and they cap the number of people inside, so there can be a wait to get in. From the playground you can walk on through Hyde Park to the Serpentine and rent a pedal boat.

17. Visit London Zoo

London Zoo is in Regent’s Park. It opened in 1828 and is one of the oldest scientific zoos in the world, and a lot of it has been rebuilt in recent years, so it doesn’t feel like an old zoo.

The walk-through enclosures are the parts kids talk about afterward, where you’re inside the space with the animals rather than looking at them from behind glass. Give it most of a day rather than squeezing it into an afternoon.

Buy tickets online in advance. They’re cheaper than at the gate and it saves you the queue.

18. Explore Covent Garden

Covent Garden was London’s fruit and vegetable market for around 300 years before becoming the area it is today. The original glass-roofed market building is still there, with the Apple Market stalls inside and shops and restaurants around it. The whole area is pedestrianized, which is especially nice when you’re exploring with kids and don’t have to worry about traffic.

There are street performers in the piazza throughout most of the day. They audition for their spots, so there are usually some really good acts, and the kids can easily spend half an hour watching a show. You’ll also often find classical musicians playing in the lower courtyard while people eat.

The London Transport Museum is here too. Kids can climb on old buses, trams and Tube carriages, follow a stamp trail through the galleries, and try the Tube train simulator. Adult tickets are valid for a whole year and children go free, so it can be a good option if you’re looking for something to do with kids in central London.

Covent Garden is about a 10-minute walk from Trafalgar Square, so it’s easy to add to a day exploring Westminster.

If it starts raining, this is where to go. The market building is covered, the Transport Museum is indoors, and you can get an entire afternoon out of the two without going back out into it.

19. See Platform 9¾ and the Harry Potter Studio Tour

If you have a Harry Potter fan in the family, there are two versions of this and they’re very different commitments.

Platform 9¾ at King’s Cross

This is the quick one. There’s a luggage trolley set into the wall at King’s Cross station, halfway through, with a staff member handing out scarves and helping with the photo. It’s free, it takes about fifteen minutes including the queue, and there’s a shop next to it. If you’re passing through the station anyway, it’s an easy win.

Warner Bros Studio Tour

This is the full version, and it’s where the films were actually made. The sets are still standing, including the Great Hall and Diagon Alley, and you walk through them. It’s outside London, it takes most of a day including the travel, and tickets sell out weeks ahead.

If you have a child who has read the books, this is the kind of thing you build a trip around rather than fit into one. Book the studio tour before you book anything else, including your flights if you can.

20. Take a Day Trip to Richmond

Richmond is about twenty minutes from central London by train, but it feels like a different place entirely, more like a village on the Thames than part of the city. There’s a huge deer park with actual wild deer, a riverside to walk along, and a much slower pace than you’ll find in central London.

If anyone in your family watches Ted Lasso, Richmond will be especially fun to visit. Many parts of the show were filmed here, including the pub that appears as the Crown & Anchor. The real pub, The Prince’s Head, is right on Richmond Green and you can actually go inside.

If you have more than three days in London, this is one of the first additions I’d make to your list of things to do in London with kids. I have a full guide to spending a day in Richmond with kids.

21. Spend a Day at Kew Gardens

Kew is a short hop from Richmond, so you could pair the two if you had a long day, though each is comfortably a day on its own. It’s a UNESCO World Heritage site and it’s enormous, with glasshouses full of plants you won’t see anywhere else.

For kids the draws are the Treetop Walkway, which puts you up at canopy height above the trees, and the Children’s Garden, which is one of the biggest play spaces in London. It is truly massive, and your kids could easily spend the entire day there. Each section has different things to do and a new type of play apparatus.

Kew also puts on a Christmas light trail through the gardens after dark in November and December. It’s a lovely option if you’re visiting London with kids in winter. If you’re planning a Christmas trip to London, I have a full guide with everything you need to know.

22. Take the Boat to Greenwich

Greenwich is the one I’d do if you want a day that feels different from central London, and getting there is half the fun because you can take the river boat all the way down instead of the Tube. The Cutty Sark is a real tea clipper you can walk underneath, which is a strange and brilliant thing to see from below.

Once in Greenwich, the National Maritime Museum is free and has plenty for children. Up the hill in Greenwich Park, the Royal Observatory lets kids stand on the Prime Meridian with a foot in each hemisphere, and the view back toward the city from the top of the park is beautiful.

When to Visit London With Kids

London is great all year, and the free museums mean a rainy or cold trip (as London often is) is never a wasted one. But the seasons are different enough to be worth thinking about when you’re planning the best things to do in London with your family.

Spring

April through June is the best window for a family trip. The days are long, the parks are at their best, and the weather is as good as London gets. Prices haven’t climbed to summer levels yet and the crowds are manageable.

Summer

July and August are the warmest and by far the busiest. Attractions sell out, hotel prices climb, and the museums are packed. Heat is also a real consideration now in a way it wasn’t ten years ago, and most of London has no air conditioning, which catches American families off guard. Book everything ahead and use the free museums as your cooling break in the middle of the day, though check first which ones are actually air conditioned. Keep in mind that London AC doesn’t get as cold as American AC; you’re looking at a low of 74℉ with the AC as low as it goes.

Fall

September and October are underrated. It’s still mild, the city gets noticeably quieter once British schools go back, and hotel prices drop. If your kids aren’t in school yet or you have a fall break, this is probably the best value trip of the year. And if you happen to be there in October, you’ll catch all the Halloween decorations around the city.

Winter

November through March means short days and a lot of grey, but the free museums matter more than ever and the city does Christmas seriously from early November. The lights go up along the main shopping streets and stay until January. If you’re looking for things to do in London with kids in December, I have a full guide to Christmas in London with kids.

Final Thoughts

If you’re working out the best things to do in London with kids, the single thing that will improve your trip most is grouping by area. London is big enough that you don’t want to spend most of your day going between places instead of enjoying them.

A simple structure that works for us when we’re picking things to do in London with kids: one big attraction, one museum, one park, and one food stop. Repeat that each day and you’ll see the city without anyone melting down halfway through the afternoon.

If you want these best things to do in London with kids laid out day by day instead of as a list, I have a full London with kids 3 day itinerary.

If you have any questions, send me a message on Instagram. I’m always happy to share more tips. I’m also a travel advisor, and I’d love to help you plan and book your London trip! To get started, please fill out my trip planning form and tell me a little about the trip you have in mind, and I’ll be in touch about next steps. Happy travels!

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  Abroad | Best Moments | England | Europe | Family | Featured

  London With Kids: The Perfect 3 Day Itinerary

  ByMari October 4, 2026October 6, 2026

  London is one of the best cities for an international family trip, and for good reason. Some of the city’s best museums are completely free, kids under 11 ride buses and the Underground for free with a paying adult, and there’s always a park or playground nearby when everyone needs a break. With three days in London, you can see many of the city’s biggest sights, mix in plenty of kid-friendly fun, and still keep the pace manageable for the whole family.

  This London with kids itinerary is keeps each day in a single part of the city, so you’re not moving across the city in one day, which can be daunting: London is huge. Day one covers Westminster and the River Thames, day two is the museum district and Hyde Park, and day three is the Tower and the east side. If you have more time, I’ve added some of my favorite additional day trips to round out a 4- or 5-day stay across the pond.

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  Abroad | Advice | Best Moments | Career | England | Europe | Family | Featured

  22 Best Things to Do in London With Kids

  ByMari October 4, 2026October 6, 2026

  London is easier with kids than most people expect. The biggest museums are free, children ride the buses and the Underground for nothing, and there’s a park every few blocks for the moment when everyone needs to stop walking.

  London is big, and the difference between a good day and an exhausting one is usually how much time you spent getting between places instead of being in them. The key to an enjoyable trip is grouping your time by location to avoid hopping around too much in one day.

  If you’re trying to figure out the best things to do in London with your family, this is my list of 22, with the family tips and logistics that make each one go more smoothly.

The post 22 Best Things to Do in London With Kids appeared first on Mari on the Map.

Christmas in London is a great option for a family trip over the holidays. The season runs about seven weeks, so you’re not forced into the expensive dates, and a lot of the best parts cost nothing. Ice rinks in courtyards, markets along the river, and lights on every main shopping street.

There’s one thing you need to know before you book, and it’s the part most guides leave out. London closes on Christmas Day. Not partially. The Underground does not run, the buses do not run, most attractions are shut, and so are most restaurants. If Christmas Day is in the middle of your trip, you need to plan for it.

Christmas in Europe has been on my travel list for a while, and London keeps coming up every time I look into a holiday trip. I’ve spent a lot of time researching what the city is like at Christmas, so I pulled together this guide with this year’s dates and prices, plus what needs booking ahead.

When to Go and What Is Open

Most of the big events for Christmas in London run from early or mid November to early January, so you have a long window.

Here are the 2026 season dates.

• Winter Wonderland in Hyde Park runs November 19, 2026 to January 3, 2027.
• Christmas at Kew runs November 13, 2026 to January 3, 2027.
• The ice rink at Somerset House opens November 11, 2026 and runs to January 10, 2027.
• The lights on the main shopping streets go up in early November and stay into January.

That means you don’t have to travel the week before Christmas to get the full experience of Christmas in London. Late November and early December give you the same lights and the same markets with smaller crowds and cheaper flights and hotels. If your kids aren’t in school yet, or you can pull them out for a few days, this is the better trip.

The last two weekends before Christmas are the busiest of the year. Everything is bookable and everything sells out.

What Christmas Day Actually Looks Like in London

This is the one part of Christmas in London that catches people out, so plan around it.

On December 25 there is no Underground, no bus service and no trains. Not a reduced schedule. Nothing. It’s been this way for decades, but check the TfL website before you travel in case anything changes. Most museums, shops and attractions are closed, and so are most restaurants. Winter Wonderland is closed. The ice rinks are closed.

What’s open is your hotel, taxis and rideshares at high prices, and your feet. A lot of hotels do a Christmas lunch, and they book up months ahead, so if you want one you need to reserve it when you book the room.

The upside is that London on Christmas morning is empty in a way it never is otherwise. You can walk down the middle of streets that are normally impossible. Families who plan for it end up liking that day. Families who assumed they’d go to a museum do not.

Boxing Day on December 26 is the opposite. The sales start, the shops are packed, transport runs a limited service and most attractions reopen. If you only have one day for shopping, this isn’t it.

The simplest fix is to book a hotel within walking distance of somewhere you want to be on Christmas Day, and to accept that day as a slow one.

The Christmas Lights

The lights are the best part of Christmas in London, and they’re completely free.

Oxford Street and Regent Street switch on in early November and run into January. Regent Street does the large angel installations that arch over the road, and they’re the ones people photograph. Carnaby Street does something different every year and it’s usually the most fun of the three.

Covent Garden puts up an enormous tree and hangs giant baubles through the market building. Seven Dials, just north of Covent Garden, is worth the five-minute walk.

The tree in Trafalgar Square has been a gift from Norway every year since 1947, as thanks for British support during the Second World War. It goes up in early December. It’s a simple tree compared to the ones in the shopping streets, and the story behind it is the reason to go and see it.

The department store windows are the other free thing worth doing. Fortnum and Mason, Liberty and Selfridges all do proper displays, and they’re within walking distance of each other.

Go after dark, which in December means from about four in the afternoon.

London Christmas Markets

London Christmas markets have their own character. They’re smaller than the ones in Germany, France and Austria, and they’re spread through the city rather than filling one big square, which means you come across them while you’re doing other things. That suits a family trip. You get an hour of lights and hot chocolate on your way somewhere else instead of building a whole day around it.

Most of them open in early to mid November and run until just after Christmas or into the first week of January. Nearly all of them close on Christmas Day. They’re free to walk through, so you can see several in an evening and only spend money if you want to.

Winter Wonderland Market

The largest Christmas market in London is inside Winter Wonderland, along with the rides, the ice rink and everything else. It’s the only one on this list you pay to enter, and it’s big enough that it gets its own section further down.

Southbank Centre Winter Market

The Southbank Centre Winter Market runs along the Queen’s Walk beside the Thames, between the London Eye and Waterloo Bridge, and it’s a line of alpine chalets with lights above them and the river on one side. The walkway is flat and wide the whole way, so there’s room for kids to move and no crowding into a narrow lane.

It leans more toward food than gifts, which is a plus with children. Expect hot chocolate, toasted marshmallows, cheese toasties and mulled wine for the adults. Go after dark so you get the lights reflecting on the water.

Winter by the River

This one is at London Bridge City, on the south side of the river between London Bridge and Tower Bridge, near HMS Belfast. The setting is the reason to go. You’re looking straight across at Tower Bridge and the Tower of London with everything lit up.

It’s smaller and calmer than Southbank, with wooden cabins selling gifts and food from local makers. If you’re already doing the Tower of London that day, this is the natural place to end up in the evening.

Christmas in Leicester Square

Leicester Square gets a market with stalls, food and live performances, and there’s usually a rides area alongside it. It’s in the middle of the West End, so it works well before or after a show, and it’s a short walk from Trafalgar Square and Covent Garden.

This is the busiest and loudest of them. With younger kids, go earlier in the day rather than in the evening.

Covent Garden

Covent Garden is less a market than the whole area dressed for Christmas. There are stalls through the market building, an enormous tree in the piazza, and giant baubles hanging from the roof. The street performers keep going all through December.

It’s free, it’s covered, and it’s a great place to be when it starts raining.

Trafalgar Square

The market here is small, but it sits next to the Norwegian tree and there are carol singers most evenings in December. It costs nothing, the National Gallery is right there and free if you need to warm up, and it works as a stop rather than a destination.

Spitalfields and Borough Market

Both are permanent markets that decorate for Christmas rather than pop-up Christmas markets. Borough is the better one with kids because it’s all food and everything is sampleable. Spitalfields is more about gifts from independent makers.

If Christmas markets are the whole reason for your trip, Germany and Austria go deeper, and I’ve written about the best Christmas markets in Europe. But London gives you markets plus everything else the city does in December, which is a good trade with kids.

Hyde Park Winter Wonderland

Winter Wonderland is the biggest single event of Christmas in London and the one your kids will ask about. It fills a large section of Hyde Park with a fairground, a Christmas market, an ice rink and more than 100 rides and attractions. It runs on the dates listed above and is closed on Christmas Day.

You need a timed entry ticket booked in advance, and entry is staggered by the hour. Here’s the useful part: Off-Peak time slots cost one pound, and in November most of them fall Monday to Thursday. Look for the green slots when you book. It’s by far the cheapest way in, and weekday afternoons in November are also the quietest it gets all season.

Entry doesn’t include the rides. You pay for those separately or buy one of the ride passes, and with kids the costs add up quickly. Work out your budget before you walk in, because everything inside is designed to be tempting.

The last two weekends before Christmas are the busiest of the whole run. If those are your only dates, book the earliest entry slot you can get.

Christmas at Kew

Christmas at Kew is a light trail through Kew Gardens after dark. The 2026 dates are listed above.

Tickets start at £29.50 for adults and £20 for children, while children under four go free. Entry slots start at 4:20pm, and the gardens close at 10pm, except on Christmas Eve, when they close at 9pm. Advance booking is essential.

It’s an outdoor walking trail in December, so dress everyone properly. And, as always when visiting London, remember to bring umbrellas and waterproof clothing.

Kew is in southwest London, close to Richmond, so it pairs well if you’re already heading that way. I have a full guide to spending a day in Richmond with kids.

Ice Skating

There are outdoor rinks all over London in December and they’re one of the easier things to do with kids.

• Somerset House is the one people picture, in a courtyard with a tall tree in the middle of it. Sessions are about forty-five minutes and they sell out, so book ahead.
• Hampton Court Palace has a rink set in front of the palace, which is the prettiest setting of the lot and worth the trip out if you’re going to Kew or Richmond anyway.
• Winter Wonderland has the largest outdoor rink in the country, though you need a Winter Wonderland ticket to reach it.
• Leicester Square has one right in the middle of everything, which is the easiest to fit into a day you’re already spending in the West End.

Every rink is closed on Christmas Day.

Pantomime

Panto is a very British Christmas tradition that doesn’t really exist in the United States. It’s a comic stage show based on a fairy tale, the audience shouts at the actors, and there’s always a man playing an older woman. Theatres all over London put one on in December.

It’s funny, completely over-the-top, and aimed squarely at children. If you want to experience something during Christmas in London that’s properly British rather than just Christmassy, this is it.

What to Pack

Christmas in London is cold and damp rather than freezing, usually somewhere in the forties Fahrenheit. It rains and it gets dark around four in the afternoon.

Bring waterproof coats rather than heavy ones, warm layers underneath, hats and gloves, and shoes that handle wet pavement. If you’re doing Kew or an ice rink, everyone needs proper warm layers because you’re outdoors for hours after dark.

Most indoor places are heated, so layers you can take off matter more than one thick coat.

Frequently Asked Questions

Is Christmas in London worth it?

Yes, particularly if you go in late November or the first half of December. The lights, the markets and the ice rinks are all up, the crowds are smaller and the prices are lower than the week before Christmas.

What is open in London on Christmas Day?

Very little. There is no Underground, no bus service and no train service on December 25. Most attractions, shops and restaurants are closed. Many hotels serve Christmas lunch but book up months in advance. Taxis and rideshares run at higher prices.

When do the Christmas lights go up in London?

The main displays on Oxford Street and Regent Street switch on in early November and stay up into January. The Trafalgar Square tree goes up in early December.

When do the Christmas markets start in London?

Most open in early to mid November and run until just after Christmas or into early January. Winter Wonderland opens November 19, 2026 and Christmas at Kew opens November 13, 2026.

How many days do you need in London at Christmas?

Four or five works well. That gives you two days for the regular London sights, one evening for the lights, and one for Kew or Winter Wonderland. If Christmas Day falls in the middle, add a day.

Do Americans need anything to enter the UK besides a passport?

Yes. US citizens now need an Electronic Travel Authorization (ETA) to visit the UK, and that includes babies and kids. It costs £20 per person and you apply through the official UK ETA app or on the UK government website. It usually takes a few minutes, but give yourself at least three working days before your flight in case yours needs extra review. Your ETA is linked to the passport you apply with and lasts two years or until that passport expires, so if you renew anyone’s passport before the trip, apply with the new one. Only use the official app or gov.uk, since other websites charge a lot more for the same thing.

Final Thoughts

Christmas in London is an easy trip to like. So much of it is free, the season runs for seven weeks so you’re not locked into the expensive dates, and the whole city takes it seriously.

Plan around Christmas Day, book Kew and the ice rinks before you go, and go in late November or early December if you can choose. For the rest of your days in the city, I have a London with kids 3 day itinerary and a list of the 22 best things to do in London with kids, and most of them work just as well in December.

One more thing. I’m now a travel advisor with Fora, which means I can help with the actual planning and booking, not just the research. If you’ve ever wanted to ask where to stay, whether a hotel is worth it, or how to book something with points, that’s what I do now. And because you know me, you know I’ll look at cash, points and miles, or a combination of the two, depending on what gets you the most value.

If Christmas in London is on your list, or anything else is, fill out my Travel Planning Inquiry Form and we can plan it together.

For more family trips and points tips, find me on Instagram, and feel free to send me a DM anytime. I’m always happy to help other families travel more.

• 

  Abroad | Best Moments | England | Europe | Family | Featured

  London With Kids: The Perfect 3 Day Itinerary

  ByMari October 4, 2026October 6, 2026

  London is one of the best cities for an international family trip, and for good reason. Some of the city’s best museums are completely free, kids under 11 ride buses and the Underground for free with a paying adult, and there’s always a park or playground nearby when everyone needs a break. With three days in London, you can see many of the city’s biggest sights, mix in plenty of kid-friendly fun, and still keep the pace manageable for the whole family.

  This London with kids itinerary is keeps each day in a single part of the city, so you’re not moving across the city in one day, which can be daunting: London is huge. Day one covers Westminster and the River Thames, day two is the museum district and Hyde Park, and day three is the Tower and the east side. If you have more time, I’ve added some of my favorite additional day trips to round out a 4- or 5-day stay across the pond.

• 

  Abroad | Advice | Best Moments | Career | England | Europe | Family | Featured

  22 Best Things to Do in London With Kids

  ByMari October 4, 2026October 6, 2026

  London is easier with kids than most people expect. The biggest museums are free, children ride the buses and the Underground for nothing, and there’s a park every few blocks for the moment when everyone needs to stop walking.

  London is big, and the difference between a good day and an exhausting one is usually how much time you spent getting between places instead of being in them. The key to an enjoyable trip is grouping your time by location to avoid hopping around too much in one day.

  If you’re trying to figure out the best things to do in London with your family, this is my list of 22, with the family tips and logistics that make each one go more smoothly.

The post Magical Christmas in London With Kids: What to Do and Book Early appeared first on Mari on the Map.

If you have watched even one episode of Ted Lasso, you already know Richmond. The corner pub. The green with the soccer goals. That little row of shops that looks like somebody painted it for a postcard.

Maybe you didn’t realize that Richmond is real part of London, twenty minutes from central London by train, and there is so much more to it than the filming locations. We visited Richmond during a trip to London and Copenhagen, it ended up being one of my favorite days of the whole trip. We even had the “should we move here” moment, just like Ted Lasso.

Now that Ted Lasso is back, everyone is asking about Richmond again. So I’ve gathered all the best things to do in Richmond London, from the show’s filming spots to the deer in Richmond Park, plus every way to get there.

How to Get to Richmond From London

Richmond sits in Travelcard Zone 4, and your Oyster card or contactless payment works on everything below except the boat. You have more options than most people realize.

By Train From Waterloo, the Fastest Option

South Western Railway runs direct from London Waterloo to Richmond in about twenty minutes, with trains roughly every ten minutes. If your day is tight, take this one.

By Underground

This is the one we took. Richmond is the western end of the District line, so if you are already on it there are no changes at all. It takes closer to forty minutes from central London, but it is simple, and you get to watch the city thin out into leafy suburbs on the way.

By London Overground

Richmond is also the western terminus of the Mildmay line. If you are staying in north or east London, this saves you doubling back through the middle of the city.

By Bus

Slower than everything else, but perfectly doable if you are already out in west or southwest London. Several routes stop right in the town center.

By Boat

This is the fun one! Thames River Boats sails from Westminster Pier all the way up to Richmond Landing Stage, and the trip takes two to two and a half hours depending on the tide. It is a cruise, not a commute.

If you want to go by boat, take the boat one direction and the train back, so you are not spending your entire day on the water. The service is seasonal and the timetable shifts with the tides, so check their sailings before you build a day around it.

Ted Lasso’s Richmond: The Filming Locations You Can Actually Visit

Almost every exterior you recognize from the show sits within a ten minute walk of Richmond station, which makes this the easiest filming location tour in London. You do not need a car, a guide, or a plan. Just mark the spots on a map, and walk between each one.

One thing worth knowing before you go. All the interiors were built at West London Film Studios. The inside of the pub and the inside of Ted’s flat do not exist in Richmond. Only the exteriors are real.

The Ted Lasso Pub

The Crown and Anchor is really The Prince’s Head, at 28 The Green, on the corner where Golden Court and Paved Court meet. It is a proper old pub, over three hundred years old, and it has leaned all the way into its fame with AFC Richmond memorabilia inside.

You will spot the Fuller’s lettering across the front long before you spot the name. There are picnic benches out on the paving, and on a sunny day every one of them is taken. Don’t forget to grab a photo out front.

The Ted Lasso Bench

This one confuses people, because you will see it described online as a riverside bench. It is not.

The bench where Ted and Coach Beard have all their big conversations sits on the edge of Richmond Green, right beside two red phone boxes, directly across the road from the pub. Stand outside The Prince’s Head, look across, and you will spot it straight away.

Paved Court and Ted’s Front Door

Paved Court is the narrow pedestrian lane running off The Green, and it is where Ted walks out his front door every morning. In the show his address is nine and a half. In real life the door is 11a. It’s a functioning apartment with people living inside, so feel free to snap a picture outside, but don’t knock.

Richmond Green

The Green is the wide open space the pub and Paved Court both sit on, and it turns up constantly in the show, from pickup soccer games, football as everyone there calls it, to Roy coaching Phoebe’s team. In real life it is exactly what it looks like, a big flat lawn where people play cricket in summer and let their kids run loose.

The Ted Lasso Store

There is an official store at 4 Paved Court, a few steps from the pub, selling jerseys, scarves and all “BELIEVE” merchandise.

The walls are covered in AFC Richmond print, there is a red phone booth in the back, and the club crest painted right into the floor. My older son picked up a soccer ball off the rack and would not put it down. That photo is one of my favorites from the entire trip.

Where Is the AFC Richmond Stadium?

The AFC Richmond Stadium is not actually in Richmond, and Nelson Road does not exist.

The stadium scenes were filmed at Selhurst Park in south London, the real home of Crystal Palace F.C., which is about an hour away on the other side of the city. If you want to see it, that is a separate trip, and Crystal Palace F.C. does run stadium tours if you are committed.

More Things to Do in Richmond London

To make a day of it after the Ted Lasso stops, here is everything else that makes Richmond worth the trip.

Brewer’s Lane

A tiny cobbled lane off George Street, lined with independent shops. It takes five minutes to walk end to end and it is one of the prettiest corners of town.

We found a children’s bookshop, and we stopped at Danieli for coffee and gelato. The gelato counter has around twenty flavors and the hot chocolate menu alone includes seven options.

The Thames Riverside Walk

From the town center you drop down to the river and the whole mood changes. Boats, benches, ice cream, people rowing past. The towpath is flat, which matters when you are walking with kids, and there is shade in stretches.

There are rowing boats to rent lined up in bright colors under Richmond Bridge, an ice cream van parked on the promenade, and ducks sunning themselves on the slipway.

The Chimpanzee Sculptures

This one is not in any guidebook, and my boys loved it. There are life-sized bronze chimpanzees scattered around Richmond, part of a conservation art trail called ‘Chimps Are Family‘, and each one has a plaque with the name and age of a real rescued chimp.

We found two of them together down on Richmond Riverside and another sitting on her own up at the top of the hill. The boys climbed all of them.

Terrace Gardens and Bulbous Betty

Climbing up from the river you reach Terrace Gardens, and tucked inside them is a reclining statue of Aphrodite that everyone in Richmond calls Bulbous Betty. Nobody uses her real name. It is a shaded, quiet spot to sit for a while, and a good place to catch your breath partway up the hill.

The Richmond Hill Viewpoint

Keep climbing and you come out at the top of Richmond Hill. The Thames curves away below through a valley of trees. There are meadows in the foreground, boats on the water, and on a clear day the view runs for miles.

The view over the Thames from up there is protected by an Act of Parliament, passed in 1902 specifically to stop anyone building in front of it. Turner painted it. It really is that good.

Richmond Park

Richmond Gate sits right at the top of the hill, so the park is a natural next stop once you have had your fill of the view. You can walk straight in from the terrace.

Richmond Park is the largest of London’s eight Royal Parks at around 2,500 acres, roughly three times the size of Central Park. Around 630 red and fallow deer roam free there, and they have since 1637.

Stop at the map board by the gate before you head in. It marks every toilet, café, and parking lot in the park, which becomes much more useful than it sounds once you are a mile in with kids. You’ll also find illustrated wildlife boards, giving you a preview of the animals that live there.

The deer are why most people come, but remember, they are wild animals, not a petting zoo. The Royal Parks ask visitors to stay at least fifty meters away, and that goes double in autumn during the rut and in spring when the females have calves.

Having said that, the kids absolutely loved seeing the deer!

King Henry’s Mound

Inside Pembroke Lodge Gardens there is a small hill believed to be a Bronze Age burial mound. At the top there is a telescope pointed east through a gap in the trees, and on a clear day you can see the dome of St Paul’s Cathedral in central London ten miles away.

That sightline is legally protected, which means nothing can be built to block it. It is about a fifteen minute walk from Richmond Gate.

Petersham Gate Playground

If you are visiting Richmond with kids, and coming into the park from the Petersham side, this playground is worth knowing about. It sits right at the gate, with swings, climbing frames and a sandpit with a working water pump. There are plenty of benches for parents and public toilets right at the entrance. Shade is limited, so bring hats and sunscreen on a hot day.

Where to Eat in Richmond

We had lunch at the White Cross, a riverside pub at the end of Water Lane. It is a Richmond institution and the location is amazing, right on the Thames with tables spilling out the front.

One thing to know: the garden floods at high tide. Not occasionally, regularly, as in daily. There is a sign on the wall offering to lend you rainboots if you get caughts. Check the tide times if you have your heart set on sitting outside, or lean into it, because honestly, it is part of the fun. It gets busy at weekends, so book ahead if you can.

Our Richmond Day Trip Itinerary

If you want to copy our day, this is how it went.

• Morning: District line into Richmond, then straight to Richmond Green for the Ted Lasso stops. The pub, the bench, Paved Court and the store.
• Then Brewer’s Lane for the shops.
• Down to the river for a walk along the Thames, and the chimpanzee sculptures on the Riverside.
• Midday: lunch at the White Cross.
• Up through Terrace Gardens to say hello to Bulbous Betty.
• On up to the Richmond Hill viewpoint.
• Into Richmond Park, with a stop at Petersham Gate Playground.
• King Henry’s Mound to finish, then back down into town for the ride home.

We ended up being in Richmond from about 10AM to 4PM.

Tips for Visiting Richmond With Kids

• Wear sneakers. Between the hill, the towpath and the park, this is a walking day.
• Go on a weekday if you can. The Green and the riverside get packed at weekends.
• Bring snacks for the park. Once you are inside Richmond Park your only real option is the cafe at Pembroke Lodge.
• Public toilets are available at the station, the playground, and Pembroke Lodge.
• Photograph the map board at the gate. It has every toilet in the park marked on it.
• The playground is a good bribe for the moment the walking starts to wear thin.
• Give yourself the whole day. You could rush Richmond with kids in three hours, but you would miss the point of it.

Frequently Asked Questions

Is Richmond worth visiting if you have never seen Ted Lasso?

Yes. The show is what gets people there, but the hill, the park and the river would justify the trip on their own.

How long do you need in Richmond with kids?

A full day is ideal. If you only have half a day, do the Ted Lasso stops, lunch by the river and Richmond Hill, and leave the park for another time.

Where is the Ted Lasso bench?

On the edge of Richmond Green, next to two red phone boxes, directly across the road from The Prince’s Head pub.

Is Ted Lasso town a real place?

Yes and no. Richmond is a real town in southwest London and most of the exteriors were filmed there. AFC Richmond and its stadium are fictional.

Can you go inside the Ted Lasso pub?

Yes, The Prince’s Head is a working pub and anyone can walk in. Just know the interior scenes were shot on a set, so it will not look like the show inside.

Will you see deer in Richmond Park?

Usually, though there is no guarantee, and they are not always out in the open. Early morning and late afternoon are your best odds. Keep fifty meters back whenever you find them.

Is Richmond Park free?

Yes, it is free and open year round. Parking inside the park is paid.

Final Thoughts

Richmond was the day of our London trip that we all ended up loving. We came for a pub and a bench, and we left having spent the whole day outside, watching deer, climbing a hill and eating lunch by the river. Even if you’re not a Ted Lasso fan, it’s a quintessential little London town that’s worth a stop.

If you are putting together a London itinerary, this is the day trip I would tell you not to skip. Don’t forget to take photos and share your experiences with me on Instagram. I look forward to hearing about your adventures. Football is life!

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  Abroad | Best Moments | England | Europe | Family | Featured

  London With Kids: The Perfect 3 Day Itinerary

  ByMari October 4, 2026October 6, 2026

  London is one of the best cities for an international family trip, and for good reason. Some of the city’s best museums are completely free, kids under 11 ride buses and the Underground for free with a paying adult, and there’s always a park or playground nearby when everyone needs a break. With three days in London, you can see many of the city’s biggest sights, mix in plenty of kid-friendly fun, and still keep the pace manageable for the whole family.

  This London with kids itinerary is keeps each day in a single part of the city, so you’re not moving across the city in one day, which can be daunting: London is huge. Day one covers Westminster and the River Thames, day two is the museum district and Hyde Park, and day three is the Tower and the east side. If you have more time, I’ve added some of my favorite additional day trips to round out a 4- or 5-day stay across the pond.

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  Abroad | Advice | Best Moments | Career | England | Europe | Family | Featured

  22 Best Things to Do in London With Kids

  ByMari October 4, 2026October 6, 2026

  London is easier with kids than most people expect. The biggest museums are free, children ride the buses and the Underground for nothing, and there’s a park every few blocks for the moment when everyone needs to stop walking.

  London is big, and the difference between a good day and an exhausting one is usually how much time you spent getting between places instead of being in them. The key to an enjoyable trip is grouping your time by location to avoid hopping around too much in one day.

  If you’re trying to figure out the best things to do in London with your family, this is my list of 22, with the family tips and logistics that make each one go more smoothly.

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