London Family Holidays & Breaks

London’s South Bank with Kids

• Enjoy the many family attractions on the stretch of river between the London Eye and the iconic Tower Bridge – a great place for a stroll. They include the Golden Hinde, a replica of the 16th-century ship in which Sir Francis Drake circumnavigated the globe, the HMS Belfast, a World War II cruiser with decks to explore, and the reconstruction of Shakespeare’s Globe Theatre, with a hands-on exhibition and kids’ workshops.

• Explore the Tate Modern, a world-class modern art museum in an old power station, with a Family Zone. There’s normally a huge installation in the main hall that is worth the trip on its own.

• Ride the London Eye, a must-see and a must-see-from: on a clear day it offers spectacular views over the Thames and many of the landmarks of London, as far as the arch of  Wembley Stadium and Windsor Castle. Right by the Eye in the old County Hall building are the , London Dungeon and Shrek's Adventure.

Greenwich with Kids

• Hop aboard a boat-trip from the Eye to maritime Greenwich and the mighty defence system of the Thames Flood Barrier, taking you past many of London’s most famous sights. 

• In Greenwich itself, explore the World Heritage site of the Royal Observatory, home to Greenwich Mean Time and a state-of-the-art planetarium, the National Maritime Museum, with interactive galleries about the history of seafaring, and the Cutty Sark, the world’s only surviving tea clipper. 

• While you're in this part of London, take a scenic flight in one of the gondolas of the London Cable Car or ‘Dangleway’ between Greenwich Peninsula and the Royal Docks.

The City of London with Kids

• Explore London’s Roman heart, easily accessed from the Tate Modern over the gleaming silver Millennium Bridge. It takes you almost as far as St Paul’s Cathedral, designed by Sir Christopher Wren and famous for its Whispering Gallery, where you can hear someone whispering at the walls at the far side due to an acoustic weirdness.

• Head to the Museum of London in its new site at West Smithfield (from Nov 2026) to learn all about London’s history since prehistoric times, including the big nasties such as the Black Death and the Great Fire.

• Tour the Tower of London with its famous ravens and the family jewels.

Kensington and South Kensington with Kids

• Have great days out in ‘Museumland’, where ‘the big three’ of the gargantuan Science Museum, Natural History Museum and Victoria & Albert Museum (V&A - decorative-arts) rub shoulders. Note that there’s also the Young V&A out in Bethnal Green to the east, showcasing objects by and for children.

• Run amok in the Peter Pan/pirate-themed Diana Memorial Playground in Kensington Gardens.

The West End with Kids

• Check out so some of London’s iconic family-friendly musicals and shows, especially the feline fantasia of the long-running Lion King, Matilda the Musical and Wicked.

• Don’t miss the family favourite British Museum in Bloomsbury and the London Transport Museum in Covent Garden.

London Best Green Spaces

• Head for Regent’s Park, Hyde Park, Green Park, St James’s Park, Richmond Park, Greenwich Park or Primrose Hill for a family picnic.

• Alternatively, escape to the relative wilds of Hampstead Heath with its Parliament Hill Lido, swimming ponds and city views.

• Lose yourselves in the plant life of Kew Gardens (the Royal Botanic Gardens).

Best London Shopping

• Navigate the seven floors of toys, books and gadgets at the legendary Hamleys.

• Be charmed by the more bijou Benjamin Pollock’s Toyshop in Covent Garden.

• For an eye-opening glimpse of how the other half live, check out Harrods’ Toy Kingdom.

• With older kids, browse Camden and Portobello markets, the first an essential stop for those looking for alternative clothes, accessories and magnets, the second a perennially trendy haunt for aspiring fashionistas.

London with Toddlers

• Tour Battersea Park Children’s Zoo, a conservation  powerhouse south of the river, with small animals (otters, owls, lemurs and so on), a farmyard and a superb playground.

• Discover Coram’s Fields, a wonderful Bloomsbury playground with a huge sandy play area, an adventure area for older kids, farm animals, a summer paddling pool and a café.

• Delight in the Discover Children's Story Centre, an East London venue with play spaces encouraging ages 0–11 to make up stories with their families.

• Roam around WWT Wetland Centre, a remarkable wildlife reserve not far from the heart of London, with a ‘bird airport’ and wildlife hides for spying on birds, water voles and more, plus an adventure area and interactive discovery centre.

London with School-age Kids

• Ride the DLR, a driverless overland train that kids love to sit at the front of and pretend to steer as it meanders between buildings, swooping up and down like a gentle rollercoaster. It’s a good way of visiting Docklands and Greenwich.

• Tour the Foundling Museum, where you can learn about the Foundling Hospital, London’s first home for abandoned children, which stood on the site of Coram’s Fields next door (see above).

• Enjoy the Horniman Museum, an off-the-beaten-track attraction in South London, with a quirky collection embracing everything from torture instruments to puppets and giant model insects, lots of activities and a nature trail.

London with Teens

• Investigate the Churchill War Rooms, where you can learn about Winston Churchill not only as a politician but as a father and son, and tour the secret bombproof bunkers where the War Cabinet hid out in air raids.

• Ride one of the Thames Rockets – high-speed boat rides along the Thames, taking in the sights to a soundtrack of funky tunes and the James Bond theme.

• Sign for one of the London Walks, including costumed ghost walks, treasure hunts and occasional Thames archaeology outings looking for historical remnants on the river's beaches.