The ultimate guide to visiting London with kids

28.08.2023 - 16:13 / lonelyplanet.com / London

London is an expensive city to visit and one that’s large and sometimes difficult to navigate. But, it's also packed with fascinating historic sights, bags of culture, world-class museums, parks and wide-open spaces with excellent playgrounds, and plenty of things to occupy kids of all ages.

The permanent collections at many museums and art galleries are free to enter (donations welcome) and they generally offer some kind of audio guide or experience aimed specifically at families. For older children, London’s Harry Potter connections tend to be popular, and with so many different exhibitions and theater performances, there is something to align with the passions of every tween and teen. 

Here's everything you need to know about visiting the English capital with tots in tow.

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As with any large city, dragging small kids around in London can be exhausting for everyone. Staying realistic about how much you can see in a day and being flexible with your schedule is the key to keeping everyone happy.

Unfortunately, London is not particularly easy to navigate with a stroller or for anyone with accessibility needs. Even Tube stations with step-free access often have a big gap between the train and the platform, and you can walk a long way through the underground network before reaching the platform you need.

The buses are likely to be better options for getting around central London. Better still, divide your visit into neighborhoods and walk between sites to minimize your time fighting the often frustrating transport system. Children under 11 travel for free with a fare-paying adult; ask about free and discounted Visitor Oyster cards for children aged up to 16. Children aged 16 and over pay the adult rate.

London’s South Bank offers endless family entertainment. The London Eye provides high-up views over the river to Big Ben and beyond, and the Sea Life London Aquarium, with a shark tunnel and penguin area, is particularly popular with younger kids. Shrek’s Adventure is a 90-minute theme park experience centered around the fairy tales in the Shrek movies. If you have teens who enjoy being scared, they will get a kick out of the creative presentation of gory historical events at the London Dungeon.

Learn about the role HMS Belfast played in WWII while climbing down below the river’s water level and shuffling along tiny corridors (not easily done with toddlers or babies in prams). In the summer months bring a change of clothes, as your kids are