Londonis a superb destination to explore for families, no matter what age your children are. Whether they have been learning about London in school and are keen to discover the history of the city for themselves, or you simply want to enjoy the many attractions and landmarks of London together as a family, there are plenty of ways to keep everyone busy and enjoying themselves. All of that said, it can also feel like a daunting experience to plan a trip toLondonwith children, especially if it is going to be your first time visiting. Don’t let that put you off however, read on for our tops tips on visitingLondonwith children:-
It’s All About the Location
This is usually something which features highly on anybody’s travel list but it’s even more vital if you want your family trip to Londonto run smoothly: finding accommodation which is centrally located, or which is situated close to the attractions you most want to explore. Londonis a vast space and although it does have a good public transport network (more on that later…) it can still take a good hour or so to journey from one side of the city to the other, especially on weekends and during busy times. The majority of London’s most popular attractions are located near to Central London so finding somewhere nearby to stay will instantly take away the need for prolonged periods of travel; there are often London hotel special offers too which can assist in your search. Not only will having a well placed hotel help you at the start of your day when you are raring to go and explore but it will also help you at the end of the day when everyone is a bit foot-sore and weary and you just need to get back to your hotel and hit the sack.
Getting Around
As we mentioned above, althoughLondonhas a great public transport network you are really going to want to limit the amount of travelling you have to do, unless you have older children or teenagers who can cope with several tube journeys, for example. The London Underground is probably going to be your best bet, as it is quick and convenient, unless you are encumbered by pushchairs or luggage of course! Unfortunately, where the tube lets itself down is by not having all stations equipped with escalators or lifts. If you are travelling around with a pushchair then you would be better sticking to the buses; all buses have designated sections for pushchairs and they all have let down ramps so you can easily get on board too.
When it comes to fares it is pretty straightforward; children under the age of five can travel for free on the tube, the DLR, buses, trams, the MBNA Thames Clippers, the London Overground and the Emirates cable cars when travelling with an adult. Children aged between 5-10 years can travel free on the tube, buses, trams and the DLR again, as long as they are travelling with an adult carrying a valid ticket. For children aged 11+ the best way to get reduced fares onLondon’s public transport is by purchasing a Zip Oyster Card. The Zip Oyster Card will allow free travel on the tube, DLR and London Overground train, and reduced rates on other services. It costs £10 for a 5-10 Zip Oyster Card and £15 for a 11+ Zip Oyster Card.
Of course if you have chosen somewhere central such as the M by Montcalm Tech City Hotel then travel should be fairly minimal anyway.
What To See?
It’s probably safe to assume that you will want to do some sightseeing when in London but knowing which attractions are worth visiting and how to plan our your day can take a little bit of forethought and planning. The key to a successful time in the city is to take things steady and not try to pack too much in. Children can easily become overwhelmed (which we don’t think we need to tell parents!) if they are rushed from one place to the next so it’s always worth handpicking a few attractions you absolutely must visit and then taking your time exploring them fully. Be realistic about how much time you will be able to spend in each attraction and how much time it will take you to get from A to B if you plan on travelling across the city at any point. Bus tours are always great solutions as they allow little feet to rest whilst still taking in some of the famous sights of the city.
Of courseLondonis just full of great family friendly attractions including:-
- TheTowerofLondon
- TheLondonEye
- BuckinghamPalace
- The Princess Diana Memorial Playground
- and plenty more!
Where to Eat?
As with the attractions, there are plenty of family friendly restaurants and cafes located all over the city. There are a number of popular options including the Rainforest Café, Sticky Fingers, Bubba Gump Shrimp and Giraffe which have all carefully considered the needs of their younger clientele but don’t feel that you need to stick to the chain restaurants if you want to try somewhere a little different. Plenty of the independent restaurants, pubs and cafes are also family-friendly and worth considering. There are also a whole host of parks, gardens and open spaces if you wanted to sort out your own picnic and allow your children the freedom to burn off their excess energy after lunch too and there are lots of supermarkets, food markets and deli’s where you could pick up the necessary bits and pieces for an enjoyable picnic lunch.
Finally…
London is a truly fantastic place for children to visit, from the royal attractions to the city farms, the history to the modern skyscrapers, any visit here will certainly be educational, enjoyable and exciting.
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