The Holiday Season is a great time to visit London with your kids. But there is one question that always comes to mind on January 1st: Is there anything open?
The good news is that there are a lot of things to do on New Year’s Day in London and some of these things to do are perfect for children. Be it museums, activities or monuments, you and your children won’t have to stay in all day and play cards at the hotel. New Year’s Day is the perfect day to head out and discover the many attractions of London.
Read on to discover what are the best things to do on New Year’s Day in London with kids.
The New Year’s Day Parade
With over 8,000 performers, London’s New Year’s Day Parade is the biggest event of its kind in the world, and the first great annual event of the year. On January 1st, many people gather in the heart of the city to watch dancers, musicians, acrobats, and cheerleaders marching in a colorful celebration. This exciting parade is an interesting mix of both traditional customs and eccentric modern performances.
Needless to say that this parade is an exciting event for children of all ages. Make sure you arrive quite early to have front row seats, because you are not the only one wanting to see the Parade. And don’t forget to cover up as it can get quite cold!
Hour: noon to 3:30PM
Route: Piccadilly Circus, Lower Regent Street, Waterloo Place, Pall Mall, Cockspur Street, Trafalgar Square and Whitehall.
Hyde Park Winter Wonderland
New Year’s Day is the last day to come discover the magical Hyde Park Winter Wonderland. It is a place of fun and entertainment, especially for children. There are many attractions here, such as a giant Ferris wheel, Santa Claus’ house, a circus show and a pop up ice skating rink. You will also find a wide range of original restaurants such as the Ice bar, the Swiss chalet or even the Fire Pit Bar where you can roast marshmallows over a wood fire. It is also a Christmas market with over 200 wooden chalets selling all kinds of wonderful things for the Holiday Season.
When: From Friday November 18, 2016 to Monday January 2, 2017 (closed on Christmas day)
Address: Hyde Park
Tube station: Green Park (Piccadilly, Victoria, Jubilee lines)
Entrance: Free park entry, but paying attractions
London Transport Museum
The London Transport Museum is dedicated to the history of London’s transport system since 1800. Through approximately 80 vehicles (including a red London bus and the world’s first subway) and other interesting items, you and your children will understand the powerful link between transport and the growth of modern London.
Address: Covent Garden Piazza, London WC2E 7BB, United Kingdom
Nearest Tube station: Covent Garden (Piccadilly)
Price: £17 for adults and £14.50 for children
Opening Hours: Open every day from 10AM to 6PM except Friday (opens at 11AM)
Museum of London
Located on the edge of the oldest part of the city, the Museum of London is the perfect place to bring your children to if they want to learn about the history of London, from prehistoric times to the world we live in today.
The museum houses a lot of archaeological discoveries, such as Paleolithic bear skull, as well as models, pictures, diagrams, and original artifacts in a series of chronological galleries.
Don’t miss this fascinating museum, with a lot of interactive displays and activities for everyone when traveling to London with kids!
Address: 150 London Wall, London EC2Y 5HN, United Kingdom
Nearest Tube station: Saint Paul’s Station (Central Line) or Barbican (Circle, Hammersmith & City and Metropolitan lines)
Price: Free for parents and children
Opening Hours: Open every day from 10AM to 6PM
Natural History Museum
The Natural History Museum is located in a magnificent building a stone’s throw away from the famous Royal Albert Hall. It is a true educational playground for children of all ages, where they will learn everything about our planet, from the dawn of time to our modern era. Highlights include dinosaurs, a blue whale and even a Wildlife Garden. The Natural History Museum is truly one of the best things to do in London with kids.
Address: Cromwell Rd, London SW7 5BD, United Kingdom
Nearest tube station: South Kensington Station (Circle, District & Piccadilly lines)
Price: Free for parents and children
Opening Hours: Open every day from 10 AM to 5:30 PM
Science Museum
If there is one thing that always fascinates children, it’s science. And when a museum is dedicated to science and presents objects related to topics such as astronomy, physics, chemistry, time, light, technological and medical achievements in a family-friendly way, it truly becomes one of the best things to do in London with kids.
Address: Exhibition Road, South Kensington, London, SW7 2DD
Nearest Tube station: South Kensington Station (Circle, District and Piccadilly lines)
Price: Entry is free, but you need to buy a ticket for the IMAX Theater, flight simulators and some special exhibitions.
Opening Hours: Open every day from 10AM to 6PM
Sherlock Holmes Museum
Who has never heard of Sherlock Holmes, the famous fictional private detective created by Sir Arthur Conan Doyle? Surely all the children have, and what better way to walk in his shoes than by heading out to the Sherlock Holmes Museum in London?
Is you really want to become a detective for a couple of hours, book our Detective for a Day activity. You and your children will become real investigators and will have to solve a murder case using all the forensic techniques: finger prints, blood samples etc.
Address: 221b Baker Street
Nearest Tube station: Baker street Station (Bakerloo, Circle, Hammersmith & City, Jubilee, Metropolitan lines)
Price: £15 for adults and £10 for children under 16 years.
Opening Hours: open every day from 9:30 AM to 6 PM
Horniman Museum
The Horniman Museum is located in the middle of a beautiful landscaped garden in Forest Hill, in the south of London. It is a traditional museum specialized in anthropology, natural history and musical instruments. The highlights here are the taxidermied animals, including the (over)stuffed walrus.
This makes it a very nice and fascinating museum to go visit with the kids. Although it is quite far from the city center, it is well worth going there to discover the many different species of the animal world.
Address: 100 London Rd, Forest Hill, London SE23 3PQ, UK
Nearest Tube station: Southern train or Overground Commuter train
Price: Free (ticket needed for special exhibitions of event)
Opening Hours: Every day from 10:30AM to 5:30PM
Hampton Court Palace
Hampton Court Palace is a royal palace located close to 19km (12miles) south west of central London. There are many attractions, and the visits here are very family friendly. Of course, the palace and the gardens are a must see, but other highlights here include the maze, the historic real tennis court (real tennis is an older version of tennis, different from the present game) and the huge grape vine, the largest in the world.
There is a wide range of activities and events designed for families here, like the Great Garden Game to help explore the grounds, as well as different interactive adventures around the palace… Spending half a day at Hampton Court Palace is a perfect way to spend New Year’s Eve London with kids.
Address: Molesey, East Molesey KT8 9AU, UK
Nearest Tube station: Hampton Court (South West Trains)
Price: £21 for adults and £10.50 for children between 5 and 16. Family tickets for 2 adults and up to 3 children cost £51.70. Online tickets are cheaper.
Opening Hours: Open every day from 10AM to 4:30PM
London Eye
The London Eye is London’s most famous Ferris wheel. This very popular attraction is located on the banks of the River Thames, opposite the Houses of Parliament and Big Ben. The bird’s eye view of London from the top of the London Eye is really amazing, and your children will love the experience, especially with all the Holiday Season lights and decorations.
If you want to combine it with a family-friendly tour, we recommend Family Twist’s Adventure on the Thames, which is a fun and educative way to discover the Thames River, its history, curiosities and secrets.
Address: Lambeth, London SE1 7PB, UK
Nearest Tube station: Waterloo Station (Bakerloo, Jubilee, Northern and Waterloo & City lines)
Price: £24.95 for adults and £19.95 for kids for a 30 minute rotation. Online prices are cheaper.
Opening Hours: Open every day from 10AM to 8:30PM
Madame Tussaud
Madame Tussauds is surely one of the world’s most famous wax museums. Although the entrance fee might seem quite hefty, it is totally justified once you experience this exceptional place. Life-like wax statues of the most famous British and international people (real or fictional) will take you far away from reality. Madame Tussauds is one activity in London that your children will never forget!
Address: Marylebone Road, London, NW15LR
Nearest Tube station: Baker street Station (Bakerloo, Circle, Hammersmith & City, Jubilee, Metropolitan lines)
Price: £34 for adults and £29.50 for children (4-15) for on the day tickets. Cheaper tickets are sold online.
Opening Hours: Weekdays from 9:30 AM to 5:30 PM. Weekends from 9:00 AM to 6 PM
London Zoo
Located in Regent’s Park, the London Zoo (also called Regent’s Zoo) is one of the best things to do in London with kids. Historically, it is the world’s oldest scientific zoo (1828), originally intended for scientific study but later on opened to the public (1847). Today, it houses 756 species (over 17,480 animals). You and your children will be able to see fascinating animals such as lions, tigers, gorillas, komodo dragons, penguins, reptiles and many more!
Address: Regent’s Park, London NW1 4RY, UK
Nearest Tube station: Camden Town (Northern Line)
Price: £21.50 for adults and £17.25 for children between 3 and 15. Online tickets are a bit cheaper.
Opening Hours: Open every day from 10AM to 4PM
Sea Life
Located a stone’s throw away from the London Eye, opposite the Houses of Parliament and Big Ben, the London Aquarium (Sea Life London Aquarium) opened in 1997 and is now the largest aquarium in London. You and your children will be able to enjoy walking through the glass tunnel and see different kinds of sharks, or discover the ray lagoon, the penguin point, the crocodile pool and even Nemo’s kingdom among other fascinating highlights. Needless to say that this is a great activity to entertain your children in London on New Year’s Eve.
Address: County Hall, Westminster Bridge Rd, Lambeth, London SE1 7PB, UK
Nearest Tube station: Westminster Station (Circle, District & Jubilee lines)
Price: £21.50 for adults and £17.25 for children between 3 and 15. Online tickets are a bit cheaper.
Opening Hours: Open every day from 9AM to 6PM