I caught a nasty bug over the weekend (colds in the summer should be illegal), but the silver lining (there is always a silver lining): I spent a full day researching for our upcoming trip to London. We’re visiting London before we head to Norway to spend a week with my brother and his family, who live in Trondheim — originally, we’d thought we’d stop in Copenhagen, but for very boring logistical reasons, it was too knotty to work out in a way that wouldn’t feel punishing. Though I was excited to visit Copenhagen, I’m thrilled with the London itinerary, having not spent much time there, and we’re actually spending quite a bit of time there, with four nights on the way out and two nights on the return home. We are uncharacteristically behind — or should I say, with a more positive spin, leisurely! — on organizing the trip because we have been uncharacteristically busy in every way over the past month or two, between wrapping up the book tour, end of school mayhem, a lot of really fun social plans, transitioning into camp/swim team life, which is not without its own up-front demands. Anyway, we are just getting to booking our hotel (gasp), but the good news with London: there are tons of fantastic hotel options. I already anticipate our only regret will be not securing reservations for dinners, as I understand London dining to be a scene approximating New York’s, but then again — we’ll be traveling with our kids, and I anticipate our vacation dining agenda will prioritize early and easy versus buzzy.
Starting this thread to share some of the research I’ve completed and to solicit input from fellow Magpies more familiar with The Big Smoke who have visited recently with children. I consulted a wide range of resources for this — travel influencers, Reddit threads, Substacks, Town and Country, Yolo (my top rec for travel planning) — and was mainly interested in surfacing commonalities, i.e., “there’s probably something here if multiple of these resources are encouraging it.”
Big caveat that this is research, not experience! Will provide a full recap post-trip of what we loved and what we didn’t both in London and Norway!
London Hotels for Families.
Not being too familiar with London, I started with identifying some of the activities we might be interested in undertaking, and then tried to figure out which neighborhoods were most congenial to those areas. This led me to mainly focus on the neighborhoods flanking Hyde Park, and specifically Kensington, Chelsea, Knightsbridge, Belgravia. A couple of the hotels that came up over and over again in these areas (some of these are very $$$$ — we are still determining what we’re comfortable with):
+The Emory
+One Aldwych
+Rosewood London
+Cadogan Gardens
+The Goring
+Beaverbrook Town House
+Langham (added to the list just because we had such a great experience at the one in NYC)
A few others came up a bunch but seemed to me better suited to a couple’s trip — The Beaumont, The Lanesborough, Claridge’s, The Connaught.
Finally, the Firmdale hotel family came up a number of times — a little less expensive than most of the options above but in great neighborhoods and design-forward/charming. I also saw some shining reviews for L’Oscar and Corinthia, but these were a bit fewer and further between so I have less to go on there.
One thing that I want to mention: hotels are challenging with a family of four! There are lots of options for three hotel room occupants but the suites get extremely expensive very quickly, and the alternate is booking two rooms and playing roulette as to whether you can have them adjoin or even be on the same floor, especially because we try to book through AMEX Travel, and this means making specific requests like that are difficult. (Does anyone have a work around?) The Rosewood is my current front runner because they offer “family rooms” to accommodate four sleepers, and my friend Sarah Tucker raved about the experience when she went with her two boys, but I’m deeply tempted by splurging on one of the more boutique / specific-to-London type hotels from the list above. I also have not fully exhausted the hotel scan so may come back and update this post with additional discoveries and thoughts. Landon is adept at this kind of research so I’m curious to see what his efforts surface and how well they map to mine.
London Activities for Families.
I’ve been generating a long list of activities all across the city. We’ll go through this and cull based on our kids ages and interests, and then group activities by day depending on geography. Landon and I are typically pretty leisurely on our vacations — we’ll schedule one big thing each day and then leave ourselves loads of time to explore, meander, enjoy slow-paced meals, sit by the pool, etc — but we discovered on our NYC trip that the kids have an appetite for a busier schedule, and I think it’s safe at this phase in our lives to plan one morning thing and one afternoon thing as loose tent-poles for the day, and wedge in other pit-stops depending on where the day takes us.
+Afternoon tea — Claridge’s, The Goring, Sketch, or the Mad Hatter’s Tea at the Sanderson. (The last one is kids oriented; it came up a bunch but this is not typically our — pun intended — cup of tea. We’re not big on, like, the Eloise tea at the Plaza type experiences. My hope is that we go to Claridge’s for the classic experience, but we’ll see.)
+Science Museum
+Tower of London — consensus is that this is better and more interesting than trying to catch a guard change at Buckingham; there is a free tour and you get to meet Beefeaters; afterwards, walk across Tower Bridge. There is a tower museum with a glass floor exhibit, and you can also time this activity with when the bridge lifts.
+The Diana Playground with the pirate ship
+Natural History Museum (the dinosaurs are famous)
+Specialty shops: L. Corenlissen for art supplies, VV Rouleaux for ribbons and headbands
+Art: the Young V+A / The Tate (apparently both have great children’s programming)
+Greenwich Park Playground
+National Maritime Museum (might be a little more toddler oriented based on photos)
+Take in a show: Matilda the Musical or the Harry Potter one (N.B.: this is like 3 hours long with an intermission so maybe a bit much)
+Secret ice cream parlor (The Fountain) at Fortnum and Mason
+Hamley’s Toy Store (a seven-story toy institution)
+Cable car over the Thames
+The Garden Museum — this came up a number of times as an off-the-beaten-track treasure, and apparently the restaurant in it is quite good; I could see this being a favorite, less-trafficked stop for us
+London Walks walking tours — all different themed walking guides of the city; this particular company gets strong reviews for its personable guides. These always seem so touristy but in my experience, end up fantastic. I’ve done these kinds of guided tours in a few cities — Berlin, New Orleans — and it really gives you a strong sense for the city and its history. I’m trying to figure out which path might be best for kids.
+Battersea Power Station — lots of shops / restaurants / stalls in a decomissioned power station, and then take a picnic to Battersea Park. Someone wrote, cryptically, “make sure to go up in the chimney” and I’m not sure what that means, but will absolutely find out.
+Daunt Books (Marylebone) — there’s also a kids bookstore that came up a few times called The Alligator’s Mouth
+The Wallace Collection — smaller art gallery that has more of a Phillips Collection vibe; would love to see this but not sure it’s as appropriate for the kids as the bigger museums with more kid-friendly programming
+Harry Potter train platform at King’s Cross Station. Honestly, this has the feeling of being very anticlimactic, but Emory does love the books and I think she’d get a kick out of this. Might fold in if we’re anywhere nearby.
+The London Eye — including because I have to but I am a hard pass on this after my sudden onset fear of heights in NYC last summer while visiting One Vanderbilt (lol).
+The London Zoo
+Harrod’s
+Still collecting more information on whether Big Ben or Buckingham Palace are worth visiting. Might be better at this age to just intentionally get good views (I’ve heard the Uber Boats are a great way to get around and also see the sights from the Thames).
This brings me to…
Getting Around London with Family.
+Have heard the Underground is the way to go! Fast, reliable, and free for kids under 10. You can also tap your credit card at the turnstile for access — no need to get a card. N.B.: lots of stations are NOT accessible so if you have younger kids and will be exploring with a stroller, buses might be a better fit.
+Uber Boat — fun way to see city and get from point A to point B.
+Citymapper app came up a bunch as the best way to navigate the subway system.
+The FreeNow app is like an Uber for the black cabs, which are apparently preferable because they can travel in the bus lanes.
Dining with Family.
Going to be leaning heavily on London for this category, as he follows lots of chefs and restauranteurs and will flag the places they mention / eat at on a Google Map. A couple of places that came up in my research, though, below. Not all are going to be great with family (next research phase will involve zooming in on these), although we’ve really evolved our perspective on this subject and try to have our children eat whatever we eat. (Can we officially unsubscribe from the kids menu? Our kids do not need chicken fingers everywhere they go! This declaration is met with the expected pushback from our children but it has led them to try a lot of new foods in the past year, and often they discover they like it.)
+The Pelican Gastropub — recommended so many times by so many people I lost count.
+Norman’s — traditional English breakfast, described as “the coolest cafe in London.” I anticipate we will eat most breakfasts at the hotel (included with Amex booking) but this could be fun.
+Quo Vadis
+Dishoom — an icon for Indian food (another Indian rec that came up: Gymkhana)
+Noble Rot — wine bar
+Chiltern Firehouse — might be TikTokky, can’t tell, but came up routinely in every single list; someone wrote “almost a cliche at this point, but still great.” (I also got this energy from River Cafe, another institution, but the common theme was: “go for the vibes, not the food,” which is definitely not our cup of tea. Apparently good people watching there though!)
+ABC Kitchens at the Emory — people are raving, but we’ve also already been to the ABC restaurants in NYC (and the Jean-Georges restaurant at Keswick in Charlottesville) so might be better to try something different.
+Hjem coffee shop — coffee/pastries
+Other coffee spots to consider: Farm Girl, Monmouth, Monocle Cafe
+The Wolseley — came up as a beautiful anytime-of-day venue — serves coffee through cocktails; sit and watch the world walk by
+For cocktails: the Lanesborough, the Connaught
+Any of the Ottolenghi restaurants sound like great standbys — a little less buzzy than they used to be, but reputable for great food. And Landon and I have so many of their cookbooks!
+The Park — for emergencies, ha! It’s an all-day, very-kid-friendly spot right on Hyde Park with pancakes, milkshakes, hot dogs, etc. I am hoping to avoid this as we’d like to eat London style but you never know…
+The Fountain (ice cream shop) in Fortnum and Mason
Shopping in London with Family.
We tend not to focus on shopping while traveling with the kids (there is no greater shopping buzzkill than a child harrumphing and whining around the store as you decide which color to get) but if we are in these areas, I’d love to meander down Merylbone High Street and Chiltern Street. These both feature more independent/small brands versus chains/stores available in the US.
I’d specifically like to visit these spots while there:
+L. Corenlissen for art supplies — been around forever; my artistically inclined daughter would get such a kick out of this
+VV Rouleaux for ribbons and headbands — just a cool concept
+Daunt bookstore — self-explanatory
+Harrod’s — how can we not?
+Anya Hindmarch — if close to where we are, so many cool accessories you can personalize
+Hamley’s — a toy store institution; the kids will freak out
+Alex Eagle — in Soho, but I’ve long admired this utilitarian brand; expensive to ship to the US; her hats inspired the design of my Magpie Birding Club ones
+Moukimou — was just admiring online the t-shirts at this Japanese boutique
Going to pause here and solicit input from Magpies who have visited London recently with children in tow! Thoughts? Suggestions? Impassioned reviews? What to skip versus not?
Post-Scripts.
+Magpies weigh in on how to plan a great family vacation.
+Magpie recs on the best family-friendly destinations.
+What to pack for Nantucket (and other New England summer spots), Italy, and Out West (Aspen, Jackson Hole, etc).
Shopping Break.
+OK, this fireworks cardigan! The Great vibes but under $200. Exactly what you want for a lakefront FOJ weekend.
+New colors in the Leset Kyotos! Of all the poplin pull-on pants I’ve tried this season, these are my favorite. The cut is perfect. Use code LESET10 for 10% off. Two great looks for less: these Gaps (under $100) and these Pistolas (more sizes here).
+Love this red-white-blue gingham athletic set for FOJ activities. (While you’re at Nordies: an extra 25% off these Westman Atelier Foundation drops I know many of you love!)
+Speaking of athletic wear: an extra 20% off summer sneakers at Zappos through 6/24 with code SAVEBIG20. If you are strength training / lifting, I cannot encourage you to try the Nike Metcon sneakers more. Super stabilizing on the ankle, good for lateral movement, but lightweight/breathe. I love them so much I got Landon a pair (select colors also 20% off). I recently shared my favorite summer sneaks for kids, and now a lot of those are additionally discounted! Don’t miss these Ons for kids. They velcro closed and are incredible quality. Great colors too.
+Seriously cute throw-and-go-dress, reminiscent of Doen, for $50. Love in the gingham or the stripe!
+Speaking of Doen: this gingham mini is 50% off and almost fully stocked in all sizes!
+Cutest personalizable toiletry bags. I transfer this from tote to tote with all my essentials — sanitizer, mints, spare contacts, eye drops, etc — but I also wore it as a clutch last week, and it is SO cute.
+For my tween/teen girl moms: two collabs to know about that your daughters will deeply respect you for (lol) — the LoveShackFancy collab with Stanley (launching today at 12 EST – high sell out risk) and the Hill House collab with Roller Rabbit.
+Two chic taupe staples I recently ordered: this RSVP dress (I also own in black — use code jenshoop) and these magic pants (use code JEN15), which I couldn’t resist. Both are in a very Hermes-coded color and I imagine pairing with brown leather accents.
+M. M. LaFleur saw how much we love these shorts and gave us an exclusive code: JEN15 for 15% off.
+Cute eyelet trim tank to throw on with shorts.
+We just had two sets of house guests in the past week and BOTH independently commented on our new guest bed set-up. One was raving about how cool she felt all night long — I have a sense this was because we added the “cool force layer” option (30% off right now…!) to the new mattress we put up there (maybe also the cooling pillows? — 20% off right now), but she seemed to think it was the sheeting! We just put these sheets (currently 30% off) up there. The sateen finish does have that cooling handfeel. The others were simply obsessed with the feel of the mattress! We bought a Saatva mattress for our primary bedroom when we moved here a few years ago and I’m kind of wondering if we should’ve gone Helix!!!
+CUTE pull-on shorts with a whimsical sea life motif.
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London is one of our fave cities!! Highly recommend the Goring: service is extraordinary and the hotel is simply a classic, right around the corner from St James Park and just down the street from the carriage museum!
For tea, please consider the Dorcheste or, perhaps, Lauduree, which is inside Harrod’s.
“Paddington, the Musical” is a new show that’s getting raves.
There are so many different cuisines in London—we love a good Indian place, and also enjoyed a Bangladeshi and a Persian place. They’re not usually on any “must” lists, but definitely worth the hunt!!
Have so much fun!!!
Oh yay — Chrissy! This is great; we ended up booking The Goring. Thanks for these other thoughts, too!! xx
Be sure to visit the Jewel House (which I believe is part of Tower of London) which has the Crown Jewels. As a young girl visiting London, this place was what I remembered the most! My sisters and I were simply awestruck and pictures can’t do these jewels justice. Harrods and Hamleys are a MUST. Other than that, I remember as young kids even the simplest things were just completely delightful — like seeing the driver of a car on the right side! Or the accents! All that is to say it will be magical no matter what.
As an adult I loved the afternoon tea at Fortnum and Mason and think it would be great for adults or kids. Beautiful, not gimmicky, delicious.
Thank you for these! Great recs and reviews! 🙂
Jen, the Firmdale hotels are great and if you tell them you are travelling with children they will do what they can to accommodate – you might find you can squeeze in a king room. Doreset Square and Number Sixteen are their “slightly” cheaper options – absolutely the same in terms of brand – and very close to public transport options and museums / attractions / parks. The cost of cabs runs up quickly! I’m sure Landon would be a fan of Fallow in Piccadilly – we just went there and it lived up to the hype. Have a drink in the courtyard at Ham Yard beforehand if it is sunny. Cadogan Gardens and apartments are also great – my girls love exploring Duke of York Square and Pavillion Road which are right there. Stay off Oxford Street, its madness. You can’t go wrong with a summer deli picnic from Marks & Spencer, and lolling around in a park by the water – boats, ducks, ice cream. Your daughter is not quite as old as mine but Carnaby Street has all the pre-teen brands like Subdued and Brandy Melville and there is a Dishoom nearby – you MUST have one of their bacon sandwiches for breakfast – and then you can walk through Seven Dials into Covent Garden and there’s often great street entertainment there xxx
Love these notes and insights — several of you have specifically mentioned Dishoom for breakfast, so taking that down!
xx
Most London museums have free entry to the main museum, with booked tickets for some exhibitions. Consider buying membership for places like the Science Museum, Natural History Museum and the V&A. It can help bypass the queues that appear at the Science Museum and NHM.. Membership usually includes paid for admissions, and can give you a discount for the cloakroom and potentially a quieter Members’ room for food.
If you go to Greenwich and the Maritime Museum, consider the planetarium too, and get a boat there or back.
Somerset House usually has fountains in the courtyard which is fun for the kids to run in and out. The Coulthard Gallery is there too. Smaller, but with some classic art. Somerset House is close to Covent Garden. While it’s a different vibe, I’d choose Covent Garden over Borough Market, and there are a lot of good shops and restaurants.
The tube (as we call the Underground) does have some no step stations but most have escalators for strollers, otherwise you and Landon grab an end each for the stairs. On buses you may be required to fold your stroller if the bus is busy or the space is needed for a wheelchair user, so buses aren’t necessarily better than the tube. Black cabs you can flag down in the street without an app (though app is handy if it’s busy, raining, or a less busy location) and unlike NYC, all black bad drivers have an intensive training to learn basically every street and attraction in London before they get their licence (it’s called The Knowledge).
HP at Kings Cross is underwhelming. It’s a sign stuck to a wall and is nether between platforms 9 and 10, nor where they filmed the movies, as that platform is round the corner. I also wouldn’t bother with Battersea Power Station.
The Wolesley is lovely though you’re more people watching in the restaurant rather than the street outside. Fortnum and Mason (just down from the Wolesley) has a lovely afternoon tea and also things like musical fairground biscuit tins that Emory might like. Fun fact, during WWI you could at F&M buy a kit with food and heroin to send to your loved one in a trench in France!
It’s tempting to clump close activities together but, for example, you’ll be dead if you try to do the NHM, Science Museum and Harrods in one day. You don’t want to be too tired to enjoy the family visit.
Have fun!
Thanks so much for the added color/detail on many of these points — appreciate you!!!
xx
For the science museum, book WonderLab tickets, preferably the first slot of the day. If you’re in the area, the Chelsea Physic garden is tiny and lovely, with a good restaurant for lunch. My arty daughter loves Frameless, if you haven’t already been to similar. If you’re over to the East any time, Dennis Severs house is like nowhere else in the world that I have seen (you do need to book & it has odd opening times). I love St Pauls cathedral, a rare wartime survival in that area of the city, you can climb up and marvel at the view and the glimpses of the internal engineering of the dome. If you stay West, you could consider a walk around Holland Park and the Kyoto garden, also has a decent playground. I think the best musical for your age kids is Lion King, if you haven’t seen it in US. My kids love sitting round in Covent Garden market people watching and eating Bens Cookies (shop is in the old market there), my son who is a similar age to yours loves the Transport Museum in that area. There is a paddington afternoon tea bus that can be a welcome rest although obviously not up to the standards of a hotel tea! Have a wonderful time!
Great tips – thanks, especially re: WonderLab tickets! A girlfriend of mine mentioned the Transport Museum, too, but I wasn’t sure about age appropriateness so this helps.
TYSM!
xx
Sketch for tea is a must! The ambiance there is so special and each room is decorated differently. We had brunch in The Glade, which is like an enchanted garden that’s more incredible in person – the pictures do not do it justice! Your kids will love the bathrooms too.
With your daughter into Harry Potter, I would highly encourage you to consider the HP studio tour. We’ve done every Harry Potter thing under the sun and there’s nothing like it. There are logistics in getting there and so much to see, so you’d need easily half a day. The platform in Kings Cross is lackluster, but there is a photo op (with a long line to accompany it) and a gift shop. There’s a statue in Leicester Square of Harry on a quidditch broom. Another must-do for any Harry Potter fan is the House of MinaLima – the storefront for the graphic designers that did the first 3 illustrated books as well as the props for the movies.
Add Liberty to your shopping list! The book/stationery section always has a great selection, as does housewares. I could get lost in that store. If you’re in the area, the Notting Hill Bookshop for obvious reasons.
For restaurants: a trip to Ladurée in Covent Garden, Circolo Popolare (same restaurant group as Pink Mamma in Paris, amazing pasta and pizza and great for kids). Book an outdoor table at Tavolino for amazing views of Tower Bridge and the Thames.
One of my kids’ favorite things to do in London was the Sky Garden for amazing 360 degree views. Tickets are free, you just need to reserve in advance.
I would personally skip Hamleys, especially where your kids have likely gotten the same experience from FAO Schwartz – lots of toys being demo’ed that are overpriced and break right out of the box. Spend the time looking for toys at Harrods instead.
For the West End, I would vote for Paddington. I’ve heard great things and think it would be so charming to see in London. My kids were both around 10 when they saw Cursed Child (my eldest saw the 2 shows back to back, my youngest saw it when it was condensed to one) and I think that’s a good age threshold. If you’re looking for a close bite before the show, Sophie’s Steakhouse was really convenient and good for kids.
Hotels for a family of 4 in Europe are so hard to find without getting a connecting room or paying for a massive suite. (We may have had to sneak our youngest into a room in Scotland one night when we were stranded with a triple occupancy for a double queen room). We’ve stayed at a few different ones in London with our kids outside of the airport overnights. The Treehouse Hotel was a great location and has a Pizzeria Mozza attached to it. Rooms were smaller than other hotels, but the staff was incredible and my kids loved the candy in the lobby. The Radisson Blu in Euston Square was a pleasant surprise – we were desperate for a family suite under $1K/night and this fit the bill. The suite was spacious and there was a Tube stop on the adjacent corner, making it so easy to get around town. We also did a quick overnight stay at the County Hall Marriott – very close to the London Eye, but not much else on our itinerary. I had seen the most charming boutique hotel, The Lime Tree Hotel, in Belgravia that wasn’t available during our most recent trip, but I will likely book for a future trip.
Check The Design Museum to see what exhibits they have on. During an unexpected layover we got to see the Barbie and Tim Burton exhibits.
If you can, plan to catch the changing of the guards. My entire family complained about dragging them there so early when we were jet lagged and everyone absolutely loved it. We watched from the gates at Wellington Barracks and then followed over to Buckingham palace. You get a much better view with far less crowds. We caught a rendition of the Pirates of the Caribbean theme song, which surprised and delighted my kids.
These are so fantastic — thanks, Jen! Appreciate the upvote for Sketch. I remember it was big on Instagram a few years ago and it can sometimes be hard to tell whether a place still has its charm or has gotten a little too touristy. Thank you!
Great other suggestions, too, I’m adding everything to a list and then going to try to figure out how to codify. Maybe put it in Excel along with neighborhood and notes…
xx
A few more. I would do high tea for sure, so fun! Borrough Market is very cool but horribly crowded and was unpleasant the last time I went- could barely walk, might be hard with kids.
I’ve heard that a few times about the Market both here and via DM — maybe going on an off-hour or something…or maybe we just skip this time.
I’m personally very excited for high tea!!
xx
Jen- a few thoughts- We stayed at the Cadogan Gardens 2 years ago ( my family of 5) and it was great- wonderful location. ( they also have some apartments, I think) We are planning on the Connaught this year at Christmas. You should get a cocktail there, so incredible!
The Tower of London is fantastic- a must! I think the kids will love. I would not visit Big Ben, you can just see it from the outside. Westminister Abbey is amazing and highly recommend. YES to Harrods.
I am mixed on the Underground. It can be hot and foul smelling in the summer heat, but it is easy and convenient. We preferred Black Cabs, so easy and clean and cool. I would take the tube at least once or twice, kids will like.
The Connaught at Christmas! I haven’t even laid eyes on the place but based on everything I’ve seen and read, that sounds like magic. I’m also going to be keeping “an asterisk list” of all the things I want to do when Lan and I are there solo…a cocktail at The Connaught being one of them! Also the Wallace Collection. My mom texted me and said she thought this wouldn’t be a good fit for the kids. Womp womp.
So glad to hear all this communal love for the Tower! Who knew that was such a high point? Thanks!
Underground — ha! Thanks for the caveat! Can’t be worse than NYC subway in the summer…?!!? But will also alternate with Black Cabs per your rec!
xx
For your daughter, I’d also add visiting a Primark. I find I’ll let mine have a little more freedom picking out accessories or clothes there. Low end, but something that helped her feel independant.
Love this – what a great way to encourage independence! xx
Very low end and terrible fabrics and quality. A New Look might be a better choice.
I second the Tower of London-the kids will love the beefeaters! We used the uber boat and loved it too. My husband loves anything on water, but it was easy and we learned a little bit along the way. This makes me ready to jump on a plane and visit again!!
Yay! I feel like the Tower is the through-line here. It’s a definite stop on the agenda. Going to look into the tickets next.
xx
The Tower of London is definitely worth visiting, get your tickets now if you can. You can stay for as long as like there and there is a cafeteria on-site for refreshments. We dined at Dishoom over by the Theater District, make reservations if you can we had to wait on line to go in but had a lovely talking to a number of locals while we waited. Also, keep your cell phone close to you while visiting there have been a number of cell phone thefts in London, read this article from the NY Times about them:
https://www.nytimes.com/2026/05/23/world/europe/phone-theft-threats-london.html?unlocked_article_code=1.sVA.HkDh.B_Vv_S-RTuKq&smid=url-share.
Thanks so much for these tips, Jenifer! I’m really blown away by all the positive reviews of the Tower of London experience! A top of the heap itinerary point for us now.
xx
FYI – We booked a family room at The Goring and it was top notch and so wonderful. Quite the experience and so perfectly London. Major plus – the high tea there is Princess Catherine’s favorite and for good reason.
Love this tidbit! TYSM!
I feel like your children will thrive in London – I’m channeling vibes similar to what you had in NY last summer with your family!
A few things we took away following our trip last year with our four-year old:
– Natural History Museum is best visited later in the day – families like to queue before they open, but it is PACKED, especially if British schools are in summer session (not sure of your dates). We found that when we went about 2-3 hours before closing, we had the run of the building (including and especially dinosaurs!)
– For families, Chelsea / Pimlico / Belgravia / Marylebone – extremely residential, family-friendly, and quieter streets. We leveraged the tube as often as possible, but tried to pick a hotel walking distance to one of the lines that hit most of our targeted stops directly (we chose Sloane Square)
– Cannot recommend Cadogan Gardens enough – you will LOVE Pavilion Road (pedestrian road, exceptional for leisurely families with outdoor wine bars next to ice cream and high quality fare, and to scratch the shoppies itch). Incredible people watching.
– We would bring our Micro scooter / helmet next time – we would have covered more ground more easily, and would have spent considerably more time in the parks
– Any of the Cubitt House pubs, but we love The Tennyson, The Orange, and The Thomas Cubitt (quality pub fare and nice locations, walkable but quiet)
– I would pick a few neighborhoods / areas you want to target, vs. creating a punchlist of activities or locations – it really is too big (geographically) to tackle in one go, so we found it easier to boil it down to places we wanted to spend time, and then tick off things within the radius of that area
– No.16 is my favorite Firmdale property probably bc of the location. SoHo is just too crowded for us, but bowling at Ham Yard is fun for the kids! Ham Yard also does a great tea service, in their courtyard. Charlotte St. great for cocktails!
– Dishoom in Kensington is super family friendly – Ghymkana probably better reserved for a date night, anyways! Rabbit in Chelsea on the King’s Road is also very family friendly, and the chef is incredible.
I believe Chiltern is still closed due to the fire they had in 2025? 2024? But Marylebone is CHOCK full of exceptional alternatives! The high street and Moxon Street, especially (and the area is home to Monocle, Daunt, and I believe a few others on your list).
Cannot wait for the recap – you will have a wonderful time!
Ah – such great intel here! Things are coalescing in my mind, which is super helpful. I love this hive mind mentality 🙂 A few things you mentioned that have come up like 10x via DM (and also threaded throughout these comments) so I just want to highlight and pluck out here:
+Firmdale Ham Yard is a top rec for that hotel group for families
+Ghymkana is not kid friendly, but Dishoom is, and is worth the visit
+Cadogan Gardens is amazing 🙂
Thanks for the hot tip of Natural History! I would have thought first thing would be the way to go! I guess like everyone else…
xx
We took our six year old twin boys in Oct 25. We rented a lovely mews house from OneFineStay which was perfect – we found one in Kensington just down a set of small streets from all the museums.
They loved the Science Museum, the Tower and the Natural History the best. The V&A was a surprise hit as well. We booked tickets for all – first thing in the morning given kid wake up times, which was nice – they all got noticeably more crowded as the day went on.
We had been to London many times pre kids and the most shocking thing for us was just how much more crowded everything was these days – even in late October. Borough Market, in particular, just wasn’t even pleasant after our walk over after the Tower. Next time, I would stay farther afield from the sites to have quieter immediate surrounds.
The Princess Di playground is great – but packed. There’s another good playground on the other side of Hyde Park that’s less packed as well.
(As an aside, we also went to Copenhagen and Stockholm on this trip and the playgrounds and feels of both those cities were much calmer and Tivoli was probably still the biggest hit)
Lovely! You’re the third person to rave about the OneFineStay properties — I’ve added a few to our list, so thanks for that. Glad that your list of activities is overlapping with the ones at the top of my itinerary, too! Thank you!! Also appreciate the notes about which venues/attractions are the most crowded.
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Hello, long time reader (and lurker, I guess?) – I do love London but am no expert on it. Here are a few suggestions:
Word on the Water is a bookshop on a barge – very charming and maybe a 15 to 20 minute walk from the British Library – just something neat if you want less touristy and off the beaten path a bit.
I think a snack in the cafe in the old crypt of St. Martin-in-the-Field church is a nice stop since it’s across the street from Trafalgar Square. Also, and your kids might think this is funny, there is a little coffee shop in an old Victorian public restroom. It’s called Attendant Coffee – it’s in the Fitzrovia area not far from the British Museum. It’s actually really good coffee and the experience overall is pretty fun.
I also really like the Little Venice area in Paddington – feels like an escape from the hustle and bustle. I do love Hatchard’s Books (been around since late 1700s!), a walk through parks like St. James’s Park near Buckingham Palace, Richmond Park, and Primrose Hill. Hope y’all have a great time!
Hi David! Thanks so much for joining the chat and for your longtime readership :). These are such great and unique recs! Thank you! Love the bookshop on a barge concept of course 🙂
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Ooooh this is SO exciting! Your kids will remember this for the rest of their lives!
For food, I absolutely second Dishoom however I would go as close to opening as possible for breakfast. You’ll get a slightly more chill experience and the Bombay-style breakfast menus are unmatched. Definitely have the chai as well.
Also, I would so recommend Borough Market. The range of options is creative, crowd-pleasing, and so delicious. In particular, the cheese toastie and raclette over potatoes with cornichons is heaven on earth. It’s this vendor: Kappacasein (more on the Borough Market website)
For transport, you can use Apple Pay/GPAY/etc for the tube/overground/buses. I would recommend having this preloaded as your phone tends to be the closest thing at hand, especially with how intensely the flow of people moving through stations is. At the same time, be mindful of phone snatching as this — unfortunately — continues to be an issue to pay attention to. Ugh!
For bookings, I would double-check websites for museums/major attractions as we are finding more and more that pre-booking is a must both for getting access at a good time and for certain exhibits. We learned this at the Vatican, Acropolis, and Alhambra the hard way. It may not apply for where you’re going in London, though I would still check as high season gets crammed quickly.
For inspiration, we love a Rick Steves’ walking tour/audioguide. I know this is slightly more on the goofy side but it gets us every time!
Lastly, my favourite local resource for London reading (that’s more IYKYK) is Gillian Orr’s Slouching Towards Bethnal Green. I really think you’ll enjoy her work including her guide to East London!
Have an incredible trip!!! xx Ps I tried to hyperlink these recs but had some trouble with my browser. I’m so sorry for the inconvenience!
co-sign Dishoom as a must. A definite splurge, but we stay at the Milestone Hotel in London when we visit and it always exceeds even the highest expectations. The location is perfect, directly across from Kensington Palace and the surrounding gardens.
Aha! Milestone didn’t even come up in my research somehow (!!) but you’re the third person to say this, including someone who said their travel agent suggested it. This is so fascinating about the London hotels — I have heard rave reviews of like 20 distinct hotels, which just shows you how huge and hospitality-oriented the city is :). Great to have lots of options!
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Dishoom for breakfast — oo la la! Thanks for the tip there, and also for the reminder to pre-book! Great idea, and will help us give structure to our days, too.
You are the best – thanks for the great energy 🙂
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You are going to have the best time! I will send you some of the recs my kiddo liked the best when we were there this spring, but let me share the hotel rec now–the Intercontinental Park Lane. We booked through Amex, they double-upgraded (!!!) our room, breakfast was included for all of us, and the service was superb (kid-sized robe, slippers, and amenities! A stuffed corgi!) and the staff were so kind and lovely. Plus the location can’t be beat–right across the street from both Hyde Park and Green Park. We adored it. Oh, and the hotel food was SO fabulous we mostly ate there (!!!)
Ooh la la, thanks for this!!! xx
I would consider adding Borough Market to your list, It’s relatively close to the Tower of London and the Tate Modern and just such a unique and fun market to explore with lots of of different prepared food options. Would make for a fun lunch on the go!
Thank you, Erin! It’s so interesting, half of the Magpies said Borough Market was super (unpleasantly) crowded and half rave about it like you have. I guess I’ll have to do some digging on what might be an off-peak time to go. What do you think? (I’m imagining the density of, like, the Ponte Vecchio in Florence, which was absolutely overwhelming!)
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