London is constantly named one of many high vacationer locations on this planet. New dad and mom don’t have to miss out on all of the enjoyable, you’ll love visiting London with a child or toddler! There are many issues to do in London with toddlers and infants and it’s so simple to get from place-to-place.
Visiting Europe with a child is superb, so we paired up our household journey to London with per week in Paris. Right here’s all you’ll want to learn about visiting London with a toddler or child:
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When to Go to London with Toddlers or Infants
London has a popularity for having pretty spring and fall climate, however scorching and crowded summers, so we elected to go in early September. Our go to to London with a toddler had close to excellent temperatures, though just a few days have been even a bit of too scorching. We loved sunny skies with temperatures between 20-22 °C (68-72 °F).
The place to Keep in London
Two of the perfect areas to remain in London are:
The West Finish
London’s West Finish (north of the River Thames and west of Kingsway) is a superb selection, however it may be a bit of costly. Most of London’s high points of interest are situated inside the West Finish, together with Buckingham Palace, the Nationwide Gallery, Westminster Abbey and the Theatre District. After all, this implies there’s additionally nice entry to transit and glorious eating selections.
Browse trip residence leases and inns within the West Finish of London.
The South Financial institution
The South Financial institution can also be conveniently situated close to many nice points of interest such because the London Eye, Tate Fashionable and the Globe Theatre. There are various glorious eating choices, together with the very fashionable Borough Market, and the river stroll alongside the Thames is a superb option to get from place to position with a stroller in London.
Browse trip residence leases and inns within the South Financial institution of London.
The place we Stayed in London
We rented a trip residence rental house within the West Finish, only one block from Trafalgar Sq.. Its central location meant that it was an affordable strolling distance to just about each attraction we wished to see.
Our London trip residence rental was one of many solely ones we’ve ever stayed at that we wouldn’t suggest, however worry not, there are a lot of glorious trip residence leases in London.
In case you favor to remain in a London resort, be taught easy methods to discover the perfect resort for a child, then browse these kid-friendly inns in London.
Getting from the London Airport to your Resort
Listed here are all the perfect choices to get from the London airport to your resort. Your selection will possible be depending on if you will get a automobile seat offered or if you’re touring with a automobile seat.
Black Taxi or Uber
Taking a taxi is a handy option to get door-to-door service from the London airport to your resort. However, except you carry your personal automobile seat, taking a taxi or Uber isn’t a protected selection on your child.
Personal Switch
If you’d like door-to-door service with out lugging your automobile seat with you, e book a personal switch. We’ve used Welcome Pickups on a number of events on household journeys to Europe and it’s certainly one of my favourite inexpensive journey luxuries. I really like how the motive force meets you on the gate!
Most significantly, you may prebook an toddler automobile seat (9+ months previous) and your driver will meet you on the arrival gate. Strollers are additionally acceptable baggage, however issue this into the scale of automobile you order.
In case you want to depart your toddler automobile seat at residence, a non-public switch is your finest wager.
Probably the most necessary choices for any journey with a child is whether or not or to not carry a automobile seat with you. I cowl the professionals and cons in my submit about touring with automobile seats.
Taking the Heathrow Categorical or Gatwick Categorical
The Heathrow Categorical and Gatwick Categorical trains are a pleasant deal with after an extended flight to London. The specific trains are one of many quickest methods to get to London as they don’t cease between the airport and the transportation hub.
The Heathrow Categorical practice runs continuous from the London Heathrow Airport to the Paddington Station. Youngsters underneath 15 journey free, however should have their very own ticket.
The Gatwick Categorical practice runs continuous from the London Gatwick Airport to the London Victoria Station. Youngsters underneath 5 journey free.
The velocity of those trains makes them fairly fashionable, so we suggest not touring on them when you have a stroller. A child provider is extra appropriate for the London airport specific trains.
Getting round London with a Child
Strolling round London with a Child
London is a really walkable metropolis and you’ll stroll freely together with your stroller on the sidewalks just about in all places. Be aware, that whereas London itself could be very walkable, there are some points of interest which aren’t stroller-friendly. We cowl that under.
Taxi’s and Uber
UK regulation states that when touring in taxis or personal transfers, youngsters underneath three might journey with out a security restraint within the rear of the car if a baby restraint system isn’t out there.
Some taxi corporations may have automobiles already geared up with automobile seats, however these should be requested and booked forward of time. Uber doesn’t present automobile seats, however you may learn extra about taking an Uber with a child right here.
Public Transit
Transport for London (TfL) operates a lot of the public transportation programs inside London. This service contains the Underground, the world well-known purple double-decker buses and the Thames Clipper river ferries. Given how walkable London is, you’ll possible use the Underground provided that you’ll want to go someplace additional afield.
The usual public transit ticket is sweet to be used on all modes of public transportation and may be bought at multilingual ticket machines at station entrances, tram stops or London Customer Centres. The price of a single ticket varies relying on the space you’re touring. Youngsters underneath 11 journey without cost with a paying grownup.
TfL gives a smartcard known as a “Customer Oyster Card” which is a fast and straightforward option to pay for public transit journeys in London. In addition to comfort, this card has two further benefits: the fares you pay utilizing this card are cheaper than the one ticket fares and there’s a day by day fare cap in impact.
Ideas for the London Underground with a Child
Use a child provider or very light-weight journey stroller as you can be carrying the stroller up and down stairs. Though many stations inside the London subway system have elevators, be ready to search out a few of them out of service.
As well as, there are sometimes turnstiles which you will need to enter/exit by which make it troublesome to carry a stroller. In case you should carry a stroller in your subway journey days, carry a wrap or child provider as nicely. This allows you to carry your child up or down the steps, whereas your associate or a beneficiant stranger carries the stroller
London Hop-On Hop-Off Sightseeing Buses
Hop-On Hop-Off buses are a enjoyable, simple and attention-grabbing option to get round and see London. Hop-On Hop-Off buses are double-decker buses which characteristic a well-liked open air higher deck.
The steps to the highest deck are steep and winding and in consequence, you can not carry your stroller up, however there’s room to retailer your stroller on the underside deck. If sitting on the higher deck is engaging to you, carry a provider as an alternative of (or together with) your stroller and likewise carry alongside some solar safety on your child.
London Hop-on Hop-Off Bus Tickets
The place to Get Child Meals and Diapers in London
Having a well-stocked pharmacy close by is a blessing for fogeys. Not solely do they inventory most of the necessities for fogeys (diapers, medication, and so on.), lots of them additionally promote groceries. Boots, LloydsPharmacy and Effectively Pharmacy are three of the biggest chains in London.
There are a number of grocery retailer chains in London, however they’re usually modest in dimension. Many different sorts of shops, equivalent to nook markets, deli’s and pharmacies promote groceries as nicely.
15 Issues to do in London with Infants or Toddlers
Questioning what to do in London with a child or toddler? At this age, we discovered we may nonetheless go to all of the locations we wished to see.
We visited London when our daughter was simply beginning to stroll. So whereas we didn’t have to search out particular issues to do for toddlers in London, we spent a variety of time stopping at small parks to let her play in-between what we wished to see.
We additionally discovered that each one the issues to do in London grew to become enjoyable toddler actions with just a few small modifications. She was joyful to go to museums if we let her push the stroller. She was fairly content material to be within the stroller or child provider at different occasions, so long as we gave her time to discover in-between.
General we discovered in all places in London to be baby-friendly. There are such a lot of issues to do in London with a child, and our daughter loved all of them.
1. Trafalgar Sq.
A well-liked gathering spot for locals and vacationers alike, Trafalgar Sq. is discovered within the coronary heart of central London and is near a lot of the metropolis’s points of interest.
2. British Museum
London’s hottest attraction, the massive British Museum homes world-class reveals on Egypt, Greece, the Center East, the Far East and extra. It is a good thing to do in London with toddlers on a wet day or throughout your child’s nap.
The primary entrance to the British Museum is on the high of a flight of stairs, however there’s a small elevator to the left which allows individuals with strollers to get to the primary degree. As soon as contained in the museum, you could discover some walkways are tight, however you may discover all areas of the British Museum with a stroller. Small elevators allow you to succeed in all of the flooring.
There are two feeding rooms inside the British Museum: the primary is adjoining to the newborn altering area on the east aspect of the Nice Courtroom and the opposite is within the Ford Centre for Younger Guests (out there to households throughout weekends and college holidays solely).
Extra child altering amenities may be discovered within the North stairs (degree 0) and the North stairs (degree 3).
We visited the British Museum on our first day after an in a single day flight from Canada, so our daughter spent the entire go to sleeping in her stroller. This was one of many solely days we didn’t take her to a playground in London, but when we had wanted to Coram’s Fields & The Harmsworth Memorial Playground is simply a ten minute stroll away.
3. Nationwide Portrait Gallery
Okay… we usually discover portrait work kinda boring… However, the sky was threatening rain and we have been nonetheless ready to verify into our close by trip rental house, so we thought the Nationwide Portrait Gallery was the proper spot to have our daughter nap.
The Nationwide Portrait Gallery was extra attention-grabbing than we’d anticipated. It homes painted portraits of necessary figures from British historical past – from kings and queens of way back, to the official portrait of the Duchess of Cambridge, Kate Middleton.
All areas of this museum are accessible with a stroller.
4. The London Eye
The London Eye was initially supposed as a short lived construction, however the fashionable 135 meter tall Ferris wheel is now a everlasting fixture of the London skyline.
With a child in a provider, the London Eye is certainly one of many baby-friendly locations in London to go to. You might carry your stroller into one of many capsules so long as it’s folded down previous to coming into. You might not carry your stroller right into a capsule if it doesn’t fold down.
There are child altering amenities situated inside the primary ticket corridor.
For fogeys touring to London with toddlers, Jubilee Gardens is subsequent to the London Eye on the South Financial institution. You can find an amazing playground right here you can cease at to offer your baby time to play.
Alongside The Queen’s Stroll heading east in direction of Tate Fashionable and the Tower Bridge, you’ll find a enjoyable sand pit that toddlers will get pleasure from. We stopped right here on our means again from Tate Fashionable to our house to offer our daughter a while to play.
London Eye Quick Monitor Tickets
5. Piccadilly Circus
A small piece of NYC’s Occasions Sq. within the coronary heart of London, Piccadilly Circus is stuffed with vacationer buying.
We walked by Piccadilly Circus within the late afternoon after our daughter’s afternoon nap. Piccadilly Circus could be very completely different than the remainder of London – it seems like Time’s Sq. in New York Metropolis with all the large TV’s on the aspect of buildings, and so on.
There have been road performers drawing a crowd and our daughter loved “dancing” to their music. We get pleasure from seeing locations like this, however we additionally don’t get pleasure from staying too lengthy.
6. Tower Bridge
A visit to London isn’t full with out seeing the world-famous Tower Bridge.
We hopped on the Thames Clipper commuter boat and took a picturesque one-way journey up the River Thames from the Embankment Pier to the London Bridge Metropolis Pier. This was a lot simpler and extra pleasant than a experience on the Tube would have been with our stroller.
The Thames Clipper service is just like a vacationer river cruise, however there isn’t a tour information. In case you solely wish to go one-way (like we did), you pay half what you’d pay for a vacationer boat.
As soon as off the boat, we walked eastward alongside the river walkway in direction of the Tower Bridge. The views of the Tower Bridge are fairly good from this vantage level.
As soon as we reached the Tower Bridge we have been in a position to take our stroller as much as the bridge deck by taking an elevator (which can be found on each the north and south aspect of the bridge). We have been in a position to simply cross the bridge from there. In case you select to go to the Exhibition, lifts will allow you to take your stroller to the highest.
7. Tower of London
Practically 1,000 years previous, the Tower of London has a tremendous and typically grotesque historical past. Amongst its many points of interest, this former citadel now homes the Crown Jewels and has a formidable show of weaponry and armor.
William the Conqueror didn’t have stroller accessibility in thoughts when he constructed this citadel. Whereas it’s doable to carry a stroller into the Tower of London, you can be very restricted to the areas you may discover.
If you’ll want to carry a stroller, use the complimentary stroller parking areas within the Tower of London and discover the citadel with a child provider. And not using a child provider we’d not have been in a position to go to the tower partitions or the White Tower.
There are baby-changing amenities situated within the disabled rest room within the New Armouries café. There may be additionally a female-only child care facility within the Brick Bathrooms behind the Jewel Home.
Child-friendly Tower of London excursions can be found.
8. St. Paul’s Cathedral
Probably the most well-known sights in all of London, this Cathedral has graced the London skyline for over 300 years. It has performed host to a few of the most necessary moments in London historical past, together with the funerals of Winston Churchill and Margaret Thatcher and the marriage of Prince Charles and Girl Diana.
After our go to to the Tower of London, we stopped on the Pageant Gardens on our option to St. Paul’s Cathedral to let our daughter out of the stroller and provides her a while to crawl round on the grass. She was joyful to only discover whereas we loved views of St. Paul’s Cathedral.
The primary entrance to the Cathedral is on the high of a big flight of stairs, however individuals with strollers might use the accessible entrance on the south aspect of the constructing.
You may discover most areas of the Cathedral together with your stroller apart from the Galleries that are reached by climbing a number of hundred stairs. In case you want to go to the Galleries, carry a child provider and depart your stroller with the attendant on the backside. Leaving your stroller is at your personal danger, however who would steal a stroller in a church?
The 257 steps to the Whispering Gallery takes you excessive up within the dome and permits you to admire the fantastic thing about St. Paul’s from above. One other 119 steps takes you to the Stone Gallery which is an outdoor viewing space, providing good views of London.
However the perfect views of London are while you climb one other 152 stairs to the Golden Gallery, which is the best out of doors viewing space. We made it to the highest, nevertheless it was arduous work!
St Paul’s Cathedral: Quick-Monitor Entrance Tickets
9. Buckingham Palace
Initially constructed for the Duke of Buckingham in 1703, Buckingham Palace has been the official royal palace of the British Monarch since 1837. Buckingham Palace is simply open to guests in the summertime – usually late July to September.
We arrived in the primary courtyard to discover a huge crowd for the well-known altering of the guards. All we may see have been the guards’ black fuzzy hats so we elected to proceed straight for Buckingham Palace to hopefully beat the push.
After buying our tickets we proceeded to the safety verify the place we came upon there aren’t any strollers allowed within the State Rooms. Fortunately they have been in a position to verify it for us and return it on the finish of the tour.
Child carriers may be borrowed freed from cost (topic to availability). We left our stroller behind and transferred our daughter to our child provider and started the tour.
The perfect a part of visiting Buckingham Palace with a child is how quiet everyone seems to be. They offer free audio guides to guests, making it an amazing place on your child to nap. On the finish of the tour your child can burn off some steam taking part in within the Household Pavilion.
There aren’t any bogs for company in Buckingham Palace till the very finish. Make sure that all diapers are modified previous to coming into the Palace as there aren’t any appropriate places inside for altering a diaper.
10. The Nationwide Gallery
Sitting atop Trafalgar Sq., the Nationwide Gallery is the fourth most visited artwork museum on this planet. Its treasures embrace over 2,000 artworks relationship from the mid-thirteenth century to the 1900’s. An awesome place to quietly absorb some tradition as your child has a nap on-the-go.
The primary entrance to The Nationwide Gallery is on the high of a flight of stairs, however you’ll find accessible entrances on both aspect of the primary entrance. As soon as inside you may simply entry all areas of the museum.
Whereas museums aren’t all the time on the high of oldsters lists when touring with a toddler, we managed on the Nationwide Gallery by letting our daughter push her stroller round. It saved her joyful and content material whereas we did our fast go to by the museum.
Paper and pencils can be found on the info desks for households visiting with toddlers or babies.
Household and Youngsters Tour of the Nationwide Artwork Gallery
11. Hyde Park and Kensington Gardens
Spanning a mixed 625 acres, these two contiguous parks are London’s equal to NYC’s Central Park. Among the many many highlights of those parks are the well-known Speaker’s Nook and Kensington Palace (residence to Prince William and Kate).
The pathways in these parks are both paved or nicely groomed. You may discover the whole lot of Hyde Park and Kensington Gardens together with your stroller.
Not solely did we love our time within the park, it was an amazing place to let our daughter discover. There are just a few playgrounds inside Hyde Park and Kensington Gardens, however we suggest visiting the Diana Memorial Playground. This glorious playground is among the finest issues to do with toddlers in London.
After letting her play to her coronary heart’s content material within the Diana Memorial Playground we turned in direction of residence. We walked previous Kensington Palace, took just a few photos after which discovered a pleasant spot close by to get pleasure from a picnic lunch. This was one other nice alternative for our daughter to play and crawl round within the grass, whereas we loved a relaxation from all of the strolling.
We extremely suggest a day in Hyde Park and Kensington Gardens as a option to escape the craziness of London.
12. Afternoon Tea
There isn’t a ritual extra British than afternoon tea. This enjoyable luxurious is often served between 3:00 and 5:00PM.
We selected to have afternoon tea on the Portrait Restaurant within the Nationwide Portrait Gallery given it’s proximity to our trip residence rental. The Portrait Restaurant is situated on the highest ground with distinctive views of Large Ben, the Parliament buildings, the London Eye and Lord Nelson in Trafalgar Sq..
We introduced our material journey excessive chair alongside, which allowed her to sit down on the desk with us.
Our meals tray was loaded with many tiny luxuries: 4 sorts of sandwiches, two sorts of scones (with clotted cream and preserves) and the highest tray had 4 completely different desserts.
13. Westminster Abbey
It’s arduous to think about a spot extra firmly engrained in English historical past than Westminster Abbey. Over the previous 1,000 years, this gothic church has been the standard location for monarch coronation ceremonies, monarch funeral providers and royal weddings (together with Will and Kate’s).
You may go to most areas of Westminster Abbey together with your stroller, however not all areas. Among the smaller chapels have steps and could also be too tight for straightforward transit.
There’s a prompt strolling tour path inside Westminster Abbey which just about everybody follows (as did we). We took turns listening to the free audio tour as we explored the church.
We additionally took turns strolling with our daughter as the opposite father or mother visited components of the church not simply accessible by stroller. Given it was so busy, the tempo of strolling was gradual, so we let our daughter “push” the stroller as we walked. This bought her plenty of consideration from the opposite guests, which after all she beloved.
Child altering amenities are discovered inside the washrooms close to Poets’ Nook.
Westminster Abbey Entry Ticket with Audio Information
14. Tate Fashionable
Dramatically housed in a former energy station, Tate Fashionable is now one of the visited trendy artwork museums on this planet. On show on the Tate Fashionable are works by a few of the finest painters ever, together with work by Salvador Dali and Pablo Picasso.
We actually loved pushing our daughter in her stroller alongside the River Thames walkway to get from our trip residence rental to Tate Fashionable. As soon as inside, you can too go to all areas of Tate Fashionable together with your stroller.
Whereas Tate Fashionable might not initially appear to be probably the greatest locations to go to in London with toddlers, we made it work by letting our daughter stroll slowly pushing the stroller once more. She was joyful and we bought to slowly meander by the museum.
Tate Fashionable has a Child Care room on ground 0. As well as, diaper altering amenities are present in washrooms on every degree.
15. Household Photograph Shoot
A household journey together with your child is a particular time. On a number of of our household journeys world wide, we captured particular moments with knowledgeable photographer. Among the household pictures from these picture classes are a few of our most treasured possessions.
As you may see, London is such an iconic and photogenic vacation spot. We didn’t have an opportunity this household journey, however you may e book a household picture shoot in London. Your skilled photographer will make you’re feeling relaxed and assist you to discover the perfect photo-friendly places on your shoot.
London Household Photoshoot
A household photoshoot is a superb option to protect reminiscences out of your journey! Get $25 off your first Flytographer picture shoot.
What to Pack When Touring to London with a Child
Relatively than restate all of it right here, take a look at my full packing checklist for journey with a child. It covers all of the child journey necessities I can’t depart residence with out.
After a tremendous week in London with our child, we hopped on the Eurostar and went to Paris. You should definitely take a look at my submit about visiting Paris with a child.
Come Be part of Us!
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Celine Brewer is the proprietor of Child Can Journey. Not solely does she have years of expertise touring with infants & toddlers, however she’s helped hundreds of thousands of latest dad and mom journey with their infants and toddlers for over a decade. Along with writing on her child journey weblog, she has shared her experience on touring with a child or toddler by contributing to articles about touring with a child with the Washington Put up, USA Right this moment, the Lonely Planet journal and Being pregnant & New child journal.
Celine additionally writes about household journey on the location FamilyCanTravel.com, which she co-owns along with her husband. Being from the Canadian Rockies, she shares her ardour about her residence and journey to Banff Nationwide Park and space on their website TravelBanffCanada.com.
