Take the Family holiday rating 
| Timezone | GMT |
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| Local Currency | British Pound |
To adapt the great Dr Johnson (& Johnson): ‘The family bored of London is bored of life’. And it's true: whatever age your kids are, there's more than enough to keep them entertained, whether it simply be a ride in a red London bus or a black taxi, or an interactive jaunt through the history of the capital’s travel systems at the London Transport Museum, which reopened in even bigger and better form in autumn 2007. Then there's the food, the river, the Tower and the non-stop, English, British, faded-Empire, cosmopolitan, cockney 'sparra', pin-stripe suited, altogether mad atmosphere of the place.
London is fantastic any time of year, even in the pouring rain, with loads of museums and art galleries that will keep you entertained while providing cover. And when the sun comes out and gleams on London’s classic buildings, it is difficult to find a more inspiring city on earth, guv. Summer brings plenty of tourists to the major attractions, but even then you can find a (reasonably) quiet corner of Regent’s, Hyde, Green or St James’ parks where you can hire some green and white deck chairs and enjoy a proper family picnic, or escape to the relative wilds of Hampstead Heath.
As a Christmas destination, London offers unrivalled shopping (a trip to see Santa at Harrod’s is obligatory), glorious ice rinks that seem to increase in number every year, wonderful shows, and a host of family activities at venues all over the city. Find out more about London family fun at Christmas time with Rhonda Carrier's feature ' Christmas breaks in London and Paris'
take the plane, train or bus
Fly in from virtually any city on earth plus there are regular flights from almost every UK city with anything resembling an airport. And trains and coaches from every corner of the land (and Paris or Brussels).
from the airports
London is served by five airports. Transatlantic flights arrive in Gatwick and Heathrow. Domestic and European flights additionally arrive at City, Luton and Stansted airports. All are served by rail links, though your family will need to suffer a short bus ride to get to the stations serving City and Luton airports. Buses are a reasonably priced alternative option, while taxis are expensive… unless you are travelling with children above rail fare paying age (five), in which case the cost is relatively less prohibitive.
London has plenty of rooms to choose from, including some of the greatest hotels in the world. There are hundreds of centrally located properties, including the fabulous Athenaeum Hotel and family apartments, overlooking Green Park, or the bending-over-backwards-family-friendly Renaissance Chancery Court with some of the largest guest rooms in London, and family themed luxury weekends, in the heart of the West End - Read Take the Family's review of The Renaissance Chancery Court 'Family Duck Weekends'. Check Expedia and Lastminute for some great hotel deals from only £50 per room per night. And if you have younger children or are planning to stay for a few days then an apartment may well prove your most suitable option, for example Citadines Apart'hotel Trafalgar, Apart'hotel Covent Garden or even a serviced apartment such as Point West, Kensington
You can also consider staying outside the centre, for example at The Grove Hotel, in the 300 acre 'London Country Estate' 40 minutes from central London, and taking the train or tube into town. Another indulgent alternative is Champneys Tring - Read our review of a family break without the kids!
Crikey! There’s oodles. And getting around by tube, bus or (somewhat expensive) cab is simple. Note, however, that the tube and buses – though now free for children – are not particularly buggy friendly, so put an infant into a sling if at all possible. Walking is also very easy (kids and weather permitting). Check out the London Underground website for more details of transport.
West End boys and girls –London is always red hot for family-friendly musicals and shows. Whether it’s the feline fantasia of The Lion King or the wacky witchiness of Wicked, we've got superb access to the very latest tickets at the very best prices thanks to our chums at lastminute and superbreaks. To give your family a day-out to remember, just take a look at our family shows pages. See also www.officiallondontheatre.co.uk for listings of both West End shows and performances at London’s wealth of smaller theatres (some of them specialist kids’ theatres), searchable by age suitability.
As for the sights, there’s no better place to start than the London Eye, a must-see and a must-see-from: on a clear day it offers truly spectacular views over the Thames and many of the landmarks of London, as far as the arch of the new Wembley Stadium and Windsor Castle. The nearby London Aquarium (see our London Aquarium review article ) is a mediocre effort but the two attractions can make for a well-balanced half-day out. Better still, through our partners at lastminute.com, we offer great-value London Eye and Thames River Cruise combined tickets – click here for more details. You might go as far as maritime Greenwich or even the mighty defence system of the Thames Flood Barrier, a journey that takes you past many of London’s most famous sights. In Greenwich itself you can explore the World Heritage site of the Royal Observatory, home to Greenwich Mean Time and a new state-of-the-art planetarium, and the National Maritime Museum, with interactive galleries where kids can learn all about the history of seafaring.
Among other family attractions on the stretch of river between the London Eye and the iconic Tower Bridge, known as the South Bank (and, incidentally, a great place for a stroll), are the Golden Hinde, a replica of the 16th-century ship in which Sir Francis Drake circumnavigated the globe, the HMS Belfast, a retired World War II cruiser with decks you can explore, the ghoulish London Dungeon, and the reconstruction of Shakespeare’s Globe Theatre, with a hands-on exhibition and kids’ workshops.
But if you only have time to see one thing on the South Bank, make it the Tate Modern, a world-class modern art museum in an old power station, with a new Family Zone full of books, quizzes and games that allow you to broach such difficult questions as "Dad, is that cow eating that baby?". There’s normally a huge installation in the main hall space that is worth the trip on its own, and multimedia handhelds for both adults and kids help you navigate the collection. To top it all, the Tate has good restaurants serving quality kids’ fare.
To explore the City, London’s Roman heart, walk from the Tate Modern over the gleaming silver 'wobbly’ (Millennium) bridge – which, happily, no longer wobbles. It takes you almost as far as St Paul’s Cathedral, which celebrates its 300th birthday in 2008 and is being restored in celebration. Designed by Sir Christopher Wren, its highlight is the famous Whispering Gallery, where you can hear someone whispering at the walls at the far side due to an acoustic weirdness. From here it’s a short hop to the Museum of London to learn all about London’s history since prehistoric times, including the big nasties such as the Black Death and the Great Fire. Try to coincide your visit with one of the plentiful family-oriented events.
Another great day out can be had in ‘Museumland’, otherwise known as South Kensington, where ‘the big three’ of the Science Museum, Natural History Museum and Victoria & Albert Museum (V&A) rub shoulders. In fact, since all of them are gargantuan, you’ll need much more than a day to do justice to any single one. One of the most popular spots in the Science Museum is the Launch Pad, reopened in November 2007 following a huge revamp, where visitors of all ages get to learn all about the forces of nature by playing with a plethora of gadgets and watching free 20-minute shows dotted throughout the day. But make sure you check out the museum’s touchscreen info terminals, which suggest itineraries for families, teenagers, and those with special interests. The Science Museum is also home to one of London’s two IMAX cinemas. The Natural History Museum is similarly exciting – and overwhelming. Depending on your kids’ ages, you might want to focus on the animatronic dinosaurs, the hands-on science lab, the earthquake simulator, or the Mammals Gallery. Both the Science Museum and the Natural History Museum host excellent changing exhibitions in addition to their (free) permanent collections, so make sure to check their websites regularly.
While not as immediately family-friendly, the V&A decorative-arts museum (which includes displays on fashion) has special discovery areas for kids, a Free Art Fun desk running family activities, and themed backpacks and trails. And one of London’s best-kept secrets is the V&A’s Museum of Childhood out in Bethnal Green to the east.
Other Take the Family favourites include The British Museum, the Tower of London, the Peter Pan/pirate-themed Diana Memorial Playground in Kensington Gardens, and London Zoo in Regent’s Park, which is pulling in the crowds with its new Gorilla Kingdom.
Then, of course, there’s shopping – people come to London for this alone. Hamleys ain’t what it used to be, but your kids won’t care about that as they navigate its seven floors of toys, books and gadgets. More charming haunts are Benjamin Pollock’s Toy Store, specialising in toy theatres and traditional toys, and Daisy & Tom, a kids’ department store in Chelsea, with its own fairground carousel, plus daily puppet shows and other activities.
If you're planning to visit a number of attractions over a short period of time, beat the queues and save money with the London Pass.
Click here for an up-to-date family- friendly events guide to London…
And for days-out ideas in London from families who live in London visit the London Families site.
In addition to the sights mentioned above, we highly rate the following for the
given age groups:
Perfect for Toddlers
Battersea Park Children’s Zoo, a well-kept secret on the south bank of the river, with small animals (otters, owls, lemurs and so on), a farmyard and a superb playground.
Coram’s Fields, a wonderful inner-city playground with a huge sandy play area for under-5s, an animal-petting enclosure, a summer paddling pool and a veggie café.
WWT Wetland Centre, a remarkable wildlife reserve not far from the heart of London, with a ‘bird airport’ and wildlife hides for spying on birds, water voles and more, plus an adventure area for kids 3–11 and an interactive discovery center with children’s water games.
Perfect for Kids
DLR, a driverless overland train that kids love to sit at the front and pretend to steer as it meanders between buildings, swooping up and down like a gentle rollercoaster. It’s a good way of visiting Docklands and Greenwich.
Foundling Museum, where you can learn all about the Foundling Hospital, London’s first home for abandoned children, which stood on the site of Coram’s Fields next door. It sounds heavy-going, but kids’ activity packs, audio-guides, story-books, drawing activities and events, including annual Fun Days and Family Fun sessions on the first Saturday of the month, bring it to life.
Hornimann Museum, an off-the-beaten track attraction worth the schlepp for its quirky collection (everything from torture instruments to puppets and giant model insects, some of which can be handled), award-winning aquarium, family workshops, storytelling, night tours, music sessions, and arts and crafts activities. The gardens contain an animal enclosure and nature trail.
Perfect for Teens
Camden and Portobello markets, the first as tacky and grungey as it comes but an essential stop for those looking for alternative clothes, accessories and magnets, the second a perennially trendy haunt for aspiring fashionistas.
Churchill Museum & Cabinet War Rooms, a double-whammy of culture where you can learn about Winston Churchill not only as a politician but as a father and son and also tour the secret bombproof bunkers where the War Cabinet hid out in air raids. Kids get free audioguides, trails and holiday activities and special events.
London Walks, a company offering mainly adult-oriented walks but also a number suitable for kids six and up, including costumed ghost walks, treasure hunts and occasional ‘beachcombing’ walks where they can search for archaeological detritus by the Thames at low tide.
Take the Family favourites include:
Carluccio’s Caffè, 8 Market Place, W1, and other locations, 020 7736 2228. A incredibly popular chain of all-day eateries serving up wonderful regional Italian food, including a great-value kids’ menu.
Ed’s Easy Diner, 19 Rupert St. W1. and elsewhere, 020 7287 1951. A small chain offering a tacky, heavily themed but fun and friendly setting for authentic American burgers and shakes, with jukeboxes and other memorabilia. Some branches are roomier and more family-friendly than others.
Giraffe, 7 Kensington High St, W8, and other locations, 020 7938 1221. Another ever-growing ‘herd’ where you can count on cheery décor, a world music soundtrack, and a global menu with something for everyone, from blueberry pancakes to Thai curries
Inn the Park, St James’s Park, W1, 020 7451 9999. In a city blessed with great park and great park cafés, this is top of the heap. With a grass roof and views of Duck Island and various palaces from its terrace, it divides into a very good restaurant serving Modern British food (including an excellent kids’ menu), and a self-service counter offering good breakfasts, lunches and teas. In summer order a hamper and wander off into the park.
Pizza Express, 29 Wardour St., W1, and other locations, 020 7437 7215. Another popular nationwide chain where you can count on a lively family atmosphere and reliable pizzas, pasta dishes and salads. The new three-course Piccoli menu has been going down a treat.
Smollensky’s Bar & Grill, 105 The Strand, WC2. 020 7497 2101. A handy place to know about at weekends, when the Family Days feature a clown, magic and Punch & Judy shows, disco dancing and face painting, leaving Mum and Dad to relax over the good cocktails and enjoy the surprisingly tasty American-diner style food.
Wagamama, 14 Irving St, WC2, and other locations, 0207 839 2323, www.wagamama.com. Yet another kid-friendly chain – this time of hectic noodle joints with communal tables, full of noisy brats like yours. Kids get their own mini-menu of scaled-down noodle and rice dishes with a healthy slant, and often a free T-shirt in addition to colouring materials.
National Dining Rooms & Bakery, National Gallery, Trafalgar Square, WC2, 020 7747 2525. Probably London’s best museum café/restaurant, offering versatile options perfect for families, from cakes to full lunches and early suppers. Kid love the comfort food (think boiled eggs and soldiers), parents the great Modern British dishes.
The Rainforest Café, 20-24 Shaftesbury Avenue, W1, 0207 434 3111, www.therainforestcafe.co.uk. American-style food in animatronic animal heaven – moving elephants, gorillas and snakes move and growl as your thrilled (or appalled) little ones munch on their ribs, pastas and the like, much of it organic.
Let's face it, London isn't cheap, especially when it comes to accommodation and transport. Nevertheless, you may be surprised by how many of the big attractions are free – museums, art galleries, the Changing of the Guard. (You can even spy the giraffes at London Zoo free from the road if they're good enough to prance round their enclosure.) See www.londonfreelist.com, which has a special Kids section.
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