London with Kids: 5 Days of Free Museums, Royal Castles & Park Adventures

A family travel guide built around world-class experiences — many of them free — in one of the most kid-friendly cities on earth.

Introduction

There's a version of a London family trip that costs a fortune — the London Eye, Madame Tussauds, SEA LIFE, the Dungeons, a West End show, and a glossy hotel near Paddington. It's perfectly fun. But there's another version — equally magnificent, arguably more memorable, and almost scandalously affordable — built around the Tower of London's ravens and Crown Jewels, the Natural History Museum's towering dinosaur skeletons, the serpentine lawns of Hyde Park, and a city that has quietly decided that most of its greatest museums should cost nothing at all.

This itinerary leans hard into that second version.

One of the things that makes London one of the best cities in the world for families is its fantastic choice of attractions for kids — and there's a great mix of free and paid options, meaning you can easily tailor your visit to suit your budget. Over five days, you'll straddle both worlds: spending wisely on the genuine bucket-list highlights, and discovering that London's parks, museums, and riverside walks hand out wonder completely free of charge.

Children under 11 travel free on the Tube, which alone takes a significant bite out of daily costs. Pack your Oyster card or contactless card, pack your sense of adventure, and get ready for one of the world's great family cities.

⭐ Hidden Gems are marked throughout this guide — these are lesser-known spots that locals love and tourists rarely find. You can also view this itinerary in the app and customize it for your own trip.

Where to Stay

Park Plaza County Hall (Days 1–5)

Belvedere Rd, South Bank, SE1 7PB · Nearest Tube: Waterloo

Park Plaza County Hall is consistently rated one of the best mid-range family hotels in London — and it's perfectly located if you're looking for a family-friendly hotel near the London Eye. Studio rooms sleep up to 2 adults and 2 children and include a kitchenette, and the hotel is close to many of the top family-friendly attractions in London. If you book the Family Getaway Package, kids receive goody bags at check-in, complimentary breakfast for children up to 12, and there are interconnecting rooms for larger families.

Being on the South Bank puts you within a 15-minute walk of the Tower of London via the river path, and a short Tube ride from Kensington's museum district. Expect family rooms from around $220–280/night depending on season. Book well in advance — this one fills up fast.

Day 1: Arrival & the South Bank

Morning

Land in London, shake off the jet lag, and drop your bags at Park Plaza County Hall. Even if your room isn't ready, the hotel will store your luggage — and the South Bank is right outside.

Stroll east along the river. The Thames is grey-green and ancient and full of tugboats. Kids will spot the Millennium Bridge (the "wobbly bridge" from Harry Potter), the dome of St Paul's, and the distant silhouette of Tower Bridge all in one sweeping glance. It's a better introduction to London than any bus tour.

Grab breakfast at ⭐ Scootercaffe, a tiny, hole-in-the-wall coffee shop tucked on Lower Marsh Street (a 10-minute walk from the hotel) — mismatched chairs, proper espresso, excellent pastries, and virtually zero tourists. Budget around $5–8 per person. Lower Marsh itself is a lovely local street with a small daily market worth a browse.

Afternoon

Head across to Borough Market (a 15-minute walk along the river). One of London's greatest street food institutions, it's also a genuine local favourite that happens to welcome the whole family.

Borough is a great street food market — and the lunch options are genuinely magnificent. Look for the Kappacasein cheese toasties (gruyère, leeks, onion, melted to perfection), grab a Gujarati thali from one of the Indian stalls, or let the kids pick out fresh-baked sourdough and artisanal crisps. A filling family lunch here runs $30–45 and beats any chain restaurant in the city. Open Monday–Saturday; busiest on Saturdays.

After lunch, walk the Bankside route east toward the Tate Modern (free entry). The Tate Modern is one of the top attractions for kids in London. The Turbine Hall alone — a vast, cathedral-like space with rotating installations — will have children sprinting, spinning, and staring slack-jawed. No admission required for the permanent collection.

Evening

Dinner tonight at Flat Iron on the South Bank.

Flat Iron is a casual steak restaurant known for serving high-quality flat iron steak at affordable prices. The Southbank branch has a dedicated kids menu, and it feels like an elevated dining experience — but kids of all ages are just as welcome at the table as the adults. Steak for two adults plus a couple of kids' portions runs around $60–75. Book ahead — it fills up.

After dinner, walk along the South Bank as the city lights up. Let the kids dangle their legs off the riverbank benches, point out Big Ben glowing amber across the water, and count the boats.

Day 2: The Tower of London & Tower Bridge

Morning

The Tower of London opens Tuesday to Saturday from 9:00am (10:00am on Sundays and Mondays). Get there for opening — the Crown Jewels queue builds quickly.

The Tower of London is the trip's one major paid attraction, and it earns every penny.

The Tower of London is an iconic castle with over a thousand years of history. On your visit, you'll get up close to the Crown Jewels, meet the legendary Yeoman Warders and ravens, and climb the White Tower — built in the 1070s for William the Conqueror — and storm the battlements.

Be amazed by the White Tower, which now houses majestic suits of armour and exciting hands-on activities for families. The Bloody Tower has an altogether more haunting history — discover murderous tales in this infamous former prison. No visit is complete without meeting its famous residents — the Yeoman Warders (Beefeaters) and the ravens. Legend has it, if these guardian birds were to ever leave the Tower, the kingdom would fall.

The Yeoman Warder tours alone are worth the price of admission — these are retired military professionals who've spent decades in service, and they know how to hold an audience.

Cost: Child tickets (ages 5–15) cost approximately £17–18; children under 5 enter free. Without the voluntary donation, a family ticket (2 adults + 3 children) is approximately £82.10. Book online in advance for a small discount and to guarantee your timeslot. The official Historic Royal Palaces website is the best place to purchase.

💡 Practical tip: The grounds are largely cobblestone, which makes pushchairs challenging in some spots. Pick up the Tower's family trail at the entrance — it helps structure the visit for families with mixed-age children.

Afternoon

A 5-minute walk from the Tower's main exit brings you to Tower Bridge — and the glass-floored walkways 42 metres above the Thames are a guaranteed scream from the kids. The Tower Bridge Exhibition, including the glass-floored walkways above the Thames, takes approximately 1–1.5 hours. Tickets run around £12 for adults, £5.40 for children — check towerbridge.org.uk for current pricing.

A Tower cluster day — Tower of London in the morning, lunch in the area, Tower Bridge in the afternoon — is one of the most satisfying single-day itineraries in London.

For a cheap, proper lunch between these two, duck into ⭐ Monmouth Coffee Company on Monmouth Street (there's a branch near Borough Market) for excellent sandwiches and the city's most famous flat white — under $15 a head and beloved by locals.

Alternatively, cross the river to ⭐ Bermondsey Street for lunch. This quietly fashionable stretch south of London Bridge is stacked with local spots at non-tourist prices. Café Murano Bermondsey is worth knowing about: it's an institution famous for its relaxed Italian fare, spearheaded by Angela Hartnett, with an extremely affordable £10 three-course children's menu including arancini, chicken milanese, and rigatoni.

Evening

After the day's history, a low-key dinner back near the hotel. Pizza Express on Bankside offers those sweeping views of St Paul's Cathedral alongside a menu that never fails a family. It's been around since 1965, and the formula works — good pizza, familiar toppings, and a relaxed family-friendly space. The Piccolo menu is designed for younger children and includes dough balls, pizza or pasta, salad, dessert, and a Bambinoccino, plus an activity pack. A family of four eats well for around $55–70. Look out for seasonal "kids eat free" and discount offers.

Day 3: Kensington & Hyde Park

Morning

Today is the big free day — and it's one of the most glorious in London.

Take the Tube to South Kensington (about 15 minutes from Waterloo on the Circle/District line). You surface into a neighbourhood of white stucco terraces and museum grandeur. The Natural History Museum is a 3-minute walk.

There are also regular special exhibitions, for an extra charge — and there's a new display based around life beyond earth in 2025 for curious minds. But the permanent collection — free to all — is staggering. The great blue whale suspended from the ceiling of Hintze Hall. The dinosaur skeletons. The earthquake simulator. The meteorite you can actually touch.

Pre-booking tickets is strongly advised for peak periods, including weekends and school holidays. General admission is free — book your timed entry slot online at nhm.ac.uk well in advance.

💡 Tip: Arrive right at opening (10am daily). The dinosaur gallery queue builds fast — head there first, before the school groups arrive.

Afternoon

Walk 10 minutes north into Hyde Park and Kensington Gardens, which merge seamlessly into over 600 acres of royal parkland. This is where London lets out its breath.

Your first stop: the Diana Princess of Wales Memorial Playground, tucked beside Kensington Palace.

This playground is every child's dream — with swings, a giant wooden pirate boat to climb aboard, water to wade through on a hot day, teepees, and out-of-the-ordinary musical instruments. The play equipment is inspired by the stories of the famous Peter Pan. Entrance to the playground is free, there's a carousel right outside the gate, and the playground has bathrooms and a snack bar as well. This is genuinely one of the best free things to do in the entire city with young children — and almost no guidebook gives it the attention it deserves.

After the playground, walk through Kensington Gardens toward The Serpentine. The pace of London slows here — the quiet things, ducks and playgrounds and open grass, become the heartbeat of the adventure. Rent a pedalboat on the Serpentine Lake (around £15 for 30 minutes) and let the kids take turns "steering" while you drift past the swans.

For a cheap and cheerful late lunch: grab sandwiches and snacks from the Serpentine Bar & Kitchen kiosk near the boathouse. It's not fancy — and it's perfectly positioned for a waterside picnic on the grass.

Evening

Back in South Kensington, dinner at Dishoom Kensington.

Located in the historic Barkers Building on Kensington High Street, Dishoom Kensington offers families a glimpse into the charm of 1940s Bombay. For a quieter experience, visit on weekday mornings or opt for an early dinner (5–7pm) to avoid the crowds. Its location is perfect for families exploring nearby attractions like Kensington Gardens, the Science Museum, and the Natural History Museum. With mains priced between £9 and £16, it offers great value for central London.

The black daal, the chicken ruby curry, and the famous bacon naan will convert even the fussiest eaters. Family of four: around $65–80. Book ahead — Dishoom is beloved and busy.

Day 4: Greenwich & the River

Morning

Today's adventure takes you east — by river, which is half the fun.

From Westminster or Embankment Pier, board an Uber Boat by Thames Clippers to Greenwich. Uber Boat by Thames Clippers is a cheaper option and a good way to get from A to B. The journey takes around 40–50 minutes and slips past the financial towers of Canary Wharf, the O2 Arena dome, and the handsome waterfront at Greenwich. Adults pay around £10 each; children travel for roughly £5. Kids will be nose-to-the-window the whole way.

Disembark at Greenwich Pier and head straight up the hill to the Royal Observatory.

The Royal Observatory, with the Prime Meridian Line, is a not-to-be-missed stop. Taking a photo while standing with one foot in each hemisphere is a highlight. The attached museum offers lots of interesting information about navigation, astronomy, and history, and is fairly child-friendly. Here you'll also find a planetarium and the UK's largest telescope.

Standard entry to the Observatory runs around £18 for adults, £9 for children. Book at rmg.co.uk.

Afternoon

Walk back downhill to the National Maritime Museum — free entry. The Maritime Museum has an excellent indoor kids' play area perfect for a range of ages. The interactive ship-steering exhibits and navigational puzzles keep children genuinely absorbed for an hour or two.

Then head to ⭐ The Golden Chippy on Greenwich High Road. If you're in Greenwich and don't mind a little walk, the Golden Chippy is a local can't-miss — a proper South East London fish and chip shop with enormous portions, long queues of locals at lunchtime, and none of the tourist markup. Two adults and two children can eat extremely well for under $35. Cash preferred. Arrive early.

After lunch, the playground at Greenwich Park is very good and there's a lot of open space for running off steam. You can also take the boat back into central London, which is fun for the kids.

Return to South Bank via river (same Thames Clippers service back to Westminster Pier, around 40 minutes).

Evening

Keep it easy tonight. Wagamama on the South Bank (near the National Theatre) is reliable, affordable, and genuinely kid-adored — steaming ramen bowls, gyoza, and katsu curry. A family of four eats for around $60–70. No reservations needed. Wagamama is one of those restaurants kids genuinely love, and parents will find the menu satisfying too.

After dinner, the South Bank at night deserves a stroll. Buskers, lit-up bridges, skateboarders at the Southbank Centre — it's London at its most alive.

Day 5: Westminster, Changing of the Guard & Farewell

Morning

Your final London morning deserves a proper start. Head to ⭐ Regency Café on Regency Street in Westminster — a gorgeous, unchanged 1940s British caff with black-and-white tile floors, shouted orders, and an enormous full English breakfast for around $12–15 a head. It is absolutely where locals eat before work, and it is absolutely not in any tourist guide. Cash only.

After breakfast, walk 10 minutes to Buckingham Palace for the Changing of the Guard ceremony — free to watch from the railings outside. The Changing of the Guard still thrills kids and adults alike — there's something about the pomp and splendor that has all the watchers straightening their backs. The ceremony typically takes place at 11am (daily in summer, alternate days in winter — check householddivision.org.uk for the current schedule). Arrive by 10:30am for a decent viewing spot.

Afternoon

Walk through St James's Park — one of London's most overlooked royal parks.

Surrounded by some of London's most popular sightseeing attractions — Buckingham Palace, Westminster, and Trafalgar Square — St James's Park often gets overlooked, but it's one of the loveliest green spaces to let the kids run about in. Feed the pelicans on the lake (daily feeding around 3pm), watch the ducks, and let the children career across the grass one last time.

Hop on the Tube to Covent Garden (one stop from Charing Cross) for a final afternoon wander. The street performers in the piazza are genuinely excellent; there's no charge to watch and the kids will be transfixed by living statues, acrobats, and opera singers. Browse the covered market, pop into the London Transport Museum (tickets around £22 for adults, children free — book at ltmuseum.co.uk), or simply duck into Bancone for an early dinner.

London's full of great Italian restaurants, but Bancone might be the best for a family outing. The menu is almost entirely pasta dishes, all at sensible prices, and the original branch in Covent Garden is ideal for a family day out — close to a host of landmarks, shops, street performers, and theatres. Budget around $55–70 for a family of four.

Evening

Walk to Embankment for one last look at the Thames before heading to your onward transport. The lights of the South Bank reflect in the water, Big Ben chimes somewhere across the river, and somewhere a child declares this the best holiday they've ever had.

Practical Tips for Families

Getting Around

• Children under 11 travel free on the Tube — simply tap through the gates alongside a paying adult.

• An Oyster card (or contactless card) is essential for adults. Load it with pay-as-you-go credit; daily fare caps keep costs reasonable.

• The famous red London buses are slower than the Tube but brilliant for kids who want to watch the city go by. Routes 11, 15, and RV1 pass many major sights.

Saving Money

• If you're visiting multiple London attractions, the London Tourist Pass includes Tower of London entry and saves approximately 20–25% on that attraction alone, with savings increasing as you add more.

• The Natural History Museum, Science Museum, British Museum, Tate Modern, and National Gallery are all completely free for general admission.

• Pre-book timed entry slots for the Natural History Museum — especially during school holidays.

Timing Tips

• Get to the Natural History Museum when it opens — it gets busy very quickly.

• Tower of London: visit on a Tuesday–Thursday term-time morning for shortest queues.

• The Diana Memorial Playground is busiest on warm weekend afternoons — aim for a weekday morning.

Strollers & Mobility

• The Tower of London grounds are largely cobblestone — pushchairs are challenging in some spots; a carrier may be easier for very young children.

• South Bank pavements are smooth and stroller-friendly throughout.

Budget Summary (Family of 4 per day, approx.)

Hotel (Park Plaza County Hall, per night): ~$250
Food (3 meals): ~$70–100
Attractions (varies): $0–100
Transport: ~$15–25
Daily total~$335–475

Day 2 is the biggest spend (Tower of London + Tower Bridge). Days 1, 3, and 5 lean heavily free.

Sources & Inspiration

• Mummy Travels – Best Things to Do in London with Kids

• Flashpacking Family – Best London Attractions for Kids

• Timeout London – 50 Best Things to Do in London with Kids

• Visit London – Things to Do in London with Kids

• Historic Royal Palaces – Tower of London Tickets & Prices

• Alike.io – Tower of London Guide 2026

• Wanderlux – Best Family Hotels in London

• Flashpacking Family – Best Family Hotels in London

• Michelin Guide – Best Family-Friendly Restaurants in London

• Visit London – Family-Friendly Restaurants in London

• The Urban Kids – Diana Memorial Playground

• Royal Parks – Diana Princess of Wales Memorial Playground

• Zesti in a Tote – London Attractions for Kids

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