London: Three Day Itinerary For Families With Teens
Traveling to London with teens? This itinerary will help you plan your familY trip!
If you are joining from the London Travel Guide, welcome back. If you started here first and are about to go on your first trip to London, be sure to check out my travel guide to London for tips and insights as your prepare for your trip.
This blog post is a complete three day itinerary to help you plan the details of your upcoming London stay. This itinerary is family-focused, as we traveled with our two teens. Every stop, restaurant and activity was paid for by us and the opinions I share are our own.
If you are looking for ideas as you plan your trip to London, this would be a great place to start and really would be suitable for families of all ages, couples, friend groups and more.
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Day 1: Explore the many neighborhoods of London
Day 2: Sunday roast and an afternoon in Hyde Park
Day 3: All about experiences, from boat tours to afternoon tea on a bus.
Summer is a great time to visit London—mild weather attracts many visitors in this most popular travel season so if you are considering a trip to London in the summer, book your stay far in advance for the best prices and check out airfare before you book your stay—often times those prices are a bit shocking and it’s best to be prepared! Use Hopper or Google Flights to watch fares if they feel really high on your initial search.
We explored many neighborhoods on this day but our favorite was Covent Gardens.
This is a jam-packed itinerary and let’s be honest, who has time to write notes?
I’ve saved you the work and created a free, easy to use digital itinerary that you can access on your phone!
London: Day 1 Itinerary
Our first full day’s itinerary was an opportunity to take in as much of the city as possible. Day one usually is the day most travelers are energetic, eager and ambitious, so knock out as much as you can on day 1, learn your surroundings and then as your energy fades, you can narrow down to your favorite spots and not feel like you missed too much.
London is a HUGE city so you’ll never see it all but this three day itinerary will give you a great glimpse into all London has to offer.
When traveling with teens, we like to start off with a breakfast that is familiar to them, so we can last a few hours before lunch. English breakfasts are not what most Americans are used to, so we went for bagels @bbagelbakery. Sadly we showed up too late and they were all sold out so if you love bagels, these are rated the best in the city and have gluten free options so go early if you want to try them.
Because skipping breakfast isn’t an option in our family, we ate at Bohme Cafe in Soho. It was a perfectly fine breakfast with lots of options and helped us start our day. It wasn’t crowded and the food was better than the service, it was just ok.
From there we headed over to Covent Garden—a busting area filled with shops, restaurants, local markets, boutiques, outdoor performers and more
I am a Peloton fanatic, so a chance to see the Peloton London Studios was high on my list—I was hoping to book a live class! No such luck. At the time we were there, they were not open yet but they are now! So if that’s on your radar, classes open 6 weeks in advance and fill up FAST! Set alarms for Monday at 12pm EST, buy your credits and act fast! I did get a glimpse of Bradley Rose before we moved on. IYKYK.
As we wandered around we landed in the market in Covent Garden—loved the energy of the market, reminded me of Fanuiel Hall in Boston. Local vendors, boutiques, street performers and lots of places to get a snack. This is also where you can go if you are needing a public restroom just be sure to have a Euro on you. Like many European bathrooms, you have to pay to go!
Next stop Trafalgar Square—here we started our exploration of famous sights around London. There was a lot going on the week we were there, the end of the Queen’s Jubilee and Pride Month so there was a big concert in the square. It’s a hub of the city so you’ll immediately feel the energy of the area. This square is famous for it’s large fountain display and iconic lion statues.
If you are going from Covent Garden to Trafalgar Square, Buckingham Palace is a natural next stop. Have you even been to London if you didn’t go here? Walk around, take pictures, watch the time honored traditions of the guards. If you love all things Royals, you may want to consider a tour.
At the time of writing this, the news of the Queen’s death is still current so all tours of the Palace are temporarily closed. It is uncertain how long that will last but you can check for updates on the official website. This site will also share information on other tours available in the Royal system.
Up to this point, a lot of ground has been covered but there still is so much more to see. If you have the energy and the legs, I’d recommend heading over to Westminster to set your eyes on Big Ben, Westminster Abbey and so on. If you need a little break, it’s a good time to jump on the Underground and save some steps. I suggest that because Westminster is crowded and if you are navigating it during peak times, you’ll need all the energy you’ve got!
We walked from Buckingham Palace to Westminster and we didn’t last long! What you’ll see in this area:
Big Ben—quite possibly one of the most famous landmarks in London and most certainly one of the most famous clock towers in the world. Sadly, Big Ben is still closed to the public due to an ongoing conservation project, depending on when you plan to travel, you could check the website for updated info.
Westminster Abbey—the architecture & history around London is incredible. Steeped in so much history. Entry and tours of Westminster Abbey are available but be sure to buy your tickets in advance. It seems there is always a line. This church is of course famous for so many Royal events, can you imagine what the walls would say if they could talk?
Statutes of Winston Churchill & Gandhi are located right between the two popular locations. This is also a great place for pictures—if you time it right you can catch a double-decker bus or classic cab making its way through the intersection with an icon backdrop.
Another way to save your legs and see a lot in one day would be to buy a ticket for a bus tour that enables you to jump on and off depending on your day’s plans. Some might cringe at this idea and I get it, it can feel a bit touristy but if you are limited on time, have little ones with you or older parents, this is a great option. You learn fun facts and interesting tidbits and you get to rest your legs.
I can’t speak to the experience itself because we did not do it but many tell us it’s a great option if it fits for your style or timeframe. There are a few services offered but the London City Bus Tours have the best ratings of the ones I researched. London City Bus tours offer so much more than hop on/hop off tours. Check them out for small or private or day trips outside of the city.
If you want to break from the crowds and get exclusive access and personalized attention and not be herded like animals in and out of buildings, consider a private tour from Context Travel. They are more expensive but you will truly get an immersive, memorable experience in this city filled with tradition, history and grandeur. If London has always been on your bucket list this might be a great option to get the most out of your visit.
Looking for lunch in London?
One thing to know about Westminster is it very touristy which means that most restaurants cater to tourists, which can often mean lower quality food and service and higher prices.
If you can get away from the main area to eat, you will find better options for less. If you are starving, look for places off the main street. There are lots of small, local pubs on the side streets.
We opted to head back towards Soho and ate lunch at Brew Dog. My husband is a huge fan of craft beer and is always on the lookout for places to sample the local offerings. Brew Dog is chain and this wasn’t our best experience. Service was essentially non-existent, we had to order from our phones using a QR code and those that delivered the food just dropped it off and didn’t offer any assistance. The food was good, there were healthy options but I’m not sure we’d go back.
If you have some energy after lunch, the Soho Neighborhood is great for shopping, pub hopping and more. It’s one of the more artistic neighborhoods, filled with theaters and a popular place for Harry Potter fans!
If you love Taiwanese food and want to try authentic Bao, then I recommend @bao_london (Soho). This is a tiny restaurant, serving up incredible authentic Taiwanese small plates. Reservations are a must and be sure to arrive on time!
London: Day 2 Itinerary
On this day, we slowed the pace a little. As you can probably imagine, we were a bit tired after the first day and this was also the second to last day of our trip.
Our second day landed on a Sunday, so of course we opted for a traditional Sunday roast for lunch. It’s such a traditional meal in England and we’ve never had it before so we made reservations at The Hawksmoor. They are a well-oiled machine and the dining room is huge but service was attentive, food was great and all in all, it was a fun way to experience a Sunday roast dinner.
The only thing I would warn you about is the mocktails were not well received by our teens. I think they are made with Aperol and Campari—which is much more bitter than the grenadine they are used to in their favorite Shirley Temples. Just a tip to help you save money!
After our lunch, we headed out to enjoy a beautiful summer’s day outside.
☀️We wandered through Hyde Park
☀️Visited the Princess Diana Memorial Fountain.
☀️Walked towards Kensington Palace through the Kensington Gardens.
☀️Spent time at the Princess Diana Memorial Garden.
The garden was truly our favorite spot that we visited. It was a beautifully designed area to honor Princess Diana. It had been open for just a year and is absolutely worth a walk to go there. I could have stayed here all day. It was so quiet and peaceful and truly a place for reflection.
We were there on a Sunday afternoon and there were no crowds, unlike around the Memorial Fountain where it was packed with families and kids playing in the water on a warm afternoon.
From the water play area at the Memorial Fountain to the playgrounds in the park to the lakes filled with birds to watch and feed—there is so much in this area to entertain kids. On a beautiful summer day, kids could play for hours.
The final destination on this day was Notting Hill. I will admit this wasn’t at all what we expected.
Based on our research, we knew to expect brightly colored buildings, tree-lined streets and a main street filled with shops.
What we didn’t expect to see was a main street filled with trash, stores closed and a mix of tourists, homeless people and locals. It’s possible some of this was the result of bad timing or too little research but it’s definitely different than I remembered from the movie!
Turns out Sunday is the only day the Portobello Road Market is not open so broken tents were left scattered and bags and bags of trash lined the street. We wandered for a bit to kill time before our reservation and we got ourselves one of the famous Notting Hill shopping bags as a souvenir.
We ate a nice Italian dinner at Lisa’s Restaurant in Notting Hill. We went early and were the only ones. Portions were a bit small but the pasta was good and we enjoyed our meal.
We jumped on the Underground to make our way back to our hotel. We had no issues with the Underground, no matter what time of day we were using it, we felt safe and comfortable.
London: Day 3 Itinerary
Today was all about having fun, letting loose and being a bit untraditional in a very traditional city.
Our day started off with a high-speed boat tour on the River Thames, thanks to Thames Rib Experience. My husband booked this tour, selling it as a boat tour on the river, I didn’t ask enough questions and found out upon arrival that this was a high speed boat tour.
After a mild cruise down the river, the music was cranked up and the throttle was pulled. In a matter of minutes, I was holding on for dear life, eyes closed, praying for it to be over!
That all being said, it was a lot of fun and the teens LOVED it. It was their favorite part of our London trip and if you have kids, it’s a fun change of pace.
Next we enjoyed awesome river views, including a direct view of the London Eye & the Victoria Embankment at The Tattershall Castle, a floating pub on The Thames. We also had reservations for this meal and got there early enough to avoid crowds. Food was casual but good and the bar offers lots of beer and wine selection as well as a full cocktail menu. The ambience and views make this a great lunch spot that is a beat off the beaten path.
After that we enjoyed traditional High Tea in a very unconventional way—on a double decker bus driving through the city with Brigit’s Bakery.
This was another spontaneous booking of my husband’s and this one wasn’t as good. We wanted to experience high tea while in London so he booked us afternoon tea on a double decker bus.
I mentioned earlier that we weren’t really tour people and this proved to stand true. We had a heck of time finding it but once we did (we barely made it on the bus) the one thing that worked in our favor was 10 minutes after boarding, the skies opened up and it started pouring.
The food & drink offering was very generous and the staff was great but the tour itself was lacking. These are refurbished buses from the 50s, rebuilt to include tables. The 4 of our squeezed into one table (essentially full size adults), elbow to elbow. We were on the bottom level and thanks to the rain, we were stuck in awful traffic (it was late afternoon) so basically we saw nothing outside the windows.
There are no bathrooms and no space to stand up and stretch. The whole tour last about an hour so it wasn’t an issue but it could be for some. We booked through AirBnb Experiences and by doing so, got a free glass of Prosecco for each of us, with our purchase. Being the teens are underage, I got two glasses, so that was a mini perk.
If you have younger kids this might be a fun option but do not eat a big meal before you go—there is so much food and while they will give you to-go boxes, if you are not hungry, you’ll end up wasting a lot of food!
To end our time in London and after regrouping at the hotel, we went to dinner at Sushi Samba in Covent Garden. It was the perfect place to end our British whirlwind of a trip. The menu combines Japanese, Brazilian and Peruvian cuisines. So good!
This restaurant feels like a hip jungle on the inside—the ambience is as unique and beautiful as the food! It was our favorite meal of our time in London.
Final thoughts:
Being this was our kids’ first time in London, we wanted to show them as much of the popular spots as possible so we didn’t spend much time venturing into off-the-beaten paths the city has to offer. Typically for our first trip to a new city (or in this case, their first trip) we wanted to be sure they got a sense of the size, personality and traditions of the city so in case they don’t get back, they feel like their first time introduced them to enough.
London is a huge city, one you could go back to over and over again and still not see everything. London has a great theater scene if you love Broadway, a great train system if you want to explore outside the city and visit cities like Bath or Bristol.
England even has gorgeous beaches and amazing places to explore the outdoors. I know if there is a next time we travel to England, we will go beyond London to experience the countryside or coastline of the country.
Have you been to London, if so, do you have a favorite neighborhood?
Celebrate summer, Explore London!
Planning a trip to London or Copenhagen soon?
Be sure to check out these other blog posts:
A travel guide to London. Ideal for families.
A travel guide to Copenhagen—a visit to this Danish city is a must!
3 day itinerary to Copenhagen—the ultimate itinerary for families but also great for couples and solo-travelers too!
Planning a trip to London in the future? Save this pin for future reference!