One Day in London With Kids: A Perfect Itinerary

A Perfect Family Day Out in London Itinerary

Are you looking for the perfect way to spend one day in London with kids? Going to London for the day is one of my favourite childhood memories. I now feel so lucky to live in this amazing city with my own children. It is an amazing city and so family-friendly. So, in this guide, I’ll be sharing the perfect one day in London itinerary. Even if you’re visiting without kids, this is a great route, but as a mum, I will always add in family tips!

If you’re planning a family day trip to London as a family, or just having a short visit en route to another destination, this guide is perfect for you! It will take you past the iconic Buckingham Palace, through one of the Royal Parks, Trafalgar Square, The London Eye and Covent Garden, plus so much more! So read on for all the details.

We’ve lived in London for 2 years now, and I honestly still think this is the best way to spend a day in London as a family! As you can see from the photos, we’ve done this route many times, in all seasons!

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How to Get Around London with Kids

Navigating a big city can be daunting, but dont worry, as I mentioned, London is very family-friendly! We love to walk – it’s the best way to see the city. This route is a lot of walking. Our kids are little, so we still use a pushchair (stroller). Our everyday pushchair is the UppaBaby Vista, and our travel one is the Joolz Aer+, I highly recommend both of these! If you’re coming to London and plan to use the underground, a travel option is certainly better.

READ MY FULL JOOLZ AER+ REVIEW HERE

This route starts at Victoria Train Station. If you’re taking a day trip to London, it is worth checking online as sometimes train fares are cheaper when booked in advance.

We took a bus back to Victoria, mainly because sitting on the top front seat of a red London bus is on every toddler’s bucket list, but it is also possible to walk. If you’re not a huge fan of walking, or you have kids that are too big for a pushchair but not big enough to walk as far as an adult, consider a travel card for unlimited use of public transport.

A Perfect One Day London Itinerary for Families

Below, I will share the complete details of this family-friendly first day in London, plus a route map!

Apart from your travel and food expenses, this day is completely free! However, I will make some extra suggestions so that you can adapt it to go inside some of the attractions if you wish. Just make sure to allow time to fit them all in!

Walking Route for your London in One Day Itinerary

Here is a Google Map of the walking route, just click the blue More Options button in the top left-hand corner to open it in Google Maps.

Stop1: Buckingham Palace

The first place on this London itinerary is possibly the most iconic London attractions, so the perfect place to start. Buckingham Palace is a must-do on your first visit to London. It’s only a 15-minute walk from Victoria and is definitely worth seeing.

Watching Changing of the Guard is a fun, free activity for all the family. It starts at 11 am (go earlier to get a good spot) and unfortunately is not held every day. It changes by season, so check the schedule on their website here. My children love to watch the Changing of the Guard, especially the music and the horses. This is free to watch, and no tickets are required. (Just mentioning this as you will see walking tour options for it on Get Your Guide!)

If you miss Changing of the Guard, you can often see them rehearsing outside the Guard’s Museum, located just across from the Palace.

You can also visit the Buckingham Palace State Rooms or The Royal Mews. These are both great options. We haven’t done these for years, so I will update you with kid tips soon!

The State Rooms are open to the public from July to September. Tickets cost £32 for adults and £16 for children aged 5+.

BOOK TICKETS TO BUCKINGHAM PALACE STATE ROOMS HERE

BUCKINGHAM PALACE & CHANGING OF THE GUARD

Stop 2: St James’s Park

After Buckingham Palace, cross the street, and it’s just a short walk to St James’s Park. This is a gorgeous Royal Park with fairytale views.

My kids love playgrounds; luckily, there is one (called St James’s Park playground) located close to the entrance of the park. If you follow my map, you should spot it. This is a great place to let kids have a run about!

Next, as you walk through the park, keep an eye out for the wild pelicans that live there; you can often see them really close up, which will be a highlight for kids! You’ll also likely spot swans, ducks and even parakeets in the trees! Both of these are enjoyable for both adults and kids!

Kid Tip: I always pack a picnic for my kids, even if we’re planning to eat out, as the day will be ruined if they get hangry, and the park is a perfect place for a picnic!

Make sure to cross the Blue Bridge for the best views of Buckingham Palace on one side and the London Eye and Horseguards Parade on the other.

There is a lovely cafe in the park, which is a good place to stop for a coffee, or it might be lunchtime for you by this point! It’s run by Bengo and the food is good (although it is not the most budget-friendly option!) See the menu here.

ST JAMES’ PARK

Stop 3: Horseguards Parade

This is one of our favourite spots. Both my boys have always loved to see the horses, but do be mindful about touching them. As you come to the edge of St James Park, walk through the beautiful building to Whitehall (that’s the road name), where you’ll see the guards on horses. This is a popular spot for photographs!

TIME-SAVING TIP: If you’re happy to skip Downing Street and Big Ben, you can walk straight down Horse Guards Avenue. This will bring you directly to the Victoria Embankment. You’ll still see Big Ben, just not so close up!

HORSE GUARDS PARADE & DOWNING STREET

Stop 4: The Victoria Embankment – Big Ben & The London Eye

Walk down Whitehall to Parliament Street and then toward the river. This will give you great views of Big Ben and the Parliament buildings, which are more of London’s most iconic Landmarks! These are a must-see if you only have one day in London.

The London Eye is a great family-friendly thing to do in London. If you want to ride on the London Eye, you can cross the river here via the Westminster Bridge. My children loved riding on the London Eye; however, we usually don’t cross the river, opting to walk down the Victoria Embankment beside the River Thames instead. This gives you the best views of the London Eye.

BONUS STOP: 10 DOWNING STREET: As you walk down, you’ll pass Downing Street (the home of our Prime Minister). You can’t see much, so we wouldn’t stop here, but I know it’s a popular place for tourists to take photos!

Westminster Abbey is also located very close by. It isn’t a place that is of particular interest to me, or my kids, so we don’t usually make a point to pass it, however, I know it is a popular thing to do in London, especially for tourists, so if you want to add it in here, it’s not too far out of your way!

BOOK LONDON EYE TICKETS HERE

VIEW OF THE LONDON EYE FROM VICTORIA EMBANKMENT & BIG BEN

Stop 5: Covent Garden

Covent Garden is one of the most interesting places in London. It’s full of life and things to see. You can shop, wander through one of the markets and pick up some souvenirs or see street performers putting on a show!

Children and grown-ups alike will love to watch the street performers, they’re really very good! The shows are free, but it is customary to put money in their hat at the end!

This is also a great place to grab some food; you’ll be spoiled for choice here. There are so many options for restaurants, cafes and pubs. Fish and Chips at a pub or afternoon tea are both traditional things to have in London.

Covent Garden’s seasonal displays

Stop 6: Trafalgar Square

The final stop of this one day London with kids itinerary is Trafalgar Square. Kids and adults will love to see the giant lion statues here.

When I was a child, everyone climbed up onto the backs of the lions; there are now signs warning you not to do this. However, you can still sit on the front between the paws for a great photo opportunity.

If you’re interested in art, you could also visit the National Gallery. It’s a free activity, and surprisingly child-friendly, so it would be perfect for a rainy afternoon!

Kid Tip: If your children are like mine, they’ll want to jump into the fountains – I wouldn’t advise letting them!

Bonus: If you have time, Leicester Square is just around the corner from Trafalgar Square, and it’s home to London’s Lego Store and M&M’s Store. These will certainly be popular places for children to visit! You could even switch and go to Leicester Square instead of Trafalgar Square if you’d prefer!

TRAFALGAR SQUARE & RIDING THE BUS HOME

Heading Home from Your Day in London with Kids

From Trafalgar Square, it’s around 30 minutes walk back to Victoria Station. If you’re not too exhausted, I’d recommend walking straight down The Mall for one last look at Buckingham Palace.

As this is already a pretty full days itinerary, this is where you can hop on a bus. A number 24 bus from Trafalgar Square / Charing Cross Stop will get you back in about 15 minutes, and as I mentioned, it’s a bucket list activity!

Optional Bonus Itinerary

London is huge, and there is so much to see, unfortunately you can’t cover everything in a day. If you’re staying overnight and have some time the next morning, I would recommend heading into Central London and squeezing in a few more of London’s top attractions. Tower Bridge is one of the most beautiful Bridges in the world, and the Tower of London is located a very short walk from it. Walking around the City Centre is beautiful if you get the chance!

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Thank you so much for reading our guide on how to spend one day in London with kids itinerary. I hope we’ve given you some ideas of things to do as a family, and you have a perfect family trip to London!

Happy Exploring,