Planning a visit to the Tower of London with kids? This iconic London fortress is more than just a historic landmark, it’s a surprisingly family-friendly day out packed with engaging stories, the Crown Jewels, and fun activities for children. There is so much history and fun to be discovered here. Here’s everything you need to know before you go.
Here are all our tips for enjoying the Tower of London with children. For reference, our boys were aged 4 and a half and 15 months at the time of our visit.
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Useful Information to Know Before You Visit the Tower of London with Kids
How to Get to The Tower of London
The closest train station is London Bridge. It’s just a 15-minute walk, and it is a beautiful walk as it goes across Tower Bridge. If you are coming by tube, the closest stop is Tower Hill. Both of these are accessible stations.
ENTERING THE TOWER OF LONODN WITH KIDS
Tickets for the Tower of London
Unfortunately, the Tower of London is not the cheapest, but I feel like it’s worth the expense. Adults are £34.80, children are £17.40, with under 4’s going free. This is one benefit of going with little kids!
I’d recommend buying tickets in advance as popular times do sell out. I recommend buying tickets through a company such as Viator, as there is no additional cost, and they offer a free cancellation policy. If you’re coming to London and planning to do multiple activities, it may be worth buying a City Pass. They offer multiple, customizable passes which will save you money. Tip: Sign up for their mailing list for an additional discount!
BOOK TOWER OF LONDON TICKETS HERE
Accessibility for Families Visiting with a Pushchair (Stroller)
I see a lot of people asking, “Is the Tower of London pushchair/ stroller-friendly?” You can take pushchairs into the Tower of London with no problem at all. However, some of the exhibitions are not accessible due to steps. There is pushchair parking available throughout the Tower. We used the one under the steps of The White Tower as it’s more tucked out of the way than the others.
If you have a pre-/ early walker, it is probably worth bringing a carrier. I didn’t and wished I had!
Where to Eat at the Tower of London
There are cafes located inside the walls or you can bring in your own food and drinks. There are also multiple places in the surrounding area. We went to the Brewdog Pub just a few minutes away.
As always, make sure to take plenty of snacks for the kids!
Our Review and Tips for Visiting the Tower of London with Kids
We had a really great day visiting the Tower of London as a family. It was a fun, educational and cultural activity for all the family. Lots of parts of the Tower of London have been specifically designed with children in mind, making it a perfect family day out.
Below are our top tips on visiting the Tower of London with children to make sure you enjoy this iconic London attraction as much as we did!
1. Arrive Early
I’d recommend booking your Tower of London tickets in advance and going for the earliest slot available. It was much larger than we expected (even though we’ve passed it so many times!) You’ll probably want at least 3 hours here. More if you stop for coffee/ lunch. It also gets busier as the day goes on.
BOOK TOWER OF LONDON TICKETS HERE
2. Pick up a Free Tower of London Map
Our 4-year-old loves getting a map. Pick one up as you enter, it has all the useful information for visiting the Tower of London with kids, such as pushchair parking, baby changing toilets etc.
3. Visit the Crown Jewels First
This is the most popular exhibit, and the line gets long! Anything to cut down waiting times with kids is a win! We went to visit the Crown Jewels in the afternoon, and although the sign said 25-minute wait, it was only about 15. Inside, it was quite crowded, so if possible, you should beat the rush.
The Crown Jewels is a beautiful exhibit. Over one hundred stunning artefacts worn by England’s Monarchy for events such as the Coronation are on display. Unfortunately, photography is not allowed here.
ENTRANC TO THE CROWN JEWELS EXHIBITIT | THE RAVEN ENCLOSURE | CANONS ON DISPLAY OUTSIDE THE TOWER
4. Don’t Miss Seeing the Towers Ravens
Did you know that 7 ravens live at the Tower of London? Rumour has it that the kingdom will fall if the ravens leave. They are free to roam around the Tower, but their cages are located to the left of the Raven’s Gift Shop. You’ll often see them there and it’s surprisingly easy to miss!
5. Walk the Battlements
I don’t think it’s obvious when you look at the map, but you can walk on the battlements (outer walls) of the Tower of London. This is a great thing to do with kids and was my favourite part of our visit! You get the most stunning views of the Tower’s grounds and of the City of London. I mentioned earlier about bringing a baby carrier, if you have a pre/early walker, it will be very useful here.
6. Make Sure to See The Royal Beast Exhibit
Located inside one of the towers on The Battlements is the Royal Beast Exhibition. For 600 years, the Tower of London was almost a zoo, with kings and queens keeping many animals there.
This wasn’t the safest idea, leading to many injuries and even some fatalities. In 1835, the menagerie was closed, with most of the remaining animals going to the London Zoo in the Regent’s Park.
This exhibition is small but has quite a few hands-on activities, which the boys enjoyed. This is a must-do if you’re visiting the Tower of London with kids!
THE ROYAL BEAST EXHIBIT – DONT MISS THIS WHEN VISITING THE TOWER OF LONDON WITH KIDS!
7. Prepare for Lots of Steps at the White Tower
There are nearly 250 steps over 3 floors in the White Tower. We actually didn’t find this too challenging, and it was well worth the climb.
In the White Tower, you can see historic armour worn by monarchs such as Henry VIII. This is also a great area for kids as they have lots of interactive activities for them to explore.
8. Skip the Prison, Torture and Execution Exhibit
Our 4-year-old is at an age of asking many questions, and we felt like this might be a bit much for him. So we decided to skip this area. I think this was the right decision for our family, if your kids are sensitive, you might want ot do the same. Of course, you can use your own judgment about what is right for your kids.
He did see an execution block and, of course, asked about it. I panicked and told him it was for chopping wood for the castle’s fire. I’m sure he will return to the Tower at some point when he’s ready for the real story!
9. Enjoy a Free Yeoman Warder Tour
Yeoman Warders, or Beefeaters, give tours of the Tower of London. These tours are free and can be joined every 30 minutes, starting at 10 am. We attempted one, but our kids weren’t loving it, so we decided to explore on our own. I’d say these tours are better suited to older kids.
If you join a tour, the ‘Beefeater’ will tell you more about the history of the Tower and stories of what used to happen there. Note: the route includes steps.
Thank you so much for reading our guide and review of visiting the Tower of London with kids. I hope we’ve helped you to plan your trip and you enjoy an amazing family day out in London.
BOOK TOWER OF LONDON TICKETS HERE
YOU MAY ALSO LIKE:
GUIDE TO VISITING LONDON FOR THE FIRST TIME
THE BEST ONE DAY IN LONDON ITINERARY
A PERFECT 4 DAYS IN LONDON ITINERARY
Happy Exploring,
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