The best family days out in London and beyond rated by kids and teens
London is massive and there’s loads to see and do, but what if you’re only here for a very short space of time? We have worked out a route to see some of the top things to do in London in under 5 hours.
Our Top 5 London Must-Dos are the places you really can’t miss. Plus there are dozens of photo opportunities on this route so even though you were only in the capital for the blink of an eye, you can prove to everyone that you really were there.
Start here nice and early for the changing of the guard. It’s best to get there about half an hour in advance. If you go after though don’t worry you can still get some good photos with the Queen’s London residence in the background. Then walk down the Mall to Trafalgar Square.
Watch our review of the Buckingham Palace State Rooms here and our review of the Horse Guards Parade here.
Walk the long way to Parliament Square through Trafalgar Square. Quickly say hi to the pigeons and the lions and question the oddness of the Fourth Plinth and then walk down Whitehall to Parliament Square to see the House of Parliament and Big Ben. This may be quite a long walk for kids, but it’s worth doing because of the amount you’ll see.
Statues definitely worth seeing are those that honour Winston Churchill, Millicent Fawcett, Mahatma Gandhi, Nelson Mandela, Abraham Lincoln and Robert Peel. Selfie anyone?
From Westminster you can hop on a City Cruise to take you down the Thames where you will spot the London Eye, Shakespeare’s Globe, HMS Belfast and lots of other London landmarks. Kids will love sitting on the top deck and listening to the very funny commentary.
The boats depart every 30 minutes, every day of the week, all year round. Their fleet of boats are designed to give you the best vantage point from the river. Sit back, relax and enjoy the views from the open-air upper deck or the comfortable saloon.
If you are seriously pushed for time, take a KPMG Thames Clipper from the London Eye instead it is faster, but you see the same things as you sail down the river.
Kids love the yeoman’s tours which are included in the price of a ticket. Visit the Royal Beasts exhibit where you’ll learn all about the exotic animals which were held captive in the Tower for more than 600 years. Be dazzled by the 23,578 gems that make up the Crown Jewels in the Jewel House. Just don’t try and pinch any or you might find yourself up on the executioner’s block!
And, of course, learn all the gory details of its a thousand-year history. If you have time you could queue to see the crown jewels but the queues can take up to an hour.
Watch reviews of the Tower of London here.
Tower Bridge is one of the most famous London landmarks and bridges, but did you know it has a special glass walkway? If you have time definitely check this out. It’s not the best for anyone who suffers vertigo but it’s great for photo opportunities. But if not you could always just walk over the famous bridge. 
Time your visit just right, and you’ll even get to experience the magic of a Bridge Lift beneath your feet. 40,000 people cross Tower Bridge each day and now you can see inside it. Don’t forget to visit the engine room as well!
Clink Prison Museum
Matilda the Musical
