Are you planning a trip to London with kids and wondering how to make the most of it? This 3 day London with kids itinerary is designed for first-time visitors who want to hit all the city’s iconic spots, while still making it fun for the kids and avoiding overwhelm.

We’ll cover iconic landmarks like Buckingham Palace, Big Ben, The Crown Jewels, and Westminster Abbey—balanced with playgrounds and parks, and all packed into an exciting (but doable!) 72 hours.

While London of course has the typical activities like the zoo, aquariums, and mini golf, this itinerary sticks to things you can ONLY see in London! If you have more than 3 days to spend in London, I suggest one of these day trips!

Ready for an unforgettable London adventure with your family? Let’s dive in!

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How To Spend 3 Days In London: The Best 3 Day London Itinerary

Welcome to London, England!! To make your trip easier, I’ve created a Google Map with all the locations in this itinerary, plus a few extra bonuses.

London with Kids Itinerary Day 1: Classic London & Royal Adventures

Start your 3 days in London with kids with a bang! I like to start at Big Ben to snap a family picture to document the day before potential meltdowns happen 🙂 There’s something about being right in the center of London, next to the iconic clock tower that kicks off the magic of your London trip!

You can also walk across Westminster Bridge for more views of Big Ben and the Houses of Parliament. The google map linked above has a few spots that are great for a picture, but just know that they can get busy!  I won’t lie, I feel a little bit like we’re in Peter Pan when we’re walking by Big Ben and I love it!

Westminster Abbey

Your first tour of the day will be across from Big Ben, at Westminster Abbey. You can do either a guided tour, or regular entrance with an audioguide.

For us, our kids loved the audioguide because there’s a kid friendly version with pictures on their screen, and they can go at their own pace. The tour actually held their attention and they loved following along!

It is truly incredible to stand in a single place where so much of England’s history has happened. There have been over 40 royal coronation ceremonies here, including the most recent of King Charles III in 2023. You can even see the actual coronation chair!

Many notable people have been buried here, including Sir Isaac Newton, Charles Dickens, Elizabeth I, and thousands more. Even our kids loved learning about it all!

🎟️ Tip: Make sure you book Westminster Abbey tours in advance, especially during Summer months. Check availability here. 🎟️

Of course if you don’t want to go inside you can walk by the outside and continue with the rest of the itinerary! Another alternative is to come back for free entrance to experience Evensong. It’s typically held at 5 pm, but check the website.

Buckingham Palace & St. James’s Playground

Walk through St. James’s Park (where you’ll stop later for some playtime) on your way to Buckingham Palace. If you time it right (usually around 10:45 AM on select days), you can catch the Changing of the Guard—a must-see for kids who love pageantry and uniforms!

The palace itself is only open to tour July – September, and some select days throughout the year. Check their website for opening times during your visit if you want to go inside.

After you see the palace, let the kids play St. James’s Playground! There’s places to grab a snack in the park, or take your picnic lunch and eat while the kids play.

Lunch

Lunch is always stressful because my kids get cranky if they aren’t fed. So I’ve included a few options for lunch to prevent a meltdown!

Near Buckingham Palace:

• Picnic Style -there’s a Tesco nearby to grab a $5 meal deal and take to the park
• Market Halls Victoria for lots of options for everyone to pick from
• Storey’s Gate Café or other pop ups in for quick pastries, smoothies and pizza.
• Hard Rock Cafe for familiar food you know your kids will eat.

Near Covent Garden (Your next stop):

• Flat Iron for a delicious steak and an included gelato
• Shake Shack for classic burger and shake
• Dishoom is my personal favorite, though I might save this for dinner time!

Covent Garden & Transport Museum

Covent Garden is one of my favorite areas. There is tons of shopping, food options, street performers, and the apple market with antiques and collectables.

There’s usually some type of fun display in the covered market so stop by for a picture!

You’ll also find the London Transport Museum here, which is a great place for families! The museum brings the city’s iconic red buses, black cabs, and Tube trains to life through hands-on exhibits that kids and adults will love. It’s the perfect spot to explore how London’s transport shaped the city—and even climb aboard vintage vehicles yourself.

There’s a play area inside my toddler loves, and older kids will love reading the stories of people who built and used the underground. Plan to spend about 1-2 hours here. The Yeoman Warders, aka “Beefeaters”, also tend to have some pretty great jokes so get ready to laugh!

Museums in the Area

My kids do best with just one tour per day, so I didn’t include more museums on this day. However if you’d like to do more, the British Museum and National Gallery are free to enter and are nearby!

It might be worth going in to see the highlights like the Rosetta Stone as you don’t have to spend a ton of time for the visit to be “worth it” from a financial stand point.

See a Show

I’d highly recommend seeing a Broadway show with your kids while you’re in London! You can opt for a night show which usually starts around 7pm, or a mid day show at 2 pm. My kids favorites are Matilda and The Lion King.

London with Kids Itinerary Day 2: Tower of London & Family Fun

Tower of London

You can’t go to London without seeing the Crown Jewels! Start your morning here to hopefully avoid the long queues that can form.

I highly, highly recommend booking in advance and getting a skip the line ticket so you don’t waste hours in line to see everything!

There’s more to see here than just the Crown Jewels. My kids were also fascinated by the torture device replicas in the Lower Wakefield Tower and the chilling stories, including the mysterious disappearance of two young princes.

You’ll also see the remains of the old Royal Menagerie that housed exotic animals like a lion and a polar bear, and the legendary ravens still there as they’re said to protect the kingdom. Check tour availability below!

Tower Bridge

From here, enjoy the iconic Tower Bridge. You can even get a ticket to walk across the glass floor at the top and enjoy amazing views of the river!

Lunch

Most people will tell you to head to Borough Market for lunch, and I do love the food. Especially the viral chocolate covered strawberries, pork sandwich, and mushroom risotto!

That said, nothing sounds worse to me than walking through a crowded market trying to find food for all my kids with nowhere to sit down and eat.

Here’s where I’d eat instead:

• Le Pont de la Tour
• Coppa Club Tower Bridge
• Pizza Pilgrim
• Potters Field Park for a picnic with views of the bridge

HMS Belfast or Golden Hinde

For an afternoon activity, choose between the Golden Hinde, a full-scale replica of Sir Francis Drake’s 16th-century ship where kids can climb aboard and explore life as a Tudor sailor, or HMS Belfast, a historic warship where kids can explore the decks and pretend to be sailors.

If you’d rather spend more time in St. Paul’s Cathedral today though, skip this and move to the next activities!

Millennium Bridge

Walk across Millennium Bridge, made famous from the Harry Potter 6 movie! Just watch out for Death Eaters 🙂

St. Paul’s Cathedral

If you can time it right, it is worth attending the free Evensong at St. Paul’s Cathedral—a beautiful, peaceful way to end the afternoon. The service is usually held in the late afternoon (about 5pm) and is free to attend. Kids can sit and listen while taking in the awe-inspiring interior of this famous dome.

If you can’t time it right for free entrance, it’s worth purchasing an entry ticket! Inside, the Whispering Gallery is a big hit—kids are fascinated by how a whisper against one wall can be heard clearly on the opposite side. Plus, the crypt below feels like a secret underground world, with famous tombs of the Duke of Wellington and more.

London with Kids Itinerary Day 3: West London Wonders

Your last day in London! This day includes lots of free museums, parks and playgrounds which is great if you feel a little tired by now!

Natural History Museum

We LOVE this museum, and can’t believe it’s free! My kids’ favorites are the giant dinosaur skeletons and earthquake simulators.

You could easily spend 3+ hours in here, including lunch at the cafe, but plan on at least 1 hour!

Other museums across the street from here include the Science Museum and the Victoria & Albert Museum (both free!)

Hyde Park

Fun fact: Author J.M. Barrie, who created Peter Pan, was known for his love of Kensington Gardens (part of Hyde Park), where he met the family that inspired his classic story!

Diana Memorial Playground
This might be the best playground in London! It’s a Peter Pan themed play area with a giant ship, sand, teepees, and even a little river.

Be prepared for your kids to never want to leave!

Kensington Gardens
Visit the Peter Pan Statue and bring an apple or other food to see the wild parakeets.

Rent a Pedal Boat
If the weather is nice, you can rent a boat on the Serpentine Lake!

Kensington Palace

After you’ve explored the park and let the kids play, head to Kensington Palace. This is where Queen Victoria grew up, before she moved into Buckingham Palace in 1837.

The palace was also home to Princess Diana and is now the official London residence of Prince William and Princess Kate of Wales and their kids.

Final Thoughts on London With Kids

If you’re going to follow this itinerary, I would recommend getting this London City Pass! It will get you into Westminster Abbey, London Transport Museum, the Tower of London, Tower Bridge, St. Paul’s Cathedral, and Kensington Palace.

If you do all 6 of these attractions, it will cost £129.00 per adult with this pass, instead of £155.00 if you book them separately.

A few honorable mentions not included in this itinerary are:

• Views of the city on the London Eye
• Afternoon Tea
• Leadenhall Market
• King’s Cross Station for Platform 9 3/4
• Leicester Square and Piccadilly Circus (not much to do but an iconic spot to see)

If you have more time in England, I would recommend doing one of our favorite London day trips, or visiting the Cotswolds with kids.