5 Best London Day Trips With Kids
We’re ranking the best things to see in England that make the perfect London day trips with kids. If you’re coming to London, I of course recommend 2-3 days in the city itself. But you should be spending at LEAST 2 days on the best day trips!
We have spent our weekends over the last 2 years exploring England after moving here from the United States. I hope our list helps you have a magical trip as a family!
1. Windsor – A Real-Life Castle & The King’s Weekend Home
🏰 Why kids love it: Windsor Castle is the place to see royal guards, explore grand halls, and feel like they’ve stepped into a fairy tale.
👑 Things to do: Tour the castle itself. See inside St. George’s Chapel – where Queen Elizabeth II and others are buried. Take a walk around the River Thames and through Eton college. Visit Windsor Adventure Playground nearby.
🚆 How to get there: Take a 50 minute train from London Waterloo station to Windsor & Eton Riverside. Drive and park nearby the castle. Book a tour that provides transportation.
2. Blenheim Palace – A Grand Palace with Giant Gardens
🌳 Why kids love it: This enormous palace (where Winston Churchill was born!) has a huge adventure playground, hedge maze, and even a miniature train.
🚂 Don’t miss: Tour the palace, visit the butterfly house, ride the train, and play on the playground. Visit Oxford nearby.
🚆 How to get there: 1-hour train to Oxford, then a bus or taxi to the palace. Drive and park with free parking (except during special events).
3. Warner Bros. Studio Tour – The Magic of Harry Potter
⚡ Why kids love it: Walk through the actual sets from the movies, drink Butterbeer, and see Hogwarts up close.
🎥 Don’t miss: The Forbidden Forest, the Hogwarts Express, and the Great Hall.
🚆 How to get there: 20-minute train to Watford Junction, then a quick free shuttle bus included with your admission ticket.
4. Hampton Court Palace – Get Lost in a Tudor Maze
When it comes to choosing your London day trips with kids, you want to maximize your adventure time with the least of amount of travel time. This one is great if you want the shortest train ride to get there!
👑 Why kids love it: This was King Henry VIII’s palace, complete with costumed actors, horse drawn carriages and a real hedge maze.
🍗 Don’t miss: The Tudor kitchens, where they cooked feasts for hundreds, and the interactive Magic Garden playground complete with a dragon.
🚆 How to get there: 40-minute train from London Waterloo station to Hampton Court.
5. Bath – Roman Baths & English Charm
🏛️ Why kids love it: Bath is home to ancient Roman baths, honey-colored Georgian streets, and plenty of fun museums.
🛁 Don’t miss: The Roman Baths (kids get a special audio guide!), Bath abbey, Royal crescent, and Sally Lunns bakery.
🚆 How to get there: ~1.5 hours by train from London Paddington.
6. White Cliffs of Dover – England’s Most Famous Coastline
We haven’t done this one yet, but it’s next on our list so it’s a bonus!
⛰️ Why kids will love it: Running along actual cliffs while looking out over the sea (and spotting France!) is a memory they won’t forget.
🏰 Don’t miss: Dover Castle, a medieval fortress with WWII tunnels and secret underground bunkers.
🚆 How to get there: 1-hour train from London to Dover Priory.
