London, England: 12 Beautiful Experiences with Your Family
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Sky Garden
Check out the view from this amazing roof-top garden; a great stop on your first day of sightseeing. From London’s highest public garden, you can see all the sights and orient to the city. My favourite views were looking out at the amazing architecture of the Gherkin, the parliament, and the panoramic views across the Thames. Best of all it’s free to visit but you do need to book tickets online in advance; this was trickier than you might think and did require us to wake up in the middle of the night when they became available three weeks before our visit. They do allow walk-ins if they aren’t full for the day. We chose this attraction instead of the more costly London Eye.
Tower and Millenium Bridges
In a city full of bridges, Tower Bridge was my favourite. Located next to the Tower of London, the bridge is striking with a working lift to let water traffic through. We chose to forgo the cost of climbing the bridge and instead walked across snapping photos as we went. On our return hike across the river, we walked across the ultra-modern pedestrian-friendly Millennium Bridge. We felt like we were being chased by the Death Eaters from Harry Potter.
Covent Garden and Leicester Square
Covent Garden was a great area to spend the afternoon wandering around. We took in the Apple Market, listened to live music and checked out Neal’s Yard. We stopped for a snack at the Seven Dials Market having the best waffles at Deekenek before making our way to Leicester Square. This pedestrian-friendly square had a Time Square vibe, with its buskers, music and shops. We visited the huge Lego store, got our fill of interesting flavoured M&Ms at Europe’s biggest sweet shop, and took pictures with some of the bronze statues around the Square.
Cleopatra’s Needle
This one was a request by our daughter who read about the Egyptian obelisk in the Kane Chronicles and wanted to check it out. It was a spectacular monument that was gifted from Egypt in the 19th century. It sits on the edge of the River Thames on Victoria’s Embankment and backs onto the beautiful Embankment Gardens.
Big Ben and the Palace of Westminster
We enjoyed the view of the iconic clock tower of the Palace of Westminster, which houses the Parliament of the United Kingdom.
Legoland Windsor
Even though we thought our kids might be too old for Legoland, they proved us wrong. We spent the entire day until closing enjoying the rides. Having previously visited Legoland in Malaysia we found many of the same attractions and rides. We were grateful for the cooler temperatures to enjoy the park. A few rides were closed, and a couple broke down while we were waiting in line. This meant we didn’t get to as many of the rides as we had hoped.
Warner Brothers Studio Tour
I’m not sure who loved this tour more the kids or my husband. The studio tour was unlike anything we have done before and for our family of Harry Potter fans, this was a highlight of our visit to London. We got an inside view into the magic behind the movie, enjoyed some butter beer and learned how to fly. Tickets for our family of four were about £175 when purchased ahead online.
Dinner and a Show
Given the big Harry Potter fans we are, we thought it only right to invest the better part of a day and see the Cursed Child at the Shaftsbury Theatre. The show runs in two parts, each about two and a half hours long with a dinner break in between. Our friends, who aren’t as committed to HP as we are, chose to see Six instead and we all met up for dinner in the Covent Garden.
Windsor Castle and the Long Walk
We stayed just down the street from Windsor Castle and got to enjoy it a few different times, our favourite was usually at sunset including our after-dinner strolls on the Long Walk.
Stonehenge
Another trip favourite was Stonehenge, open from 9:30-5:00, 7 days a week. The price of admission includes a shuttle to the site and access to a fantastic museum. We highly recommend arriving for opening to beat the tour busses. Head straight to the site and then end your visit with a trip to the museum and gift shop. You can access the site for free by walking from the car park, but the museum is well worth the price of admission. Tickets for our family of four were about £60 when purchased ahead online.
Salisbury Cathedral
We stopped for lunch in Salisbury known for its historic Cathedral, which has the tallest spire in Britain and is home to one of the four surviving original copies of the Magna Carta (1215). We had a great lunch at the Cathedral’s Refectory Restaurant, which has a glass roof to take in the view. The food was served cafeteria style and there was something for everyone. There was also a great little gift shop off the restaurant where we found a few souvenirs to take home. The village around the Cathedral was also fantastic with lots of local shops housed in historic buildings.
Roman Baths
Bath was an interesting city to visit in that it was a mix of both beauty and history while at the same time feeling quite modern and touristy. We took in several sites as we wandered around for the afternoon in the UNESCO World Heritage Centre after leaving our vehicle at one of the many car parks around the city and bussing into town. Our final stop for the day was the Roman Baths, which included a free audio tour where we all learned about the history and significance of the site. Tickets for our family of four were about £55 when purchased ahead online.
Pro tip: Pick your favourite spot in London and book a Flytographer photo shoot to capture the magic of your holiday. This will be the best souvenir of your entire trip and is a great way to make sure the whole family gets to be in your holiday photos. Plus, you get to meet an amazing local photographer who can share all their favourite spots. Learn more about our first experience with Flytographer here.
