London is a great city to visit with kids. The public transportation system is good and easy to use. Plus, English is spoken, so there’s no “lost in translation” issues. Visiting London for the first time and want to see the highlights? So did we! In this family itinerary, we show you how we spent 48 hours in London with our opinions on what we loved and what we would have changed. 

We booked a last minute flight to London to see Nathaniel Rateliff and the Night Sweats in June. It is not always easy to see bands we like in our part of  the Netherlands, and London was only a short, 1 hour flight away from Amsterdam. The boys and I hadn’t visited before and Mike was eager to return since it had been many years since his visit. So we jumped at the opportunity. 

Best Time To Visit London

There is really no bad time to visit London. The temperatures between March and May are usually pleasant and good for sightseeing. The summer in London is the high season with many tourists and much warmer temperatures. It was quite busy in London in June but wasn’t too overwhelming for us, and we don’t love crowds. September through November also have nice temperatures. 

Pro Tip: It is very rainy in London, so always bring an umbrella or rain jacket, just in case!

How To Get Around London 

London’s public transportation system is great. You can easily navigate the areas you want to visit by either taking the underground (metro) or by hopping on a double decker bus. Tips for using contactless payment or an oyster card are below in the frequently asked questions section. If you take a double decker bus or tram, you only have to tap once on your contactless payment card when you get on the bus. If you take the Underground, you will need to tap once to enter and tap again to exit.

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Best Places To Stay With Kids For 48 Hours In London

If you only have 48 hours in London, I would recommend staying near the center or a hotel with easy access to the Underground. We stayed at the Novotel Tower Bridge and it was perfect for our family. The rate was pretty good for London and it was spacious. It had easy access to the Tower Underground Station and was within walking distance to many major attractions like Tower Bridge and the Tower of London. 

Other family-friendly hotel options in London:

• Marlin Canary Wharf – $
• Wilde Aparthotels London Paddington –  $$
• Native Bankside – $$
• NOX Waterloo -$$ 

Day 1 – Start Of The 48 Hours In London With Kids

How To Get Downtown From The Airport

We arrived in London at 10am to Luton regional airport. After getting through customs quickly and easily, we bought tickets for the train to get downtown. There are a couple of options to head downtown either by bus or the train. We took the bus back to the airport because of construction on the train tracks and it took a long time, so I would recommend taking the train. Of course you can get a taxi or Uber, but that will cost you a pretty penny. 

The Thameslink is the train service that connects the airport and downtown London. We approached the ticket counter and got our tickets there. They were £57.20. I just looked up online pricing and if you purchase your tickets in advance online you can save almost £20! Here’s the link to purchase your tickets on Thameslink.

To get to the train, you have to take the DART from the airport to the main train terminal. This is included in your train ticket. It is one stop and takes about 4 minutes. 

Other Airports In London

Heathrow Airport

If you are arriving from the U.S. or a non-European destination, you will most likely land in Heathrow Airport. Heathrow Airport is the largest and is also one of the easiest airports to go from the airport to downtown London on public transportation. You can hop onto the Tube or the Underground Metro right from the airport. 

Regional Airports

There are 4 other smaller airports in London besides Luton including City, Gatwick, Stansted and Southend. All of these airports have access to Central London on public transportation. 

Lunch + Mini Golf

After dropping our bags at our hotel, we stayed at the Novotel Tower Bridge (Would recommend it for a family of 4! More on hotel recommendations below.), we walked 15 minutes to Puttshack in Bank. 

Puttshack

Puttshack is an indoor miniature golf course that also is a restaurant and bar. For us this was a perfect way to start our 48 hours in London. We filled up on delicious food, had a cocktail and enjoyed a couple of rounds of miniature golf. 

The golf courses, there are three, were really unique and fun. They have special technology where the balls track your score with screens that project it and provide funny commentary along the way. We even won a free game! After befriending a manager, she gave a free game to all of us. 

Sky Garden

That afternoon I had booked a time slot to visit the Sky Garden. After only a quick walk we arrived. The line went quickly and we took in our first view of beautiful London. The Sky Garden is free to enter but you must reserve your time in advance. You are only allowed to stay for 1 hour. 

Tower Bridge

After our time in the Sky Garden we meandered through the streets and walked along the Thames that led us to Tower Bridge. From this side of the river you have views of the Shard and you walk right next to the Tower of London. 

We booked a tour of the inside of Tower Bridge to see the famous glass walkways. I was a little underwhelmed by the Tower Bridge tour. The kids got a scavenger hunt which kept them entertained, which was a highlight. However, there were a couple of large groups that were touring at the same time as us and this made it feel very crowded. I have heard from others that there are times when it is much slower and that makes the experience much better. Maybe try for an early morning tour. 

Borough Market 

On the other side of Tower Bridge, there is a nice park where you can take some of the best pictures of Tower Bridge. We took some time to relax and enjoy the views from here before walking along the river to get to Borough Market.

The largest market in London is open from 10am – 5pm most days and closed on Mondays. It is a pretty cool spot just to wander around. We had dinner reservations nearby so it was a great excuse to check it out. If you are in the area around breakfast or lunch, it is a wonderful food market where you can grab a bite to eat. It was one of my favorite neighborhoods we visited in London on this trip! 

Dinner At Mango Indian

Indian food is supposed to be incredible in London, so we made sure to book a reservation at an Indian restaurant. We chose Mango Indian near the Borough Market. It didn’t disappoint. The flavors were delicious and they were super friendly. We even arrived a little ahead of our reservation. They didn’t seem to mind and sat us right away. 

After dinner we casually walked back to the hotel. It had been a busy day and we were ready to relax. 

Day 2 – Full Day In London With Kids

London Eye

The London Eye was an attraction that we really wanted to experience in London. It may be expensive and it may be touristy, but that was okay with us. We pre-booked our tickets for the first time slot of the morning to try to avoid long lines. The lines for us weren’t too bad and moved swiftly. I feel like the extra costs for an early ticket might not be really worth it though. When we left, the line was a little longer, but still moving. You could get into line a little before your time slot and be just fine if you wanted to save a little money and didn’t mind the wait.

The London Eye is across the river Thames from Parliament and Big Ben and offers great views of the city. You are put in a pod with up to 28 people. We had maybe 15 people in our pod. They were spacious and didn’t feel cramped. People move around to take pictures, so you will be able to see London from all points of view. 

Pro Tip: Buy your tickets in advance online. They are cheaper!

Take A Walking Tour Near The Popular Sights

Parliament And Big Ben

After hopping off of the London Eye, we walked along the Thames towards the Westminster Bridge. If you go under the bridge, you will see a line of people. This is where the famous instagram photo spot is with Big Ben in the background. 

You can stand in line and snap a photo or walk a little bit further and you can still get a darn good shot of the river, Big Ben and Parliament without waiting in line. You just don’t have the frame. I am impatient, so we kept on walking and took some great shots there. 

After taking a few photos and enjoying the beauty of Parliament from across the river, we got on to Westminster Bridge and walked towards Big Ben. 

When you cross the river, you will see the famous red telephone booths. There are quite a few of them to choose from. All of them have lines. The further away from Big Ben you go, the shorter the lines become. We only waited for a couple of people before taking our photos.  

Westminster Abbey

Next up, walk to Westminster Abbey. This famous abbey is where kings and queens are crowned, royal weddings happen and much more. We didn’t go inside, but you can.

It is open every day for services and tours depending on the day. The services are free and open to everyone, but the tours cost £29 for adults and £13 for children. You can purchase a ticket for 1 adult and 1 child for £29 as well. 5 and under are free. Check out the Westminster Abbey website for specific dates and information. 

Walk Through St. James’s Park Towards Buckingham Palace

St. James’s Park is a beautiful park in Central London. Taking the paths though the park, seeing the famous pelicans and enjoying the flowers will bring a little nature into your city walking tour. 

When you arrive at Buckingham Palace, you can walk around the grounds or take a tour of the inside. If you plan to go in, pre-booking your tickets is recommended, especially during the busy summer months. The tour takes about 2 hours. We were starting to get hungry by this time, so we chose to walk around the gardens and even saw a fun horse race happening outside. 

You can walk up to the fence and see the famous stoic guards. If you are interested in viewing the changing of the guards during your 48 hours in London, this usually happens on Monday, Wednesday, Friday and Sunday at 11am. The schedule is subject to change, so take a quick look at the British Army’s website to confirm the dates and times. 

Market Halls – Victoria

For a great place to eat that is nearby Buckingham Palace, walk over to Victoria Market Halls. This food market is great for a family traveling in London because there are so many different options to choose from. Levi and I chose the Mexican food place and had some delicious nachos and Mike and Isaac went for BBQ. 

Hop On A Double Decker Bus 

My son Levi’s request on this trip was to ride on a double decker bus. The buses run all over London and are an easy and cheap way to get around. Kids under 11 travel for free on buses with a paying adult. You can either use your Oyster Card to pay or contactless payment per adult. Just tap once when you get on a bus. 

We hopped on one at Victoria Station right after lunch. We were going to take it to Hyde Park, but we got on going the wrong direction. Oops. No worries, we got off after we realized it, and crossed the street to go the other way. 

Even if you don’t have a destination in mind, it is fun to hop on, go to the top and, if you are lucky, the front of the bus and go for a quick ride. Nothing says London more than a double decker bus!

Hammersmith – Dinner And A Concert

By this time we were tired and needed a break. We also had a concert to go to later that night. So we headed back to the hotel for a break. This is important for us when traveling so that we don’t burn out the kids and make them cranky. 

Our concert was in Hammersmith, a neighborhood on the west side of London. We got there a little early and went to a pub for dinner. I got some fish and chips! Yum. Then we walked around and explored the neighborhood a little bit before going to the concert. This was a great excuse to walk around a new part of the city that we wouldn’t have otherwise visited, away from the busy, touristy section of the city.

During your 48 hours in London, I would recommend choosing a neighborhood and wandering around and discovering some place new. If you have kids with you, find a great playground for them to play on. 

Alternate Neighborhoods In London To Explore

Camden Town

Camden Town is known for its market that is filled with vintage fashion, pubs, music venues and more. 

Notting Hill

Anyone see the movie back in the 90s with Julia Roberts and Hugh Grant? This is how I know about Notting Hill. This neighborhood is also known for its beautiful pastel colored houses and is a beautiful neighborhood to wander around. 

Greenwich 

This Royal Borough is a great place to take the family with many museums and parks. You can also even walk under the Thames here! 

Day 3 – One Last Option For A Few Free Hours

St. Paul’s Cathedral And Harry Potter Attractions

I met up with my friend Alex when we visited London and it was such a treat. I partnered with Alex to write my local travel guide to NYC as she lived there for 2 years with her husband and kids. She is back in London now, so it was amazing to be able to see her. For more information on London, I would recommend checking out her blog, Alex Jessica Mills, Mum in the City. She has been writing more and more guides to great activities to do in London and is a wonderful resource. 

We met up near Borough Market and grabbed a coffee and tea at the Gentlemen Baristas. There was no place to sit, so we walked and talked, which ended up being perfect. I felt like I got a quick tour from a local! 

Our first stop was St. Paul’s Cathedral. It is a very beautiful cathedral that I would recommend visiting. There is a reflection pool to the southeast side of the cathedral where you can take a beautiful photo or relax on a bench in the garden. 

We wandered around the neighborhood a bit and saw a couple of Harry Potter sights too. If you are a big Harry Potter fan, don’t miss out on Millenium Bridge which was featured in Harry Potter and the Half Blood Prince and Leadenhall Market which was the entrance to Leaky Cauldron in Harry Potter and the Philosopher’s Stone. 

For other Harry Potter filming locations, check out the Visit Britain website. Hope you enjoy your 48 hours in London as much as we did. We are hoping to return again and see more of its sights and attractions. 

Frequently Asked Questions About Visiting London

How Far Away Is London From New York? San Francisco?

London is a pretty quick direct flight from New York City. You can book a few different options into Heathrow or Gatwick airport that only take about 7 hours. 

San Francisco is about a 10 hour and 20 minute flight if you book nonstop. There are a few nonstop options and others with one layover. The price differences that I was seeing weren’t much, so I would recommend booking a direct flight to avoid any hassles or delays. 

What Is The Time Difference?

London has two time zones.. In the summer, it is on British Summer Time (BST). The clocks go forward 1 hour on the last Sunday in March and go back one hour to Greenwich Mean Time (GMT) on the last Sunday in October. The time change is a little different than in the U.S. when it changes on the second Sunday of March and the first Sunday of November. Besides those slight discrepancies, London is usually 5 hours ahead of Eastern Standard Time and 9 hours ahead of Pacific Standard Time. 

What To See In London In 2 Days?

Below in this itinerary we saw the following attractions during out 48 hours in London:

• Sky Garden
• Tower Bridge
• Borough Market
• The London Eye
• Big Ben
• Parliament
• Westminster Abbey
• St. James’s Park
• Buckingham Palace
• St. Paul’s Cathedral
• Leadenhall Market
• Millenium Bridge

Other options for attractions to choose from for 48 hours in London include:

• Tower of London
• Cloud Cable Car over the Thames River
• The View from the Shard Building
• Piccadilly Circus
• Warner Bros. Studio London
• London History Museum
• The British Museum
• Science Museum
• Neal’s Yard

Do I Need An Oyster Card For Public Transportation?

An Oyster card is an easy way to navigate around London. There are caps on how much is charged in one day, so many times it is cheaper to use an Oyster card than to purchase a day ticket. For more information visit the London transportation website.

If you have contactless credit or debit cards on your phone, you can also use these to travel through London. This is what we did while we were there. Kids under 11 travel free on buses and the underground. So, for our family of 4, Mike would go with Isaac (age 9) through the large metro stalls using his card, and then I used one of my cards for Levi (aged 11) and a different card for myself. You have to tap once to enter and tap again to exit on the Underground. For buses and trams, you only need to tap once when you get on.