Free attractions suitable for families
● Paddington Bear Locations: Take your kids around London following the steps that the adorable Paddington Bear took on his books and movies. Start your tour form the Paddington Station, where you’ll find a real size statue of the bear, admiring the place where he first arrived to the city and welcoming visitors from all over the world. From there and all over London, different Paddington decorated by several artists will come out to meet you as a guide to the most iconic points of the city.
● Diana Princess of Wales Memorial Playground: To have a break after a long day of touring London, having a picnic and letting your kids free in a park is the best idea. Located in Kensington Gardens (accessible by the Circle and the Central lines), the park's main attraction is a real size pirate ship that will obsess your kids and you won’t be able to take them back to the hotel. For adult amusement, the Broad Walk Cafe offers food and drinks so you can spend the perfect afternoon.
● The LEGO Store: There's no kid or adult that doesn’t like LEGOs. The flagship store located in Leicester Square shares two floors of amazing models like a full-size version of James Bond's Aston Martin, Harry Potter set or a giant LEGO tree that runs the full height of the building.
Indoor activities and museums in London
However, if it’s a rainy day, and you prefer to stay indoors, you can visit the following places:
● Natural History Museum: It’s located 5 minutes from South Kensington tube station. This is one of the most significant museums in the world, thanks to its famous collection of dinosaur skeletons. However, it has around 70 million specimens and objects related to the natural world, so we recommend you plan at least 3 hours for your visit. The Natural History Museum organizes activities for kids very often, so check their planning and make sure to arrive there early as it can get very crowded.
● Science Museum: This is one of the most tourist attractions in the city and a good option for family breaks in London. It’s also located close to South Kensington subway station. The museum has forty rooms covering everything from the beginnings of computing to space travel, including telecommunications, agriculture, mathematics, geophysics, medicine, etc. It’s a free museum, but some exhibits may have a cost.
● Sky Garden: This is the highest public garden in London located at 20 Fenchurch Street. To get there, you can take the Circle and District subway lines to Monument station, and once there you will only have to walk 5 minutes to the building. But remember, you must reserve your visit on their website at no cost 3 or 4 weeks in advance.
● Borough Market: This is the oldest market in the city and is located at 8 Southwark Street in Zone 1 of London. There you can find a wide range of national and imported products, and restaurants in a very awesome building. To get there you have the London Bridge, Borough, and Southwark subway stations. And by bus, you can get there with lines 43, 141, 149 and 388.
● Frameless: This is an art gallery that offers an immersive experience with works by Van Gogh, Klimt, and Monet, among others in a way never seen before. You can get there by subway from Marble Arch station (Central line) or Bond Street (Jubilee, Central and Elizabeth lines). Or with different bus lines that stop at Marble Arch: 2, 6, 7, 13, 16, 23, 36, 74, 94, 98, 137.