There are endless possibilities for exploring London. But how much can you actually expect to see? Here are our recommendations for 3 adventurous days in London in January – with an 8-year-old!
We had long been thinking about showing Sebastian London. The city where Harry Potter comes from and where he can see the iconic red double-decker buses zipping through the streets. There’s something captivating about the city, no matter how many times we’ve visited.
The energy, the cafés, the umbrellas, the parks, the Underground, and not least the many historic buildings and monuments. Just the kind of things an 8-year-old boy like Sebastian finds worth going the distance for.
Here’s how we spent 3 days in London
We arrived on Saturday around lunchtime and were set to fly home early Tuesday morning. We chose to wake up early each day to make the most of the city. In return, we crashed really early at the hotel each evening.
We walked a lot from place to place—covering between 15-17 km per day. We also took the Underground here and there. But it was nice to see the city properly, and sometimes walking was actually faster than taking the Tube—because the Underground also steals extra time (buying tickets, walking between different platforms, walking within the station, waiting, and travel time).
Sebastian handled the walking easily. Occasionally, we needed to recharge with some rest, coffee, and food/snacks. But since we love cafés and cozy little snack spots, it suited us just fine.
Here’s an overview of the things we managed to experience during our 3 days, which we highly recommend if you’re visiting London with an 8-year-old.
1. Explore London above ground – and zip quickly underground
The Underground is convenient, and London’s Tube is one of the easiest to navigate. It’s well-organized with a pleasant atmosphere, and the trains run so frequently that, in January, they’re rarely overcrowded. This might be different during rush hour and peak season.
However, keep in mind that purchasing tickets, finding the right trains, and waiting for them can take up a lot of time, so it’s worth checking if it’s actually faster to walk. London is fascinating to explore on foot, and there are many little extra experiences to discover as you walk from point A to point B.
You can purchase various tourist passes that suit your transportation needs while in London. Check out the options and prices here.
2. Natural History Museum
This was a must-see. We had to show Sebastian the enormous dinosaur skeletons displayed at the Natural History Museum. We woke up early on Monday morning, walked through Hyde Park, and passed by the Royal Albert Hall, where we had the chance to see a large film crew shooting for a movie.
We waited for half an hour, but suddenly we made it through the gate and into the museum. The exhibition itself seemed a bit old-fashioned, but the various natural periods we explored sparked many conversations and provided a lot of new learning for Sebastian.
Just when we thought we had finished the exhibition, we suddenly reached the older part of the museum – and that’s where it got really exciting. This is where the massive dinosaur skeletons were displayed. Exactly what we had come to see.
Here, Peter and Sebastian are on the verge of discovering the great dinosaurs waiting just around the corner…
3. Visit the Harry Potter shop at Platform 9¾
I don’t know how many times we’ve watched Harry Potter at home—probably 4 times. One of Sebastian’s biggest attractions was experiencing the city where Harry Potter comes from.
So, we naturally headed to Victoria Station to find Platform 9¾ and the Harry Potter Shop, full of Harry Potter merchandise. Here, you can also choose to stand in line (about ½ hour) to get a photo of yourself seemingly running through the wall with your luggage—just like in the film.
We skipped the line, and since the Harry Potter merchandise cost a fortune, we settled for just experiencing the magical store (read: money-making machine).
4. Take (many) breaks at cafés
A vacation requires many small breaks, especially when you’re walking around London. Fortunately, the city is filled with cozy cafés everywhere.
The cafés became our mental pit stop and resting place for our legs. And is there anything better than occasionally stepping back and letting your eyes rest on the many people going about their lives around you?
5. Visit the world’s largest LEGO store
Situated between Piccadilly Circus and Leicester Square Station is, according to their claim, the world’s largest LEGO store. Sebastian had been looking forward to this for a long time.
The store was spread across two floors and was packed with LEGO enthusiasts of all ages. Sebastian was thrilled. He bought some LEGO sets and received a LEGO passport with stamps in it.
6. Enjoy Hyde Park and Kensington Palace
It was very convenient for us to enjoy Hyde Park since our hotel was in Bayswater, just north of the park. It provided us with the nicest walks both to and from the hotel, as well as in the mornings when we set out to explore London.
Hyde Park is quite large, and on weekends, it fills up with families and friends playing, chatting, and enjoying nature in the heart of the city. In addition to the playground and a lake teeming with birds and swans, you’ll find Kensington Palace and Princess Diana’s Memorial Fountain. There are also restaurants where you can buy food and coffee.
We enjoyed the tranquility, the horizon, and the chance to see Londoners living and breathing—walking, playing, jogging, chatting, and laughing.
7. Experience Covent Garden
We went to Covent Garden to find a place where we could rest our legs and enjoy a good lunch. Covent Garden can be an exciting place to experience with its many theaters, restaurants, and markets.
We also discovered a small flea market well-hidden behind the buildings, where we could buy old English toys. It was fun to wander among the stalls and imagine where these items had once belonged. Who might have played with the tin soldier and the porcelain doll with the tattered dress?
Inside the old (and protected) building, we were captivated by a woman singing opera. The sound was powerful, and listening to her grand voice amidst everything else gave us goosebumps.
8. Indulge at Ramsay’s
Yes, it’s true. We dined at one of Ramsay’s restaurants. Read about our culinary adventure at Gordon Ramsay’s restaurant, Maze.
9. Enjoy a high tea at a Jamie Oliver restaurant
And yes, we also had an English high tea at one of Jamie Oliver’s restaurants. Since we were in town, it was a must-try. Read about our high tea experience here.
10. Skip the hotel breakfast buffet and have a full english breakfast
When traveling with an 8-year-old, it makes sense to choose a hotel with breakfast included. This is especially true if your child prefers to wake up and have breakfast in the same place where they’re staying. They might not enjoy wandering around the city hungry in search of a cozy breakfast spot, which I can completely understand.
The same goes for Sebastian. So, we also opted for a hotel with a breakfast buffet. However, when it came time for breakfast, there were so many people that we had to wait in a long queue just to get a table.
We didn’t have the patience for that, so we decided to go out and find a nice place that served good coffee and a hearty English breakfast. It was a bit pricier, and we ended up waking up earlier the next day to get a table at the breakfast buffet.
My point is that if you can afford it (and your 8-year-old is on board), dining out can often be more enjoyable and cozy.
11. See Big Ben, the London Eye, the Thames, and Westminster
Whether you plan to go on the London Eye or not, don’t miss the chance to walk along the Thames. Here, you can view the London Eye, Big Ben, Westminster, and the city’s many bridges.
The London Eye is fantastic to ride, but we skipped it this time.
12. See London light up in the january darkness
London might be a bit gray and cold in January, but wait until the magic unfolds as darkness falls.
London is filled with lights in the winter gloom. Lights from the shops, buses, car headlights, illuminated sculptures, and historic buildings. In all sorts of colors—red, green, yellow, purple, blue, white… Big Ben, the London Eye, the skyscrapers…
13. Head home and relax in the evening at the hotel
We were exhausted when we returned to the hotel in the evenings. The many kilometers we had walked around the city gave us the best night’s sleep.
When we got back, we all took a warm bath and collapsed onto the beds.
Sebastian played a bit with his LEGO or watched on his iPad. We turned on the TV, propped up our legs, opened a bottle of red wine, and had some snacks we brought with us…
Then Sebastian joined us. He ate with us, and we enjoyed some chocolate (yes, every night) – and slept soundly until morning.
Links
-> Visit London – Your official visitor guide
-> LEGO shop, London
-> Natural History Museum
-> Harry Potter Shoppen
