Looking for free-entry London attractions to keep you on budget? Learn what great free options are available for your family.
The key to planning a budget-friendly trip to London is dotting your itinerary with free-entry attractions and events. The tighter your finances, the more free opportunities you may add to your trip.
To help you find the best options for your family, we created a list of our favorite free things for children in London. Keep reading to get your itinerary filled without blowing your budget.
Best Free and Free-Entry London Attractions for Children:
Many of these suggestions are beyond the must-see attractions that everyone wants to visit, so you may see a different side of London if you add some of these to your schedule.
Covent Garden Street Performers
Covent Garden is one of the more well-known places in London, but did you know that you can catch live street performers? They put on a show that you never have to pay for and are always good for a bit of entertainment.
You may also want to check out Neal’s Yard while you’re in the Covent Garden area. It’s packed with colorful shops selling unique goods. Even if you don’t spend any money, walking through the shops and browsing is a fun way to spend part of an afternoon.
Diana Memorial Playground
This unique playground features a giant pirate ship that is safe for children of all ages to climb over. Other attractions include a sensory trail that immerses the full family in nature and a variety of climbing areas that are guaranteed to burn off that youthful energy.
You’ll find this free-entry London attraction is an outdoor park in Kensington Gardens, so add it to your itinerary when you visit nearby Kensington Palace. The surrounding gardens will offer even more outdoor recreation opportunities that are always free. Make sure you find the Peter Pan statue before you leave!
Granary Square Fountains
What better activity for a hot summer day in London than watching the little ones run wild in outdoor fountains? You can do just that if you find Granary Square near Kings Cross. The outdoor fountains are similar to splash pads featured across the world, and they’re completely free for anyone willing to seek them out.
You will need to bring swimsuits or clothing that your children can wear in the water. They may also need a change of clothing so that you can get back to a fun day of sightseeing after cooling off. Think about stopping here with a picnic lunch to save time and money.
Mudchute Farm Park
Head out to east London to find this 32-acre farm that features more than 100 different animals, including everything from birds to horses. It’s a conservation farm park that serves as home to rare breeds and endangered animals, so your children may encounter animals that aren’t easily seen in other areas of London.
Some of the farm’s animals include pigs, sheep, cows, donkeys, goats, and llamas. The working farm will introduce your kids to the farming lifestyle while giving them access to aviary birds and many other animals.
Admission is always free, and they often offer educational activities for kids of all ages.
Sky Garden
Are you up for spectacular views of London that won’t cost you a dime? You can get just that by booking free tickets to Sky Garden online. Located on the 43rd floor of the Walkie Talkie, this is the highest garden in London. The floor also houses a restaurant that has a smarter dress code and is anything but free. However, you can wear casual clothing if you’re just stopping in for the free Sky Garden views as a free-entry London attraction.
Upon arriving for your scheduled free viewing, you will go to a beautiful atrium with fresh green plants and ample seating. You can enjoy the views and get off your feet before returning to an active day in the city.
All the Parks and Museums
Finally, you can’t miss out on the parks and free museums located throughout London which are some of the best free-entry London attractions available. You can find them in the surrounding areas of most paid attractions if you spend a bit of time looking. We’re talking about small green spaces that are perfect for picnics and playgrounds that can give young children a moment to just run wild and free.
Many of London’s museums also have free days or hours. If you look around online, you can make a list of free museums that offer kid’s activities and then see which ones have fun features for kids during your visit.
There are so many fre and free-entry London attractions that you could spend many weeks exploring the city and never see it all. Think about the interests and age of your children when deciding which of these free options you want to explore. You can shave hundreds or even thousands of dollars off your holiday budget just by working free activities and points of interest into your itinerary around the paid events you really want to see.