If you are headed to London and are looking for summer vacation ideas with kids, these ideas are a great place to start.
Are you running out of things to do with your kids on summer vacation? There are only so many beach vacations you can take before you start to crave a little more substance or just a different type of fun. That’s where a family trip to London comes into play. You can take a day trip to the beach if you crave the sun while enjoying a long list of free museums, art galleries, outdoor adventures, theme parks, and interesting restaurants.
To give you an idea of what you can do with your kids in London this summer, check out our quick list of summer vacation ideas for families with kids. We included something for kids of all ages, and there is a lot more where this came from. There’s always something new to do with kids in London.
Vacation Ideas with Kids to Get Your Adrenaline Pumping
Do you have adrenaline junkies in the family? London can keep the thrill seekers happy with a variety of outdoor adventures and vacation ideas with kids, including:
- Go Ape – Head to Battersea Park to find this kingdom of Tree Top Adventure. Your family will slide down zip lines and climb through demanding ropes courses. You’ll find everything from segways to bouncing nets as you make your way from one challenging adventure to another.
- The O2 – The O2 is a popular entertainment complex that combines bowling, movies, theatre, freejumping, and extreme climbing. You can climb to the top of the venue for the ultimate adrenaline rush. You may even want to stick around at the top to enjoy a meal up in the sky.
- Thorpe Park Resort – Head to the amusement park for a day of thrilling roller coasters and exciting water rides. Make sure you put your nerves to the test on Stealth, the UK’s fastest roller coaster. It speeds up to 80 mph and will whip you up to 205 feet from the ground.
Explore the Free Museums & Learn Something New
In between adrenalin rushes, you can learn something new in an entertaining way in London. The city is known for allowing free admission to many of their museums, but keep in mind that special exhibitions do require you to pay a small fee.
Some of the best free London museums for families on summer vacation include:
- Science Museum
- Horniman Museum
- British Museum
- Museum of London
- Natural History Museum
- V&A Museum of Childhood
While some of these museums may not initially sound too kid-friendly, rest assured that the interactive activities and vacation ideas with kids will win the little ones over. You can allow your kids to play their way to new knowledge in London, and it won’t cost you a dime.
Test Your Manners at Tea
Teatime is something that many kids are surprisingly interested in when they visit London. You can choose from themed tea events that are designed for kids or go to a classic teatime and allow your kids to test out their manners.
While there is no age limit at most restaurant teatimes, it’s best to take children who are old enough to sit still for at least 45 minutes to an hour. They will enjoy a variety of sandwiches and sweets in addition to tea and possibly hot chocolate, so there is something delicious to help keep them in their seat.
Vacation Ideas with Kids to Get Spooked with the Dark Side of London
Have you heard of Jack the Ripper? If so, you may want to take your teens or young adults on a Jack the Ripper Tour in London. They’ll walk in the footsteps of this notorious criminal, taking in gory details of his crimes along the way. That’s just one of the things darker things you can do with older children while on summer break in London.
What are the other options? This list will give you some ideas:
- London Dungeon – Learn about the dark side of London’s history in this immersive experience that combines theatrical storytelling, rides, and true historical tales. You can add an escape room experience to the mix, and it all ends with a Dead Drop that may leave your heart in your throat.
- Ghost Bus Tours – Where do the ghosts hang out in London, and why are they there? Load up on a bus tour of London that fill you in on the creepy stories that continue to haunt London to this day.
- London Bridge Experience – Go from the glass walkways high above the city to the underground vaults in which dead bodies were found during the construction of the bridge. Everything from zombies to demons and monsters lurk here, so visit if you dare.
Ready to Plan Your Summer Trip to London?
If London sounds like just the summer trip your family needs, now is the time to start planning. There are so many things to see and do that it may take you some time to narrow your options down to create a reasonable itinerary with great vacation ideas with kids. Of course, you can also just book a hotel room and show up without any planning. Walking the streets and “winging it” in London is a lot of fun because there’s something interesting on virtually every street.
It’s time to end your streak of boring or expected summer vacations. London is a breath of fresh air because it’s loaded with fun attractions and is safe for families traveling with kids.