Exploring London as a Family: A fun and easy adventure

Exploring London as a family has never been easier or more enjoyable! Recently, we embarked on an exciting family adventure starting from Moor Street Station. With a family return ticket via Trainline costing only £63.29, we boarded the train and arrived in the heart of London (Marylebone Station), ready to make the most of our trip.

We chose to stay at the Farringdon Premier Inn, which we found to be exceptionally clean and comfortable, making it the perfect base for our adventures. A huge heads up for the morning breakfast, where kids eat for free with every paying adult. And the shower! Hot and with a rainfall style shower head, I’ve got to admit, it might have been my favourite hotel shower to date. The hotel (with breakfast for the four of us) came to £116.98.

Located just a short walk from Farringdon Station (approx 8 minutes), the hotel provided us with easy access to some of London’s most iconic attractions.

Here’s a rundown of our itinerary and what you can expect at each stop:

Hamleys: A Toy Wonderland

Our first stop was Hamleys, the world-famous toy store on Regent Street. Spread over seven floors, Hamleys is a paradise for kids and adults alike.

From interactive demonstrations and toy testing to the latest in games, dolls, and LEGO creations, it’s a dream come true for children of all ages.

The staff’s enthusiasm and the vibrant atmosphere made this an unforgettable experience for our kids, and we couldn’t resist purchasing some of the items from the demos.

On the ground floor of Hamleys is Hans & Gretal, a dessert bar that states their aim is “Τo create and serve the tastiest, most ‘extra’ trEATS in town.” And oh gosh, they sure did! If you buy anything in Hamleys and show your receipt, you get 20% off too! What a bargain!

Jemima chose a Cotton Fantasy Cone that quite frankly was big enough for her to hide behind, it was a funfair sized cotton candy with an ice-cream cone filled with an ice-cream of her choice (she chose nutella) and topped with sauces and sweets, Matilda went for a freshly made mango milkshake and my husband had a dark chocolate and sea salt gelato in a cone.

It came to just over £15 which considering the size and the quality, we were pretty happy with. My husband said he considered the ice-cream to be the best he has ever tried.

Outernet London: Immersive Digital Experience

We were excited to visit Outernet London, an innovative entertainment district offering immersive digital experiences, all completely FREE.

The giant screens and interactive exhibits captivated the whole family for a good 30 minutes as we watched the screens continually change, from emojis, to space, to butterflies.

The cutting-edge technology and creative displays offered a unique and futuristic glimpse into the world of digital art and entertainment and made for a great backdrop for selfies.

Food and Drinks at Cabana: A Taste of Brazil

When it was time to refuel, we headed to Cabana, a vibrant Brazilian restaurant just around the corner from Outernet.

The menu was filled with delicious options, from flame-grilled skewers to mouth-watering hotpots, and the children’s menu provided a great variety for little ones (and the portions were huge). The relaxed atmosphere and friendly staff made it a great spot for a family meal. We all really enjoyed the bold and flavourful Brazilian cuisine.

Barbican: Culture and Architecture

One of the places we were admanent that we had to visit was the Barbican, a leading arts and learning centre. I had recently attended some social media training online where the social media managers of the Barbican had led some training from their conservatory and we just HAD to go. Sadly we had arrived on a day when the conservatory was closed but we could peep in through the outer window and enjoy the lush greenery and exotic plants from a distance and we weren’t too disappointed as the rest of the centre was open and the outdoor area and Café was amazing.

The striking architecture and tranquil gardens provided a peaceful retreat from the city’s hustle and bustle.

We came home saying if we won the lottery we would most definitely buy an apartment here. Just look at how beautiful it is.

Southbank

There’s something magical about walking down Southbank, watching the live shows, seeing Big Ben in the distance, and walking along the bridge with a cup of caramelised roasted nuts (£5 a cup but totally worth it).

Jemima was called up to take part in one magicians show, which she loved. It really added to our walk and experience, and we loved that further down, we could see more shows happening. All for free, although donations are very much welcomed.

There’s plenty of places to eat and drink and experiences too! It was nice to see that there’s a new Paddington Bear Experience opening on 31st May 2024 and it sounds absolutely brilliant on the website. Stating, “This brand-new experience will take you on an exciting adventure into Paddington’s world!
Help Paddington and the Brown Family prepare for a VERY special occasion; the Marmalade Day Festival.
Just like Paddington, you’ll begin your adventure in the hustle and bustle of Paddington Station where you’ll meet the friendly Station Master and hop aboard our full-sized train carriage – make sure you aren’t late!”

We also walked past Shrek’s Adventure, an experience all about Shrek. Another to possibly add to your list of things to do if you’re in the Southbank area.

Natural History Museum: Dinosaurs and More

No family trip to London would be complete without a visit to the Natural History Museum.

The dinosaur exhibits and fossils were a hit with our kids. As huge fans of the Ichthyosaur at Thinktank Museum in Birmingham, they were fascinated to see more at the Natural History Museum. The impressive architecture of the building adds to the overall experience as it has the WOW factor. You could easily spend a whole day here looking at everything on display. Our top tip would be to get there early and start at the top and work your way down for a quieter experience if you head there during school holidays.

We also visited the new exhibition Birds: Brilliant & Bizarre, which is exactly as it states, brilliant and bizarre. I learnt so many fascinating new facts about birds. Some that made me go ‘ahh’ whilst others that made me a little aghast. If you go, look out for the bit about the blue tit’s and bats. Although the Natural History Museum is FREE, the Birds: Brilliant & Bizarre exhibition is an additional cost. It is very much worth it, though, and cheaper for those who are RSPB members.

I was really impressed with how family-friendly the experience was. Opportunities to really utilise your senses including being able to touch models, smelling a sea-bird egg (Disclaimer: It isn’t a nice smell) and even feeling a heart beat of a bird. There’s screens for children (and adults alike) to play interactive games and listening to the dawn chorus with immersive imagery was something extra special.

For food, we decided to try out the T-Rex Restaurant, if you’re bringing a picnic to save money, underneath the T-Rex Restaurant is a huge indoor picnic area, but if you have spare money, we were greatly impressed with the food offerings at the restaurant.

I opted for a burger (as did Matilda), my husband went for a sourdough pizza and Jemima chose the children’s penne pasta. We all commented how enjoyable the food was. Much better than usual museum quality, so do bear that in mind.

Science Museum: Hands-On Learning

Finally, we spent time at the Science Museum, where interactive exhibits and hands-on learning combine to create a fun day out for all of the family. From exploring space and robotics to understanding the human body and the way we think, the museum offered something for everyone. Ours were really taken in with the interactive gallery called ‘Who Am I?’ where they were able to play games on various computer screens. We spent a good hour just in that section alone. It was a really fun way to learn about ourselves and very memorable for our curious little scientists who haven’t stopped talking about it.

There’s plenty to see and do at the Science Museum, for all ages too. We loved looking at the Making The Modern World Gallery filled with 250 years of science and technology.

Matilda was interested in the Mathematics: Winton Gallery which is an impressively designed gallery.

And the girls were both really happy to join in with the hands-on object handling sessions with staff.

Exploring London as a family was an enriching and enjoyable experience (although I have to admit, all of the excitement has tired me out). I believe a London trip can be done in 48 hours but you could quite easily spend a week here and still not get everything done, there’s so much to see and do!

We travelled around London using the tube which is really convenient and easy to use. Those with pushchairs had help from passers-by to get up and down the stairs. Children go free on the tube with a paying adult, so just make your way to the larger gate to tap your bank card and head through the barriers. We spent £10.80 a day on the tube (for 2 adults and our 2 girls).

Whether you’re planning a weekend getaway or a longer stay, London offers endless opportunities for family fun and learning and there’s so much to do for FREE that it doesn’t need to cost a fortune.

Any questions? Please do not hesitate to get in touch.