5-Day Family London Itinerary from Oslo

Morning and Arrival

Fly from Oslo to Heathrow or Gatwick, allowing roughly 4–5 hours for the flight, baggage, and transfer into central London. From Heathrow, the Elizabeth line is usually the best-value balance of speed and convenience, taking about 30 minutes to central London; the Heathrow Express is faster but considerably dearer. From Gatwick, use Thameslink or the Gatwick Express toward central London. Drop your bags at the hotel before heading out—central London is much easier with free hands, especially with children. Have a quick lunch near Westminster before sightseeing; Leon on Victoria Street is dependable for an inexpensive family meal.

Afternoon

Start at Westminster Abbey, allowing around 1½ hours. It normally opens to visitors from late morning on non-service days, but hours can change for ceremonies, so check the official schedule and book timed tickets in advance; family admission is often better value than buying four individual tickets. Afterward, walk a few minutes to Big Ben and the Palace of Westminster. The best easy photo angle is from Parliament Square, while the riverside path on Westminster Bridge gives the children a clear view across the Thames. Avoid planning an interior visit to Parliament today unless you have a separate tour booked—the exterior and riverfront are plenty after a flight.

Late Afternoon and Evening

Continue through St James’s Park, about 10 minutes from Big Ben via Birdcage Walk. Follow the lake toward Blue Bridge for views of the London skyline, and look out for the park’s famously confident pelicans; there are benches and lawns where everyone can pause. Finish at The Red Lion on Parliament Street, a traditional Westminster pub with a welcoming, compact atmosphere. Arrive early for the best chance of a family table, as it can fill with parliamentary staff and after-work crowds. Budget approximately £20–35 per person for a main meal and drink; children’s options are usually available. After dinner, walk back toward your hotel or use Westminster Underground station, but check the TfL app for late service changes.

Morning

Leave Westminster around 8:00–8:30am and take the Jubilee line to London Bridge, then walk roughly 15–20 minutes toward Tower Hill. Allow about 25 minutes in total and use contactless payment; the fare is typically around £2–£3 per adult, with children’s fares depending on their age and payment arrangements. Start at the Tower of London when it opens—usually 9:00am on weekdays—so you can see the Crown Jewels before the queues build. Give yourselves about 2½ hours for the ravens, medieval walls, royal history, and the White Tower; the family will get more from it if you follow one of the short children’s trails rather than trying to read every plaque.

A pleasant 10-minute walk along the riverside and across Tower Bridge follows. Allow about an hour for the high-level walkways, glass floor sections, and Victorian engine rooms. Tickets are commonly around £13–£16 for adults and £6–£8 for children, with online prices and opening hours varying, so booking a timed slot is sensible. The bridge itself is free to cross even if you decide the exhibition is too much for younger children.

Lunch and Afternoon

Continue west along the Thames or walk about 20 minutes through Southwark to Borough Market, where lunch is easiest if everyone chooses something different. Allow 1½ hours and roughly £10–£20 per person. Bread Ahead is good for filled sandwiches and doughnuts, while Kappacasein is a reliable choice for grilled cheese; there are plenty of fruit, pastry, and juice stalls for children. Market hours can vary by day, but Wednesday is generally a full trading day from late morning into the afternoon—arrive before 12:30pm for the best choice and slightly shorter queues.

After lunch, walk 10 minutes west along Bankside to Shakespeare’s Globe. The guided theatre tour takes about an hour and usually runs throughout the day; expect roughly £25–£30 per adult and £15–£18 per child. The reconstructed timber theatre is engaging even for children, especially when the guide explains how noisy and interactive Elizabethan audiences were. Finish at Tate Modern, another 5-minute walk away, for around 1½ hours in the free collection and Turbine Hall. Use the lifts rather than stairs with tired children, and treat it as a relaxed browse—pick a few striking works rather than attempting the whole museum. It normally stays open until 6:00pm, with later opening on some Fridays, so plan to leave by about 5:30–6:00pm for an easy evening.

Morning

Leave South Bank around 8:15am and take the Jubilee line from London Bridge to Westminster, changing to the District or Circle line for South Kensington. The journey takes roughly 25–35 minutes; contactless payment is simplest, at about £2–£3 per adult. Start at the Natural History Museum, which generally opens at 10am. Allow around 2½ hours for the dinosaurs, fossils, and the soaring Hintze Hall; arriving close to opening avoids the busiest queues, and entry is free, though special exhibitions may charge.

Walk a few minutes along Exhibition Road to the Science Museum for late morning. Its hands-on galleries and space exhibits are ideal for children, and you can easily spend two hours without trying to see everything. General admission is free, but reserve a free timed ticket online if possible. Both museums have cafés, but for a smoother family day it is worth having a snack in your bag—museum queues build quickly around midday.

Lunch and Afternoon

Head to Dishoom Kensington for lunch, a short walk from the museums. Its Indian-inspired food works well for sharing: order a mixture of small plates, naan, and a mild curry for the children, budgeting roughly £20–35 per person. Expect a wait at peak lunchtime, so put your name down before browsing nearby shops if necessary. After lunch, walk to the Victoria and Albert Museum, where the grand interiors, fashion displays, decorative arts, and child-friendly galleries make a good change of pace. Allow about 1½ hours; admission is free, and the museum’s courtyard is a pleasant place for a short break.

Late Afternoon

From the Victoria and Albert Museum, walk north through Kensington toward Hyde Park—around 15 minutes to the Diana Memorial Playground. The playground is free, but it usually closes before the park itself and can be busy, so check the seasonal closing time before setting out; children must be accompanied by an adult. Finish with an easy stroll through Hyde Park, perhaps around Long Water, rather than adding another formal attraction. This is a good point to let the children run while the adults pick up drinks or a simple takeaway nearby. Return from South Kensington by the same District or Circle line route, or walk to Gloucester Road for easier step-free access if needed.

Morning

Leave South Kensington around 9:00am and take the Piccadilly line directly to Covent Garden—about 15–20 minutes, with contactless payment usually the easiest option. The station has many stairs, so with a stroller or tired children, consider getting off at Leicester Square and walking for roughly five minutes instead. Start at Covent Garden Market, where the covered market, small shops, craft stalls, and street performers make for an easy first hour; performances are usually liveliest from late morning onward, while the market itself generally opens around 10:00am. Let the children choose a small snack or souvenir, but keep bags light before the museum.

Walk a few minutes across the piazza to the London Transport Museum, an excellent rainy-day stop and one of the best family museums in central London. Allow about two hours for the historic buses, Underground trains, driving cab displays, and hands-on areas—children can climb aboard vehicles rather than simply look at them. It normally opens around 10:00am; check the official website for timed-entry availability and current family pricing, as advance tickets can be cheaper and help avoid a queue.

Lunch and Afternoon

For lunch, walk a couple of minutes to Flat Iron in Covent Garden. It is informal and family-friendly, with steaks generally costing about £15–30 per person before drinks and sides; queues can form at peak lunchtime, so joining the list early is sensible. Afterward, stroll west through the West End to Leicester Square, then continue into Chinatown along Gerrard Street. This is a good unstructured hour: take in the theatres, colourful shopfronts, bakeries, and lanterns, and stop for bubble tea or a shared dessert rather than planning another major attraction.

Finish at The LEGO Store London on Leicester Square, where the large brick-built displays—including London-themed creations—make the shop feel like a small attraction. Allow about an hour, but set a souvenir budget before going in; the children’s sets and exclusive items are tempting. It usually stays open into the evening, and from here you are within easy walking distance of Covent Garden, Soho, and plenty of casual dinner options if everyone still has energy.

Morning

From Covent Garden, walk to Embankment and take the District or Circle line one stop to Westminster, then change as needed for St Paul’s Cathedral—allow around 25–35 minutes door to door, depending on the connection. For a family, an easier option is often a taxi or bus across town if everyone has luggage; otherwise, contactless TfL travel is simplest. Arrive at St Paul’s Cathedral around opening time, usually 8:30 or 10:00 depending on the day and service schedule, and allow about two hours for the interior, Whispering Gallery, and the higher galleries. Check the official calendar before leaving, as sightseeing can be restricted around services or special events; children should also be prepared for the many steps to the galleries.

Afterward, walk roughly 10 minutes north through the City to Postman’s Park, a small, peaceful garden tucked beside Little Britain. Spend 30–45 minutes reading the poignant Watts Memorial plaques, which commemorate ordinary people who died saving others. It is a lovely final pause after the cathedral, with benches and enough space for children to unwind, though there are no substantial food facilities inside the park. If you have time, pick up drinks or snacks from a nearby City café before continuing.

Lunch and Departure

Walk about five minutes to The Ned near Bank for lunch. Its food counters are more flexible than a formal restaurant, making it practical with children and different appetites; budget approximately £20–35 per person, with less expensive choices possible if you share. Check opening hours and whether a reservation is needed, particularly for the dining areas, and allow about an hour rather than lingering too long on a departure day. From there, collect luggage and return toward Westminster if that is where you are storing it, or proceed directly toward your airport connection.

For a Heathrow flight, leave central London roughly three hours before departure and use the Elizabeth line where practical; for Gatwick, allow closer to four hours and travel via the appropriate rail connection from central London. Build in extra time for children, luggage, airport check-in, and security—especially if flying at a busy afternoon or evening time. Confirm the terminal and live TfL or rail conditions before setting off, and keep contactless cards or phones separate so each traveller can pass the gates smoothly.