You know about the palaces, the Tower and the open-top buses. This is our London family guide for summer 2026. Built from local knowledge, guest recommendations and attractions that survive the ultimate test… children who still have energy at 5pm.
Day 1: Theatre Kids, Assemble
Jet lag? Excellent. Put it to work. Start with something gloriously high-energy at Shakespeare’s Globe, where children can learn to swordfight in proper theatrical style. Then head west for a family supper before the main event.
For easy wins, try Big Easy for big portions and relaxed vibes, Bocca di Lupo for delicious pre-theatre pasta that grown-ups will quietly appreciate too, Franco Manca Covent Garden for reliably excellent pizza, or Inamo, where the interactive tables let children play games while waiting for dinner. Genius.
Then: curtain up. Summer 2026 brings family favourites including Paddington on Stage, Matilda, The Lion King and Wicked.
Day 2: Dinosaurs, Space, and Tea With Cake
Kensington may be the obvious choice, but occasionally the obvious choice is obvious for a reason.
The Natural History Museum dinosaurs remain utterly unbeatable. Pair them with Wonderlab and Power Up at the Science Museum and you have a near-perfect day of roaring, experimenting and enthusiastic button-pressing.
Reward everyone's efforts with the children’s afternoon tea at The Ampersand Hotel, which manages the difficult trick of feeling special enough for adults and genuinely fun for younger guests.
Day 3: Close to Home, Big on Magic
One of the joys of staying with us? Some excellent family adventures are wonderfully close by.
Start at King’s Cross Platform 9¾ for Harry Potter photos and breakfast in the Great Hall. Then make for Granary Square, where the fountains provide one of London’s greatest free entertainments. A small insider tip: bring a towel. Children cannot resist the water jets.
While you're nearby, seek out Handyside Gardens, a lovely pocket park with a charming play area, and visit Lightroom, King’s Cross’s immersive art space where images are projected floor-to-ceiling in a way that small children find quietly mesmerising.
Still somehow functioning? Finish with the Postal Museum’s secret underground railway, which tends to delight adults almost as much as children.
Got Another Day? Go South… or East.
South: Battersea
For younger children, Battersea Park Children’s Zoo has a low-key charm that makes it one of London’s smartest family outings. Think otters, armadillos, play areas and considerably less pressure than attempting to “do” a vast city zoo in one go. Afterwards, explore the shops, cafés and riverside spaces around Battersea Power Station.
East: London Docklands
Or head east to the Museum of London Docklands, a brilliant free museum exploring 400 years of London’s waterfront history. The star attraction for smaller visitors is Mudlarks, an interactive play gallery, but older children often love the atmospheric Victorian docklands recreation, complete with shadowy alleyways, strange smells, shopfronts and a wonderfully dramatic sense of London mischief.
And at the end of all this heroic sightseeing, theatre-going, dinosaur-viewing and fountain-running, you may want somewhere calm to regroup. Happily, that’s our speciality.
Book one of our tranquil family rooms and suites at The Goodenough Hotel, where central London adventures meet quieter Bloomsbury evenings, generous space to spread out, and a very good breakfast before you do it all again tomorrow.