"When contemplating a trip across the pond with a young family, there’s a lot to consider. The duration of the flight, the time difference, and the transport logistics—to name a few. In these ways, traveling to London with kids wins hands-down. It’s a seven-hour flight from New York and just a five-hour time difference (or four during daylight savings). Plus, you can hop on the tube to the city center. The UK capital is also a hub of kid-approved attractions—from the excellent science museum to the tot art room at Tate Modern—as well as sprawling parks for teetering around.
Despite having heaps of glorious green spaces for kids to roam, London is still a booming metropolis with heaps of urban excitement. Young families looking to explore beyond the bustle should consider a few days of fresh air and free-range activities in the Cotswolds, a charming English countryside region less than 90 minutes from the city.
Why Choose London and the Cotswolds for a Family Trip
By combining London and the Cotswolds, families get to experience a change of pace and scenery. In the latter, life moves slower, and there’s more time to wander around the charming villages, visit the nature preserves, and jump in muddy puddles. Plus, both destinations have cozy pubs that serve British fare without the fuss and hotels that treat tiny travelers like royalty (even on a less-than-royal budget).
As a travel journalist and mom of two littles, here are my picks to help plan the perfect trip to London and the Cotswolds for young families.
Where to Stay in London With Kids
Brown’s Hotel, A Rocco Forte Hotel
The Brown’s Hotel is the oldest hotel in London. It’s also the best luxury family stay in the city, with an unrivaled level of thoughtfulness and attention to detail that extends to tiny guests. The spacious suite and connecting room were kitted out with every conceivable amenity to make traveling with toddlers less stressful.
Beyond the much-appreciated basics like a crib and baby bath products, I was surprised and delighted to see a changing pad, diapers, wipes, a nappy pail, play mat, high chair, silicone plates, cup, and utensils, blocks, coloring books, crayons, stuffed monkeys (one of the many nods to the Jungle Book, which Rudyard Kipling penned at the property), and a royal fabric play tent. Mini Paddington bears and strawberry jam sandwiches take the crown as the sweetest turndown amenity. The chocolate chip cookies are a close second. It’s also exceedingly well located in the heart of Mayfair, a short walk from the Green Park.
The Athenaeum Hotel & Residences
Family-run The Athenaeum Hotel & Residences sits on the periphery of Green Park for instant access to grassy lawns for running when the “wiggles” hit. Comfy connecting rooms and suites are available for families. For even more space, book one of the homely residences, which have fully-equipped kitchens, dining areas, and separate sitting rooms. The property also offers additional perks during February half-term and Easter breaks, such as a free third night, complimentary eats for the under-12 crowd, story time, and crafts.
St. Ermin’s Hotel, Autograph Collection
London is an expensive city. Finding an overnight that’s well-suited to families and won’t blow the entire vacation budget is not impossible. St. Ermin’s Hotel, Autograph Collection is an excellent four-star option that falls squarely into the kid-friendly canon. Family rooms have joy-inducing tents and children’s books, plus a sofa bed and two bathrooms (because “I have to use the potty” means there’s no time to wait for someone else to wrap up using the loo). Other amenities include a rooftop beehive and kitchen garden, a dedicated kids concierge, and “spy for a day” programming. It’s also well located near Westminster Abbey and St. James’s Park Playground.
Things to Do in London With Kids
Hyde Park
London is awash with green spaces. Even with fierce competition, you can’t beat sprawling Hyde Park. The vast grassy lawns provide hours of nature-focused fun. The stroller-friendly paths are great for wheels and little walkers. Swans, ducks, and geese float on the lake. In the warmer months, families can rent a pedal boat and cruise around. Hyde Park also has a couple of small playgrounds and some spots to grab lunch or snacks so you don’t have to leave when hunger hits.
Diana Memorial Playground
You can take kids to the coolest, most interesting places—and they’ll still always ask to go to the playground. That’s normal and developmentally appropriate. Located next to Kensington Palace, Diana Memorial Playground is a splendid spot for climbing, sliding, and digging. The large wooden pirate ship might be the main attraction, but it also has sandpits, larger-than-life tents, a sensory trail, and various climbing structures. When it’s time to leave, the promise of peeping ducks swimming in the nearby lake and waddling the paths is a great way to lure littles out and mitigate meltdowns.
Science Museum
From space stories to 3D IMAX documentaries, the Science Museum is packed with interesting exhibitions and experiences guaranteed to get active minds interested in science. For older kids, the hands-on gaming experience spotlights the top video games and consoles from the past 50 years. Entry is free; donations are welcome. It’s worth paying for admission to the interactive WONDERLAB gallery.
Jurassic Afternoon Tea at The Ampersand
For the most part, afternoon tea tends to be a more formal, adultified affair. The Jurassic-themed tea at The Ampersand, on the other hand, very much caters to kids. The volcanic meringue eruption and chocolate fossil kit are sure to excite tiny patrons. Parents can get in on the fun, too, with a pot of English breakfast or a glass of bubbly.
Tate Modern
Sometimes, err usually, the fantasy of taking little kids to a museum outweighs the reality. That’s not the case at the Tate Modern. The former power plant turned exhibition space is architecturally striking and packed with interesting things to see and do—starting with the stairs and sloped ramp in the grand entry (our kids ran up and down for 45 minutes). There’s also a children’s art area with stations for zine making, watercolor, calligraphy, wall stickers, and drawing with big orb crayons. Free entry means more money to buy souvenirs at the gift shop.
Family-Friendly London Eats
Mayfair Chippy
Fish ‘n’ chips is a rite of passage on any trip to the UK. The Mayfair Chippy, right on North Audley Street, does it right with crispy cod and fries (and mini portions for little diners). Plus, the food comes out quickly, cutting down on the idle time between ordering and eating. Coloring pages help with that, too.
Fallow
For a hearty breakfast or brunch the whole family will love (and a pretty space that looks very pretty for snapping shots of children digging into all the deliciousness), head to Fallow in Mayfair. There’s a “mini Fallowers” menu with corn ribs, cheeseburgers, chicken strips, and soft serve. Rest assured, the royal croissants are kid-approved.
Borough Market
When you can’t all decide what cuisine to get (or the kiddos keep going back and forth), set Google Maps to Borough Market and do a mini food tour to satisfy everyone. Highlights include nibbling on cheese and fresh produce as well as handmade pasta at Padella Borough Market and Greek dips at Agora. FYI, it gets very busy on the weekend, so you might want to consider a mid-week jaunt.
The Jack Horner
Pubs are part of the cultural fabric of London. Most of these long-standing watering holes dole out more than just booze. The Jack Horner, situated on Tottenham Court Road, not far from the British Museum, has a cozy, unfussy feel that’s well-suited for families and a kids menu featuring child-friendly traditional British dishes, such as beef shortcrust pies, sausage and mash, and sticky toffee pudding.
Buns from Home
Getting a kid to go to a bakery isn’t a hard sell. The hand-rolled croissant buns from Notting Hill-born Buns from Home are tasty enough to bring a smile to any little face. Plus, the Holland Park Avenue location is a 15-minute walk from Holland Park, so you can grab some fresh bakes to eat after playing on the playground or moseying through the Japanese gardens.
Best Places Stay in the Cotswolds With Kids
Calcot & Spa
At Calcot & Spa, everything revolved around families. The Play Barn for babies to teens is filled to the gills with toys, puzzles, dress-up costumes, and art supplies. Best of all, the rate covers four hours of supervised play (just be sure to reserve a slot in advance). What should parents do to fill the time? Hit the spa or pick up complimentary bikes and cruise around the 2-mile nature path.
We stayed in a two-bedroom suite with plenty of space for us all to snooze comfortably. Bonus: It was located just steps from the wooden play structures and outdoor tot area. More things that just make sense with littles: Calcot & Spa serves a special early dinner for tots with kid-approved dishes. Once bubs are sleeping peacefully, parents can take advantage of the listening service and head to the brasserie for date night.
Le Manoir aux Quat’Saisons, A Belmond Hotel, Oxfordshire
Le Manoir aux Quat’Saisons, A Belmond Hotel, Oxfordshire is a luxury stay for families that’s elevated but easygoing. It has a range of suites and rooms individually decorated in a playful style with whimsical touches like Seuss-like green feathers and glass scoured well placed out of reach. The extraordinary staff go above and beyond to ensure children are treated like mini VIPs.
The teddy bear tea featuring wooden cups and saucers for the teddies, plus jam sandwiches, scones, and little cakes for kiddos (parents can request a caffeine boost) delighted my boys. A tent and mini tables completed the adorable setup. The daily garden tour, led by one of the senior gardeners, teaches guests of all ages about the agricultural heritage of the property. The grounds are great for kiddos to romp around. My son Miles “helped” by pulling weeds from the vegetable beds. It’s worth booking a sitter (the concierge can recommend a reputable third-party service for qualified nannies and sitters) to enjoy an evening at the Michelin-starred restaurant.
The Lakes by Yoo
Families who prefer autonomy and ample space to spread out will enjoy The Lakes by Yoo, a kid- and dog-friendly 850-acre estate in the Cotswolds. With lakeside cabins, apartments, and homes featuring multiple bedrooms, living rooms, and full kitchens, it’s a brilliant setup for multigenerational families. The adventure camp activities like archery, bushcraft, climbing, and zip wire, plus football (what we call soccer in the U.S.) and cookouts, are better suited for the 5-year-old and older crowd. Tots won’t even know they’re missing out thanks to the awesome playground and farm animals. There’s also an all-day restaurant (if you’d rather not cook) and a relaxing spa with a sauna, steam room, plunge pool, and menu of rituals powered by Dr. Barbara Sturm, Moss of the Isles, and Wildsmith Skin.
Things to Do in the Cotswolds for Families
Blenheim Palace
The biggest drawcard for kids visiting Blenheim Palace is the incredible adventure playground. Beyond the cargo nets, slides, secret chambers, and zip wires, the cinematic estate also offers a maze and stroller-friendly paths through the garden (both our kids took solid snoozes). Older children might enjoy learning about the history of “Britain’s greatest palace” or, at least, checking out the filming locations (it was the backdrop for many scenes in Disney’s live-action Cinderella). Moms might also be keen to see the spots where they filmed the Netflix hit Queen Charlotte: A Bridgerton Story.
Cotswold Wildlife Park & Gardens
You could easily spend a full day wandering around Cotswold Wildlife Park & Gardens and looking at all the animals—from meerkats and crowned sifakas to tortoises and wolverines. It also boasts a fantasy-level wooden playground. Highlights include the castle-themed clubhouse with a fast metal slide and the zip line in the tot section.
Bibury Trout Farm & Gardens
After snapping a few family photos in front of the bridges and honey-hued buildings in the picturesque village of Bibury, treat the crew to a few fun-filled hours at Bibury Trout Farm & Gardens. On the docket? Feed the fish and ducks, admire the swans from a respectful distance, and play on the playground featuring wooden structures, a larger-than-life tractor, a zip line, and big puzzles. Hungry? Catch trout and have the kitchen prepare fish ‘n’ chips to eat at the restaurant or on one of the picnic tables.
Westonbirt Arboretum
Parents will be impressed to learn that Westonbirt Arboretum is home to 2,500 different species of trees and plants from around the globe. While that factoid might not resonate with littles, the underage crowd doesn’t need to read the brochure to find delight in collecting flowers, roaming the leaf-laden paths, playing in the wooden play area, and seeing the Gruffalo in real life.
Little Wild Things
Little Wild Things puts on nature-centric, imaginative play classes that get kids outside in an unstructured yet supervised environment. Think: racing snails, digging for treasure, and feeding pretend dragons. Pro tip: Reserve a spot in advance, as spaces are limited and book up quickly.
Where to Eat in the Cotswolds
The Old Shed
The Old Shed is one of the best breakfast spots for crews in all of the Cotswolds, with hearty, affordable food and a down-to-earth atmosphere. Pancakes with berries and bacon and eggs are a hit with kids. Same goes for homemade baked goods. Coloring pages and pencils wait on the shelf. The option to sit outside, which tends to be easier with littles, is much abbreviated. There’s also a wood tractor to play on while waiting for food.
The Restaurant at THE PIG-in the Cotswolds
If ever there was a place that could get kids to eat—and enjoy—vegetables, it would be The Restaurant at THE PIG-in the Cotswolds. Much of the produce is grown right on-site, and the rest of the ingredients come from local partners. I’m not suggesting ordering a side of roasted beets for a toddler, but it’s a great shareable complement to pasta bolognese or chicken with chips. Sprouts can also wander around the garden before the meal (or, as ours did, in between courses).
Bakery on the Water
Because sometimes all you need is a great sandwich and a croissant to make the kiddos happy. The family-run Bakery on the Water does baked goods, both sweet and savory, oh-so-well. It’s also in the lovely little town of Burton on the Water, which means ample ice cream shops and idyllic canals for family photos.
The Potting Shed
To be clear, The Potting Shed isn’t a kid-centric restaurant with trinkets and bland butter noodles. It’s a place both parents and children will enjoy thanks to the flavorful farm-to-table dishes with tasty tot-approved burgers for little palates. A changing table in the female restroom (which any caregiver will tell you isn’t a given) and high chairs, plus a grass lawn outside to roam and picnic tables (if you’d rather dine al fresco), make it a great spot for the whole family.
Otis & Belle
Perched on a pretty pedestrian street in the charming village of Stow-on-the-Wold, Otis & Belle is an artisan Cotswolds bakery that does everything well. The grab-and-go setup makes it a great place to pick up something sweet or savory when hunger hits. Though, admittedly, the sourdough baguettes, hot cross buns, cruffins, and croissants in the window look so delicious, it’s hard to walk by and not grab something.
Lindsay Cohn, Contributing Writer
Lindsay is a freelance writer and avid traveler who has visited 46 countries across six continents—and counting. She writes articles for The Everymom about all things travel, from the best family-friendly destinations to tips for traveling with kids and beyond. When she’s not writing, you can find her doing yoga, spending time with her sons, and planning the next trip on her bucket list.