The unavoidable reality of having children once they reach school age, is that your options for holidays become somewhat limited. School calendars dictate when you can plan getaways, inevitably funnelling families toward the same holiday periods – half terms, Easter breaks, and especially those precious summer weeks. Unfortunately, the school holidays tend to coincide with London’s peak tourist seasons, leading to a large number of visitors all trying to see the same things. London at its most congested can test even the most patient family’s limits. But don’t let the crowds deter you from exploring this magnificent city with your children. This guide offers practical strategies and top tips for dealing with the crowds in London when visiting with children in tow, helping you to have a wonderful family holiday whilst minimising stress.
Visit outside of school holidays if you can
Visiting London with children outside of UK school holiday periods offers significant advantages for families seeking a more relaxed experience. During term time, popular attractions like the Natural History Museum, British Museum and National Gallery see dramatically reduced visitor numbers, meaning shorter queues and more space to explore without the crowds that characterise peak holiday periods.
Obviously this isn’t always an option, but may be possible if you are visiting from overseas, are able to utilise school inset days or if you are visiting at times when not all schools have the same holiday dates (for example, Easter and half-term dates often vary between regions).
Visit less high-profile attractions
If you are researching things to do in London then chances are that you will see the same ‘must-see’ and ‘must-do’ attractions. You will see the big world-class museums and galleries and other attractions. But London has a whole host of great things to do and see beyond its most iconic landmarks.
Venturing beyond London’s iconic landmarks can transform a family holiday from a series of stressful queues into a genuinely enjoyable adventure. The city’s less celebrated attractions offer families breathing room to appreciate their surroundings without battling overwhelming crowds. Children have the opportinity to engage more meaningfully with exhibits when they’re not constantly jostled, and parents can relax rather than vigilantly keeping track of kids in packed spaces.
For our suggestions on alternatives to London’s high-profile attractions, check out our post on Cheaper or quieter alternatives to big London attractions.
Visit high-profile attractions at their quietest times
If you don’t want to miss out on seeing London’s most famous and high-profile attractions, try and visit at times when they are quietest. Generally the quietest hours for attractions are at the start and end of their opening hours, with the busiest times being around midday.
So, if you want to see the Natural History Museum’s dinosaur gallery without the crowds or see the Crown Jewels at the Tower of London without queuing, consider carefully when you visit. Strategic timing will benefit children immensely when it comes to being able to see popular attractions without the crowds being oppressive.
Book a timeslot for popular attractions
Pre-Covid most of the museums, galleries and other free attractions accepted walk-ins only. In a post-Covid world, most now offer pre-booked timeslots. You can still usually queue up to enter without a ticket, but having a pre-booked ticket will usually mean that you will find yourself in a shorter queue to enter. Booking a timeslot also has the benefit that it usually guarantees you entry, whereas if you do not book a timeslot, you may find yourself refused entry if the attracted reaches maximum capacity.
Booking a timeslot will allow you to minimise your time queuing with your children and help to get you into attractions at a time that works best for you and your family.
Have a plan for visiting museums and galleries
There’s nothing better than wandering casually through a museum or gallery and seeing what you stumble upon that you might not have anticipated. But, when you are visiting London at busy times and with children, you may find that the crowds mean that this just isn’t feasible, or it isn’t a pleasant experience. The best way to combat this is to go into museums and galleries with a plan in mind as to what you want to see and where they are.
All of the big museums have maps and floorplans available online. So you can look in advance, decide what it is you want to see and then be able to head straight for those areas. So, for example, if it’s Roman history at the British Museum that you’re interested in, check the map in advance, make a note of the rooms you want to visit (you could even print off the map) and then when you enter you can go straight for the rooms that focus on the Romans. After that, anything else you see is a bonus and if you find it’s then too busy for your children then you can leave knowing you’ve seen what you want to see the most.
Plan your itinerary carefully
Crowds and busy attractions become a lot more manageable if your itinerary is planned to allow for a bit of flex and for breaks from the crowds.
Resist the temptation to pack your schedule with back-to-back attractions; instead, adopt a more measured pace that accommodates shorter attention spans and necessary snack breaks. Be prepared to change your plan if you go somewhere and you find that you need to leave earlier than you had planned because it is just too busy to be enjoyable.
In addition to allowing for flexibility, build in regular escapes from the crowds by incorporating time in playgrounds and open spaces, where kids can burn off energy while parents recharge. These moments of freedom not only provide welcome relief from structured sightseeing, allowing children to process their experiences while avoiding the overwhelm that comes with continuous stimulation.
Plan your routes to avoid the busiest streets
Sometimes you want to stroll down certain streets to see the shops, or certain landmarks along the way. But if you are simply trying to go from A to B then sometimes it’s better to avoid the main streets.
Although the main tourist streets will be busy, you will find that most of these streets have quieter streets that largely run parallel to them, but which will be much quieter. Many of these streets will lead to small garden squares or hidden bits of London that you might not have discovered if you had stuck to the main roads. So, in addition to avoiding the worst of the crowds, you might also get to discover some hidden gems.
Be prepared for crowds
It might sound obvious, but being prepared to deal with crowds will help you to deal with them. Talk to your children about what they might expect (especially if you come from somewhere where they don’t routinely deal with a lot of people), explain that you will take your time and that they should stay close to you. If your children may be sensitive to noise then consider whether ear defenders might be helpful.
Do you have a top tip for dealing with crowds when visiting London with children? Share in the comments!
