Looking for things to do in London with tweens if it’s not their first time? When the newness factor of London wears off for the kids, it can be tricky planning all the London things you want to see while keeping the whole family happy. Couple that with kids too old to find the Shrek Experience cool, and too young to dare the London Dungeon, finding the best things to do in London for a day again can be quite a chore.
While there are tons of London sightseeing attractions for kids, planning a day with tweens already familiar with London can take some extra planning. Museums kept to a minimum for sanity sake, this post outlines an atypical day in London with tweens that’s super fun for the parents, too.
Leveraging what’s left on my abbreviated London bucket list eager to check off all the things, layered with ideas from the kids, here’s an awesome way to spend a day sightseeing in London with tweens.
Table of Contents
London With Tweens Itinerary
In order of activity with strategically timed things to do for both tweens and parents, here’s how to start and end a day in London….with no complaints.
1 – Arsenal Stadium
Hornsey Rd, London N7 7AJ
You don’t have to be an Arsenal diehard fan to love this self-guided tour. You see and learn all aspects of what the stadium is like as a fan and a player. From pretend dining in the posh Diamond Club, to wandering the locker room, to entering the field via the player’s entrance, and taking the hot seat in the post-game press room, the stadium is top-notch and the tour delivers on all fronts.
The amount of time you spend in Arsenal Stadium is likely linear to your love of the team. For my Junior Gunner fans, we spent 1.5 hours. You can book your Arsenal Stadium tour here.
Arsenal Stadium Tour London
2 – Dalloway Terrace at The Bloomsbury
16-22 Great Russell St, London WC1B 3NN
For a lunch that appeals to all the senses, Dalloway Terrace in The Bloomsbury Hotel is quite the treat. A place to feel seen and be seen, it’s one of those pretty London patio restaurants decked out in flowers that Instagrammers gush over.
The food is amazing for adults and spot-on for tweens who are happy with American-sized burgers and British-sized fish and chips.
After walking around Arsenal Stadium, a visit to The Bloomsbury for lunch at Dalloway Terrace, and a stroll through The Coral Room, is the perfect refueling point for the parents. Your tween kids will be impressed, too.
Book a Dalloway Terrace lunch for your epic day in London with tweens.
Happy kid! Dalloway Terrace at The Bloomsbury Hotel
3 – St. Paul’s Cathedral
St. Paul’s Churchyard, London EC4M 8AD
The best way to see the inside of St Paul’s Cathedral with tweens is to do it fast. While St Paul’s Cathedral deserves a proper visit of at least an hour or so, it can be a hard sell for kids who’ve seen their fair share of UK cathedrals. However, it is St Paul’s Cathedral and an absolute must for anyone visiting London. Here’s an easy way to visit St Paul’s Cathedral with kids.
For our own family of four, we lit a candle (a tradition we’ve established living in the UK), said a quiet prayer, took some photos, and felt fulfilled. For a day in London with kids, our St Paul’s Cathedral visit was a success, but you may want more. Book St Paul’s tickets in advance for availability, hours, and times of worship. You can not tour the inside during hours of worship so plan accordingly.
If you do arrive at a time when St Paul’s Cathedral is closing for service, ask the attendant if you can quickly pop inside. There is a small chapel to the immediate left of the main entrance inside the Cathedral. Although it’s only a small area that you can enter if you arrive during worship hours, you can still experience its magnificence.
St Paul’s Cathedral, London
4 – Leadenhall Market
Gracechurch St, London EC3V 1LT
With St Paul’s Cathedral checked off the London bucket list, take the bus to Leadenhall Market. No day in London with tweens would be complete without at least one Harry Potter location included, and a big red bus ride.
Leadenhall Market, located in Central London on the edge of the financial district, served as the inspiration point for The Leaky Cauldron. Its impressive architecture is the Diagon Alley scene when Hagrid and Harry entered in Harry Potter and the Sorcerer’s Stone.
Why not just go to the Harry Potter Studios instead?
As London sightseeing goes for Harry Potter fans, Leadenhall Market is easier to experience than the overcrowded long queue for a photo at Platform 9 3/4 in King’s Cross. Even the Harry Potter Shop at 9 3/4 is hard to get into. The best way to visit is immediately upon store opening during a business day. Any other day or time to visit Platform 9 3/4 will kill your day plans in London.
Leadenhall Market is also more convenient than getting to The Making Of Harry Potter Warner Brother Studios. Don’t get me wrong, visiting the platform and visiting the studio are must-dos.
In fact, visiting the Harry Potter studio is worth an entire day trip on its own – with or without kids. However, although the studio is marketed as a London attraction, it’s actually in Watford, about an hour’s journey from King’s Cross.
So although Leadenhall Market isn’t as commercial as the other Harry Potter locations, it offers Harry Potter bragging rights all the same. And since it’s peppered with shops, pubs, and an overall cool London vibe, it’s a perfect addition for a day in London with tweens.
Leadenhall Market for Harry Potter fans
5 – Tower Bridge Glass Floor
Tower Bridge Road, London SE1 2UP
For kids that love a rush, plan on a walk across the Tower Bridge Glass Floor. This kid attraction isn’t as widely marketed as others like the London Eye, making it a great surprise for kids, teenagers, and definitely adults. With no reference of what to expect, the Tower Bridge Glass Floor starts with a walk through the impressive history of making the bridge, before entering the Glass Floor itself.
Whether you jump, lay down, mimic Spiderman, or cross as fast as you can, the Tower Bridge Glass Walk is super cool. Your cool kids will love it, too.
The storytelling of Tower Bridge carries on past the Glass Floor through to the exit and gift shop. It offers just enough museum feel to keep the kids interested while still on a high from standing on glass over the Thames River. This attraction is worth taking all your out-of-town nieces and nephews to.
Tower Bridge Glass Walk – a top thing to do in London with tweens
6 – Duck & Waffle
110 Bishopsgate, London EC2N 4AY
After sightseeing London with tweens, end the day on a high – literally. Show the kids London from above and ride to the 40th floor via a glass elevator to Duck & Waffle in the Heron Tower. This is the highest viewpoint restaurant in all of London and the glass elevator ride to get there is one the kids will never forget.
The London views are incredible and the food is explosive. There is one warning. Duck & Waffle does not offer a kids’ menu so it requires some adventuring for picky eaters. (But there are always French fries…and theirs are delicious!)
Get a table by the window, point out iconic structures like the Gherkin, and watch the sun set over London. Between the glass elevator ride, the views, and amazing award-winning plates, it’s a special place to have dinner to conclude your day in London with kids.
Book Duck & Waffle reservations.
Duck & Waffle London
7 – Visit Sky Garden (optional)
1 Sky Garden Walk, London EC3M 8AF
Another option to conclude your day in London with the kids is Sky Garden. As you may have guessed, Sky Garden is London’s highest public garden with amazing panoramic views of London. It’s totally free to enter but you need to book your free ticket; reservations can be made up to 3 weeks in advance.
Sky Garden has a bar and restaurant offering panoramic views of London. This is a great place to go for an adult aperitif and dessert for the kids.
Sky Garden is a cool free place to take the kids
Getting Around For Your Day In London
While you can start a little earlier or end a little later, this is a packed agenda once you account for getting around London.
For transportation to London from St Albans, a mix of train, tube and the bus make it most interesting for the kids. Here’s how to use Google Maps if it’s your first time.
Final Tips For Things To Do In London With Tweens
The night or week before your day in London, watch Spider-Man: Far From Home. Having the Tower Bridge scenes fresh for the Glass Walk will be fun for the kids to mimic during their visit.
For more considerations of easy things to do in London with kids, check out the London Bus Tour. And for a museum kind of day with kids, be sure to read up on London lessons here.
