The first time Little A and I ventured to London it didn’t really go to plan. I got completely overwhelmed by it all but three months later we returned. And I’m so glad we did.
London is amazing for kids. When your baby is in a pram you can just walk and walk and walk, taking in all the beautiful parks and neighbourhoods. One of the mistakes we made last time was trying to ‘do’ London the same way we always had. Involving busy places at busy times, which really isn’t pram friendly.
As cliched as it is, once you get off the beaten track, there are so many beautiful streets and small parks to discover. Even just taking the street behind the main one takes you into a whole other world. London has some stunning architecture so by just wandering you stumble upon spots you wouldn’t have otherwise seen. While there are tube stations with lifts, they’re few and far between so one of the best ways to get around really is on foot. There are loads of maps on street corners to check if needs be.
One of our favourite spots in London is the South Bank but after our last visit, where our trip along the South Bank was horrendous – it was a Saturday mid-afternoon and we had to deal with a situation that is now laughingly referred to as a ‘Tate Modern’, clue – it involved a leaky baby. We weren’t sure that we’d be able to venture back. But a bit of early evening sunshine makes anything feel possible, so we braced ourselves for the crowds and headed over.
And it was brilliant.
There was a Spanish festival on and the area was chock-a-block with families. It was so relaxed and had such a nice atmosphere that pushing a pram through was no problem at all. I think the lesson learned here was to pick your time if visiting popular spots. There was a huge difference between a Friday evening and a Saturday afternoon.
I could ramble on for hours about everything we did so I’ve popped a few favourites below:
Battersea Park
A brilliant park to wander through because anytime I’ve been, it’s always been so peaceful. There’s a wide path alongside the river and lots of paths through the trees, past the boating lake and through beautiful greenery. There’s a kid’s zoo there too which I didn’t go in but I imagine it would be fun for older kids. Take a picnic as there are loads of places to sit, whether it be on the grass or on one of the hundreds of benches.
The only teeny tiny issue with Battersea Park is that it’s not particularly near any tube station (Sloane Square is probably the closest but has stairs) but it’s a fab place to walk to for a bit of peace and quiet.
Regent’s Park & Primrose Hill
Regent’s Park is huge and such a lovely place to while away a morning/ afternoon or probably even a day! The rose gardens were beautiful to walk round – they all had quirky names and vibrant colours. There were lots of fountains and paths to have a good meander around. A short walk from there and a bit of a workout pushing the pram up the hill and you get a brilliant view over the city from Primrose Hill – definitely worth the effort.
Nova Victoria
When waiting for my other half to get into Victoria Station I came upon Nova Victoria – this is a really nice ‘row’ of restaurants on a pedestrianised street with lots of outdoor seating and tons of restaurants. I was drawn to Ole & Steen, a Danish bakery that had amazing looking cakes in the window. After major pondering, I chose a (huge) piece of their ‘social slice’ a chunk of cinnamon-y goodness which was a-may-zing!! There were lots of seats outside with plenty of space to put the pram, and while Little A was snoozing, a perfect spot to people watch. Plus the major bonus of it being non-smoking outside!
Ride the boat to Greenwich
The MBNA Thames Clippers are really easily accessible with a pram and you don’t have to fold it down which is handy. We’d never been on a boat on the Thames before so it was exciting sharing the experience with Little A. He happily stood on our laps and looked out of the huge windows while we zipped past some of the city’s most iconic buildings, including sailing under Tower Bridge. The tickets are a little on the pricey side but it’s definitely worth doing. We hopped on the DLR to get back to the city – all of which stations are fully accessible.
Closest accessible tube: Westminster for Westminster Pier. All DLR stations are accessible.
Greenwich Village
The village is gorgeous, although on the busy side, but we didn’t have any issues with getting through with the pram. Grab a picnic and head on up to the park. The views here are gorgeous! If you don’t mind a bit of a workout and pushing your pram up a rather steep slope head on up to the observatory. But don’t stop here, keep on walking. Look for signs to One Tree Hill (sadly no Lucas, Peyton or Nathan here!) but there is a little slice of peaceful heaven. While people clamoured over themselves at the front of the observatory for a view, we relaxed here while one or two people came and went, enjoying the incredible views. Not that we were feeling smug at all.
For older kids and adults, the Maritime Museum in Greenwich is brilliant. It’s free and has some really fascinating exhibits.
The Sky Garden
Located at the top of 20 Fenchurch aka. the walkie talkie building, the Sky Garden is a free public garden that happens to be located 36 floors up and has some of the best views in the city. You have to prebook a ticket but it is free and fully accessible. There’s an outdoor viewing platform that overlooks the Thames, the Shard and Tower Bridge, it’s brilliant!
…Or just wander
One of the best things to do in London is just walk. There are so many little parks all over the place and plenty of cafes to stop at if you need to feed or change bubba. London has such a wonderful joie de vivre about it which makes it such an enjoyable place to be. I’ve found if you put all expectations aside and go at your own pace, it’s a brilliant place to explore with a baby in tow.
Get us outside 