A Family Day Out in London: Our Favourite Stops
Where do we stop when we want a family day out in London? Not a day out only with my husband and child, but also with my father-in-law who visits us every year, but never had a chance to visit London before.
We decided to spend a day in the city, showing him as many famous sights as we could and enjoying the London atmosphere together.
Driving Through London: Museums, Palaces, and More
As we drove into London via the M4, we passed the western outskirts, where we could spot impressive buildings along Great West Road.
Before we parked, we wanted to drive around the city, this way, my father-in-law saw for the first time the Albert Museum, the Science Museum, Harrods — an impressive mall in London filled with luxury brands — Buckingham Palace, Trafalgar Square and the London Eye.
Our Favourite Stops
Our first stop was at one of our favourite shops, The Forbidden Planet. Entering this shop for the first time amazed me, because of two reasons. First, I’ve never been to a shop of this kind before (comic and graphic novels, manga, clothes, action figures, collectibles, etc.) and second, the size of it (there is the first floor and the underground section that is full of books and magazines).
Do you know what I found here? Sailor Moon books, one for each Sailor Guardian! I couldn’t resist and bought the first one, featuring Sailor Moon herself. It’s funny that now, as a mum, when I go to shops, I sometimes find things with characters I loved as a child, like Scooby-Doo, Powerpuff Girls, Sailor Moon — things that didn’t exist when I was little, at least where I lived. What cartoon did you enjoy watching when you were little?
Another shop that fascinated me on the way to Covent Garden was The Noble Collection. It was the first shop of this kind that I had ever visited. There were Harry Potter merchandise, replica wands, chess sets with different themes (some affordable, and others priced around £400, like the Lord of the Rings chess set), and more. It is a shop I recommend visiting, even just for the experience.
Exploring Covent Garden and M&M’s World
Our family day out in London continued with a walk to Covent Garden, a vibrant spot full of delicious food, live music, clothing shops, and pop-up markets. Even if it’s raining, parts of the area are covered, so it is perfect for exploring. There’s always something happening, from street performances to quirky stalls, making it a great place for families to wander.
After Covent Garden, we continued our walk to Chinatown, followed by our next and last stop: M&M’s World. The first time I came here, I think my son was four years old, and I remember being impressed by the shop — all the colours, the decorations, the merchandise, and even one or two cars displayed on the underground floor. How cool was that? Since it was close to Chinatown, we decided to visit it again. There were so many visitors that day that we had to wait outside for a couple of minutes before they let us in.
Ending Our Family Day Out in London
After such an exciting day, it was time to head home. We chose a different route, because it would have been sad to leave London without seeing some of its iconic landmarks. In the evening, my father-in-law had the chance to see Big Ben, Westminster Abbey and Tower Bridge as we enjoyed the views from the car too — a perfect way to end our day in the city.
What are your favourite spots for a family day out in London and which ones do you love to explore with your loved ones?
photo source: The Noble Collection website
A family day out in London always leaves us with tired feet, full hearts and lovely memories. If you’re still here, I would love for you to subscribe. Join me below.
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