I by no means tire of strolling London’s streets, discovering a number of the metropolis’s secrets and techniques, however there’s no query that among the finest methods for households to discover is by boarding one of many string of bus excursions in London with youngsters.
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The hop-off hop-off bus routes in London are a good way to get round – the open-top bus is at all times a success with my daughter, and it’s useful for attending to A to B whilst you sightsee, if you happen to fancy a break from the tube.
However you’ll additionally discover themed excursions, together with enjoyable choices for teenagers and toddlers, and might even mix a visit with afternoon tea. When you’re undecided the place to begin, I’ve picked out the perfect London bus excursions with youngsters, plus a number of the greatest methods to discover a low cost.
For extra concepts on how to save cash on days out in London with youngsters, take a look at my prime suggestions
TOOTBus London Hop On Hop Off Tour
With extra freedom and adaptability than continuous bus excursions (very best with youngsters), there are two essential choices in order for you a hop-on hop-off tour of London.
TOOTBus is among the greatest bus excursions in London with youngsters, with a fleet of open prime buses making 35 stops throughout two jam-packed routes, plus an app for real-time bus data and particulars of close by stops – scroll down for particulars of their different family-friendly excursions too.
The Yellow Route takes you across the West Finish and alongside the River Thames to the Metropolis of London and Tower Bridge. The Blue Route additionally covers the landmarks of the West Finish in central London earlier than travelling additional west to South Kensington, Hyde Park, Notting Hill and Paddington.
There’s presently 15% off Tootbus London Discovery Excursions and Should See London – legitimate to March 31, 2024 (excluding household tickets) Click on right here to ebook
Audio information commentary is accessible onboard, plus there’s a channel only for kids which is specifically designed to seize their consideration all through the journey.
You can too trade your Tesco Clubcard factors for TOOTBus vouchers to ebook your London tour with youngsters.
London bus tour + Thames river cruise
You may select both a one, two or three-day choice for the Should-See London tour ticket, which additionally features a Thames river cruise. A 24-hour ticket prices £42 for adults and £24 for youngsters (5-15) if you happen to purchase on-line upfront. Tickets are legitimate for 12 months.
Beneath 5’s journey without cost and are really helpful to sit down on an grownup’s lap. You may carry buggies on board however are requested to maintain them with you – if the bus isn’t busy, it’s best to be capable of retailer them downstairs, however may have to have the ability to fold them.
London Discovery hop on hop off tour
Or the London Discovery ticket is cheaper at £35/£20 however the River Thames sightseeing cruise isn’t included – if you happen to’re trying purely for the hop-on hop-off bus tour of London with youngsters, go for this one.
There’s additionally an excellent 60-minute Christmas lights tour throughout November and December (and the primary few days of January) in addition to a 90-minute London by Evening tour which departs at 7pm, if you happen to fancy seeing the town all lit up on a night tour.
Huge Bus Hop-On Hop-Off Tour
The opposite essential choice for hop-on hop-off bus excursions of London, Huge Bus’s Hop-On Hop-Off Tour has open-top sightseeing buses that run frequently all through the day and allow you to soar on and off at any of their 37 stops across the capital, and embrace a river cruise alongside the Thames.
The excursions additionally characteristic pre-recorded commentary so you’ll be able to be taught extra concerning the websites you see alongside the way in which, with tickets permitting you to attempt each of the corporate’s three London sightseeing routes.
The Crimson Route takes you round London’s most iconic landmarks, from Buckingham Palace and the Homes of Parliament within the west to St Paul’s Cathedral and the Tower of London within the east.
Buses run round each 20 minutes – obtain the app to get dwell bus instances – and permit round two and a half hours for the complete route (relying on visitors).
The Blue Route takes you to discover London’s West Finish, with stops together with Marble Arch, Harrods, Kensington Palace and Notting Hill, and takes round 90 minutes, whereas the Inexperienced Hyperlink route runs between Waterloo and Kings Cross.
Ebook tickets with free cancellation, discover particular provides on Huge Bus Excursions if you happen to ebook upfront, or hold a watch out for offers on websites comparable to Wowcher for some enormous Huge Bus reductions, which may make them quite a bit cheaper than the competitors.
London bus tour + Thames river cruise
Their basic 24-hour ticket together with a river cruise prices £31.50 for adults and £22.50 for youngsters between 5-15. Beneath 5’s journey without cost. Household tickets are additionally obtainable (2 adults & 2 kids), together with tickets together with further perks comparable to an evening tour.
London bus tour + attraction entry
Or take a look at the Huge Metropolis Saver ticket if you happen to’re planning to go to London’s Merlin attactions, with choices together with the Huge Bus Tour and London Eye entry (for traditional entry, in order for you London Eye quick observe entry, you’ll must ebook that individually).
For extra hop-on hop-off bus excursions of London, take a look at Metropolis Sightseeing and Golden Excursions
TOOTBus Children Tour
Tootbus can be one of many few tour corporations within the capital that runs a devoted London youngsters bus tour, aimed particularly at youthful kids.
The Tootbus Children Tour is a brief 45-minute tour that takes you across the websites of London’s West Finish.
From the highest of the double decker bus, you get wonderful views of well-known points of interest comparable to Huge Ben, the London Eye, Piccadilly Circus and extra. An enthusiastic information supplies dwell guided commentary for youngsters, filled with attention-grabbing details and enjoyable tales.
Children excursions run at 2pm each Friday, Saturday and Sunday all year long and each day throughout college holidays, plus there are generally particular Christmas youngsters excursions in December, for a enjoyable festive household time out in London.
Tickets value £20 for adults and youngsters, and youngsters underneath 4 go free.
Peppa Pig Afternoon Tea Bus Tour
Brigit’s Bakery is well-known in London for its themed afternoon tea bus excursions, which embrace seasonal menus together with spooky Halloween teas and festive Christmas teas.
However for youthful youngsters, the massive hit is the Peppa Pig themed afternoon tea bus tour for teenagers, aimed toward kids aged two and up.
Together with the colorful interiors, you’ll discover particular tablets on every desk that present a Peppa Pig guided animation of the London tour, plus themed candy and savoury treats, and an exercise ebook for little ones to take dwelling with them.
The bus additionally has a kids’s bathroom (not obtainable on their different excursions) in case of any emergencies. For barely older youngsters, there’s additionally a Paddington Afternoon tea bus tour, aimed toward age 5+.
When you get pleasure from your afternoon tea, Brigit’s Bakery classic Routemaster bus takes you on a 90-minute journey across the capital’s most well-known landmarks. Excursions run from Thursday to Sunday every week.
Harry Potter Bus Tour
Harry Potter followers each young and old are certain to like the Wizards London Bus Tour. You’ll spend slightly over three hours travelling round London’s prime Harry Potter locations, together with filming places from the flicks and the muggle websites that impressed JK Rowling’s authentic books.
The Wizard Bus Tour takes you previous magical places such because the inspiration for 12 Grimmauld Place, the doorway to the Leaky Cauldron, Gringotts Wizarding Financial institution and extra.
There are additionally a number of picture stops, together with Kings Cross Station the place you’ll be able to take the enduring picture pushing a trolley by means of the wall at Platform 9 ¾.
Excursions run on Sundays all year long and on Wednesdays throughout college holidays. When you’re travelling to London by practice with Nationwide Rail, you’ll be able to seize 2for1 tickets for the bus tour through the Days Out Scheme.
For extra Harry Potter places in London, take a look at my prime picks for followers to go to, together with guided strolling excursions
Ghost Bus Tour
Older kids and youths can get pleasure from listening to darkish tales from London’s previous on this Ghost Bus Tour, the UK’s solely comedy-horror theatre sightseeing expertise on wheels.
On the 75-minute London bus tour, you’ll go to the town’s most well-known points of interest and listen to tales of murders and hauntings that the majority different excursions miss out on. So whether or not you’re a neighborhood or simply visiting the capital, you’re assured to be taught one thing new.
You’ll be guided by a dwell ‘conductor’, and some thriller friends alongside the way in which, who’re there to ensure the interactive tour is a enjoyable, spooky, and memorable expertise for all of the household.
The tour departs from a bus cease on Northumberland Avenue at 19:30 and 21:00 every night – appropriate for youngsters 5+, though realistically this one’s higher with older youngsters.
Try my assessment of the Ghost Bus Tour of London – with youngsters, or with out
Classic London Bus tour
When you’ve received your coronary heart set on travelling on one of many basic London Routemaster buses – the normal purple double-decker buses that are so iconic – you’ll must ebook a particular Classic London Bus tour.
The route is designed to begin in central London, boarding at Victoria and passing a number of the metropolis’s iconic points of interest together with Huge Ben and the Homes of Parliament, Westminster Abbey and the Tower of London, earlier than letting you be a part of a sightseeing cruise on the River Thames.
After eyeing up extra of the town’s sights from the water, you board the bus as soon as extra and drive in the direction of Buckingham Palace (though buses can’t go near the monarch’s residence, you’ll be able to hop off to take photographs). The tour has 5 stops and you may get on and off at any of those.
You can too improve your ticket to get admission to the London Eye and even so as to add a tour to Stonehenge on to a morning tour. Tickets value from £52 for adults.
Create your individual London bus tour with youngsters
When you’re trying to save cash on a household vacation in London, the most cost effective bus tour in London with youngsters is a DIY choice.
Taking a experience on a iconic purple double-decker bus is at all times a favorite with youngsters, however you need to use the common Transport for London routes to see the sights as effectively if you happen to select your route fastidiously.
Bus journey is free for teenagers underneath 11 (age 11-15 want a Zip Oyster card to get the free rides, in any other case there’s 50% off if you happen to add the Younger Customer Low cost to an ordinary Oyster card), and single Hopper fares for folks are £1.75 with limitless journeys inside one hour of touching in together with your Oyster cross or contactless card – you’ll be able to’t purchase a bus ticket while you board.
Route 15
Head as much as the highest deck of Route 15 and also you’ll cross the Tower of London, St Paul’s Cathedral and Trafalgar Sq.. On financial institution holidays and at weekends from late March to the tip of September, you would possibly even discover the basic Routemaster buses operating.
Route 26
Route 26 is one other nice choice, travelling from Victoria to Horseguards Parade through Westminster Abbey, then on to Trafalgar Sq. and St Paul’s (the previous Route 11 has modified so now not stops right here).
Route 9
When you’re travelling to the South Kensington museums, route 9 goes from Trafalgar Sq. previous Picadilly Circus, Hyde Park, Knightsbridge and Kensington Palace.
Try my suggestions for utilizing the London Underground with youngsters right here
PIN FOR LATER: THE BEST BUS TOURS IN LONDON WITH KIDS
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