Best Things to do in London at Night with Family

Are you looking for the best things to do in London at night with family in tow? There are many great things to do in London at night but not everything will be family friendly. In this guide we round up the best child friendly restaurants, where to go and best things to do in London at night with kids.

Although London is a great family friendly destination whether you are traveling to London with a baby, toddlers, tweens or teens. However evenings can be a difficult time to plan for. In this guide we round up the best child friendly London shows, where to eat the best London attractions to visit in London at night.

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Best Things to do in London at Night with Family

Ceremony of the Keys at the Tower of London

For me the Ceremony of the Keys at the Tower of London is an absolute must do for any London bucket list. However it can be tricky to get tickets to. 

The Ceremony of the Keys at the Tower of London is over 700 years old and takes place every night. The tickets must be booked online in advance and get fully booked very very quickly. If you enjoyed the ceremony at the Changing of the Guards, then you are going to love the Ceremony of the Keys. 

You will need to arrive at the Tower of London, West Gate for 9:30 when you will be escorted inside. It is really important to be punctual as late arrivals are not granted admission. 

Please note: if you are visiting with young children that there are no toilet or refreshment facilities during the ceremony which will last until 22:05.

London Eye

Of all the major London attractions, one of my favorites to visit at night with family is the London Eye. 

Although the London Eye is good at any time of day it is great at night to see the London skyline lit up. 

Please note the operating times change through out the year so be sure to check hours for your dates of travel. 

We definitely advise getting your tickets in advance as the queues for the London eye get pretty long even at night. And if you are traveling to London on a budget it is worth looking at combination tickets if you plan on seeing more than one of the Merlin attractions. 

Hamley’s

Hamley’s, the world’s oldest toy shop is a must of any London family itinerary. It always surprises me how long we spend across the four floors of toys. There are lots of games and booths with samples and demonstrations that my little one love. 

And I think the night is the best time to go. The crowds are not as bad in the evening as during the day here and it is open relatively late. 

Hamley’s is open to 8pm daily except on Sundays when it closes at 6pm. 

But if Hamley’s isn’t your thing then why not try the Lego Store in Leiceseter Square instead! 

Walk along the Southbank

The Southbank is one of my favorite places to head for a stroll with family at night in London. You get an amazing view of the London skyline, and it is an area full of loads of child friendly restaurants such as Wahaca, Giraffe and Dim sum restuarants to name but a few. 

Watch an Imax film

The BFI near the London Southbank area has an amazing IMAX cinema. Be sure to check out what child friendly films are on and go check out this super cool cinema. 

Take a river cruise

Taking a cruise down the River Thames is on our to do list no matter the time of day in London, but there is something extra special about doing this at night when the city lights up!

On a river cruise you will pass famous London landmarks such as

• Tower Bridge
• Tower of London
• Parliament, Big Ben and
• the Tate Modern

to name just a couple. 

If you’re not looking for a cruise with commentary then the Uber Boat by Thames Clippers is your best option.

Take a Cable Car over the Thames

If you aren’t able to get tickets for the London eye at night, or want to do something more budget friendly in London why not take a cable car ride of the Thames instead. You still see all the amazing London lights but for a fraction of the cost.

The stations you can get this from are:

Watch Covent Garden Street Performers

Child Friendly London Shows 

We often get asked what London shows are child friendly and there are actually lots of them. 

If you are traveling to London with toddlers you will find there are limited shows they will be admitted into however once they reach the age of 4 we recommend: 

Frozen

The Drury Lane Theatre is one of Covent Garden’s biggest attractions and currently this houses one of the best theatre shows in London for kids – Frozen. 

If you have a little one who is obsessed with the film, like my little girl was they are going to love this to stage adaption. 

The show is almost a scene by scene recreation of the film with a couple of new songs added in for good measure! My daughter thought the Hygge song where Wandering Oaken’s family comes out of the Sauna “naked” particularly hilarious. 

It is also worth noting that children under the age of 4 will not be admitted. 

Watch the Lion King

This show is on at the Lyceum and is another great choice of things to do in London at night with kids who have perhaps have outgrown Frozen. 

Matilda

The Matilda Musical by Tim Minchin, which has just be turned into a hit film with Emma Thompson is also a theatre show which runs at the Cambridge Theatre near Seven Dials. 

This show has been running for over a decade and is showing no signs of waning popularity. 

London Shows for Teenagers

However if you are visiting London with tweens or teens then there are lots of other shows that are suitable. Some very popular shows suitable for teens and tweens include

• Six – the musical that rewrites the history of Henry VIII six wives. 
• Back to the Future – the musical adaption of the hit 80s movies. 
• Have you Heard about Jamie

Best Child Friendly Restaurants in London 

If you are visiting London with kids and looking for child friendly London restaurants with kids menus then some of our favorites are:

Wahaca

This chain Mexican restaurant owned and operated by Masterchef winner Thomasina Myers offers great sharing plates of Mexican plates for grown ups. But it also has a great kids menu. My little one loves the Fish tacos but there are quesadillas and other great options even if you have a fussy eater.

There are multiple locations of this chain around the city.

Dishoom

This is a bit of a darling in the London chain food scene. Serving up Indian food, which for me is a must eat on any London itinerary,  this restaurant has a range of classic and more off the wall Indian dishes. 

And if you have a more adventuruous foodie the kids menu will sure to delight too! 

THere are multiple locations around the city.

Balthazar

Balthazar is a beautiful restaurant right on the piazza in Covent Garden. We love this restaurant as not only is the grown up food good but the kids menu offers more than just burgers and nuggets with healthier options such as salmon. This is our personal go to when we are visiting Covent Garden with kid

What NOT to do in London at night with kids. 

Although you may consider doing an activity such as bowling or crazy golf at night I would not advise this for families in London at night as many of these places become adults only in the evening. 

Have you been to London at night with kids? What was your favorite thing to do? Let us know in the comments below!