When people think of London, a budget-friendly trip probably isn’t the first thing that comes to mind. But we traveled to London as a family of four, and we’re happy to share our best tips. Traveling to London on a budget is definitely possible.
Hi! I’m Helena, a cheerful thirty-something who loves exploring with her family.
Want to never run out of inspiration for fun outings? Make sure to follow along on Instagram or TikTok 🙂
Hotel and meals
Hotel stays and eating out are usually the biggest expenses of any trip. That’s why we looked for a budget hotel and found a hidden gem right in central London: Travelodge London City. This hotel is part of the Travelodge chain. We stayed here for three nights during the autumn break with two adults and two kids. We booked both breakfast and dinner at the hotel and paid around 600 euros in total. Not bad for central London, right?
On the website, you can clearly see the price per night, which allows you to play around with dates and find the cheapest option.
For us, this was perfect: we had a spacious family room in a central location and enjoyed two affordable and tasty meals a day. The dinner at the hotel was good, with plenty of choices and vegetarian options too. I wouldn’t call it romantic, but it was perfect for a family.
You can read my full review of the Travelodge London City Hotel here.
Free or affordable activities in London
There are so many free things to do in London, even with kids. Here are some of our favorites:
- Science Museum (book a free ticket in advance)
- Natural History Museum (book a free ticket in advance)
- British Museum (book a free ticket in advance)
- St. Paul’s Cathedral
- Butterfly Trail
- Diana Memorial Playground
- St James’s Park Playground
- Changing of the Guard at Buckingham Palace
- Wandering through Notting Hill
Not free, but budget-friendly:
- Uber Boat
- Hamleys (you probably won’t leave without buying a toy)
- Power Up at the Science Museum
- Rooftop Film Club in Stratford
- Tasting goodies at Borough Market
You can find the full itinerary of our family trip to London here. That’s where you’ll also read all about the Peppa Pig bus, which was fantastic—though a bit less budget-friendly.
Have a great trip!
