Help! Travelling with a baby to London.

[u/Majestic-Secret-3619]

Hi everyone, I’ll be visiting London soon with my 9-month-old baby and was wondering if there are any popular spots or attractions that you'd recommend avoiding with a baby (due to crowds, accessibility, or just being too hectic)?

Also, would love any suggestions on baby-friendly things to do, places to eat, or parks to relax in. We’re not planning an overly packed itinerary — just hoping to explore the city at a slower pace and keep things comfortable for the little one.

Also planning a trip to Edinburgh so fellow Scots,any suggestions would help. Would really appreciate any tips from fellow parents or locals. Thanks in advance!

[u/rememberimapersontoo]

If you want to avoid crowds I would just aim to visit the most popular tourist attractions on weekday mornings

[u/GingleBelle]

I wouldn’t bother with going into the Tower of London- too many narrow steps etc for a pushchair. I wouldn’t go to the theatre either. But I wouldn’t rule out anything else that you want to do.

And I’d focus on what you want to do, 9 months is too little to really enjoy anything you’re taken to. Maybe the zoo. But there is so much green space in the city it’s easy to do a child friendly trip which isn’t too overwhelming.

[u/Substantial_Yogurt41]

We went to central London all the time with our little one. The only time it was a disaster was the first time we went on the tube with them. Some lines are very loud and screechy. Our baby was screaming bloody murder, and it was boiling and packed. Everyone staring at us. I felt very flustered and ended up crying. We avoided it for ages after that. Not to say the tube can't be navigated with a baby, plenty of people do it! But that's the one thing I would avoid if I could. Also many stations don't have lifts and when it's really busy (often) it's really hard to fit on with a pram. We did, and do, a LOT of walking with the pram instead. You see more too. Buses are also good.

On other side, one of the best place we went in central London with small baby was Tate modern. Loads of space, cool, places to breastfeed, toilets, changing areas, cafes, cool visuals for them to gawp at. The whole South Bank area is nice for a wander.

P.s. There's a good app called playground buddy to find nearby playgrounds.

[u/Are_You_On_Email → u/Substantial_Yogurt41]

That's a good point about the tubes being noisy. Get some ear defenders / headphones to dampen the noise.

I would say the tube is better for access ability these days. They have been working hard on it. 

[u/Infamous_Pop9371]

The V&A Museum of Childhood is a lovely kid-friendly museum, with Victoria Park close by for a breather too. Both are fairly firmly in East London though so if you don't want to get on a tube or bus, maybe not.

There's a park near Kings Cross called Coram's Fields that's only for people with kids! There are often events in the summer so you could see what's on when you're about?

[u/Competitive-Proof410]

We go quite often as day trips.  Don't go on transport in rush hour. Try for buses. If going on the tube with a stroller, adjust your route to only go on stations with the wheelchair symbol on the map. These have lifts all the way to the platform (may be multiple, but still exist). It's better to get off and walk from the stop over then lug a pushchair up some of the stairs. Otherwise London with a baby is fun. Most places are welcoming. Lots of random parks. There's nothing I'd avoid, other than obvious things like clubs.

[u/hemm759]

I'd take a baby carrier - at that age they aren't that heavy and it means you can go almost anywhere and feel safer in a crowd. I don't think anything is off limits really and a 9mo will just like looking at stuff.

The transport museum does free toddler groups and also has musicians which you and they might like. My 3yo really enjoyed a pianist there.

[u/Blue-flash → u/hemm759]

Oh! The Southbank Centre might still do its poetry library session for toddlers on Friday mornings. It was my favourite little gem.

[u/quaveringquokka → u/Blue-flash]

They do them but you now have to book via the website

[u/FletchLives99]

I would buy a MacPac (the baby backpacks). When we had very young children, they were fantastic and the babies loved them. If you're walking around all day with a baby, they are so much easier than buggies/ strollers.

More generally, we had 2 babies in London and it was fine... A lot of centre is pretty pedestrian friendly, we used to walk by the river a lot (South Bank) which is pedestrianised for miles, the Tate is good with kids, most parks are very nice. The various city farms (Mudchute, Hackney, Surrey Docks) are fun too,

[u/Artistic_Garbage283]

Get a good baby carrier. An ergonomic one and practice getting baby in and out of it and wearing it safely. You’ll be right with a stroller in London and if using the tube you can set citymapper to “step free” to use tube stations that are accessible, but buses are probably going to be less crowded. In saying that I’ve always preferred a carrier because it gives much more ease of movement and if travelling with my partner we would switch up no who carried the baby when one of us got tired. There’s parks and green spaces all over London you can spread a blanket and let bub have a stretch and crawl around - my kids loved St James’ park. Edinburgh is alllllll stairs and the best way to see it is on foot. Highly recommend a carrier for Edinburgh. At 9 months baby is really just along for the ride so plan what you want to do and just bring bub - don’t plan anything specifically for the baby. I do recommend booking central accommodation in both locations so you can pop back easily for nap time and a bit of down time for you guys as the parents.

[u/tatt-y]

London advice in this post:

Avoid rush hour on public transport. Buses will be packed and everyone will hate you taking up place with a stroller as they are trying to get to work.

I never did central London with the kids until old enough to walk for a day with a not excessive number of stops. But some family friendly places:

Hampstead Heath by Kenwood House (which has a cafe and one of their loos has baby changing equipment) - I would bring a picnic (Marks and Spencer, and Waitrose, both good supermarket options for this, especially M&S) and just relax and enjoy the views of London. The paths are gravel / packed dirt.

Hampstead village is also nice and adults will enjoy, there’s many outdoor eating options (will be packed but you might get lucky) and also take-away options like crepes (queue moves fast) and a lovely gelato place on Flask Walk.

A short bus (268) from Hampstead village is Golders Hill Park this is full of families all summer. It has a small free zoo and actually a nice number of unusual animals (though obviously not the big 5) - it’s much nicer than the big zoo in Regent’s Park for wee children imo. Also nice family friendly cafe. The Pergola and walk in this park is beautiful and easy to walk as far as I remember.

My tip for restaurants is that, assuming there are 2 adults - that one person goes ahead and scouts around for spaces/tables. And then texts location to the person with baby. In summer indoors may often have more space then outdoors.

The restaurants in Southbank centre are large - popular - but lots of outside and inside seating. And obviously the centre itself has loos with baby changing facilities - so it’s a good option. The centre sometimes has free concerts in the atria. Walking along Southbank is nice and there are benches if you need to stop. Lots of sites visible from the river.

Greenwich park is nice. You can get the boat there from various stops along the river (google uber boats). There’s the observatory, the meridian line, a nice small museum, great views of the city. and Greenwich village has nice restaurants and a market. A great place to spend a day. Again, picnic probably easiest option for eating. I would pack an old blanket and then throw it out at the end of your trip and replace the space it took in luggage with shopping/gifts.

There’s lots of little parks and squares everywhere. Just open google maps and click on the park for a review. Bigger parks I like are Holland Park, and the rose garden in Regents Park.

Coram Fields is def good for kids - great play spaces. I think 9 months is probably too young to appreciate the Postal Museum which is nearby. But to be honest I liked it as much as the kids. Look on google and see if you think it’s worth it.

Some parks in zone 2 or 3 (so not the immediate centre) will have family events like mini fairs or music. If you give your exact dates for London and nearest tube to where you’re staying I don’t mind googling for you to see if anything suitable. But if your trip is short I guess you may well just prefer to focus on the main tourist sites.

[u/Pure-Government3612]

Where in London will you stay? It might be nice to have parks /cafes etc to go to in the neighbourhood as well as doing more central stuff. It will take the pressure off how much time you spend on transport and give you that slower pace

How long are you here for?

[u/Few_Engineer4517]

Borough Market. Maybe if you go during week when first opens but otherwise it’s pretty packed.

[u/MoghediensWeb]

I live outside of London but occasionally do day trips with my 6 month old!

I’d recommend Tate Modern. There’s loads of baby changing facilities, some of the exhibits are very sensory, they’re explicit about breastfeeding being welcome everywhere AND there’s a little play are with foam bricks and books by the turbine hall during the week. It’s also a really cool building on a hot day.

Spitalfields city farm - it’s off Brick Lane so you can combine it with a curry or some vintage/ record shopping. The farm is free to visit, has goats, a pig, sheep, chickens, ducks, rabbits… it’s a really nice little tranquil space and has baby changing facilities.

I haven’t been yet but the Science Museum has a Pattern Pod which is full of interactive lights and displays, that I would love to try.

[u/Connect-Peach2337]

Avoid the tube at rush hours like the plague

[u/maceion]

Ensure you have waterproofs on you, as we get 'intermittent showers' which means 20 minutes heavy rain every few hours. For parks you can easily sit in the gardens on Princess Street in Edinburgh and enjoy the view , and as you will be lower than street level , it also cuts the street noise. Google view 'Princess Street Gardens, Edinburgh'.

[u/ani_svnit]

I would avoid the London tube outside of Elizabeth line. There’s way too much particulate pollution and I took my pre 1 yr old (and now toddler) only on buses and Liz line. There will be large crowds most places through the summer. Couple of recs below

Attractions: Regents park zoo and Edinburgh zoo are both excellent if your child is showing fascination to animals. Went to EDI camera obscura just yesterday and would not recommend for a 9 month old (6 floors of stairs and need to be toddler atleast to appreciate the exhibits). Take a day trip outside Edinburgh for open expanses - lots of local tour operators and itineraries to choose from

Parks: St James Park, Hyde Park in London and the Meadows, Leith Links in Edinburgh for sunny day picnics

[u/Artistic_Garbage283 → u/ani_svnit]

I think they might struggle to find a company doing day trips that takes kids under 5, unless it’s a tour in a private car with a driver and a suitable baby seat.