London and Paris with Kids

London and Paris are two of the greatest cities in the world! They feature castles, parks, playgrounds, and world class attractions. And as we’ve learned, they are a wonderland for kids. We recently spent one week exploring both cities with our three daughters (and my mom joined us!). We are sharing our one week London and Paris with kids itinerary. Traveling with kids can be a beautiful experience! I hope this itinerary will help you and inspire you to plan your own London and Paris with kids trip.

If the process of planning a trip with kids feels overwhelming, start here!

Day 1 – Travel NYC to London

We booked a direct flight from NYC to London. Before departing NYC, the girls played at the TWA Hotel in Terminal 5 at JFK. To see the bags that we packed on our trip, check out this blog!

Day 2 – London: Victoria, Westminster, City of London

When we arrived to London, we hit the ground running. We dropped our bags off at our hotel, The Resident Victoria, grabbed pastries from Gail’s, and ate breakfast on the steps of the Victoria Memorial in front of Buckingham Palace. The girls played at the playground at St. James Park, we walked The Mall, enjoyed treats on the Peppa Pig Afternoon Tea Bus Tour, and ended the day at The Tower of London.

We took the Uber Boat up the River Thames back to our hotel. After a busy first day of travel, we were all ready for sleep!

Day 3 – Travel London to Paris

We enjoyed a leisurely morning in London. We picked up pastries at Gail’s and watched the royal horses at The Royal Mews. Then we took the Eurostar train direct from London Paddington Station to Paris Gare du Nord. Before boarding the train, we picked up Meal Deals from Boots, located across the street from the train station.

Once on the train, the girls enjoyed visiting the dining car and playing with their favorite travel activities.

After arriving in Paris, we walked from the train station to our Airbnb in the 2nd arrondissement. It was a beautiful walk and we enjoyed the sights and sounds of Paris. Once we got settled into our apartment, we looked out the window and saw the Eiffel Tower for the first time! In the evening, we walked to Les Hallets. There is a beautiful playground for children that sits in the footsteps of Eglise Saint-Eustache. That evening we ate dinner at Le Petit Bouillon Pharamound, which served traditional French food and is very family friendly!

Day 4 – Paris: Seine, Chaillot, Champ de Mars

We started our first full day in Paris with a morning photo shoot with Katie Donnelly Photography at the Louvre. After the photo shoot we walked across the Pont Royal bridge over the Seine River to the Musée d’Orsay. Once inside, the girls enjoyed looking at artwork and sketching in their travel journals.

After the museum we rode the carousel in Jardin des Tuileries and then took the metro to the Arc de Triomphe in Chaillot. We climbed to the top and enjoyed one of the best views in Paris.

After lunch we walked to the Place du Trocadero and the girls enjoyed playing in the playground in the Jardins du Trocadero. We rode the carousel and then watched the sun set from the Champ de Mars and then took the metro back to our apartment.

Day 5 – Paris: Louvre, Luxembourg, Latin Quarter

We booked 9am timed entry tickets for the Louvre so that we could explore when it opened. On the previous day we’d explored the outside, but now we got to see the art inside! We spent several hours inside the museum (and found Mona Lisa). Then we ate lunch at BO&MIE Louvre-Rivoli and then took the bus to Le Jardin du Luxembourg.

We spent the afternoon sailing small boats, playing at the playground, riding the carousel (which is the oldest carousel in the city) and then the girls rode ponies around the park. This park was one of our favorites in all of Paris!

At dusk we walked from Le Jardin du Luxembourg through the Latin Quarter to the Cathedral de Notre Dame. We watched the sun set while the girls wrote in their travel journals. Then we took the metro back to our apartment.

Day 6 – Paris: Versailles

We spent one entire day exploring the area around the Palace of Versailles! We grabbed pastries for breakfast and then took the train from central Paris to Versailles. Make sure you hold on to your ticket, so that you’re able to exit the train station without a fine!

We explored The Palace while Margaret took a nap in the toddler carrier. The entire building is stunning! We enjoyed touring The Hall of Mirrors, The King and Queen’s Apartments, and the State Rooms, but the true majesty of Versailles is the gardens outside.

We took the little train from The Palace to The Petite Trianon, Marie Antionette’s Palace. We ate lunch at the restaurant inside the Petite Trianon and then explored The Queen’s Hamlet.

The Queen’s Hamlet looks like the village from Beauty and the Beast. It is still home to animals including pigs, goats, and bunnies! The girls explored this expansive area, and since it’s off the beaten path, it was quite empty. This area of Versailles offers a glimpse into the beauty of the French countryside.

That evening we took the train back to Paris and enjoyed some fondue for dinner. Then we went back to the apartment to pack our bags for travels the next day. We were headed to London once again!

Day 7 – London: Kensington, Covent Garden

After enjoying our last bites of Paris croissants and pastries, we took the Eurostar train back to London. We dropped our bags at the hotel and spent the afternoon in Kensington.

We visited the Natural History Museum, explored Hyde Park, and the girls enjoyed playing at the playground. We then treated the older girls to an evening at the theatre to see Matilda The Musical. We took the double decker bus from our hotel in Victoria to Covent Garden, and then back that evening.

Day 8 – Travel London to NYC

We booked a direct return flight from London to NYC. We loaded our packing cubes into our favorite travel bags. I wore my comfy jogger pants and my mom carried her very fashionable purse. The girls enjoyed watching movies on the flight home with their headphones on, and coloring with break-resistant crayons in their new Paris coloring books. We were exhausted after a whirlwind week of travel, but our hearts were incredibly full!

London and Paris with kids was a wonderful adventure! We hope by sharing our itinerary, it helps you as you plan your own trips. There is a lot of world to explore, and it can be fun to bring your kids along!

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