10-DAY UK FAMILY ITINERARY
London, Windsor & Edinburgh
London → Harry Potter Studio Tour → Windsor → Edinburgh → London
The United Kingdom is an easy place to explore as a family because there is so much variety packed into one trip.
We divided our time between London and Edinburgh, with a few memorable day trips along the way. Central locations, trains, and buses made the trip much easier than trying to rent a car.
TRIP OVERVIEW
Route overview
London and Edinburgh were the two home bases. Windsor and the Studio Tour fit between them without adding a rental car or another hotel.
Family route · 10 days
London → Harry Potter Studio Tour → Windsor → Edinburgh → London
Family route · 10 days · Days 1–3 and 8–10
London
Westminster, the Tower, the Thames, markets, museums, buses, neighborhoods, and flexible days at both ends of the trip.
Westminster
Tower of London
Borough Market
The Thames
Family route · 10 days · Day 4 · Full day
Harry Potter Studio Tour
The Great Hall, Diagon Alley, Platform 9¾, original sets, costumes, and props from the films.
Great Hall
Diagon Alley
Platform 9¾
Original sets
Family route · 10 days · Day 5 · Castle, town, then evening train north
Windsor
Windsor Castle, a walk through town, lunch, and the evening train from London to Edinburgh.
Windsor Castle
Town center
Lunch
Train to Edinburgh
Family route · 10 days · Days 5–7 · Three nights · Two full days
Edinburgh
Edinburgh Castle, the Royal Mile, Victoria Street, St. Giles', museums, gardens, hills, and time to wander the old city.
Edinburgh Castle
Royal Mile
Victoria Street
Calton Hill
Days 1–3 and 8–10
London
Westminster, the Tower, the Thames, markets, museums, buses, neighborhoods, and flexible days at both ends of the trip.
Days 1–3
DAY 1
Arrive in London
Check into your hotel and keep the first day simple. Take a relaxed walk through the neighborhood, find an easy dinner, and let everyone adjust to the time difference.
Depending on where you are staying, this is a good evening to see the Thames, walk past Big Ben, or catch your first glimpse of the London Eye.
Highlights
Easy neighborhood walk
The Thames
Big Ben or the London Eye
An early, low-stress dinner
Stay: Premier Inn London Waterloo
Eat: Bread Ahead
Reserve: Nothing beyond the room and airport transfer.
DAY 2
Westminster & Central London
Start at Westminster Abbey, where British kings and queens have been crowned for centuries.
Continue through the center on foot. Finish in Covent Garden or Trafalgar Square instead of adding another reservation across the city.
Highlights
Westminster Abbey
Big Ben and the Houses of Parliament
St. James's Park
Buckingham Palace
Covent Garden or Trafalgar Square
Stay: Premier Inn London Waterloo
Eat: Wahaca
Reserve: Westminster Abbey
DAY 3
Tower of London
Give the Tower of London several hours. The Crown Jewels, the building's history, and the famous ravens make this much more than a quick photo stop.
Walk across Tower Bridge afterward and enjoy the Thames riverside before heading back toward the hotel.
Highlights
Tower of London
Crown Jewels
The ravens
Tower Bridge
Thames riverside
Stay: Premier Inn London Waterloo
Eat: La Tua Pasta
Reserve: Tower of London
Days 8–10
DAY 8
Return to London
Take the train back to London and use the afternoon for a favorite neighborhood or somewhere you missed during the first stay.
A market, shopping street, or evening show works better here than another tightly timed sightseeing day.
Highlights
Borough Market
Regent Street
Piccadilly Circus
Covent Garden
A West End show
Stay: Premier Inn London Waterloo
Eat: Badiani
Reserve: The Edinburgh-to-London train and any West End show.
DAY 9
London Your Way
Leave the final full day flexible. Visit an attraction you missed, choose one more museum, shop for souvenirs, or walk along the Thames.
A flexible final day gave us room to return to the places we liked most.
Highlights
One missed priority
A final museum or neighborhood
Souvenir shopping
A last Thames walk
Stay: Premier Inn London Waterloo
Eat: Return to a favorite or choose food near the final neighborhood.
Reserve: Reserve only the one attraction you would regret missing.
DAY 10
Fly Home
Enjoy one final English breakfast, collect your luggage, and head to the airport.
The United Kingdom has a wonderful way of mixing history, culture, and family-friendly experiences into one trip without making every day feel the same.
Stay: Departure day.
Eat: One final English breakfast.
Reserve: Airport transfer when timing or luggage makes it worthwhile.
LONDON FAQ
Good to know before you go.
-
Stay near a Tube station or useful bus route. Premier Inn London Waterloo gave our family a clean, practical base near the river and major sights.
-
We used both and often preferred buses because we could see the city while moving. The Tube is faster when distance or traffic makes it the clear answer.
-
Book Westminster Abbey, the Tower of London, and any West End show that matters. Keep markets, parks, neighborhoods, and museums flexible around those anchors.
Day 4 · Full day
Harry Potter Studio Tour
The Great Hall, Diagon Alley, Platform 9¾, original sets, costumes, and props from the films.
Day 4
DAY 4
Harry Potter Studio Tour
Set aside the entire day for the Warner Bros. Studio Tour - The Making of Harry Potter.
Walk through the Great Hall, Diagon Alley, and Platform 9 3/4, then see original sets, costumes, and props from the films. This was one of our family's favorite experiences and is worth planning well ahead.
Highlights
The Great Hall
Diagon Alley
Platform 9 3/4
Original sets, costumes, and props
Stay: Premier Inn London Waterloo
Eat: Use the Studio Tour food options or pack a backup.
Reserve: Harry Potter Studio Tour
HARRY POTTER STUDIO TOUR FAQ
Good to know before you go.
-
Book as soon as your date is available. Good entry times sell out, and this was one of our family's favorite experiences.
-
Treat it as a full-day outing once transportation, the tour, food, and the return are included. Do not place another major reservation that evening.
-
The Studio Tour has food options. We would still carry a small backup snack for children because the day is long and lines can affect meal timing.
Day 5 · Castle, town, then evening train north
Windsor
Windsor Castle, a walk through town, lunch, and the evening train from London to Edinburgh.
Day 5
DAY 5
Windsor Castle
Take the train to Windsor, tour the castle, walk through the town, and enjoy lunch before returning to London.
Travel north to Edinburgh that evening or first thing the following morning. Choose the version that keeps the day comfortable instead of forcing a late arrival.
Highlights
Windsor Castle
Windsor town center
Lunch before the train
London-Edinburgh rail connection
Stay: Premier Inn London Waterloo
Eat: Choose lunch in Windsor
Reserve: Windsor Castle
WINDSOR FAQ
Good to know before you go.
-
Yes. The train makes it straightforward. Our version returned to London for luggage before the evening train to Edinburgh, so we kept the Windsor plan focused.
-
Reserve Windsor Castle and the London-to-Edinburgh train. Check opening dates because royal events can affect access.
-
It is a long transfer day. It worked because Windsor was the only sightseeing anchor and we had the Edinburgh lodging and rail plan settled before leaving.
Days 5–7 · Three nights · Two full days
Edinburgh
Edinburgh Castle, the Royal Mile, Victoria Street, St. Giles', museums, gardens, hills, and time to wander the old city.
Days 6–7
DAY 6
Edinburgh
Spend your first full Scotland day in the historic center. Edinburgh feels completely different from London and quickly became one of our favorite cities.
The hills and stone streets change the pace, so keep the route compact and let the views and shops between the major stops count as part of the day.
Highlights
Edinburgh Castle
Royal Mile
St. Giles' Cathedral
Victoria Street
Scottish shops and cafes
Stay: York Place Apartments by Destination Edinburgh
Eat: Makars Mash Bar is one option to check.
Reserve: Edinburgh Castle and the London-to-Edinburgh train. Reserve Makars only if you choose it.
DAY 7
More of Edinburgh
Slow down and enjoy the city. Choose a museum, a hill, or a garden, then leave time to wander.
Some of our favorite travel memories came from exploring without a schedule. Edinburgh is a very good place to do exactly that.
Highlights
National Museum of Scotland
Princes Street Gardens
Calton Hill
Unscheduled time in the old city
Stay: York Place Apartments by Destination Edinburgh
Eat: Knoops is an easy chocolate stop near the route.
Reserve: No meal booking is needed unless you choose a specific dinner. Protect time for the hills and weather.
EDINBURGH FAQ
Good to know before you go.
-
Two full days gave us a strong first visit. Add time for more museums, a Highlands day trip, or a slower pace on the hills.
-
Reserve Edinburgh Castle and the London-Edinburgh trains. The museum, gardens, Royal Mile, and Calton Hill can stay flexible around weather and energy.
-
Edinburgh is hillier than it looks. Wear stable shoes, group the old-town sights, and do not plan every climb for the same afternoon.
-
York Place Apartments by Destination Edinburgh gave us a central base for three nights and two full sightseeing days.