Finish your day on a double-decker bus, route 15 from Tower Hill towards Trafalgar Square. Climb to the top deck, front row, as the lights switch on. The kids will be sticky-faced and half asleep, but they’ll remember the glow.
Practical Tip: Get a contactless payment card or Oyster card for each person. Tapping in and out makes you feel like a proper Londoner—and it caps your daily fare, so you never pay too much.
A Fun Little Fact to Impress a Nine-Year-Old
The London Underground is the world’s oldest subway system, opening in 1863. Maps were originally hand-coloured by women called “colouring girls,” who could tint 20 maps an hour. That’s the kind of trivia that wins you serious points at dinner.
Cultural Reference: Remember the scene in Paddington 2 where he scrubs the barber shop windows? That sentiment—of a small bear finding kindness in a big city—is the real London family experience. It’s not about the landmark; it’s about the accidental adventure.
