It’s every parent’s secret dream to take their family on a trip to London – that’s why you searched for the Best London Bus Tour for Families isn’t it?
I’d be willing to bet my cup of tea on it, my biscuits too!
I should know, I grew up there! – Well, not in London, but in the UK.
And London was our great metropolis, the place to be where you could make all your dreams come true.
And even for us locals, it can sometimes be hard to keep up with all the novelties.
It’s a city that keeps on changing, why not see it in its present form while you can?
My favorite choice: Big Bus London Hop-On Hop-Off Tour and River Cruise
That’s why my number one choice is the Big Bus London Hop-On Hop-Off Tour and River Cruise
With top destinations such as London Eye, St. Paul’s Cathedral, Thames on a double decker top down bus, and a price point of $45.27 – this deal is a snatch!
With an astounding 6195 reviews, the four stars are really a 5 when you think about the fact that you can never please everyone!
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1.Harry Potter Tour of Warner Bros. Studio with Transport from London
⭐Rating: 4.5 out of 5 stars – Spanning 2054 reviews! |⌛ Tour Length: 7 Hours
Why choose this tour?
Did you know that, according to a US survey on the cultural significance to Harry Potter – 25% of Americans have seen all of the movies and 61% seen at least one of them?
It’s one of the best one day bus tours from London you can take with your family – to see the place where magic comes alive and let’s be honest, a place where a generation was born, including probably yourself!
Not only do you get to see the prime locations of Diagon Alley, the magical bus that Harry gets to take to Hogwarts on Platform 9 and ¾ – but you’ll also get insider’s access to Dumbledore’s office, the place where the events of the whole series started!
And all of this in the best London tour bus, with modern AC to ensure you don’t freeze in the long, cold UK winters! Which is why this is number one on our best London bus tours for families list!
And I promise, the broomstick ride will have your family wanting to come back!
In short, going to London and not visiting the magic that is Harry Potter is a wasted trip!
Book your tourist bus London trip now!
What’s included in this tour?
- Visit the original sets of Diagon Alley, Platform 9 and 3/4 , Dumbledore’s office and more!
- Admission into the Warner Bros Studio London
- Backstage explanations on the special effects and animatronics of the movies
- Modern Air-Conditioned coach to and from the studios
What past guests have said?
“Good bus service to studios. Our guide was kind and helpful. Studios were amazing. We had plenty of time (2-3 hours) to see everything before getting back on the bus to London.”
– Julian_W (See more reviews)
2.Big Bus London Hop-On Hop-Off Tour and River Cruise
⭐Rating: 4 out of 5 stars – Spanning 6195 reviews! | ⌛Tour Length: 3 Hours and 20 Minutes
Why choose this tour?
Now, I know that your road trip to London might not be complete by just visiting one destination?
So what if you want to see the diamonds of London? Well then you take one of the best London sightseeing bus tours – The Big Bus Tour.
The Big Bus Tour is a reputable company with many sights to see, and the hop-on, hop-off feature is a family favorite!
Why stay stuck in one bus on your journey when you can take this London open top tour bus and bask in the warm summer breeze.
With the option of taking 1, 2 or 3 day passes, you get to experience London at your own pace and not be rushed through
I mean, if you took the time to book your flight to London, why defer your choices at the last minute?
Book the open top bus London that suits you, not one that you have to rush for and plan your day around.
Experience only what YOU want! And that way, you’ll never be wondering whether you have the original bus tour London experience – because original is what you choose!
And not only does this open top tour bus of London allow you to see the most coveted attractions such as St. Paul’s Cathedral, Buckingham Palace, the Tower of London and more, from the ground – it also allows you to see it by sea!
You get a Thames River Cruise included in your pass, to be used at your own discretion.
And if you’re still wondering whether this is an open top tour bus London that you should book – did I mention the themed walking guided tours
The 90 minute Panoramic non-stop evening tour makes this an optimal open top bus london tour for anyone who wants to see the city lights at nighttime. Hey, we can’t all travel in the daytime can we?
And since you can always upgrade to include a London Eye flight – this amounts to the best tour bus london available!
What’s included in this tour?
- Create your own custom must-see itinerary based on YOUR needs
- Choose between a 1, 2 or 3 day pass to explore London at your own pace
- Optional London Eye upgrade for a more “panoramic” view of the city
- Thames River Cruise included (no upgrade), for a different view than the bus
- Hop-On, Hop-Off bus with free Wi-Fi on board
- A choice between three themed guided walking tours – the Classic, Premium and Deluxe options
What past guests have said?
“My experience was really positive. Yesterday my daughter lost a backpack with money inside it on the bus and 24 h later we got it back. I would like to thank Big Bus Tour for the patience and dedication applied in our situation, expecially Mr. Fasih who showed attention and commitment so that the problem was solved.”
– Luiz Otavio C (See more reviews)
3. TootBus Kids Tour
⭐Rating: 3.5 out of 5 stars |⌛ Tour Length: 45 minutes
Why choose this tour?
Let’s face it, while we all have dreams of traveling the world and going on cool adventures, once you have a family, most of the travel you’ll be doing will be for your kids – to give them the experiences you never had growing up!
Besides being child-friendly, it also is among the few open top bus tours in London which allow you to experience the tour in warmer weather and not have to feel like the sights are behind some window pane, not to be touched.
The sights alone – ranging from the London Eye, Houses of Parliament, Big Ben and all the way down to Downing Street, make it one of the best tours to put your children on London buses.
And the live commentary will leave your children feeling like they gained something more out of it than just “mom and dad going to look at a bunch of castles”.
Not to mention the free wifi and Tootbuss app making it one of the best London tours for kids.
And not just for kids, but for adults too.
The open top bus allows you to see the sights more clearly while keeping the “kids price point” of $22 making it one of the best London sightseeing buses.
So, if you’re interested in what could be the best London bus tour for kids, don’t wait around, book now!
What’s included in this tour?
- 45 minute tour spanning the top sights in London – from Westminster Abbey to Trafalgar Square!
- A london open top bus tour that’s kid friendly with free wi-fi on board and free access to the Tootbus app included
- Live guided tour with live commentary among the sights, especially tailored for children
What past guests have said?
“Wonderful experience for my 2 boys aged 5 and 3. Kevin was funny and very engaging at all times. Would definitely recommend to friends and family.”
– Shabana_M (See more reviews)
4. The Ghost Bus Tours – London
⭐Rating: 4 out of 5 stars – with an impressive 1365 reviews! |⌛ Tour Length: 1 Hour
Why choose this tour?
I don’t know about you guys, but when I was a kid, I had a fascination with the mysterious and the magical. I would love hearing old ghost stories and would wait to dress up for Halloween like it was Christmas!
Well, why not take your family on this magical Ghost Bus Tour of London, where local Alistair Cringley and his crew make the ghosts of London come alive!
With an incredible 1367 reviews, the Necrobus is one of the, if not the best, sightseeing bus in London. It’s a tour that combines various sites around London where ghosts supposedly roamed.
And at a price point of $34.29 it’s one of those cheap London sightseeing bus tours that won’t burn a hole in your pocket! And coupled with the coveted “Traveller’s choice” badge, this makes it one of the best tours in London, hands down!
What’s included in this tour?
- Get to ride the so called “Necrobus”
- Hear live commentary of the various sites where London’s ghosts roamed
- Theatrical comedic show by the staff and “onboarding strangers” who interact with them
What past guests have said?
“Curious, informative and above all very humorous, we were driven through London for about an hour on this special tour. What did I learn that evening? In fact, there’s a ghost around every corner in this city. Too bad the tour ended so quickly!”
– Ann Bo(See more reviews)
5. London Vintage Bus Tour with Cream Tea at Harrods
⭐Rating: 4 out of 5 stars | ⌛Tour Length: 4.5 Hours
Why choose this tour?
This double decker vintage sightseeing bus London tour is exactly what you need if you’re looking for something a bit more posh.
You get to see the famous landmarks around town from the open top bus in London while also stopping at a couple – namely the Tower of London – to mark your memories by taking some photos.
Ask anyone you want to, to see London by bus sightseeing is the best way because you get to experience it through an original red double-decker and feel exactly like the locals do and that’s why this tour could be called the London original bus tour.
And not only do you get an open top bus tour London experience but you also get to see it by river, through the Thames River cruise, where you get another perspective of London that the narrow streets won’t be able to give you.
So if you’re looking for something more than just the glitz and glam of the same old sights of London and want to experience something more the river cruise and cream tea make this number 1 when it comes to rating the best open top bus tour of London.
What’s included in this tour?
- Vintage double-decker open top London tour bus with modern amenities
- Big Ben and Houses of Parliament
- Thames River Cruise
- Sparkling wine, cream tea and scones at Harrods
What past guests have said?
“Our guide was as gentle as hilarious and interesting. We had a splendid afternoon, had the opportunity to get a good introduction of London’s spots, and the mixture of the activities make the afternoon active and pleasant, thank you”
– Alessia_W (See more reviews)
6. James Bond Bus Tour of London
⭐Rating: 5 out of 5 stars – Spanning 175 reviews! |⌛ Tour Length: 4 Hours
Why choose this tour?
I’m gonna have to ask – who here doesn’t like James Bond? Is there even such a person? Because if there is, he will have a hard time understanding why we put this James Bond bus tour on our list Best London Bus tours for Families.
But for the rest of you, I think I will have a hard time convincing you NOT to join this tour, so why not try my hand at doing the easy thing for once, ey?
Harboring a coveted “Badge of Excellence” from Viator themselves, what makes this one of the best bus tours of London is it’s one of a kind experience where your family gets to enjoy an action packed 4 hours of everybody’s favorite spy!
Enter the world of 007 on one of the best bus tours in London as you travel by mini-coach and follow the live commentary throughout all the sites around London where the various Bond movies were filmed.
Not to mention the insider details on the various Bond actors such as Sean Connery, Daniel Craig and Pierce Brosnan – all culminating in the real deal, a passing by the actual MI6 headquarters!
With a maximum capacity of 35 travelers, you get to avoid all the busy Tourist buses in London so that you can opt into a one of a kind experience of London that all your friends will have missed for the more “traditional” tours.
What’s included in this tour?
- Mini-coach with a driving tour and live commentary by our guide
- Visit film locations such as “Die Another Day”, “Skyfall” and more
- Get into the nitty- gritty details on what actually went down with the Bond actors during filming
- Beside the “traditional sites”, see the actual MI6 Headquarters
What past guests have said?
“Excellent tour. Guide was informative and very helpful. Coach was clean and comfortable. All in all a very enjoyable experience. If you are a James Bond fan then this tour is well worth it”
– A Tripadvisor Reviewer (See more reviews)
7. Tower Of London For Kids & Families Private Guided Tour
⭐Rating: 5 out of 5 stars | ⌛Tour Length: 3 Hours
Why choose this tour?
What if you’re sick of boarding the London sightseeing buses and want to go for a full tour of only ONE location?
That would definitely have to be the Tower of London For Kids and Families Private Tour!
This 3 hour tour is a family favorite and holds a 5 star rating with a coveted Badge of Excellence from Viator – get to experience the whole tour
It allows you the flexibility to reserve without having to pay right away!
And with a Blue Badge certified guide, you’ll get to hear all the nitty gritty details one of the most famous castles in the world – the Tower of London – along with the many important places such as Medieval Palace, Mint Street, Tower Green and many more!
What’s included in this tour?
- Personalized tour with full attention given to each participant
- Admission to the Tower of London
- Blue Badge certified
- Full tour of the Tower of London with its rich history
- Highlight of the Crown Jewels – the largest collection of royal jewels in the world
- Medieval Palace, Mint Street, Tower Green, Royal Beasts and more!
- Learn from stories told by the Beefeaters themselves
What past guests have said?
“Lucy was our family tour guide for The Tower of London and she was fantastic! She was so knowledgeable and made the entire 3 hours interesting for all ages (7 year old, 14 year old and 2 adults). I highly recommend the tour and Lucy as your guide! It was truly the highlight of our trip!”
– Heather_S (See more reviews)
8. Brigit’s Afternoon Tea Bus in London
⭐Rating: 4.5 out of 5 stars – Spanning 865 reviews! | ⌛Tour Length: 1 Hour and 25 Minutes
Why choose this tour?
If you want to know why Brigit’s Afternoon Tea Bus in London is probably the best london bus tour around, then it won’t take much to convince you!
First of all, let’s get to the main selling point, you get to choose from a variety of timeslots that can fit your schedule – the best compromise between a set tour and a hop-on, hop-off bus.
Not only do you get to see the various sites such as Trafalgar Square, Big Ben, Houses of Parliament and more – but you also get to enjoy it from a vintage double-decker bus that will leave you feeling more English than a breakfast muffin!
And speaking of muffins – you get to enjoy coffee or tea on the bus, while enjoying delicious sandwiches and cakes at the various sites such as Big Ben’s and Harrods, all while downing your favorite flavor of tea!
And THAT’S what makes this guided bus tour London centric and one of the best among this list!
What’s included in this tour?
- See the main sites around London
- Brigit’s Bakery vintage bus
- Big Ben and Harrods
- Sandwiches, cakes and tea
- Choose from various time slots
What past guests have said?
“Amazing!!! Highly recommend this tour! So fun! The staff was amazing and the food delicious!!! Great sites of the Christmas decorations.”
– nadine_p (See more reviews)
9. London Panoramic Open Top Bus Tour with Audio Guide
⭐Rating: 4 out of 5 stars | ⌛Tour Length: 2 Hours
Why choose this tour?
Now, what if you’re sick of seeing the great city in the winter months and want to enjoy an open top london bus tour? Well then, the Panoramic Open Top Bus Tour is for you!
What makes this maybe the best London open top bus tour is the fact that
And at a price of $37.04 this makes it one of the very cheap bus tours London has to offer!
But the price isn’t even the main selling point, because what is a traveler to do if he is stuck with a family that doesn’t speak the language? We don’t all just take our kids do we? Sometimes grandma and grandpa join!
Well, this tour has that covered for you!
What makes this one of the right London open top bus for you is not only the open top which makes it perfect for the summer breeze but the guided audio tour which is included in 11 languages! So whatever you linguistic needs, they have it covered!
Finally, it’s important that you get a London tour by bus that isn’t of the hop-on and hop-off kind. Why?
Because grandma and grandpa have worse knees than our kids do, and sometimes even the young ones don’t want the hassle of getting on and off all day!
And that’s why I believe that this should be one of your top choices as the best double decker bus tour London has created!
What’s included in this tour?
- One of the best cheap bus tours London offers!
- 2 hour sightseeing tour around London, whole time on the bus
- Professional live guide on selected dates
- Audio guide commentary in 11 languages!
- Key sites around London such as Buckingham Palace, Tower Bridge and Piccadilly Circus
What past guests have said?
“Great service, friendly staff, a treat to be able to experience London at night”
– Trusted Customer (See more reviews)
10. Christmas Lights London by Night Tour with Live Guide
⭐Rating: 4 out of 5 stars | ⌛Tour Length: 1.5 Hours
Why choose this tour?
Sometimes you just want to catch a London sightseeing tour bus in the winter, especially if you’re in the city for Christmas. So we have just the right tour for you!
At 90 minutes and $77.41 for a whole family (two adults, two children), you are getting a bargain by being able to take an open top tour bus in London – but be warned, the open top can make it very chilly, very quickly!
Don’t say I didn’t warn you! But hey, the heart wants what the heart wants.
If you’re in or around the period of Christmas, think about hopping on this tour as one of the best London sightseeing tours during the evening hours!
What’s included in this tour?
- Children aged 0 to 4 don’t need to pay tickets!
- Oxford Street, Piccadilly Circus, Trafalgar Square and more!
- Friendly and entertaining live guide
What past guests have said?
“Great service, friendly staff, a treat to be able to experience London at night”
– Trusted Customer (See more reviews)
11.London Tootbus Must See Hop-on Hop-off Bus Tour and Thames River Cruise
⭐Rating: 4 out of 5 stars – Spanning an impressive 3533 reviews! | ⌛Tour Length: 1.5 Hours
Why choose this tour?
Is there a more original bus tour London there than one that has “Original London Sightseeing Tour of 2023” in its headline? I think not.
And harboring a MASSIVE review bank of 3543 reviews backing it, you’ll be hard pressed to find another London sightseeing bus than our very own Tootbus!
Not only do you get the glorious diamonds of London that are the MUST SEE sights such as Big Bed and the Tower Bridge.
But you also get other sights not on many other tours such as Notting Hill, Marble Arch, The Dungeon, IMAX, Tate Modern and more!
That’s exactly what makes this one of the best sightseeing buses London, because you get to see a lot of the city that the rest of the tours don’t cover
I mean, would you want to have a cookie cutter experience of London or experience it once in a lifetime?
Well, as the headline says, with one of the best original bus tours london, you’re bound to be able to make your own tour customized by what you want to see – to have more of what you want, and less of what you don’t.
The hop-on, hop-off feature is perfect for this because you get to choose out of a variety of bus lines with a variety of sites – depending on whether you choose the 1, 2 or 3 day pass of course.
You won’t have time to see them all unless you push your luck, but this is exactly what makes this one of the best bus tours of london – the fact that you even can!
And when you’re sitting there, in the top deck of the bus, listening to the audio commentary telling you the rich history of the sites in London, wind running wild in your hair, remember where you found the best london open top bus tour!
What’s included in this tour?
- Flexible pass, allowing you to to see the city at your own pace on one of the best open top bus tour London
- London hop-on, hop-off sightseeing tour
- Tower of London, Big Ben, Tower Bridge
- Activity packs and tailored commentary for children
- River Thames Cruise
- Walking tour
What past guests have said?
“What a great way to see the key sites of London especially if you are at an advanced age and you are a little slower on your feet. The yellow original tour covered almost every site we wanted to see.”
– David_W(See more reviews)
12.English Afternoon Tea Bus with Panoramic Tour of London– Upper Deck
⭐Rating: 4.5 out of 5 stars |⌛ Tour Length: 9 Hours
Why choose this tour?
With a Badge of Excellence from Viator and 4.5 Stars, it’s no wonder this London bus tour made the list!
For an hour and a half, you can escape the crowds at the sites while you enjoy your panoramic unimpeded views of the major London sites while you sip your Prosecco (or soft drink, for the kids) from the upper deck of a traditional London city bus.
A great way to see (and TASTE) the experience that is London city, making this one of the best London city bus tours for first timers who want to combine London’s culture and cuisine!
What’s included in this tour?
- At $67.16 it is a steal!
- Enjoy afternoon tea with Prosecco or Soft Drinks
- See what London has to offer from guaranteed upper deck seating
What past guests have said?
“Wonderful staff and delightful sweets & beverages, also the cup given as a gift always reminds me of this wonderful experience.I thought that would only be for the experience but we also saw ALL of the sights of London!!!it was great, highly recommend!”
– Vasiliki_P (See more reviews)
13.The London Pass®: Access 80+ attractions inc. Hop-On Hop-Off Bus Tour
⭐Rating: 3.5 out of 5 stars – Spanning an impressive 1389 reviews! | ⌛Tour Length: 24+ Hours*
Why choose this tour?
At an impressive 1389 views, with a trademarked “London Pass” name, of course we have to call this the original sightseeing tour London has to offer!
And since this is a hop-on, hop-off ticket, you are bound to find an open air bus London can provide!
What makes this purchase special is that you can tailor make your journey into an original London sightseeing bus tour because of its hop-on, hop-off model, allowing you to plan your own digital itinerary all in the comfort of your phone when you purchase.
And with more than 80 attractions to see over a wide array of bus lines you can travel by, it virtually guarantees no two travelers will have the same experience of London!
It is your ultimate customizable London experience!
And the best part is that you can customize your days by buying 1 day pass, 2 days pass, and all the way up to 10 days pass – and the best part being, you can activate those passes up to 2 YEARS after they’re been bought!
Make the perfect present right? I like to think so.
That’s why we rated this as the original open top bus tour London has brought us – you simply must try it out if you are looking for the ultimate one-of-a-kind experience you can tailor make!
What’s included in this tour?
- 1 to 10 day sightseeing passes
- Enjoy more than 80 attractions throughout the city
- Mobile friendly passes with digital itineraries included
- Valid for a full 2 YEARS from the date of purchase
What past guests have said?
“This was the best thing I purchased for our trip to London. It made a huge difference for us in the amount of attractions we could go see. It would have costed us upwards of double the price just in ticket costs if we did not have the city pass. Make sure you start early in the day, plan the attractions you’d like to see by area, and check what time attractions are open.”
– Lauren_D (See more reviews)
FAQS On Best London Bus Tours for Families
How long does the London open Top Bus Tour Take?
Wondering,how long does the London open top bus tour take? Two hours, approximately without stops, is the right answer. But remember, you will be riding the bus during the whole time and not be in a hop-on hop-off bus for it to take that long.
How Long Does The Hop-on Hop-off Bus Take In London?
And if you’re wondering how long does the hop-on hop-off bus take in London, then the answer would be: Red Route: 2 hours, 30 minutes (approx.) Blue Route: 3 hours, 30 minutes (approx.) Green Link:1 hour (approx.). Keep in mind, you need to allow time if you hop on and off at any stops.
How Much Are London Bus Tours?
I know that you want to know how much the London bus tours are and so if you check them in advance, the online ticket price for adult/child/family (depending on the tour, whether it’s 24-hrs or 1 day with cruise) the tickets are £32.30, £18.70 and £98.00, respectively, depending on which tour you buy.
Where does the Peppa Pig Bus Tour Leave From?
The kids are probably wondering where does the Peppa Pig bus tour leave from? And the location is Somerset House, where it departs on the guided tour which takes 1 hour and 30 minutes depending on whether it’s rush hour or not. You will see many famous views in London, among them Big Ben.
When all is said and done, you will remember the days that counted, the days where you took action on creating the situations you always dream to have in your life.
The days where you choose from our master list of Best London Bus Tours for Families.
So, whether you’re popping out your third little one or whether you’re wondering what to expect when you’re expecting – expect this: a trip to London will fill you with memories to last a lifetime.
And a lifetime is really just a series of moments strung together, isn’t it?
So, which one moment do you choose to create?
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