Trip Planner & Travel Budget
Budget in any currency, how much to save each paycheck, a day-by-day itinerary, bookings and packing in one Google Sheet.
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1. Before you book anything: the UK ETA
If you're visiting from the US, Canada, Australia or most other countries that don't need a visa, every person in your group needs a UK Electronic Travel Authorisation (ETA) before you travel. That includes babies and children. British and Irish citizens don't need one.
- It costs £20 per person, so a family of four pays £80.
- The UK government says to apply at least 3 working days before you travel. We'd do it as soon as the flights are booked.
- Apply only on GOV.UK or the official UK ETA app. Third-party sites charge extra for the same form.
Check passports at the same time. US passports for children under 16 are only valid for 5 years, so compare expiry dates with your return date now. If one parent is traveling alone with the kids, or your surnames differ, carry something that shows your relationship, like a birth certificate or a consent letter from the other parent.
2. When to go
England is mild most of the year and it can rain in any month, so plan for it rather than around it. Late spring and early autumn are our pick with kids: long-ish days, fewer crowds and lower prices than high summer. July and August are the school summer holidays, so London's big attractions are at their busiest and rooms cost more. Winter days are short but London is still easy, because so much of it is indoors.
| Month | Daylight in London | Daylight in York |
|---|---|---|
| January | 8h 20m | 8h 00m |
| April | 13h 50m | 14h 00m |
| June | 16h 35m | 17h 05m |
| August | 14h 35m | 14h 50m |
| October | 10h 40m | 10h 35m |
| December | 7h 50m | 7h 25m |
Sunrise to sunset on the 15th of each month, calculated for London and York and rounded to 5 minutes.
3. London with kids: getting around and what's free
- Kids under 11 ride free. Under-11s travel free on London buses and trams. On the Tube, DLR, London Overground and the Elizabeth line, up to four children aged 5 to 10 travel free with a paying adult, and under-5s are always free.
- Adults just tap a contactless card or phone. Pay-as-you-go fares are capped each day: £8.90 for travel within zones 1 and 2 (most of central London). Use the same card or phone for every journey so the cap works.
- Kids aged 11 to 15 pay the adult fare unless you get them a Visitor Oyster card and ask staff at a Tube station to add a Young Visitor discount (half the adult pay-as-you-go rate, for up to 14 days). The child has to be there when it's added.
- The big museums are free. The Natural History Museum and the Science Museum have free general admission. Book the free timed tickets online, especially for weekends and school holidays, or you may queue.
- Don't drive in central London. The Congestion Charge is £18 a day (if paid on the day or in advance) from 7am to 6pm on weekdays and noon to 6pm at weekends and on bank holidays, and the ULEZ charge applies on top if a car doesn't meet the emission standards.
Buses are the cheapest sightseeing tour going: sit upstairs at the front. And build in a park every day or two, because jet-lagged kids need somewhere to run.
4. Beyond London: drive times and car hire
For Bath, the Cotswolds, York and the Lake District, a car gives you the most freedom, especially for Cotswold villages and the lakes. Trains are great for London to York or Bath. These are mapped times with no stops, plus a "realistic" column with 40% added for traffic, toilets and snack stops.
| Drive | Miles | Mapped time | Realistic (+40%) |
|---|---|---|---|
| London → Windsor | 22 | 0h 44m | 1h 02m |
| London → Bath | 111 | 2h 30m | 3h 30m |
| Stonehenge → Bath | 37 | 0h 54m | 1h 16m |
| Bath → the Cotswolds (Bourton-on-the-Water) | 51 | 1h 22m | 1h 55m |
| the Cotswolds (Bourton-on-the-Water) → London | 83 | 2h 04m | 2h 54m |
| the Cotswolds (Bourton-on-the-Water) → York | 171 | 3h 24m | 4h 46m |
| London → York | 209 | 4h 09m | 5h 49m |
| York → Windermere (Lake District) | 97 | 2h 19m | 3h 15m |
| Windermere (Lake District) → Manchester Airport | 92 | 1h 58m | 2h 45m |
Mapped times: OpenStreetMap road data via the OSRM router, by car, looked up October 2026. Motorways around London are often slower than this.
You drive on the left, and children need a car seat until they're 12 or 135 cm tall. Automatics are less common than manuals in the UK, so book early and request the seats when you reserve. Pick the car up on your way out of London (Heathrow works well) rather than in the centre.
Planning to use your credit card's rental car cover? It generally works in England (Visa's standard benefit excludes only Northern Ireland within the UK, and Amex's standard cover excludes Australia, Italy and New Zealand), but it's often secondary and you must decline the rental desk's collision damage waiver, so check your card's guide and carry proof of cover. Comparison sites like Discover Cars show what's available at Heathrow and the other London airports.
Taking the train instead? A Family & Friends Railcard costs £35 for a year and gives 1/3 off adult fares and 60% off kids' fares (ages 5 to 15) when at least one named adult travels with a child. Book long-distance trains early for the cheapest Advance fares.
5. Sample routes
7 nights: London, with one day out
London (7 nights in one place, no packing and unpacking). Spend most days in the city, and take one day trip by train or tour to Windsor, or Stonehenge and Bath. It's the easiest first trip with small kids.
10 nights: London, Bath and the Cotswolds
London (5 nights) → pick up a car at Heathrow and stop at Stonehenge on the way to Bath (2 nights: the Roman Baths and a walk by the river) → the Cotswolds (2 nights in a village like Bourton-on-the-Water) → back to Heathrow for the flight (1 night nearby if it's an early one).
14 nights: add York and the Lake District
London (5) → Bath (2) → the Cotswolds (2) → York (2: the city walls, the Minster and the railway museum) → the Lake District (2, around Windermere) → fly home from Manchester (1 night nearby). The Cotswolds to York is the longest day, so stop on the way, or take the train from London to York and pick up a car there instead.
Rather not drive at all? Day tours from London to Windsor, Stonehenge and Bath are listed on Klook. With young kids, check how many hours you're actually on the coach.
6. What things cost (and which passes are worth it)
Flights, rooms and the car will be most of your budget, and they depend so much on dates that we won't guess at them. Get real quotes. Some fixed costs and passes worth knowing:
- Tower of London (Historic Royal Palaces): £38 per adult and £19 per child aged 5 to 15 without the optional donation, and under-5s are free. Historic Royal Palaces membership (from £65 a year) gets you into the Tower and its other palaces, like Hampton Court and Kensington Palace, as often as you like, so it's worth pricing if you'll visit two or more. Tiqets also sells Tower of London tickets, so compare with the official site.
- The London Pass: one pass for a set number of days that covers many paid attractions and a hop-on hop-off bus. It's worth it only if you'll fit in several of the paid sights each day. List the ones you'd actually visit, add up their ticket prices and compare. You can check the current prices and what's included on Go City's London Pass page.
- English Heritage Overseas Visitor Pass: entry to over 100 English Heritage sites, including Stonehenge. For visits from 25 March 2026 to 16 March 2027 the family pass is £116 for 9 days or £127 for 16 days (two adults and up to four children under 18 living at the same address). Buy it online, then collect it at the first staffed site with your confirmation, passport and the card you paid with.
- Roman Baths, Bath: prices change by season and day of the week. For September and October 2026, a family ticket (2 adults and 2 to 4 children) booked in advance is £69 on weekdays and £77 at weekends, and on-the-day tickets cost more.
- UK ETA: £20 per person (fixed fee).
- Congestion Charge: £18 a day if you drive into central London during charging hours. Easiest to avoid.
- Phone data: check your plan's roaming charges, or use a travel eSIM such as Airalo's UK eSIM.
Estimate To get your own number, plug real quotes into the free travel budget calculator (it also tells you what to save per paycheck), and use the daily budget calculator for spending money per day in pounds and dollars.
7. Packing for England
- Layers and a light waterproof jacket for everyone, even in summer. A small umbrella is handy in London.
- Comfortable shoes. London days involve a lot more walking (and stairs at Tube stations) than you'd guess. A light, foldable stroller beats a big one on the Tube.
- A contactless card or phone with no foreign transaction fees, for the Tube and buses.
- Plug adapters: the UK uses the three-pin plug (type G).
Kids' clothes for London and England
England is milder than Scotland but just as changeable. London days mean lots of walking, warm Tube trains and cool streets, so layers they can take off and stuff in a bag work best. Outside London, the countryside and coast are wetter and windier. Counts are per child. The two-week column assumes one load of laundry halfway (most self-catering places have a washer, and quick-dry things dry on a radiator overnight).
| Clothes | Weekend | 1 week | 2 weeks | Why |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Tops | 3 | 5 | 6 | T-shirts or long-sleeve tops; quick-dry or merino beats cotton |
| Trousers or leggings | 2 | 3 | 4 | leggings and joggers dry faster than jeans |
| Base layers | 1 set | 2 sets | 2 sets | thermal top and leggings, for cold days, evenings and hill walks |
| Fleece or warm mid layer | 1 | 1 | 2 | the thing they'll wear every day under the jacket |
| Waterproof jacket with a hood | 1 | 1 | 1 | a real waterproof, not a showerproof windbreaker |
| Rain trousers or a puddle suit | 1 | 1 | 1 | a puddle suit (all-in-one) for toddlers; over-trousers for older kids |
| Warm hat | 1 | 1 | 1 | plus gloves or mittens from October to April |
| Sun hat | 1 | 1 | 1 | yes, really: summer days are long, and a cool breeze hides how strong the sun is |
| Pyjamas | 1 | 2 | 2 | one warm pair: old houses and B&Bs can be chilly at night |
| Socks | 4 | 8 | 8 | wool or merino; one spare pair a day, because feet get wet |
| Underwear | 4 | 8 | 8 | a couple of extra pairs for little ones |
| Waterproof shoes or wellies | 1 pair | 1 pair | 1 pair | wellies for small kids, waterproof walking shoes for older ones |
| Comfy trainers | 1 pair | 1 pair | 1 pair | for travel days, cities and when the wellies are soaked |
| Swimwear | 1 | 1 | 2 | hotel and leisure-centre pools are a lifesaver on a wet afternoon |
| A nicer outfit | 1 | 1 | 1 | for a special dinner, afternoon tea or family photos |
| Spare outfit in the carry-on | 1 | 1 | 1 | a full change per child (two for under-3s), in case the checked bag goes missing or someone spills |
Extra for babies and toddlers
- A sleep sack (or two for a baby, in case of leaks). Rooms vary a lot, so check the tog guide on the label against the room temperature.
- Extra changes: plan on two outfits a day for a baby and one spare a day for a toddler, plus extra vests or bodysuits.
- Bibs: two or three a day, or a few wipe-clean ones you can rinse in the sink.
- A warm all-in-one or fleece suit for the stroller or carrier on cold, windy days, and a puddle suit once they're walking.
Pack each child's clothes in their own packing cube, with travel-day clothes and the spare outfit on top.
8. Tips for London and England with kids
- One big thing a day in London, plus a park or playground. The city wears little legs out fast.
- Book timed tickets early for the busiest places in school holidays, including the free museums.
- Stay near a Tube station on a line that reaches the places you'll go most. It saves more time than a slightly cheaper room further out.
- Jet lag: London is usually 5 hours ahead of US Eastern time. Get outside in daylight on day one and keep the first day light.
- Outside London, keep most driving days under two to three hours of mapped time, and stay two nights or more in each place.
9. What to book when
- 6 to 9 months out: rooms in London for school holidays, and Cotswold cottages for summer. Check Booking.com or book direct.
- 4 to 6 months out: flights and the rental car (especially an automatic).
- 2 to 3 months out: long-distance train tickets as soon as Advance fares open, and timed tickets for the Tower of London and other paid sights.
- 2 to 4 weeks out: free museum tickets for your dates, and the English Heritage pass if you're getting one.
- Once flights are booked: the ETA for everyone, a passport check, and travel insurance.
- The week before: download the TfL Go app and offline maps, install the eSIM, and print the emergency info.
Plan it in one sheet
The Trip Planner & Travel Budget handles costs in pounds and dollars and works out what to save each paycheck. The Family Travel with Kids Planner checks passports against your return date and has a jet-lag plan and packing lists by age.
Family Travel with Kids Planner
Passport expiry checker, a gentle jet-lag plan, packing by age, day pacing and an emergency info page.
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Free: kids travel packing checklist
Three printable pages: what to pack by age (baby, toddler, school-age), kids' clothes with counts for a weekend, 1 week or 2 weeks, and a plane & car bag list for travel day.
Questions
Do US citizens need anything to visit England?
Yes: a UK Electronic Travel Authorisation (ETA). It costs £20 per person, every traveler needs their own, babies and children included, and the UK government says to apply at least 3 working days before you travel. Apply on GOV.UK or the official UK ETA app. British and Irish citizens don't need one.
Do kids travel free on the London Underground?
Children under 11 travel free on London buses and trams. On the Tube, DLR, London Overground and the Elizabeth line, up to four children aged 5 to 10 travel free with an adult who's paying, and under-5s are always free. Kids aged 11 to 15 pay a reduced fare if you add a Young Visitor discount to a Visitor Oyster card.
Is the London Pass worth it for a family?
Only if you'll actually visit several of the paid attractions it covers. Write down the places you'd go anyway, add up their family ticket prices, and compare that with the pass for your number of days. Remember many of London's big museums are free, so they don't count towards the saving.
Is the English Heritage Overseas Visitor Pass worth it?
If Stonehenge is on your list plus a castle or two, often yes. For visits from 25 March 2026 to 16 March 2027 the family pass is £116 for 9 days or £127 for 16 days (two adults and up to four children under 18 at the same address). English Heritage says it starts saving money after two or three sites.
Should we rent a car in London?
We wouldn't. Public transport is good, parking is expensive, and driving into central London during charging hours costs £18 a day for the Congestion Charge on top of any ULEZ charge. Pick up a car on the way out of London, or at Heathrow, for the Bath, Cotswolds or York part of the trip.
Do kids need car seats in England?
Yes. UK law says children must use a car seat until they're 12 years old or 135 cm tall, whichever comes first. Rental companies can add one, but numbers are limited, so request it when you book or bring your own.
Sources
- UK ETA: who needs one, £20 fee, apply 3 working days ahead (GOV.UK)
- When you do not need an ETA: British and Irish citizens (GOV.UK)
- Visitor Oyster card and travelling with children (Transport for London)
- Children aged 5 to 10 travel free, up to four per adult (Transport for London)
- Pay as you go daily caps: zones 1-2 £8.90 (Transport for London)
- Congestion Charge: £18 a day, charging hours, ULEZ (Transport for London)
- Natural History Museum: free entry, book a free ticket (Natural History Museum)
- Science Museum: free entry, book a free ticket (Science Museum)
- Tower of London tickets and prices; membership from £65 (Historic Royal Palaces)
- Overseas Visitor Pass prices, 25 March 2026 to 16 March 2027 (English Heritage)
- Roman Baths tickets, September and October 2026 (Roman Baths)
- Family & Friends Railcard: £35, 1/3 off adults, 60% off kids (Railcards)
- Child car seat rules: until 12 years or 135 cm (GOV.UK)
- Visa Auto Rental Collision Damage Waiver terms: country exclusions (Visa)
- Car Rental Loss and Damage Insurance: country exclusions, secondary cover (American Express)
- US passports for children under 16 (U.S. Department of State)
- Drive distances and times: OpenStreetMap data via OSRM
Prices, rules and card benefits change. Check the official pages and your own card's guide to benefits before you book. Last checked 22 October 2026.