If you are an avid Harry Potter fan, you definitely need to take a trip to London! My detailed Harry Potter itinerary in London will allow you to have the most magical weekend getaway! And if you plan on traveling to London with little kids, these Harry Potter-themed activities will be perfect for you and the family!
London is an incredible city! There are so many things to see and do, so much so you can’t see it all in one trip. So what to prioritize?
If you are a Harry Potter fan, like myself, you can’t take a trip to London without experiencing some of the wizarding world of Harry Potter! And London has so much to offer! We had an incredible three-day itinerary in London, including some Harry Potter activities daily!
Related Post: Check out our full three-day London itinerary here!
And if you are traveling to London with a toddler and baby, I have included extra tips! For additional resources, check out these Flying tips for babies and toddlers, as well as these excellent hacks for traveling with young kids.
Note: Some links may be affiliated links. That means I may make a commission if you use my links to purchase at no extra added cost to you! I only recommend products and services that I personally love and believe in. Full disclaimer here.
Harry Potter activities to include in your trip to London with kids
Harry Potter Studios Tour
The Harry Potter Studio tour is incredible! There is so much to see, and honestly, I think you could go a few times and still learn something new!
There are a few different tour options, from self-guided to private tours. We purchased guided tours. However, because we were visiting London with a baby and toddler, it was easier to go at our own pace and
separate from the group.
Tip: You will want to book the studio tour as soon as possible. I recommend booking a morning slot if you’re traveling with young children.
Before entering the tour, you’ll want to walk into the lobby. The life-size Dragon overhead is incredible and so realistic! There is a restaurant and the Chocolate Frog Cafe right there. The sweets on display look scrumptious. This a great place to grab a snack or coffee before you begin your tour!
Tip: We prepared our toddler for the Dragon; I think it could be frightening for little kids.
They offer a Harry Potter afternoon tea, but you must book that in advance.
As soon as you begin the tour, you feel immersed in the magical world! Walking through the enormous doors into the Great Hall is spectacular. You can’t help but want to sit at a table with the Hogwarts students, awaiting to be assigned by the Sorting Hat. Imagine being in Dumbledore’s office or walking through the Forbidden Forest!
The tour can be a bit overwhelming; there is so much to see that you can’t absorb it all in one trip. And if you’re traveling with little kids, you are bound to miss a bit!
From the many iconic sets, costumes, and props, it really does make the magic come to life! The Harry Potter Studios Tour has many interactive portions, from stamping the passports to flying a broom.
Be sure to try some Butterbeer or Butterbeer ice cream halfway through the tour! There is also a restaurant with outdoor seating. It’s the perfect opportunity to give the kids a snack.
Tip: Take advantage of the outside segment of the tour; it’s the perfect place for the kids to run around. My son must have run across the Hogwarts Bridge 30 times!
And finally, learn how the magic was created for the Harry Potter films! They demonstrate in great detail how the magical creatures were made. You can even see the differences in the Goblin’s prosthetics from the first movie to the last. It’s impressive to see how much work was put into these films.
It will probably take 3-4 hours to get through the tour.
You can purchase your Harry Potter Studios Tickets Here through the official website.
Because we bought our last minute (a week prior), we purchased our Harry Potter Studios Tour tickets here
Tip: The Harry Potter Studio Tour train station is the Watford Junction, and then you will need to hop on the Harry Potter Studios shuttle bus.
Read my Complete Guide of the Harry Potter Studios Tour with Special Tips if Visiting with Young Kids
King’s Cross Station & Platform 9 ¾
Platform 9 ¾ is an iconic landmark in the Harry Potter World! Of course, if you want to see the exact column between 9 and 10, you must pass through the train ticket gates. But have no fear; it is still worth seeing!
The Platform 9 ¾ Kings Crossing Gift Shop is definitely worth stopping by! Outside the shop is a photo opportunity to run through the barrier with your luggage! When we visited, the queue was quite long. However, if you plan on visiting the Harry Potter Studios Tour, you will have another opportunity for a similar photo shoot!
Tip: It is prohibited to wear backpacks in the Platform 9 ¾ Gift Shop; however, they did let us carry the kids in our carriers.
- Check out my recommended carriers, which we love!
Wizard Afternoon Tea in London
I highly recommend booking tickets for the Wizard afternoon tea with Wands & Wizard Exploratorium, it’s the perfect magical and interactive activity to add to your Harry Potter itinerary in London!
This interactive Wizard tea experience is not officially a Harry Potter experience; however, it does take you to a world of magic (which fits in perfectly with the Harry Potter weekend). You’ll wear robes, perform magic spells, and have fun mixing potions!
The interactive tea experience is so much fun for younger kids, and the food is delicious!
Expect this experience to last around 1:45, and they won’t rush you out!
Read my Full Review of the Wizard Afternoon Tea with Wands & Wizard Exploratorium
Take a Walking Tour and Explore some of the Harry Potter filming locations
Explore the magnificent city of London and see some of the Harry Potter filming locations. These are great free things to do in London. Typically, when my husband and I travel, we google the landmarks and do our own tour.
We actually decided to book the Magical Harry Potter Walking Tour London to help us see these magical locations. The tour was enjoyable and entertaining. To make the experience more interactive, the tour guide divided everyone into the four Harry Potter Houses. Our guide would frequently ask us Harry Potter trivia questions, and we would earn points!
Not only did he take us to the actual filming location, but he would show us the movie clip. This was really neat!
Tip: For those traveling with little kids, the tour is at a slow pace, which may be ideal if you have young children.
A few of the movie Locations we saw:
- Gringotts Bank – Australia House (Pictured above)
- Diagon Alley – Cecil Court
- The bridge Voldermort destroyed – Millennium Bridge
- Knight bus drops Harry off at the Leaky Cauldron – Borough Market
It was raining a pretty hard during this portion of our day, so sadly, I didn’t take many photo
For more information and to purchase tickets vist: The Magical Harry Potter Walking Tour London
Go shopping at the Harry Potter Stores
You have to purchase some of the fantastic Harry Potter goodies if you’re in London. It’s an excellent opportunity to do some birthday and Christmas shopping!
Walking around London, I was surprised by how abundant the Harry Potter franchise was. We stopped into several stores; these three were my favorite and the ones I would recommend.
Kings Crossing Platform9 ¾
As a Harry Potter fan, I that that this store was well done. It was intricate and beautifully decorated- be sure to look at the decorations hanging up high while walking around!
This Harry Potter shop stands out because it offers an engraving service! From robes to trunks, if you have any questions, be sure to ask an employee; they were very helpful.
Warner Bros Harry Potter Studios Tour Gift Shop
This is the king of Harry Potter stores and easily my favorite Harry Potter store. You can easily get lost! It was a bit overwhelming as a fan, especially walking around with a toddler.
However, the quality of many of the items stood out as much nicer compared to some of the other stores we had visited. They also had so many things!!
We love to collect Christmas ornaments, and even in July, they had them!
The quality of the robes is excellent; they have so many different toys, puzzles, and even impressive Lego sets. Honestly, the list could go on!
I would suggest purchasing The Official Guide: The Making of Harry Potter
Tip: To visit the Studios gift shop, you must have an admission ticket for the same day of the Harry Potter Studios Tour.
House of Spells
The House of Spells of Spells was also an excellent option for purchasing Harry Potter gifts. As expected, it is significantly smaller than the Studios Gift Shop and, therefore, less overwhelming. They even had interesting potions you could drink!
My son loved the dragon collection, so needless to say, we had to buy one.
The House of Spells is located at 69071 Charing Cross Rd.
Tip: The Harry Potter Magical Walking Tour gave us a 10% discount
69-71 Charing Cross Rd
What I would have loved to have seen
House of MinaLima
Our three-day London trip was completely packed, and we did not have enough time to include the House of MinaLima on our itinerary. So I can’t personally speak on it. But it looks like a really neat museum in the SOHO area.
You could easily stop by in conjunction with the Wands & Wizards Afternoon Tea.
Cursed Child Play Part 1 & 2
Oh my, this is on my bucket list… one day! I would suggest purchasing these tickets ahead of time. The plays are pretty long, which may not be ideal for young kids. We traveled to London with a toddler and baby; there was no way we would be able to see them.
The Palace Theater is supposed to be beautiful!
Be sure to download my Ultimate Packing list if you’re traveling with a baby or toddler!
My Final Thoughts on this Harry Potter Itinerary in London with Kids
Thinking about this weekend makes me all giddy! We had so much fun on our Harry Potter London vacation! It was an exhausting three days because we tied in so much Harry Potter with London sightseeing! Although convenient, toting around the kids in the carriers is a lot of work.
This concludes my guide for a Harry Potter itinerary in London over the weekend! I hope you found it helpful. Because we travel with a baby and toddler, I try to incorporate child-friendly activities with additional tips and hacks!
I would love to hear from you! Have you done any of these activities, or is there another activity that you would recommend? Let me know in the comments!
Related Posts:
The Ultimate 3 Day Itinerary for Visiting London with Kids
The Best Travel Tips for Flying with a Baby or Toddler
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