London is one of those cities where you can visit countless times and still discover something new. There is so much to see, from the famous landmarks that dominate the postcards to the smaller streets, historic buildings and unexpected corners that are easily overlooked when you’re rushing between attractions. Visiting with children adds another dimension to the experience, particularly when you’re trying to balance seeing as much as possible with avoiding the inevitable exhaustion that comes from spending hours walking or navigating the Underground.

During our recent half-term visit, we decided to experience London from a completely different perspective by taking a sightseeing trip with The Original Tour, one of the capital’s long-established open-top bus tour operators. We opted for the Red Route, which takes in many of London’s best-known landmarks, and stayed on board for the entire circuit rather than hopping off along the way.

It turned out to be one of the most enjoyable parts of our visit, offering something that can be surprisingly difficult to achieve during a busy family trip to London: the opportunity to see an enormous amount of the city without constantly thinking about where we needed to go next.

Why explore London by sightseeing bus?

Anyone who has spent a day travelling around London with children will be familiar with the amount of time that can disappear underground. The Tube is undoubtedly one of the quickest and most convenient ways to travel around the capital, but it isn’t particularly interesting when you’re visiting as a tourist. You can travel from one side of London to the other without seeing anything of the city in between, emerging at your destination with very little sense of how the different areas connect.

There is also the practical side of travelling as a family. Busy platforms, escalators, crowded carriages and the constant need to keep everyone together can make even relatively straightforward journeys feel tiring, particularly during school holidays when the most popular attractions are exceptionally busy.

A sightseeing bus offers a completely different experience, allowing the journey itself to become part of the day rather than simply a means of reaching the next attraction. Instead of concentrating on directions and connections, you can enjoy watching the streets change around you, noticing buildings and landmarks that you might otherwise have passed without a second glance.

There is something particularly enjoyable about seeing London from the top deck of a double-decker bus. The elevated position gives you a much better perspective on the architecture, monuments and surrounding streets, while the open-top design makes the experience feel very different from an ordinary bus journey. Our boys sat outside at the back of the bus in the rain and LOVED every second!

For children who are familiar with London’s landmarks from television, books or school, seeing them appear one after another can also help bring the city to life. Rather than visiting each attraction in isolation, they begin to understand how the different parts of London fit together, which is something that can be surprisingly difficult to appreciate when travelling almost exclusively underground.

Our experience of The Original Tour’s Red Route

We travelled on The Original Tour’s Red Route during half term, choosing to remain on board for the entire loop so that we could enjoy the full sightseeing experience without having to worry about getting off and finding another bus.

The route is particularly well suited to anyone wanting to see London’s most recognisable landmarks, taking passengers through some of the capital’s busiest and most historic areas. Along the way, the journey includes sights such as Trafalgar Square, Westminster, the London Eye, St Paul’s Cathedral, London Bridge, the Tower of London and Buckingham Palace.

What we particularly enjoyed was the sense of seeing London as a whole rather than as a series of separate destinations. When visiting individual attractions, it is easy to focus entirely on getting there, spending time inside and then moving on to the next place. Travelling above ground gave us a much better appreciation of the streets, buildings and neighbourhoods that connect the famous sights.

The children really enjoyed the experience, and we all appreciated having the opportunity to sit together and take everything in without the usual pressure of navigating a busy city. There was plenty to look at throughout the journey, with the combination of well-known landmarks and everyday London street life making it interesting even between the major stops.

The onboard commentary added another dimension, providing information about the places we were passing and helping put some of the sights into context. This is particularly useful when travelling with children, as it gives them an opportunity to learn something about the city without feeling as though they are taking part in a formal history lesson.

Although we chose to complete the whole circuit, the hop-on hop-off format means that families can use the service very differently depending on their plans. Anyone wanting to visit the Tower of London, explore Westminster or spend time around Covent Garden could get off at the relevant stop and continue sightseeing later, making the bus a useful way of connecting several attractions across the day.

For us, however, the uninterrupted journey was exactly what we wanted. Having already spent time travelling around London on foot and by Tube, being able to enjoy the city without constantly moving between different forms of transport was a very welcome change.

Understanding The Original Tour’s different London routes

One of the advantages of The Original Tour is that it offers several routes covering different parts of London, rather than limiting passengers to one central sightseeing circuit. Standard hop-on hop-off passes provide access to four colour-coded bus routes, allowing visitors to combine different areas of the capital according to their interests and how much time they have available.

The Red Route, which we experienced, is probably the most obvious choice for families visiting London for the first time or anyone wanting to see the classic landmarks. It covers many of the sights most closely associated with the capital, including Westminster, Trafalgar Square, the London Eye, St Paul’s Cathedral and the Tower of London. The complete circuit takes approximately two hours and ten minutes, although journey times can vary depending on traffic, and buses generally operate at intervals of around 15 to 30 minutes.

The Blue Route is particularly useful for families interested in London’s museums and royal landmarks. It connects areas including Victoria, Knightsbridge and South Kensington, providing access to attractions such as the Natural History Museum, Science Museum and Victoria and Albert Museum, alongside sights including Buckingham Palace, Kensington Palace and Harrods. With a complete circuit of approximately two hours, it could work particularly well for families planning to combine sightseeing with a museum visit.

The Green Route covers a different part of central London, linking areas associated with the city’s cultural attractions and major transport hubs, including Covent Garden, the British Museum, Russell Square, Euston and King’s Cross. It takes approximately an hour to complete, making it useful for visitors wanting to explore this part of the capital or connect with other routes.

The Pink Route focuses on north-west central London, passing areas including Marble Arch, Paddington and Baker Street, with convenient access to attractions such as Madame Tussauds and Regent’s Park. At approximately 55 minutes, it is the shortest of the four main circuits and could be a useful addition for families staying in that part of the city.

Although the ability to use several routes is appealing, it is worth planning carefully rather than assuming that all four can comfortably be completed in one day. London traffic can be unpredictable, and the less frequent Green and Pink services may require more attention to timetables if you intend to get off and rejoin later.

For a short family visit, choosing one main route and combining it with a couple of attractions is likely to provide a more enjoyable experience than trying to cover every possible stop.

The Thames river cruise: an additional experience worth planning for

One of the appealing features of The Original Tour’s standard sightseeing passes is the inclusion of a Thames river cruise, offering visitors the opportunity to experience London from the water as well as from the road.

The river provides a completely different perspective on the capital, particularly around Westminster, the London Eye, Tower Bridge and the historic buildings lining the Thames. For families visiting London for the first time, combining a bus tour with a river cruise could be an excellent way to see a wide variety of landmarks without spending the entire day walking.

The cruise is operated by City Cruises, with boarding available at designated piers including Westminster, the London Eye, Tower and Greenwich. Journey lengths vary depending on the section travelled, so it is worth checking the timetable and deciding how the cruise fits into the rest of your plans.

Unfortunately, we weren’t able to experience this part of the ticket during our visit. There were numerous cancellations affecting the river service on the day we travelled, which meant we couldn’t make use of the cruise as we had hoped.

It was disappointing, particularly as seeing London from the river would have complemented our sightseeing bus experience nicely, although it didn’t detract from how much we enjoyed the Red Route itself.

It is something we would definitely consider trying on another visit, and I would recommend checking the river cruise timetable and any service updates before planning your day around it. If the cruise is an important part of the experience for your family, it makes sense to establish which departures are operating rather than leaving it until the end of the day and potentially missing out.

Is The Original Tour suitable for younger children?

One of the biggest considerations when booking activities in London is whether they will genuinely appeal to everyone in the family, particularly when children are different ages and have very different interests.

Sightseeing buses can be a good option because they offer plenty of visual interest without requiring children to walk long distances or remain focused on one activity for hours. The experience is relatively relaxed, and there is always something happening outside the window, whether that’s a famous landmark, an unusual building or simply the activity of the city itself.

Younger children may particularly enjoy sitting upstairs on an open-top bus, although parents should consider the weather and the length of the journey when deciding which route to take. A two-hour sightseeing circuit can feel quite long for a toddler, particularly if they are tired or hungry, so the ability to get off and take a break is useful.

For families with younger children, The Original Tour also offers a dedicated Kids Bus Tour, which is separate from the standard hop-on hop-off routes. This is a shorter, approximately 45-minute experience featuring live commentary designed specifically for children, making it potentially more suitable for those who would struggle with a longer sightseeing circuit.

Older children and teenagers may enjoy the freedom of seeing several different parts of London in one journey, particularly if they have an interest in history, architecture, photography or exploring new places.

How much does The Original Tour cost, and is it good value?

The Original Tour offers several ticket options, including half-day passes, one-, two- and three-day sightseeing tickets, and longer seven-day passes for visitors spending more time in London.

At the time of checking, advertised adult prices started at approximately £25 for a half-day ticket, £35 for the one- to three-day range and £59 for a seven-day pass, although prices vary according to the ticket selected, travel dates and any available promotions. Child tickets and family packages may also be available, while children under five can travel free on the standard hop-on hop-off service.

The longer tickets can be particularly useful for families visiting London over several days, as they provide more flexibility to explore different areas without feeling that everything needs to be completed in a single afternoon. The two- and three-day passes can also be used on non-consecutive days within the operator’s specified validity period, which is worth considering if you have other attractions planned between sightseeing days.

Whether the experience represents good value will depend largely on how you intend to use it.

If you’re simply looking for the cheapest way to travel between two London attractions, the Tube or ordinary London buses will almost certainly be more economical. A sightseeing bus is not really designed to compete with public transport on price or speed, and there is little point paying for a tour if your main priority is getting from one place to another as quickly as possible.

The value comes from the sightseeing experience itself, including the elevated views, commentary, flexibility to explore different areas and the additional river cruise where included.

For a family visiting London for the first time, the opportunity to see many of the major landmarks in one journey could be particularly appealing. It may also be worth considering for families with limited time who want a general introduction to the city before deciding which attractions they would like to explore in more detail.

If you are planning to spend most of the day inside one or two museums, however, you may not make enough use of a hop-on hop-off ticket to justify the cost. In that situation, a shorter ticket or a different day for sightseeing might make more sense.

It is worth comparing the available packages on The Original Tour website before booking, particularly if you are travelling as a family and want to make sure the ticket offers enough flexibility for your plans.

A few things worth knowing before booking

Although our experience was very positive, there are a few practical considerations that could make a difference to how much families enjoy the tour.

The first is the weather. Sitting on the open top deck is undoubtedly part of the appeal, but British weather can be unpredictable at any time of year. Even on a relatively pleasant day, it can feel cooler when sitting outside for an extended period, particularly if the bus is moving through exposed areas. Taking an extra layer or waterproof jacket is sensible, especially when travelling with children who may be less enthusiastic about remaining outside once they become cold.

It is also worth thinking about where you board. During busy periods, the most popular sightseeing stops may attract more passengers, and securing seats together on the upper deck could be more difficult if you join a bus that is already fairly full. Families who particularly want to sit upstairs may find it helpful to board earlier in the route or allow a little flexibility in their plans.

Traffic is another consideration, as central London can become extremely congested, particularly around Westminster and other popular tourist areas. A complete sightseeing circuit may take longer than advertised, while getting off and waiting for another bus can add time to the day.

Rather than treating the published journey times as a strict schedule, it is better to regard them as a guide and avoid arranging tightly timed activities immediately afterwards.

Families hoping to use the Thames cruise should also check its operating timetable separately, as our experience demonstrated that cancellations can affect plans even when the bus services are running.

Finally, it is worth considering what you want to get out of the experience before choosing your ticket. If the aim is to see as much of London as possible while enjoying a relaxed journey, staying on board for a complete circuit can be a lovely way to spend a couple of hours. If you want to explore museums, historic attractions or particular neighbourhoods, a longer ticket with opportunities to hop on and off may offer better value.

Would we recommend The Original Tour for a family day out in London?

Having completed the full Red Route during half term, we would certainly recommend The Original Tour to families looking for a different way to experience London.

What made it particularly enjoyable for us was the opportunity to appreciate the city without the usual distractions of navigating public transport, checking directions or trying to work out how long it would take to reach the next attraction. We could simply sit together, enjoy the views and watch London unfold around us, which was a refreshing change from the pace of a typical sightseeing day.

Our only disappointment was missing the included river cruise because of the cancellations, although that is something we would like to experience on a future visit.

For families who enjoy exploring cities, particularly those visiting London for the first time or introducing children to its most famous landmarks, The Original Tour offers an enjoyable combination of sightseeing, flexibility and convenience. It isn’t necessarily the cheapest way to get around London, nor will it always be the quickest, but those aren’t really the reasons to book it.