London Zoo

London Zoo has been operating in Regent's Park since 1828, making it the world's oldest scientific zoo, and it remains one of the best family days out in the capital. The range of animals on display is exceptional — big cats, great apes, giraffes, penguins, reptiles, butterflies, and much more — and the enclosures have been progressively redesigned over recent years to give animals more naturalistic environments while bringing visitors closer to genuine wildlife behavior. For families, the highlights tend to be Gorilla Kingdom (where western lowland gorillas can be observed at surprisingly close range), Penguin Beach (with regular feeding displays), and the Butterfly Paradise walk-through enclosure where hundreds of tropical butterflies land on visitors.

There are several feeding and keeper talk sessions throughout the day — check the timetable when you arrive and plan your route around them, as these are genuinely memorable moments for children. The zoo is spread across a large site and a full visit takes the better part of a day. Food options on site are plentiful but expensive; bringing a packed lunch to eat at one of the picnic areas will significantly reduce the cost.

Regent's Park itself surrounds the zoo and is a beautiful place to round off the day with a walk or some outdoor play.