Review: The Original Tour London

Review by Lou at Toddle About HO.

A Relaxing and Family-Friendly Way to Explore the Capital.

If you're planning a family day out in London this summer, I'd definitely recommend considering The Original Tour. It turned out to be one of the easiest and most enjoyable ways to explore the capital. Although my partner and I enjoyed this experience on a rare adults-only day, we couldn't help thinking how much our 11-year-old son would have loved it too. It's one of those attractions that's just as enjoyable for adults as it is for children, making it a brilliant option for families.

The Original Tour combines a hop-on hop-off open-top bus tour with a Thames River Cruise, giving you the chance to experience London from both the road and the river. It offers a relaxed way to see the city's most famous landmarks without spending the whole day walking or navigating the Underground.

We started our day on one of the iconic open-top double-decker buses, travelling past many of London's best-known sights, including Buckingham Palace, Big Ben, Westminster Abbey, St Paul's Cathedral, Tower Bridge and the London Eye. Sitting on the open-top deck gave us fantastic panoramic views across the city, and it was lovely to simply sit back, relax and enjoy the scenery while someone else did the driving.

One of the biggest advantages for families is the flexibility. You can hop on and off throughout the day, stopping whenever you'd like to explore an attraction before catching the next bus to continue your journey. It allows you to tailor the day around your own pace, which is especially useful when you're visiting with young children.

The onboard audio commentary was informative without being overwhelming, sharing fascinating facts about London's history and famous landmarks as we travelled. Commentary is available in ten different languages, making it an excellent choice for visitors from around the world. For younger children, there's even a dedicated Kids Tour featuring child-friendly commentary and storytelling to help keep little ones entertained while they learn about the capital.

One of the real highlights of our day was the included Thames River Cruise. We boarded at Westminster and travelled all the way to Greenwich, taking in London's famous skyline from a completely different perspective. Seeing the city from the water felt much more peaceful than being on the busy streets and gave us the chance to really appreciate the incredible architecture.

Tower Bridge was undoubtedly my favourite landmark of the day. Seeing it from the river was absolutely stunning and gave us some fantastic photo opportunities. Along the journey we also passed the London Eye, St Paul's Cathedral, The Shard and many other iconic sights. Even though we've visited London several times before, seeing these landmarks from the Thames made them feel completely new again.

The staff on board the boat were wonderful throughout the journey. They were incredibly friendly, welcoming and happy to answer questions, creating a really relaxed atmosphere. On the journey to Greenwich, one of the crew members gave a live commentary, sharing interesting stories and historical facts about the landmarks we passed. It felt much more personal than simply listening to an audio guide and really added to the experience. On the return journey, a pre-recorded commentary was played, which was equally informative and ensured we didn't miss any of London's fascinating history.

Another lovely touch was the onboard bar, where we picked up drinks, snacks and an ice cream to enjoy while cruising along the Thames in the sunshine. It was one of those simple moments that made the day feel even more special and reminded us that sightseeing doesn't have to be rushed.

Practical touches also make The Original Tour a great choice for families. Children under five travel free, complimentary WiFi is available onboard the buses, and there are flexible ticket options ranging from 24 hours to seven days. If you're spending a weekend in London, the longer tickets offer excellent value and allow you to spread your sightseeing over several days.

As parents, we're always looking for days out that combine fun, education and convenience, and The Original Tour certainly delivers. Young children will love spotting famous landmarks from the open-top bus and the river, while older children can learn plenty from the fascinating commentary throughout the day. It's also a welcome opportunity to rest little legs between exploring London's many attractions.

Overall, we found The Original Tour to be a stress-free, enjoyable and memorable way to experience London. Instead of rushing from attraction to attraction, we were able to soak up the atmosphere, enjoy spectacular views and discover the city at a much more relaxed pace.

Whether you're visiting London for the first time or looking for a fresh way to rediscover the capital with your family, I'd definitely recommend adding The Original Tour to your summer holiday plans. We thoroughly enjoyed our adults-only day out, but we'll certainly be bringing our son next time. I know he'll love spotting all of London's famous landmarks from both the open-top bus and the Thames River Cruise, and I have no doubt it will become one of our favourite family days out.

Find out more at The Original Tour.