For our second time and the boys first time, we joined Logan on his recent work trip to London, England! This wasn’t a new country (United Kingdom) for our family because our first European vacation in 2019 was to Edinburgh, Scotland. I went to London when I was around Griffin’s age with my parents and brother, and Logan popped into London to grab his work laptop with this new consultant contract back in 2023. We were excited to tag along for the work trip and spend the day’s exploring the city along with speaking English to people on the streets – how different!

Logan’s Consultant Work

I’ve said it before but we are just grateful for Logan’s consultant work with a company in London. When he left his job in 2023 for us to go on a gap year in Spain, we had no idea that this ideal job would be waiting for us. As owners of a U.S. LLC that can contract work out and is currently on a job in London, we have loved having the flexibility of owning our own business. No more corporate worries, work travel or additional stress – and we’re so grateful! Logan had a great time meeting with and spending time with his colleagues in-person in London and the family got to meet them for drinks, too. Lovely people, great company!

What’s On

I have always loved the expression of “What’s on” in the United Kingdom. “What’s on refers to what is going on/ what should I do there?” And so I have some great tips for you if you have a few days to spend in London. If there on a Monday, Wednesday, or Friday, I recommend attending the changing of the guard at Buckingham Palace. The bros really enjoyed this and it’s great for the whole family. Next to the palace is St. James Park, a gorgeous park filled with wildlife and beautiful trees. We loved spending time in the park, slowing down our pace for the day.

Next we enjoyed a viewing of Big Ben (or as G calls it, just Ben). We then experienced the world’s biggest toy store at Hamley’s, a core memory I have also from visiting London as a child. I remember getting a doll at Hamley’s in the 1990’s, and our bros chose an air hockey soccer table set which shows the major difference of living out the bro life 🙂 We then stopped for some fresh fish & chips at Gigs, an experience I highly recommend doing at least once while in London.

The next day, dad got to join us for our adventures and we started off in Borough Market. This incredible market is filled with local shoppes and stands offering fresh products and foods but on a Saturday the wait times can be intense. I recommend the chocolate-covered strawberries: they’re worth the wait! We snuck out of the market for lunch due to the crowds and enjoyed a warm meal at Alma’s Italian. After the market, walk the Tower Bridge and head to a local pub. We found a pub named The Griffin which was perfect for our Griffin. An afternoon filled with playing cards and dark beers, it was!

We had the incredible opportunity to take Logan to the Jaguars game at Wembley Stadium. We had amazing seats, a great experience and the boys loved their first NFL game. And a Jags win! Landon even made it on The Daily Mail local newspaper!

The final recommendation of something you must experience in London with kids as something unexpected: Enigma Quests. I found this gem online and they welcomed us in for a free trial sessions and I can confirm it was amazing. It’s the perfect way to spend a rainy day in London and it’s fun for adults and kids. Check out Enigma Quests for a family-friendly experience not to miss (they’re currently only in London!)

Where to Stay

We didn’t work with any collaborations on this trip, but I do recommend the Shoreditch area. It was walkable and easily navigable to the tube. I highly recommend a stay in this sector to not stay in the middle of the busy center London.

What to Skip Out

We did not like the Science Museum in London. We had heard that it was incredible but we personally were not big fans. I’d also recommend trying to eat in or secure a flat with a kitchen as prices in London are absolutely crazily expensive.

Missing School in Spain for London

One surprising thing about our visit to London from Madrid was learning about how the schooling system works in the United Kingdom. We were so surprised to hear that parents can be fined for allowing their children to miss school on a non-holiday. I even heard stories of parents being stopped and asked to confirm that their children were not enrolled in a school in the United Kingdom if it was a weekday! Wow! Definitely glad to be living in Spain and to have our bros enrolled in a school that supports our desire to incorporate family experiences, too.