HI! I’M JO.

I am a mom with two vivacious girls, ages 7 and 4, living in London and working as a freelance photographer. Originally from the States, I moved to England in 2011 to hang out with a Brit after three years of long distance dating. Fast forward over a decade later, and now with a family of four, it still throws me sometimes that I call this vibrant city home. There really is something for everyone, young and old. The trick is to finding what there is to do in London with kids that is also fun for the adults.

What is Explore London with Kids?

I created Explore London with Kids, as a helpful and practical resource for busy parents who want to maximize time with the kids in a city that has a lot to offer. Whether you are looking to plan a day out in London with the family or traveling from abroad and want to make the most of your well-earned family vacation, I can offer you reliable recommendations and well thought out itineraries on how best to experience London with ease even with kids in tow.

For a while now I used to swap ideas on what fun things there are to do with the kids in London with local mom groups and friends who are also parents. Every so often I would share it on my Instagram Stories. I’m glad to finally have a home where all this knowledge and research can live and help others.

Why a London-focused family travel blog?

The inspiration for this London family travel blog came from my own struggle with planning our first family city getaway to Florence. What cultural attractions can we enjoy that will not be a total bore to the girls? Is there a more kid-friendly way to explore these sights? How can we best maximize our time in a particular area of the city? And, more importantly, where can we dine that is not a complete tourist trap?

I spent a fair amount of time researching online and cobbled a few ideas together for our trip but through various sources because none of it covered all my questions. I remember instead of feeling excited for the trip I was more leaning towards overwhelmed. Planning a city break with kids is a lot of work but does it have to be?

Here I will be sharing my tips on what to do in London with kids, where to eat around those attractions and what else there is to explore in the area to make the most of your trip.

Food is a huge passion point for me and as the girls are getting older I am really eager to expose them to more cultures through food. The dining options I recommend will not necessarily fall under the category of “family friendly” in that they may not offer kids menus but should be suitable for most palates. I say this as a mom of a fussy eater!

Where I have been featured

While Explore London with Kids is a new project for me, all the wonderful trappings of London and its food scene is not. Here are a few of the publications where I have previously been featured. In case it is not clear, my professional Instagram account mentioned is @candidsbyjo.

🇬🇧 Condé Nast Traveler (U.S.) – How to Plan a Great British Getaway, According to Three Travel Photographers
🇬🇧 Condé Nast Traveller (UK) – The Best UK Travel Instagram Accounts
🍴 Time Out London – Guide to the 5 Best Dishes in London by Candids by Jo
🍴 The Points Guy – 7 Traveling Foodies You Should Be Following on Instagram
🍴 Mr Porter – Instagrams’s Most Liked Brunches
📸 Women’s Health Mag – 5 Steps to Taking Better Food Pictures + Getting More Instagram Followers

Where I have traveled

Prior to starting a family I was a frequent traveler, both for work and pleasure. I documented a lot of my travel in a former travel & photography blog, Candids by Jo. Here are some of the places I’ve traveled to:

📍Africa: Morocco: Atlas Mountains, Fez, Marrakech.

📍Asia: Cambodia, China: Beijing, Huangyao, Xian, Yangshuo; Vietnam: Hanoi, Ho Chi Minh City, Hoi An, Nha Trang

📍Australia: Gold Coast, Brisbane, Melbourne, Sydney, Red Centre. New Zealand: Marlborough, North Island, Auckland, South Island roadtrip

📍Europe: Austria: Vienna; Belgium: Bruge; France: Paris, Dordogne; Germany: Berlin, Black Forest; Hungary: Budapest; Italy: Florence, Lucca, Maremma, Pisa, Siena; Portugal: Azore Islands, Lisbon, Porto.

 📍India: Kerala

 📍North America: Roadtrips: Seattle to LA, San Francisco-Grand Canyon-Death Valley-Santa Barbara, Boston to Key West. New England: Maine, New Hampshire, Rhode Island, New York. Hawaii. Canada: Toronto, Vancouver, Ucluelet

 📍South America: Chile

Upcoming Travels

As you can imagine, my travels look a little different these days. Less intense. Destinations not as far flung (at the moment). But fond memories are still in the making. In the next few weeks months we are looking forward our family travel to Florence, Lapland and Corfu. Stay tuned!

Last note: All photographs on this website are taken by me unless otherwise noted. I do not give permission to use any images on this website; however, if there is interest in purchasing photographs please contact me via email: hello {at} explorelondonwithkids {dot} com.