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Kew Gardens, Richmond

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Days out in London for an older parent

Ten places in London that make a good day out for an older parent, from Kew Gardens to Chiswick House and Gardens. For each one: what its own access information confirms, what it costs, how long to allow, and the carers nearby who drive and could take them.

Researched by PrimeCarers from each place’s own website and access information  ·  Updated October 2026

Kew Gardens. Photo: Diliff, CC BY-SA 3.0

Ten days out across eight towns

The best places to take an older parent in London

Eight of them are free to visit or to walk around. The access information for five describes a step-free route, and eight confirm an accessible toilet. Where a place does not publish its access, we say so.

Kew Gardens, Richmond

Photo: Diliff, CC BY-SA 3.0, via Wikimedia Commons

Garden · Richmond

Kew Gardens

Kew Gardens is the Royal Botanic Gardens beside the Thames, with the Victorian Palm House and Temperate House glasshouses, Kew Palace, two art galleries and wide lawns and tree collections. There is enough to fill a whole day, with cafés and restaurants spread around the grounds.

Blue Badge holders park free in the Kew Gardens car park, manual wheelchairs can be borrowed at every public gate without booking, and accessible toilets sit near the main glasshouses and cafés, so a carer can plan a short loop between them.

Time to allow
A full day
Cost
Paid entry, essential companions free

Access

Their website does not set out its access in detail, so ring ahead about parking, paths and toilets.

Their website

Carers who drive, based near Richmond

National Gallery, Westminster

Photo: Diego Delso, CC BY-SA 4.0, via Wikimedia Commons

Gallery · Westminster

National Gallery

The National Gallery on Trafalgar Square holds Britain's national collection of Western European paintings, from medieval altarpieces to Van Gogh's Sunflowers, Constable's Hay Wain and Turner's Fighting Temeraire. Entry to the main collection is free, and there is a café and a restaurant inside.

Every entrance is step-free, there are lifts throughout and seating around the rooms, and wheelchairs and a rollator can be booked in advance, so a carer can pick a handful of rooms and take them slowly.

Time to allow
Half a day
Cost
Free

What their access information confirms

  • Step-free route
  • Accessible toilet
  • Wheelchairs to borrow
  • Blue Badge parking
  • Café

Their websiteAccess information

Carers who drive, based near Westminster

Victoria and Albert Museum, Kensington and Chelsea

Photo: Richard Rogerson, CC BY-SA 2.0, via Wikimedia Commons

Museum · Kensington and Chelsea

Victoria and Albert Museum

The V&A in South Kensington is the national museum of art and design, with fashion, jewellery, furniture, ceramics, sculpture casts and the Morris, Gamble and Poynter tea rooms decorated in Victorian style. Entry to the permanent galleries is free.

The Cromwell Road and Exhibition Road entrances are step-free, there are 13 accessible toilets, and a wheelchair or walking stick can be borrowed if a form is filled in a day ahead.

Time to allow
Half a day
Cost
Free

What their access information confirms

  • Step-free route
  • Accessible toilet
  • Wheelchairs to borrow

Their websiteAccess information

Carers who drive, based near Kensington and Chelsea

Tate Modern and the Bankside riverside, Southwark

Photo: Acabashi, CC BY-SA 4.0, via Wikimedia Commons

Gallery · Southwark

Tate Modern and the Bankside riverside

Tate Modern is the national gallery of modern and contemporary art, set in a former power station on the South Bank with the Turbine Hall at its heart and works by Picasso, Matisse and Kusama. It sits on the riverside walk facing St Paul's across the Millennium Bridge, so a visit can include a slow stroll along the Thames.

Entry is by the Turbine Hall ramp, there are lifts to every floor and accessible toilets on each floor, and a wheelchair or walker can be borrowed free, so a carer can mix a short look at the art with sitting by the river.

Time to allow
Half a day
Cost
Free entry

What their access information confirms

  • Step-free route
  • Accessible toilet
  • Wheelchairs to borrow

Their website

Carers who drive, based near Southwark

National Maritime Museum, Greenwich

Photo: Katie Chan, CC BY-SA 3.0, via Wikimedia Commons

Museum · Greenwich

National Maritime Museum

The National Maritime Museum in Greenwich tells the story of Britain and the sea, with Nelson's uniform from Trafalgar, ship models, paintings and galleries on exploration and the polar regions. It stands in Maritime Greenwich beside the Queen's House, Greenwich Park and the riverside.

The building has lifts to every floor, a few wheelchairs can be booked free ahead of the visit, accessible parking bays can be pre-booked in the Park Row car park and carers go free, which makes it an easy place to spend a gentle few hours.

Time to allow
Half a day
Cost
Free

What their access information confirms

  • Step-free route
  • Accessible toilet
  • Wheelchairs to borrow
  • Blue Badge parking
  • Café

Their websiteAccess information

Carers who drive, based near Greenwich

Kenwood, Camden

Photo: MrsEllacott, CC BY-SA 4.0, via Wikimedia Commons

Historic house · Camden

Kenwood

Kenwood is an 18th-century villa on the edge of Hampstead Heath, remodelled by Robert Adam, with paintings by Rembrandt, Vermeer and Gainsborough and a lawn running down to a lake. Volunteers give free 15-minute talks on key pieces on several days a week.

There is step-free access to the house with a lift to the first floor, indoor and outdoor wheelchairs to borrow, drop-off at the front of the house and a mobility vehicle from the car park from Thursday to Sunday.

Time to allow
Half a day
Cost
Free

What their access information confirms

  • Step-free route
  • Accessible toilet
  • Wheelchairs to borrow
  • Blue Badge parking
  • Café

Their websiteAccess information

Carers who drive, based near Camden

Horniman Museum and Gardens, Lewisham

Photo: Photograph by Mike Peel (www.mikepeel.net)., CC BY-SA 4.0, via Wikimedia Commons

Museum · Lewisham

Horniman Museum and Gardens

The Horniman in Forest Hill is a family museum with natural history, world cultures and musical instrument galleries, a small aquarium and 16 acres of gardens with views across London. Entry to the museum and gardens is free.

There is Blue Badge parking on site, wheelchairs can be borrowed free from the ticket desk and a lift reaches every gallery, though some garden paths are steep so a carer may want to keep to the flatter areas.

Time to allow
Half a day
Cost
Free entry

What their access information confirms

  • Accessible toilet
  • Wheelchairs to borrow
  • Blue Badge parking
  • Café

Their websiteAccess information

Carers who drive, based near Lewisham

The Regent's Park, Westminster

Photo: ed g2s • talk, CC BY-SA 3.0, via Wikimedia Commons

Park · Westminster

The Regent's Park

The Regent's Park is one of the Royal Parks, with Queen Mary's Gardens and their rose beds, a boating lake, the Avenue Gardens and long tree-lined walks. There are seven main cafés in the park, including one by the water.

Blue Badge holders park free for up to four hours on the Inner and Outer Circle roads, so a carer can pull up close to the rose garden and a café and keep the walking short.

Time to allow
An hour or two
Cost
Free, Blue Badge parking free for four hours

What their access information confirms

  • Blue Badge parking
  • Café

Their websiteAccess information

Carers who drive, based near Westminster

Uber Boat by Thames Clippers river trip, Westminster

Photo: Manuel G. O., CC BY 3.0, via Wikimedia Commons

Boat trip · Westminster

Uber Boat by Thames Clippers river trip

The Uber Boat by Thames Clippers river bus runs along the Thames between piers such as Westminster, the London Eye, Tower Bridge and Greenwich, passing the Houses of Parliament, St Paul's and the Tower of London. A trip from central London to Greenwich makes an easy way to see the city from a seat.

All the boats take wheelchairs using ramps, most have accessible toilets, and a carer gets a free companion ticket, though staff cannot push or lift wheelchairs so the carer handles boarding.

Time to allow
Half a day
Cost
Paid fares, carers travel free

What their access information confirms

  • Partly step-free
  • Accessible toilet

Their websiteAccess information

Carers who drive, based near Westminster

Chiswick House and Gardens, Hounslow

Photo: Michael Coppins, CC BY-SA 4.0, via Wikimedia Commons

Garden · Hounslow

Chiswick House and Gardens

Chiswick House is an 18th-century villa built by Lord Burlington, set in 65 acres of free gardens with a lake, a classic bridge, statues, a conservatory with camellias and a walled kitchen garden. The gardens and café open every day, while the house opens at set times of year.

Most garden paths are level or gently sloping gravel, there are benches throughout, and the café is step-free with an accessible toilet beside it, though the main floor of the house has no lift.

Time to allow
Half a day
Cost
Gardens free, house paid

What their access information confirms

  • Partly step-free
  • Accessible toilet
  • Blue Badge parking
  • Café

Their websiteAccess information

Carers who drive, based near Hounslow

Regular groups and events in London

Something to go back to every week or every year, from our research into what older people enjoy doing in London.

  • Music · LondonFree lunchtime concerts at St Martin-in-the-FieldsThe church by Trafalgar Square runs regular free lunchtime concerts of classical and choral music. A carer can check the listings, arrive early for a seat near the aisle and pair it with a drink in the crypt cafe afterwards.Details
  • Dancing · LondonFolk dance classes at Cecil Sharp HouseThe home of the English Folk Dance and Song Society runs seasonal classes and social dances in traditional English dance, plus singing sessions. A carer can help with booking a term of classes and travel to Camden, and join in as a partner where a class needs pairs.Details
  • Sports · LeytonLeyton Orient Walking Football, over 60s sessionsA walking football club affiliated to the Walking Football Association, running regular over 60s sessions in east London where running is not allowed. A carer can arrange transport, stay for the session and help with the first contact to the club.Details
  • Volunteering · LondonVolunteering with The Royal ParksThe charity that looks after the eight Royal Parks advertises volunteer roles including conservation sessions, visitor welcome and helping at walks and talks. A carer can go through the current openings with someone, help with the application and accompany them to the first session.Details

Hobbies and carers who share them in London

At a glance

The ten places side by side

What each place’s own access information confirms. “Ask” means it does not say, not that it is missing.

PlaceTimeCostStep-freeToiletCafé
Kew GardensRichmonda full dayPaid entryAskAskAsk
National GalleryWestminsterhalf a dayFreeYesYesYes
Victoria and Albert MuseumKensington and Chelseahalf a dayFreeYesYesAsk
Tate Modern and the Bankside riversideSouthwarkhalf a dayFreeYesYesAsk
National Maritime MuseumGreenwichhalf a dayFreeYesYesYes
KenwoodCamdenhalf a dayFreeYesYesYes
Horniman Museum and GardensLewishamhalf a dayFreeAskYesYes
The Regent's ParkWestminsteran hour or twoFreeAskAskYes
Uber Boat by Thames Clippers river tripWestminsterhalf a dayPaid entryPartlyYesAsk
Chiswick House and GardensHounslowhalf a dayFree outside, paid insidePartlyYesYes

Where the places are in London

The county’s boundary, numbered as on this page, with the main towns for reference.

12345678910
  1. 1Kew Gardens, Richmond
  2. 2National Gallery, Westminster
  3. 3Victoria and Albert Museum, Kensington and Chelsea
  4. 4Tate Modern and the Bankside riverside, Southwark
  5. 5National Maritime Museum, Greenwich
  6. 6Kenwood, Camden
  7. 7Horniman Museum and Gardens, Lewisham
  8. 8The Regent's Park, Westminster
  9. 9Uber Boat by Thames Clippers river trip, Westminster
  10. 10Chiswick House and Gardens, Hounslow

What it costs

What a day out with a carer costs in London

Carers in London charge £19 to £21 an hour through PrimeCarers, typically £20, with our fee included. A four-hour outing is about £80 for the carer’s time. Entry, food and parking are extra, and travel costs are only payable if you agree them with the carer in advance, in writing. The cost of home care in London has the full figures.

Photographs on this page are from Wikimedia Commons, credited under each one.

Questions

Questions families ask about days out in London

Kew Gardens in Richmond, National Gallery in Westminster, Victoria and Albert Museum in Kensington and Chelsea, Tate Modern and the Bankside riverside in Southwark, National Maritime Museum in Greenwich, Kenwood in Camden, Horniman Museum and Gardens in Lewisham, The Regent's Park in Westminster, Uber Boat by Thames Clippers river trip in Westminster and Chiswick House and Gardens in Hounslow. Each has its own section on this page with what its access information confirms, the cost and how long to allow.

The access information for National Gallery, Victoria and Albert Museum, Tate Modern and the Bankside riverside, National Maritime Museum and Kenwood describes a step-free route. National Gallery, Victoria and Albert Museum, Tate Modern and the Bankside riverside, National Maritime Museum, Kenwood, Horniman Museum and Gardens, Uber Boat by Thames Clippers river trip and Chiswick House and Gardens have an accessible toilet. National Gallery, Victoria and Albert Museum, Tate Modern and the Bankside riverside, National Maritime Museum, Kenwood and Horniman Museum and Gardens lend wheelchairs. Access changes, so ring ahead about anything your parent depends on.

National Gallery, Victoria and Albert Museum, Tate Modern and the Bankside riverside, National Maritime Museum, Kenwood, Horniman Museum and Gardens, The Regent's Park and Chiswick House and Gardens (outside free, inside paid). Parking is often charged even where entry is free.

Yes. A companion carer can drive your parent there, walk at their pace, help with the toilet and meals, and bring them home. 10 of the carers with a rate near London drive. Visits are booked by the hour, typically £20 an hour here with our fee included. Companionship care in London shows who is available.

Often. Many attractions let a carer or companion in free, or at a reduced price, with a disabled visitor, and some ask for proof such as a letter or a benefit award. It varies, so check each place’s access or prices page before you go.

Where the nearest carers live

From the profiles of the carers based within about 45 minutes of London

Where the nearest carers live. A carer close to home can manage a longer day out.

Companionship care in the counties around London

Days out in the areas around London

Companionship care by town in London

Each town page shows the carers who list it as home, with their rates and reviews.

Find a carer who could take them out in London

See carers near London who drive, with their photos, interests, rates and reviews. Talking to them is free and nothing is booked until you say so.

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