London 4 full days-first time for family

Have you read Rick's suggested itineraries and compared them to those from Fodor's and frommers?

With such a short trip you'll be so busy in London don't worry about day trips, do it next time. If you do feel the need, Bath is easy and worthwhile

You don't say how old or young your family is but I have a couple of tips based on visiting London with elementary school age kids. Many museums are free so you can just pop in for an hour or so. And come back again another time if you wish. Check out their websites as many offer kids activity kits and free docent tours that might appeal. For example the British Museum, the Victoria and Albert Museum and the Natural History Museum.

https://www.britishmuseum.org/blog/visiting-british-museum-family

https://www.vam.ac.uk/whatson/programmes/family

https://www.nhm.ac.uk/visit/activities-for-families-and-kids.html

Another good source for kids activities is Time Out London on line magazine kids section. https://www.timeout.com/london/kids

I wouldn't think with only four days you would want to leave London proper but if you wanted a day trip both Hampton Court Palace and Greenwich are good family destinations.

Bath is an easy day trip via train. While you’ll all be able to fill 4 days just within London, if you wanted a bit of a different experience, or to get some ancient Roman baths and engineering in with your England visit, or perhaps have afternoon tea at the Pump Room, then Bath would do nicely. York’s too far for a day trip, and is worthy of more than one day anyway. Cotswolds via public transportation for a day trip wouldn’t be my pick.

As mentioned above, other (and closer) daytrips from downtown London would be Hampton Court (by train) or Greenwich (by boat on the Thames).

More than enough to keep you in London for 4 full days: theatre, free museums, a variety of food options, street markets, walking along the Thames River path, Hampstead Heath, Richmond Park, strolling by The Palace, meandering about Liberty, Selfridges, Fortum and Masons, Spitalfields, Carnaby Street, Maltby Market, Tower Bridge Experience, Greenwich Observatory, Mercato Mayfair, Portobello Road, Sir John Sloane Museum, Horniman Museum and Garden, Wimbledon Tour, Grant Museum of Zoology, Emigrates Cable Cars, and on and on….

Whilst Bath is possible as a day trip (York and the Cotswolds aren’t practical for day trips), with only 4 days in London, I would spend all my time there.

I'm in agreement with the other members of the Forum - NO!!! Stay put and enjoy London. Plan on returning (soon) and enjoy Bath or the Cotwolds (don't miss Oxford and Blenheim) on a future trip.
If you'd like to experience a "mini-trip" whilst (wow, I've never used this word before but now I'm feeling kind of British) I'd recommend a short-day trip to Windsor Castle - 45 to 60 minutes; Hampton Court is even closer, but Windsor and the town/small city will be memorable.
BTW. A word of caution. Our first trip to Europe began in London (staying in Kensignton) twenty-five years ago and to date, we've traveled back over thirty times. If the bug bites you there's no turning back ...

thank you all for the suggestions! Much appreciated!!

I agree both York and Bath are doable as day trips from the Smoke. The howevers are, one is likely to leave early and return late (read a long days) and may not able to avail of the cheapest train tix to get anything out of such days. Furthermore, to me how much one will get of such trips is debatable given the limited time available.

Don't rule out Lincoln for a day trip if that is truly your barra, its an a hour and half on a LNER direct train from Kings X. The historic area (The Cathedral Quarter) is lot more compact and less Harry Potterised and more conducive for a day trip than the others and one can fill your boots with Roman and Tudor history.

I have no clue why a return trip of under four hours to York is deemed impossible whereas a return trip of a little over 3 hours to Bath is thought to be completely doable

First, I never said anything was “impossible.” Unreasonable and impossible are not the same.

Second, last time I checked, the average train from London to Bath is less than an hour-and-a-half, while from London to York is more than 2 hours.

Further, in an effort to keep my suggestions to the OP relatively concise, I didn’t include that especially since the OP has just 4 total days and it’s their first time in London, that in my opinion, York’s too far for a day trip. Something involving a commute of 2 or more hours one way, just for transportation and not including sightseeing or other activities, is certainly not impossible, and I never suggested being unable to realize such an activity. But it’s too much. If it takes 2 hours to get there, get lodging and stay the night.

Similarly, paying £750 for a hamburger, if anyone’s charging such a price, is not impossible to do, if you’ve got the means to cover the cost … but I would venture to suggest that most folks would argue that £750 is too much … unless the “special sauce” is really, really special.

Something else to add to the Bath v York debate - there is probably a LOT more to do in York than Bath. The highlights of Bath can be done in a day trip. I agree with Cyn on this one. I'm also not convinced by Lincoln either - the cathedral sector is a long way from the railway station (and there is a very Steep Hill to get up too - Ok you can get a bus...)

Being realistic with only 4 days, stick in London and its immediate surrounds. There is more than enough to keep you busy.

Time is your most valuable travel commodity so with only four full days on a first trip DO NOT spend a day in transit. London offers a HUGE menu of opportunities with an accommodating public transport system to enable ease of access. The Kensington neighborhood is a great choice and suggest you utilize google maps to familiarize yourself with the area (especially with the street view tool).

A challenge will be to study the places you desire to see and establish logistics maximizing time to "be there" in lieu of time to "get there". Recommend you start with striving to target a specific defined geographic area for each day and arrange your schedule to stay within that arena. Suggest tossing some of your proposed daily itineraries out to this forum to solicit their experiences. A June visit is maximum tourist volume and velocity so highly recommend max use of pre-purchase online time slots.

Having an ARBNB should provide a kitchen so take advantage of some market shopping to start your day with breakfast of your choice (usually cheaper and can save time). Definitely helps to have a place to bring and store the tasty morsels you will purchase at vendor stands in markets.

Essentially a first time visit to London is akin to standing at the front of a line for the fanciest most ample Las Vegas breakfast brunch and thinking, "How will I eat everything?" Simple, keep in mind this first trip does not mean it is the last trip.

Bon Appetite!

There is so much to do in London, I would not take a day trip to any location, except possibly Windsor or Hampton Court which are very close.