What to do in London on a Sat morning with a 13yo?

[shesellsseacats]

DS and I will have a couple of hours to kill, on a Saturday morning in the West End / central London.

What would you do?

I've not booked our hotel yet, but we'll be starting somewhere between Mayfair and Angel Islington (approx along the 38 bus route).
Possibly a hotel near Covent Garden.

TIA :)

I don't know if it is still on but the Banksy exhibition in Covent Garden is an expensive but interesting way to spend an hour.

Forbidden Planet comic shop.

Brunch on the south bank people watching

Parkrun - Highbury Fields is the one I can think of in Islington. But if you take the tube, there are loads you could explore - Clapham Common or Tooting (Northern Line)

Also Colourscape Festival on Clapham Common until 19/09 - so you could do that after the parkrun

Transport museum

@Youcancallmeval

I don't know if it is still on but the Banksy exhibition in Covent Garden is an expensive but interesting way to spend an hour.

Ooh, I like the sound of that! I'll have a look, thanks :)

@Kabloom

Forbidden Planet comic shop.

Now, he'd LOVE it! Right up his street!

But I think I might try to keep him away from shops as we have shops at home! (Even if not as exciting as Forbidden Planet).

@Solasum

Brunch on the south bank people watching

I'd love that, wandering around the South Bank used to be one of my favourite things to do.

I think DS may get bored after a while though. Is there a nearby activity or event we could combine it with?

Orbital Comics on Seven Dials and Forbidden Planet in Soho. Wander around China Town and go to one of the bakeries.

River boat from London Eye to Greenwich then cable car round trip. You can climb the roof of 02 as well, if he has a head for heights.

@SquirmOfEels

Parkrun - Highbury Fields is the one I can think of in Islington. But if you take the tube, there are loads you could explore - Clapham Common or Tooting (Northern Line)

Also Colourscape Festival on Clapham Common until 19/09 - so you could do that after the parkrun

Ha! Does this mean run in it? Sorry, lovely thought but no. I'm a potato!

@Clymene

Transport museum

A definite possibility. I love the nostalgia of old buses and trains, especially the routemasters I took to school.

You can walk thru Hyde park from Mayfair past the serpentine then on to national history museum

@leavesthataregreen

Orbital Comics on Seven Dials and Forbidden Planet in Soho. Wander around China Town and go to one of the bakeries.

River boat from London Eye to Greenwich then cable car round trip. You can climb the roof of 02 as well, if he has a head for heights.

That'd be cool. DS has been on the cable car but not since he was tiby. I don't think he remembers.

How do you get the river boat? Do you just turn up?

This place in Holborn is worth a visit, it's quirky and fun. My 12 yo loved it. novelty-automation.com/

[quote Sleeptillnoon]This place in Holborn is worth a visit, it's quirky and fun. My 12 yo loved it. novelty-automation.com/[/quote]
Oh wow! I love this! It's totally up DS's street, and mine too!

I remember going to a shop with automaton in Covent Garden when I was probably about the same age and absolutely loving it.

Covent Garden, the transport museum, street entertainers and market.

the outdoors climbing wall in the olympic park?

Seacats it is really great, not massive probably 40 mins of fun but it's really clever and silly at the same time. You buy tokens for the machines and can probably spend max £15 between the two of you. I won't spoil the surprise but even the way you buy tokens is fun

The guy who makes them used to have a C4 series back in the day called Secret Life of Machines, definitely look it up. I have close to zero interest in engineering but I love his programmes.

OP, you just go down to one of the jetties. There's one at London Eye and one at Embankment. The cheapest boat is the Clipper and if you already have a travel card you usually get a discount. I think there are still little ticket booths at each jetty (not been since before lockdown so thwe system might have changed.)