Could anyone help me plan a couple of days in London with my DS please?!

[OddGoingsOn]

Feeling completely out of my depth if I’m honest! 🙀

My wonderful 16 year old whom I adopted at just turned one has just finished his GCSEs. He’s not had the best time at school over the years with various issues but is so resilient and generous and kind and just lovely, and has worked so hard for these exams that I’d love to take him away, just the two of us, no DP, no DSS, for a couple of days in the summer. He’s never been to London and would love to go so I really want to take him.

The problem is I have no idea where to start. We’re from ‘up North’ and I don’t know much about London and the thought of trying to navigate it is very daunting, BUT I’m determined to do it. We’d go on the train, stay in a hotel and just want to see the sights and do some shopping, eat in cool places (he loves house music and is a budding DJ) and would love ANY tips please! We’d just go for 2 nights and 3 days so any ideas of places to stay, where to go, what to see would be amazing please!

goboat ! You hire a boat and self drive down the canals near little Venice and the zoo. Absolutely brilliant!

And definitely see a show

Shoreditch graffiti tour

The Emirates Cable Car
The Thames Clipper
Churchill War Rooms
The Teahouse Theatre
The Freemasons Museum
John Soane Museum
The Mousetrap (West End murder mystery show)
Listen to a free music recital at the Guildhall

Natural history museum. It’s free but have to book a slot at the moment
Tate modern art gallery
is he into musicals?
London dungeon is goog
london eye is one of those things you should do once

What does he like?

My brother used to visit me loads as a teen I can share what he liked

Walk from Tralfager square, up the mall to Buckingham palace.

Camden market

Covent garden

Accommodation - the London youth hostels are worth considering.

Tavistock hotel is fairly central and not too expensive.

The Old Operating Theatre, easy to get to by bus, is brilliant, it's close to Borough Market which has good food stalls

Definitely do the Sky Garden. It’s free although you have to book and the views are great.
I would do a bus tour to see the sights. After that, what does he like? Ours always enjoy a meal in Chinatown or a curry in Brick Lane. I second the graffiti in the East End especially if they enjoy photography. Take a boat trip too.

What's he (and you) in too?
What's the budget ?

Well yes, what are his interests and what is the budget? It might be worth checking London Halls of residence for good accommodation deals but you may be a bit late. LSE, UCL, KCS.

Alternatively check a a Holiday Inn Express, Premier Inn a few miles out but with v good connections, ie, Clapham Junction, Southwark, Hammersmith, Tufnell Park, etc.

London is good and nothing to be afraid of.

I would do central London to hit some of the big touristy bits: National Portrait Gallery (I think it's quite good for teens if they're not overly arty), Trafalgar Square/Leicester Sq (although not Leicester Square is not that interesting) and the Mall/Buckingham Palace and even Covent Garden - they are all walkable and you could do a mix! - and then go for dinner and to a show.

I would also do Southbank on another day from Tower Bridge, to Borough market and then on to the Globe and the Tate modern up to the London Eye (stopping along the way as you are interested, Tate Modern is free).

I would then also try to fit something more 'vibey' in for a teen like Shoreditch, a graffiti tour could be good or a Jack the Ripper one.

Lots if walking but grouping areas and sights together as much as possible.

Yes what does he like? London is full of amazing things paid and free. It's worth looking at what's on specifically on the dates you're planning to go as there's loads of pop up events, carnival etc.

I'd get a boat bus down the Thames, check out tower bridge and head to the London dungeon, that's all close together.

West end show and dinner before or after in China town is fun and they're really close.

There's a hotel in south london that offers a mad science themed afternoon tea for kids that gets amazing reviews but does get booked up.

There's loads of great free museums and galleries, natural history museum, science museum and V&A are all next to each other in Kensington. You can highlights of two in a day of you just pick rooms of interest.

British museum is a ten minute walk from Covent Garden which has street performers and musicians playing at peak times.

I believe there's a cool gaming arena near Oxford Circus for kids who love computer games.

If he's more alternative/ gothy he might like shopping in Camden Town and then a bus up to Highgate cemetery.

London is great for the variety of food available, if he's an adventurous eater you could go for a Korean indoor barbecue a galbi, or Ethiopian where you get something similar to tapas on giant bread plate that you rip off and eat with.

There's usually a lot of escape rooms if you fancy and activity and near Piccadilly there's a crystal maze experience. (That's right by China town and theatre land)

Some great tips so far, thank you! As for what he likes, he’s really not into science or history. He loves music, fashion, trying new foods and new experiences. He’d love the boat ideas I think, and maybe a bus tour to see the main things? Can we get on and off? Where would you recommend we do that from/to? I’m completely overwhelmed by the tube idea too. Do we have to use it? I mean I’m sure I’ll work it out if we need to…! 😂Thanks again all. Keep the ideas coming! Any other particular cool places to eat or hang out?

No need to use the tube at all, you’ll see far more walking or catching the bus. Get the TFL app and it’s easy to plan.

My slightly older DD loves all the different markets - Borough, Spitalfields, Portobello Road, Greenwich, Camden etc.

I’d recommend the Design museum, Museum of Brands or Tate Modern.

If you don’t mind sharing which station you come into we can help you plan a route.

I've lived in London for well over 40 years and am still finding new things to see! The other day we got a river bus for the first time in decades and I was hugely impressed by how quick and efficient it was. Not ruinously expensive either. We went from Greenwich Pier to Embankment, could have stayed on for a couple more stops to get to Westminster. Cracking views. I've often thought if I was visiting the city for the first time I'd enjoy going to Greenwich by the Docklands Light Railway and coming back to the centre by boat, or vice versa. The DLR is great fun as the trains are driverless, so if you get on at the terminus (Bank would be good) you have a fighting chance of getting a seat right at the front of the front carriage. (This might appeal more to younger kids, but I am an overgrown kid at heart when it comes to this sort of thing ...) The DLR goes through Docklands and I really like the contrast in scale between the little trains and the giant skyscrapers.

Greenwich Park is glorious. Marvellous views. Several free museums dotted round it.

Hampstead Heath is my favourite London park, but perhaps not that exciting for a teenager.

Chinatown for at least one meal?

Come and stay in Brixton. Eat at the village. See if there’s anything free on. It’s on the Victoria line so easy access into town and very young and cool.

The tube isn't difficult. Get pay as you go Oyster cards tfl.gov.uk/fares/how-to-pay-and-where-to-buy-tickets-and-oyster/pay-as-you-go/oyster-pay-as-you-go

You could go to Tate Modern then walk along the Southbank towards Westminster Bridge - have a look on Google maps as there are lots of other attractions and venues along the route as well as views across the Thames to St Paul's and Houses of Parliament.

Also you could do Green Park, Buckingham Palace, Piccadilly, Leicester Square, Trafalgar Square all in one (long) walk - via lunch in Chinatown (just behind Leicester Square) for Chinese food.

Have a look at the map, plot a couple of routes (or do the two I've just suggested!)

We stayed at the Hard Rock Hotel recently with our teenagers. It's at top of Oxford Street by Marble Arch so very central. Quite pricy.
It is quite an exciting place. Glass cabinets all around containing rock memorabilia such as rock star's guitars or outfits. All music themed.
Every night they have a band or singer play in the bar/restaurant area. It's quite exciting and our teenagers loved it.

Camden Market.
Denmark Street for the musical instrument shops (Tottenham Court Road tube)
Borough Market for food, definitely (London Bridge tube)
Brick Lane for vintage clothes (Shoreditch High Street overground station). Go to the bagel shop for lunch...heavenly...and cheap!
Forbidden Planet in Shaftesbury Avenue for all things comics and geek.
I'd avoid the bus tours because they are hideously expensive. Use your contactless cards or devices to get on the tube. Put it on the reader and go!
Download CityMapper or Moovit for easy transport directions. If you get stuck, ask the staff or any (sober) person around you.
I've lived in London for 25 years...work for TfL...and have a 15 year old! DM me if you need more ideas.

For a reasonable price stay at the Premier Inn County Hall it's right next door to the London Eye. Houses of Parliament are over the road. Walk along the South Bank and take a bridge over to Covent Garden, you'll see lots of street artists.

I agree take a boat down to Greenwich to see the city from the water & how it's developed. You could book a walk over the top of the O2.

DS 17 loves Chinatown.

The hop on hop off bus tour is absolutely the best way to see the main sights and you can (errr) hop off if you want to stop for lunch or go in to any of the museums/galleries etc

Personally I wouldn’t bother schlepping to the South Ken museums if they wont be of much interest. Tate Modern is quite cool and you can combine with a walk over the Millenium bridge to the City (cool buildings) and/or walk along the Jubilee Thames walk all the way along to the South Bank and the London Eye (well worth booking this) and the London Dungeon (great fun)

I second @SarahMused , I had a business meeting pretty high up in Sky Garden today (my first time) and as someone who isn't from London seeing the view from the Board Room across the city was incredible so it must be even better from the Sky Garden (top floor) itself! You can check off "seeing" so many monuments from Sky Garden itself without having to go through the fuss of getting up close to them, Tower Bridge, Tower of London, London Bridge, St Paul's, Gherkin, Millennium Bridge, Canary Wharf etc.

I also highly recommend London Dungeons from an earlier visit!

Natural History Museum and Jack the Ripper tour with "Ripper Vision" is next on my list!

I would go on the tube at least once, it'll be an experience for him. Try and go on the Elizabeth Line: it's amazing. A trip on the Thames Clipper catamaran boat up the river (AKA Uber Boats) is a great way of seeing the iconic city views.

Ask him if there's anything he'd like to see, he'll probably have very specific things he'd love to experience, even if they seem baffling to you.

There's so much stuff in London that you could be here for weeks, you just need to combine some essential "capital city" energy with the stuff that's specific to his interests.

The tube isn't difficult to navigate as it is really clearly drawn out on maps both in the trains and all over the stations. You use a contactless card (will need one each) and you just tap as you go into the first station and tap wherever you get off (even if you change lines) and there is an upper limit for the day, however much you travel.
Not being a Londoner, and having only travelled there rarely, I see it as part of the experience.

Never having been, I would spend the best part of one of the days walking and seeing the outside of all the famous buildings you see on the news or on films etc....... Parliament, Westminster Abbey, Buckingham Palace and the Mall, Horseguards Parade, Trafalgar Square. Back out passing St Pauls, along the South Bank passing famous bridges, out to the Tower of London.
If you have the money, then the London Eye is worth it as a one off thing to view all of London.

Might be better financially to stay somewhere like Watford in an Air BnB..... the fast train into London from Bushey is only about 20mins but the saving on room hire will far outweigh the train fair in.