London break with teens - help!!

[greenold]

We are off to London next weekend for 3.5 days to celebrate our eldest's 18th - their request. We have two other teens, a 16 and a 15 year old. We live up north and I've not been to London in about twenty years!

We have booked a couple of shows so that bit is sorted. One day we plan to do London eye, Tate modern etc.

What would you recommend - touristy but probably not landmarks, I can imagine myself next to Big Ben or the Houses of Parliament with the three of them looking at me very unimpressed - what fun, cool, interesting stuff could we pack in?

thanks so much! Want to make it a really special and memorable time.

Also dungeons are really fun and scary even for young adults

The graffiti tunnels near Waterloo are quite unique and free. Teens would probably like that and you could do that before or after the London Eye as they're close together.

China Town is OK for a wander through - especially if you like Chinese food or bubble tea.

Thanks - London eye and graffiti tunnels would be good.

how about the shard? Is that worth doing?

Came on to recommend the Graffiti tunnels but see its already mentioned. Its close to the London Eye.

Battersea Power Station looks good, there is a bit of shopping and the lift - not done it because its very expensive - looks cool.

We took our DC a few weeks ago. We got the Uber boat from battersea power station to Greenwich. Its a great way to see the main landmarks. The boats are clean, comfortable and serve refreshments. Would highly recommend it.

There's a good indoor market at Greenwich with lots of different food stalls. Walking around the naval college buildings is interesting and good views across to canary wharf and the o2. A walk up through the park to the observatory and Greenwich time line is interesting.

Another time we took them into Brixton and an indoor food market. Bit more gritty and cultural.

A visit to places like Harrods, Fortnum & Mason, and Liberty is always good.

I think I'd see if I could get cheaper tickets to a west end show. There's the new one based on Stranger Things, if they were into it.

London dungeons is actually really good for any age. You can walk along the Thames and there is a street food market near by.
Spitalfields and Brick Lane.

If you like wandering, I’d recommend the following walks:

Tower Bridge —> Borough —> Southbank —> HoP —> Downing St —> St James’s Park —> Buckingham Palace

Hampstead Heath —> Belsize Park —> Primrose Hill —> Regents Park —> Oxford St —> Carnaby St —> SoHo

Embankment —> Covent Garden —> Bloomsbury —> Kings Cross —> Coal Drops Yard —> Regents Canal —> Camden Market

Paddington Basin —> Little Venice —> Notting Hill —> Portobello Rd —> Westfield

We’ve done all those in the last year or so with our 11 and 15 year olds. We stop for drinks and snacks at interesting places and there’s usually shopping along the way. Loads to see, and often some celeb spotting.

https://share.google/tZjMdTpHhKmrye7t8
Gods Own Junkyard
Its a bit out of the way, but makes for some very cool photos.

swingers/carnival off Oxford street is fun, but under 18s are not allowed after 6pm.

Gordon Ramsays Bread street kitchen on Bishopsgate has great views over London.

Denmark Street still has a few cool.music/guitar shops if you're passing that way. It's not that far from China Town or Leicester Square.

Another vote for Camden. My teens LOVED it.

If you are travelling there by train worth checking the 2FOR1 trips on their website. We got the eye, dungeons and the speed boat on there.

for me the chard wasn’t worth it as we did the eye on the same visit so my teens had already had their fill of seeing rooftops and buildings. They enjoy Camden and convent garden.

Re the Shard: it's a view of London high up. Interesting for 5 mins. For kids - yeah cool whatever.

My teens have enjoyed the Dungeons, Tate Modern, HMS Belfast, Greenwich and Tower of London.
We got a couple of 'Too good to go' bags from cool London places, haha, they always love eating! We also did this walk which was lovely with lots of 'sights' thames-explorer.org.uk/self-guided-walks/