to ask for help in scheduling 2 nights/days in London for a teenager?

[whatyadoing]

She arrives Monday 20th August
Leaves Wednesday 22nd August.

13 year old girl.

Monday - I'm thinking check into hotel (Walthamstow) on arrival, and schedule a musical for Monday night (Bat out of Hell looks interesting?) Not sure of arrival time so don't know whether we can include anything else.

Tuesday am - Oxford Street shopping - she won't want Primark - she is a teenager though so likes labels - would I be better bringing her to Westfield?

Tuesday pm - cruise on Thames? Any one in particular you would recommend for a 13 year old?

Tuesday night - no idea

Wednesday am - again not sure of flight times - but could maybe reschedule shopping to this day if there are better suggestions of what to do when I have allotted the time for shopping?

Anyone with 13 year olds who want to comment on what she can do, where would be good to go to?

It's a treat, so money is an issue but not a massive one if I think it will be worth it.

Please help?

Definitely London Eye and maybe Camden market. The science museum is great but less treaty iyswim

London eye is boring. Only do it with the elderly. Teenagers are bored after 3 minutes!!

No shops are open past 5 or 6 on a Sunday due to licensing laws.

youcan.

Disagree, mine loved it.

It’s like anything isn’t it. You get out of it what you put in. A little planning so you’re not cross-crossing over the city, a bit of research. Expect it to be busy. Expect to have a brilliant time, you will.

You’re wrong they youcan. As I said up thread, many shops are open really late.

Apologies to both pps. I've not found a shop open at 8 pm on a Sunday in my experience or a child who enjoys the London eye in my experience. Shall not be so hasty as to generalise.

I recommend Wellcome Collection for scientific teens (and anyone else!) It's very well done, not too big, clean and cool and a bit of a break from the hustle. And free with decent toilets.

Rather than a tour bus. You can go to Camden Market then get the No. 24 bus all the way to Parliament Sq. It takes you past Leicester Sq, Trafalgar Sq and Horseguards/ Whitehall.

Bat out of Hell has quite a following but unless she’s really into rock music I’d suggest going for something like 42nd Street (traditional tap) Everybodys Talking about Jamie (my teens love this) or Kinky Boots. Wicked if she hasn’t already seen it or maybe Dreamgirls.

We like going round Covent Garden also M & M world.

What are the shops open late on a Sunday night? Ive ruled out Sunday trips before due to all shops closing by 6. Just sampled opening hours for top shop and primark on oxford st plus liberty’s and these do all close by 6 on Sunday. If other stuff is open this might change my approach to London trips as hotels are typically cheapest in a Sunday night but no theatres/shops is a disincentive!

You said she likes books. My two love a trip to the huge Soho bookshops (Foyles usually)

Gets As in Science so might be interested in Science museum - what exactly is there - is it interactive?

The Science Museum is free, but there are donation boxes everywhere and the set up at the entrance is designed to make you think that you have to pay - ignore that and just walk straight through.

There are lots of traditional old-fashioned galleries (great for adults, will probably only appeal to children who have a strong interest in the subject of that particular gallery).

The main interactive part is the Wonderlab. It used to be free, but it was revamped a few years ago and they've charged ever since. A day pass is £10 for adults and £8 for children - which is why I never pay to enter the museum. There's plenty to do and there are also free shows (times and details on a board outside the room where shows are held).

The Who Am I? gallery on level 1 also has interactive exhibits and that's free. Engineer your Future on level 3 is designed for teenagers, has more interactive stuff and is also free.

One thing I would say is that London is tiring if you are not used to it. Allow yourself time to just take it all in. It’s much noisier and more crowded that she’ll be used to and it takes a bit of time to adjust. Also think about timing - generally the tubes fairly full until 9-9.30am (a bit better in the summer holidays). Oxford Street is often quieter in the morning before the crowds really build up so getting there at 10am is likely to be better than 2pm.

If you plan on seeing a show during August, it's kids week where children under 16 go free with each paying adult. Many may already be booked up but worth a look. Theatre tickets can be ridiculously expensive.

If you could get tickets to Hamilton, I'm sure she would love it. My teenage dd also loved Bat Out Of Hell & Kinky Boots. For kinky Boots we got reduced tickets on the day, they were great seats for £25.

You could ask her if there are any shops she wants to visit. Although we have lots of the chain stores in our city there are a few that we don't have that my dd likes to visit in London. She also loves Covent Garden for the shops and people watching.

There are some cool walking tours were they concentrate on street art that she might like - mainly around the Shoreditch area.

Why don’t you ask her

Can I ask, what shops do people like in Covent Garden? Whenever I've been I just think meh... moomin shop, teabag shop, pylones, Disney, penguin, apple, all either very poky or overpriced corporate and nothing you couldn't get online... and stalls with the kind of stuff people laugh at on the Facebook tat threads. I know each to their own and I love the architecture and street performers but am I missing a part of it?

We don’t have any of those shops locally Hannah. Dd likes going tea tasting in Whittards. We like the market stalls got a great music/science clock last year & dh loves the Apple Shop. When they were younger they used to like the toy theatre shop.
Dd spends a fortune in the dance shops & we usually have a look round the make up shops.

Well one thing I know dd won't want to do is tea tasting.

Thanks Alexander. I love the atmosphere and music, just never know what people mean about the shopping and wondered if there is a bit I miss!!

Another vote for Foyles here. I used to love that place as a teen.

Honestly, downstairs at Whittards cg for tea samples is a favorite of my 13 year old too. I'd give it a try . Maybe follow up with a trip to the Molton brown shop (more trying out to be done, difficult not to buy something though) then 5mins walk to get one of the beautiful ice cream 'roses' from amorino gelato on long acre (sorry don't know how to do links but Google will get you there).