AIBU to ask for your favorite shops/ places to visit in London?

[Mytupenceworth]

Hi
I'm going to London with my daughter in a few weeks for a girlie weekend. I'd at its easily 20 years since I was last there. We're staying in Kensington. We'd like to see the sights maybe go to a westend show and do some shopping.
AIBU to ask you where you would recommend and what shops are good and reasonably priced? Thanks!

Westfield white city
For lunch and shopping.

Coal Drops Yard, Kings Cross
Dinner and shopping.

Battersea Power Station
For shopping, lunch & drinks and 109 elevator experience.

St Pauls cathedral and One New Change
Shopping and sight seeing.

Liberty and Regent Street
Selfrifges

All relatively easy to get to from Kensington.

Cannot recommend West End shows but there are alot of art gallery openings and other events that happen generally in those areas.

Hope that helps.

Thank you!

@Mytupenceworth Kensington High Street ? - Though a while since I have been there & a lot of these areas I remember as lovely are more and more just big high street stores. Sloane St ( the more quirky shops tend to be those further west than the Tube Station but there is a Red Cross Charity shop on Old Church St ( just off the King's Road which gets really good quality things - might be worth a rummage ) My nieces both liked Ad Hoc on the King's Road ( near the Chelsea Old Town Hall - small but very quirky - may not be to your daughter's taste )

I went to Battersea Power Station & was a bit underwhelmed to be honest - pretty much high street shops with a few high end ones thrown in although they do have some nice bars etc & DH & Ds went up the chimney for the view which you might like ( I don't like heights ) but down the side ( outside the power station ) there looked like there were quite a few nice cafes little restaurants etc , lovely little fast food vans etc and you are walking distance from Sloane Square Tube Station.

I think you can pretty much google areas and shops & most have a map of the road and which shops are there.

For the day you want to go to a show I would book that first and then fit that day around it - so eg if show is Covent Garden - do some shopping around there , if Camden - then different - the other day - then you can just choose a shopping area .

Sorry - I know this sounds not much help , but for what it is worth , but I hope you have a lovely time whatever you do. I can remember my mother taking me to London shopping once & it was just the most exciting thing. ( ha ha )

💐

We’re Londoners and this is DD(13)’s favourite shop. It’s moved to Covent Garden now so easy to find.
Perfect stationery- go for glue, erasers, ink and pencils and stay well away from pens! https://choosingkeeping.com/

@Mytupenceworth this is the most up to date map of shops on the King's Road I can find ( where it says Duke of York's Square there is I think a big Zara there for reasonably priced clothes ( assuming you do not have one nearby you ) and other shops & the Saatchi gallery ( normally free unless a special exhibition ) . But plenty of shopping and lunch , snacks , ice cream opportunities & walking distance over Chelsea bridge or Albert Bridge and through the Park to Battersea Power station. ) In my youth I used to go to Camden Market but that is a long time ago - so the best I can suggest from last shopping trip in London which was King's Road. - There are some shops here I think I would have liked - but you and DD can have a gander and decide https://www.streetsensation.co.uk/shop-street-maps/map-london-kings-road-shops.html

Borough Market is fun. Just food but the atmosphere is really good.
Covent Garden and Seven Dials.
Regents Street and Carnaby Street.
The South Bank is interesting.

Thanks so much for these, we're really looking forward to it!

Hatchards and Fortnum and Mason on Piccadilly and Heywood Hill in Mayfair, plus Bryars and Bryars on Cecil Court, off Charing X Road.

…I like books…

F&M obvs not books but delicious foodstuffs and lovely stationery.

Southbank for views and street food

coventgarden seven dials area for brandy Melville etc

carnaby st has good teen friendly shops and street food court and nip into liberty too

Shows - so many amazing shows! Guys and dolls at bridge theatre. Abba voyage. Wicked, Hamilton - whatever you like!

Depends what you want to buy....
My favourite shops are Foyles Bookshop and the big Waterstones on Piccadilly, Lego Store and Forbidden Planet 😂

How old is DD?

I have a 15 Yr old and our go to eating and drinking is always Seven Dials Market at the back of Covent Garden. It's super close to all the theatres.

Highly recommend Streetcar Named Desire if you can get tickets. We've also loved Bonnie and Clyde and Mockingbird in the last year.

If your DD is a similar age, my DDs fave shop is 'subdued' an Italian teen fashion shop - think micro crop tops and a crowd of middle aged mums near the changing rooms.

Lego store, Leicester Square is my go-to.

If you're into sci-fi, the Back to the Future musical is still showing

As you're staying in Kensington, maybe factor in the V&A for a fashion exhibition and tea in their cafe, which is partly a William Morris design. The whole place is stunning anyway. You could have this up your sleeve in case it rains. Shopping on Kensington High St is nice & though I haven't been there for a while, the charity shops (not far) up Kensington Church Street used to be good, if your daughter likes vintage, and you can dip into Kensington Gardens. I used to walk all the way up to Portobello Market, though that wouldn't be top of my list now.

I agree that Guys and Dolls seems to be the show that everyone wants to see atm.

I love the large fresh food shop near South Kensington Station.
I love the gardens all about there.

The Portrait Gallery and Notting Hill.

Kensington High st, Hyde park
Notting Hill/portobello road/ Westbourne Grove
Museums- Natural History/Science/ Vic and Albert
Knightsbridge/ Harrods etc
Chelsea- Kings Road/ waterfront
Covent Garden, Carnaby st

We love Camden Market.

Thanks for all your fab replies, some fantastic suggestions. Off to look up guys and dolls show now. We'll definitely have a look at the book shops and teen shops you've recommended.

My daughter is just turning 16 this is her birthday present

It's such a pity you can't thank posts on mumsnet 🤔

If you can get in to guys and dolls book the immersive (standing) tickets which are about £40. It’s so well done and perfect for a 16 year old plus mum

Shoreditch / Spitalfields is good for individual shops and a good clothes and bits and bobs market. If you want to walk and the weather’s nice, I’d suggest going to Tower Gateway tube (for Tower of London), crossing Tower Bridge and walking along the south back to Westminster. Loads of free things to see and do / restaurants and cafes along the way

…but you’ll have fun whatever you do. Have a good trip!