London with teenagers

[DangerFrog]

Looking for recommendations for a week in London please! Staying in Camden, near the tube station. DH, me & 3 teens: 17 year old son and 15 & 13 year old girls.

I absolutely want to visit the Natural History Museum, DH wants to visit the Science Museum & Greenwich Observatory, and we want to see various shows in the West End (have already booked the absolute must-sees, happy to buy tickets on the day for other evenings).

Kids happy with those suggestions but struggling to decide what they want to do. We're coming from rural Scotland so I think they're just a bit overwhelmed with the options! What do you think are the best things to do with teens in London? Monopoly Live has been suggested, and they seem keen on that - is it worth it?

Also, I'm celebrating my 50th this year and our oldest will be 18 this summer (after our London trip). I'm thinking it might be nice to celebrate in London - we'll be able to do things that we can't do at home but, again, the options are overwhelming!

Thank you for your suggestions!

We went for a long weekend. DS enjoyed it. We did Madame Tussaud’s, hop-on hop-off bus which also included a boat trip (two day pass to could use the buses two days) and London Eye all in one day. It was quite a lot. We had to leave quite a lot of time between Madame Tossauds and London Eye. We were very pleased we paid for fast track passes for both as it would have been an hour or more queueing at both of these. It was expensive though. Plus it took time on the buses / underground. It was a bit more chaotic as some of the underground was closed. The next day we went to the Natural History Museum and Science Museum next door to each other. They were good but we ran out of time for them particularly the Natural History Museum as we had booked an arrival time slot for the Science Museum. I think you need to book for both even though they are free. We’ve been up the Shard (pre children) and it was good but as others have said there’s free options too so use those. Greenwich Observatory is great too but a bit further out do more travel time to get there. Churchill War Rooms are good but depends on DC interests…

As others have said, don’t plan too much on a single day and make sure you leave plenty of time to get from A to B. It takes much longer than anticipated. If you’re going to very touristy things, be aware you might have to book even if they are free. Also there could well be very long queues (60-90 minute or more) depending on when you go and what it is you are going to (even if you’ve booked a time slot)!

If they haven’t been before, the hop-on hop-off buses are great. You can then stop off at some of the main attractions etc. Buckingham Palace, Big Ben etc. Some of them include entry to other things too and it works out cheaper etc.

Download the tube app and plan your journey for each day and look at timings. Also plan a backup route in case there’s a problem! We had to make a lot of changes to our plans.

Enjoy!

Theres lots of free things and lots of expensive things so it all depends on budget too!

Also there could well be very long queues....

The bigger museums and galleries sometimes have bag searches at the doors, which means it takes longer to get in.

And on bags, try to keep what you carry around with you to a minimum. There will always be somewhere you can buy water or a snack or a takeaway tea or coffee, so no need to load yourself up with food or drink.

Have a good breakfast or brunch or elevenses before going into a paid for attraction, so you don't flake out halfway round.

Speed boat up the Thames, climb the 02, boom battle bar on Oxford street or swingers golf, go ape in Battersea park.
these are all the things I’ve done with mine over the year

I live in london and things my teens and visitors have enjoyed

Imperial war museum
John Soames museum

teens seem to like London dungeon although I wouldn’t bother with Madam Tussaud’s but I haven’t been since I was about 10 and it was rubbish then.

Covent garden is fun for a wander and the cheese conveyer belt in seven dials market is unique.

I love the V&A and if you’re doing that or any of the west London museums and the weather is good go to Harrods for lunch, don’t bother with the restaurants grab some bits for a picnic and head to Hyde park. You can do pedalos on the serpentine which is fun.

don’t go to Westfield (either Stratford or west London) If your DC really want to shop, go to Battersea, you can combine with the list and the outdoor space is nice.

I like the

Catch the river bus. Eg from the London Eye down to the Tower of London. Makes a change from the tube, much cheaper than a tour boat. Walk round the Tower, St Paul's and back over the Thames via the wobbly bridge (Millennium Bridge). Have a wander along the South Bank, the tour of the Globe is brilliant (and go to a performance there if you can) Loads of places to eat along the South Bank too. Westminster Abbey. We all love the National Gallery, haven't been to the National Portrait Gallery since it reopened, but it's virtually next door to the NG. St James Park is really pretty and has pelicans, good place for a picnic. Go out for breakfast somewhere, and afternoon tea.

We live in London, I grew up outside, but kids born and bred here. For teens, I would recommend:

Some kind of immersive theatre or experience - Secret Cinema, Punchdrunk or the like. Timeout reviews should help you find one.

Taiwanese Bao restaurant - Mr Bao has a branch at Westfield Stratford called Master Bao.

The Race Across London game (based on Race Across the World)

Bubble tea or matcha places. CuppoBubbo is great, but may be too far out.

If you’re visiting in the summer, some kind of roof top bar or cinema. E.g. Frank’s, or the Bussey Building in Peckham. Which also has art installations and concerts.

This V&A East exhibition on the contribution of Black British music making www.vam.ac.uk/exhibitions/the-music-is-black-a-british-story?srsltid=AfmBOorKVnUAcjQ3xBiV2-73-owvbHF9XGoKw7H2ILBt376VdJjkhZLq

A VR gaming thing, Sandbox has various venues and is excellent

A trawl down Oxford Street or to Westfield for clothes.

The Japan Centre near Leicester Square - which also has a cafe/restaurant in the basement.

Crazy Golf at Battersea Power Station.

One of the more obscure London museums e.g. the Old Operating Theatre or a Mudlarking tour or the Postal Museum.

One of the London parks - Battersea, Regent’s, Hyde Park. Can usually find outdoor theatre productions in them during the summer.

Getting tickets for the Proms is also a good shout, if you’re visiting in summer.

Boat trip down the Thames - just use the Uber Boat Thames Clipper service - don’t need to pay for a special one.

London cable car - again cheap contactless fare.

A guided ghost tour one evening- the ones around the city (leaving from St Paul's) are a great way to see some of the fantastic hidden bits of London

Definitely download Citymapper - great for getting you from A to B. I think your itinerary is good. Greenwich and Camden ace for teens and the big museums are all free. Make sure all of the teens have a contactless bank cards for travel or buy them Oyster cards. Greenwich market is great at the weekends with food stalls, Borough Market on Fridays and Saturdays at London Bridhe is also good. If money isn’t a prine consideration then Sushi Samba is great for food and views as is the Duck and Waffle (open 24 Hhours). The night tube operates on some lines all through the night on Fridays and Saturdays. They’ll love Camden - there’s a store with a huge robot outside pumping house music (can’t remember the name of it), has cage dancers in on Saturdays, it’s fun.

Coming from rural Scotland it’ll be mind blown 🤣

Oh yes forgot these - done a few they’re always good, some times you get lucky and have a really really excellent guide

City days do lots of interesting city walks - they are clue based, scavenger hunt style that you do it through your phone. We found it great fun. Also toca social is a great way to spend a couple of hours - a football arcade game, if you’re into football.

Of you are going in the summer, the Southbank is great for warm.evenings. There are usually free music and dance events on Thursdays and Fridays and most other days it is also very buzzy. Teens seem keen on watching tne skaters in the Undercroft.

London tips if you are not massively familiar - take comfy shoes, use a cross bodt bag with a zip fastening, if you are from the Highlands it will be a lot.hotter in summer than you are used to (the tube is not air conditipned and can be VERY sweaty in summer - take water)

Go to the Globe. We get yard tickets. It's amazing.

Imperial War Museum is outstanding.
Walk from Blackfriars tube south and along South Bank to Buck Pal. Fab views and sights along the way.
Brick Lane and Spitalfields for culture and street art.
Dishoom for dinner one night
Zedels (set menu) for dinner. Amazing art deco restaurant
Shopping west end

If your girls like shopping, I can recommend the Kings Road (Chelsea). My dds of a similar age love the shops there, especially Brandy Melville (also has a brand in Covent Garden).

For navigating your way around, just download the app CityMapper, it’s brilliant!