What can I do on a Day out in London with 15yr old?

[barnet]

My dnephew is 15, lives abroad. I want to take him to London for day, but what can we do? I actually have no idea. Suggestions please!

London Dungeons?

The eye? Even though they are naff, in a city that isn't familiar, with limited time, the open top bus thing is good to get a feel. Failing that, what does he like? Science, art, dinosaurs? The zoo?

do not ever do Tussauds, its so shit

Camden market

Ooh thanks. He likes sport, girls (don't think I can help there). He would like cool things, exciting things. He is in England for a year without his family! Brave kid.

I took mine for a tour or Emirates stadium and it was excellent. Depends what team he supports though.

This will sound like a cop out, but I think the most interesting thing to do in London is just see the fascinatingly different bits of it. So not sights, per se.

See the City, for sure, Threadneedle Street, the Royal Exchange, next to the Gherkin and the newer buildings - go up in the one that has Duck and Waffle in it (always for get the name) - you can just get a drink at the top.

A walk in Regents Park gives such a sense of Englishness, it's so beautiful especially in autumn.

West or North London, Shepherds Bush and Portobello, or Camden, for the markets and normal life.

Spend the evening walking through Soho, looking at the neon and the bars and the glamorous people.

Mmm nice! Lovely ideas, had forgotten the world that London is....

See a show! Lots of cool things on.

The Globe, or other historical sites?

Open top bus (maybe not today though).

What else does he like?

Museums in South Kensington. The Natural History for dinosaurs and giant blue whale, the Science for great interactive experiences, The Victoria and Albert for costumes, jewellery, art, silver, sculptures etc. Then there is Kensington gardens if you continue up Exhibition Road.

If he likes art, the National Gallery and then a walk down the Mall, through St James's Park to Buckingham Palace. You can go into the Queens Gallery or the mews where you can see coaches, horses and other vehicles. If you buy tickets direct for the gallery or mews you can return free of charge for a year. Just get ticket stamped by someone there. Hope he enjoys London.

You could eat at the Breakfast Club - (various locations, we like the one near Liverpool st best) but v popular so try and go a bit earlier than usual mealtimes as there is often a queue, but v cool.

Or how about Westfields Stratford and the Olympic park -it's really nice up there, interesting to see the venues, go up The Orbit and sometimes you can catch basketball in the copperbox.

He would like Bounce pingpong in Holborn - v cool bar and eatery with loads of ping pong tables - under 18s have to go before 6pm I think or any time on Sunday.

Or there's always Harrods, especially the department with the gold ipads and sports cars. V popular with my teen boys! And Knightsbridge is great for high end car spotting and you could walk up to Hyde Park and chuck a tennis ball around.

I don't know what he likes to eat, but if he's OK with Japanese/Asian food, take him for lunch at Inamo in Soho here. It's interactive and you order by clicking a mouse-pad on the table. I haven't been yet, but I'm going to take my teenage niece next time she visits.

Another thing we've done that everyone loved was a London Rib Tour - you basically go out on the Thames in a fast boat and after a bit of a tour, they take you upriver before opening the throttles and whizzing along at high speed. Very exciting (and slightly damp). Not cheap but worth it.

Good free things include a walk along the South Bank, there's always something going on there.

DS and his mates like chillin on the South Bank.

And Camden market.

Take them to drop dead clothing store. It's the place to shop. Portabelo road, Camden market. Covernt garden to watch the buskers. Soho has really trendy shops and china town for lunch. Brick lane is great for Indian food. It depends what they are interested in. Greenwich is lovely.

Depends on his interests:
Take Thames clipper river trip Greenwich and walk over the millennium dome
Camden Market
Sherlock Holmes museum
Eat in Chinatown and matinee show in west end
Walk along Southbank with a visit to the Globe or Tate Modern
Tour of houses of parliament and sit in public gallery
Catty Sark and trip to Greenwich observatory
Blue Guide Walking or cycling tour of London various themes: jack the ripper, politics, literature etc
surgical museum at st Thomas Hospital
Then all the obvious ones: London Dungeon, Madame Taussauds, London Zoo, London Eye

Chinatown - pop in the Chinese supermarkets for different sweets biscuits etc. my favourite place!

Second the Arsenal tour or somewhere like Chelsea. Wembley also runs tours. Have also done the Houses Of Parliament although if they are sitting you can;t go into the House of commons.
When I took my son to Arsenal we also whizzed round round the sights to have a look and take a few photos.

I think you can still do a tour of the Olympic park, but need to pre- book. You can also swim in the Olympic pool now.

Go down the river by boat.
Ride the Docklands light railway.
Emirates cable car ride across the Thames.
Greenwich observatory, admire the view from the top of the hill even if you don't go on. Then visit the Cutty Sark.
Tour of Westminster. ( pre book) . Walk down Whitehall and see Downing Street, Lifeguards on Duty. Walk to Trafalgar Square and then back down the Mall and see Buckingham Palace.

EAT in a traditional English pub or go to Chinatown for Dim Sum.

Have fun !