London family weekend ideas

[Erdy]

My son is 18 soon (I've posted similar before) and we are thinking of celebrating in london over a weekend. We've never been before and would like some ideas. Looking for a modern/fancy but not to posh hotel, also restaurant where food is fab but we can feel relaxed. We really don't wear anything other than smart casual so not something posh. My son likes science so I'm thinking the science museum also any ideas about seeing the sights in comfort but not get ripped off? I've tried looking into it all myself but it's very overwhelming. I'd be so grateful to hear of suggestions and experiences.

Do you have a rough budget for the hotel? In London it can go from ok to eye watering quite quickly!

Pre book tickets for the science museum

What does he want?

The Mayfair hotel, next to Berkeley square. Has lots of fancy restaurants within walking distance.

Try a boat trip on the Thames. That's pretty good for sightseeing.
But it's London. Be prepared to be ripped off.

There are lots of good eateries in Coal Drop Yard.

Dishoom is nice if he likes Indian food, our kids loved it (we're 15,17,19 when we went) but you'd have to book. Uomo is good for Japanese (my 16 yo dd2 was in heaven!) but I thought quite pricey.

If he's interested in science history then the observatory at Greenwich is brilliant and ours also liked the design museum.

We're planning a return trip, (from Scotland) as we had such a good time. We're very lucky cos dh's best friend from uni lives there, and dd1 has gone twice on her own with a friend too.

Circulo Populare is a very nice Italian. Nice buzz and popular with his age group. Not sure about hotels.

Also, if he’d like that sort of thing, the waiters will sing Happy Birthday, if you inform them of the occasion. He may hate that though…

Some great suggestions Thankyou. He is a quiet lad who hasn't seen much of the world so I'm hoping London will be a good experience. I have tried asking him what he'd like to do but he has no idea. He does like food, all you can eat, try a bit of everything style is normally a big hit. So any suggestions for that would be good.

What does he want out of it?
Does he want to go to London?
Why london?
Where will you be coming from?
Does he have any kind of special need or anxiety? If he is used to say rural living very quiet then it might be very overwhelming?
Or you might want to stay outside say lee Valley yha is more countryside and commute in essily on train for specific science museums wellcome collection etc

www.yha.org.uk/hostel/yha-london-lee-valley?utm_source=google&utm_medium=maps&utm_campaign=google-places

Has private rooms and calm countryside canal River if overwhelmed by London.

www.mumsnet.com/Talk/london/4328673-Staycation-in-the-correct-sense-of-the-word-in-London-can-you-help-me-please

Has loads of ideas
But an 18 year old
I would expect them to have ideas
Of what they want to do
And to research themselves?

The Ampersand Hotel is great and a bit quirky - they do an amazing science afternoon tea

ampersandhotel.com/?gclid=CjwKCAjwgviIBhBkEiwA10D2j6Ef-LbCQf97eN7eaEL-Aecx7UVym5Pmjwz8siy8WdmBdW4UWG4B1xoCDwQQAvD_BwE

It's very close to the Science Museum

I was going to suggest the Ampersand hotel. It is small (boutique?) but near the science museum and there are some nice restaurant not far away IIRC.

@Erdy

Some great suggestions Thankyou. He is a quiet lad who hasn't seen much of the world so I'm hoping London will be a good experience. I have tried asking him what he'd like to do but he has no idea. He does like food, all you can eat, try a bit of everything style is normally a big hit. So any suggestions for that would be good.

Jimmy's works grill inside the o2 arena

Sea containers on the southbank and the treehouse hotel on Oxford street are both good hotels. If you book sea containers get a river room with a view. Treehouse hotel isn’t as nice but is quirky and probably better for teens. It has a roof bar with views over the city and a Mexican restaurant. The travelodge in drury lane has really decent rooms if go with superior option and whilst basic is a great location.

For things to do..
Tower Bridge - you can go to the top and walk across the glass walkway with great views. You can also visit the engine rooms which is interesting.
HMS Belfast
The View at the top of the Shard - fantastic views of London and there is a bar up there too.
Chinatown / Leicester Square
Covent Garden for shopping/street entertainment

I took my kids in a cable car starting at Canary Wharf then on to a river boat up the Thames - really good.
Also really like going to London Zoo.

If you're doing a west end show in the evening, then Maxwells in Covent Garden always was a great place to eat. Nice food, American burger bar type place with some fab cocktails.

As well as the Science Museum, the Wellcome Collection is brilliant for science meets art. It's much smaller and more manageable too. It has a permanent exhibition on Being Human, and two temporary exhibitions on Joy and Tranquility. It's free, and we just turned up.

Nearby is the Grant Museum which is a Victorian comparative anatomy museum, small but fascinating - that's also free but booking required.

Brunel Museum and Old Operating Theatre might also appeal to his scientific mind, alongside Greenwich Observatory as suggested.

Food wise I'd suggest a food hall or market as you can browse and choose things from all over the world. Mercato Metropolitano is amazing but often has long queues at the Elephant and Castle one, there is one in Mayfair too. Also look at Borough Market, Box Park and Camden Market. Princi in Soho offers a variety of food too, more of a cafe and really nice interior.

For seeing the sights, walking is cheapest, a bus is second cheapest - route 15 and 11 are often recommended. Then bus or river tour. I'd suggest making a list of what are must sees, and grouping things together by area so you're not dashing all around London.

Anyway I blog about London for families and have an 18 year old so happy to offer further advice if you like. I'm on IG instagram.com/museummum or blog at museummum.com

I live in London. Be prepared to pay a few kings ransom for very little!

Use debit/credit cards to use public transport (contactless). Don't get day travel cards, they are an absolute rip-off. £1.55 on the bus (to anywhere within an hour). I'd avoid the bus tours, hideously pricey and as said before, get the 9, 11, 15 and look things up online, plus you meet the locals!

London has some fabulous pubs so I'd take your boy for his first legal pint somewhere. Try the Old Cheshire Cheese in Fleet Street, The Salisbury in St Martin's Lane, or the Mayflower in Rotherhithe (the Brunel Museum is a minute away).

Get the Android app "Free things to do in London"

I would recommend the sky garden. You need to book in advance but it is free and the views are great. You can get a drink up there as well which might make for a nice treat for a newly turned 18 year old.

I was also going to recommend the Treehouse hotel. Great restaurant. My teens are fans. The only thing to know in advance is that the bar on the very top floor (the Nest) is 21+ after 5pm.

An amble along the Southbank is nice.

However - none of you have ever been to London?!

Planning a similar thing for my son's 18th, although we do live just outside London so are very familiar and willl just stay in town for the one night. My DS is also a very quiet lad.

We're staying by Borough Market - Premier Inn as we figure we will only be sleeping there but appreciate you may want something posher. I'm hoping to book a Hidden London tour of a disused tube station should tickets be released for that date (he's a rail enthusiast), I'm planning on booking the Sky Garden for early evening (free, bookable 3 weeks in advance) and have booked Strada St Katherine's Dock for the evening.

How long are you staying for? If you've never been before, the Borough/London Bridge area has loads of sights in close proximity:
Tower Bridge
Tower of London
Monument
Sky Garden
Shard
St Pauls
River Trips - trip down to Greenwich would be good plus you have the observatory for the science bit
South Bank
HMS Belfast
London Eye
Borough Market food!

Have fun!