Best way to see London sights

[sparkerd]

We are planning a weekend in London to celebrate a birthday, never been before and would like to see the sights and visit the science museum. Looking into it all is a bit overwhelming and I'm worried about getting ripped off booking a tour we couldn't planned ourselves.

Any recommendations please?

What in particular do you want to see? You can walk between a lot of things and jump on the tube or bus when needed.
The city mapper app is helpful for getting around

Tube and bus just tap your debit card for contactless payment

Thames clipper up to Westminster.

Get the bus (you see everything anyway, rather than a pad tour) and walk everywhere.
Really recommend going to Greenwich and seeing the Royal navy buildings and getting to boat bus down the Thames. You'll see everything.
Generally, I think London is best explored on foot.

Also looking for recommendations for places to visit (40,42 & 18yr olds) and somewhere nice to eat but not that fancy that you need to be dressed up!

It really depends on what area you are staying in and what interests you all have. We need more detail!

Are you staying overnight
What particular interests do you all have
What food do you like
What station do you arrive at
How long have you got

Book everything in advance. Science museum etc is free but needs to be booked for covid reasons. You can get in on the day but you’ll wait longer.
Contactless debit as oyster. Ride on the top deck of normal buses and wear really comfy shoes to walk lots. Travel light. Citymapper app is really useful.

We like science and technology, son loves food especially burgers, steak. Haven't even looked at accommodation yet. Any thoughts?

London is big. If the science museum is your primary thing, then stay in that area. Nearby, you can also see the V&A and you are not too far from Buckingham Palace / Houses of Parliament. But you are quite a way from City of London / Tower Bridge / Docklands etc.

So I'd recommend staying in the west London / Knightsbridge area & see all you can see there, rather than rushing to-and-fro across the whole city.

What sort of budget do you have, are you staying just one night, where are you travelling from. Hotels are usually cheaper on Sunday if you can fit in with that.

Top of a No. 11 bus. Take it from Victoria to Liverpool Street - it goes past most of the main sights.

On foot is good, but you get better views from the top of a bus.

We will be getting off the train at Waterloo

Stay in a Bayswater B&B. Walk across Hyde Park to the South Kensington museums. Do Harrods if you must but I'm not keen...

Tate Modern, definitely. Take the Number 11 from Hyde Park Corner - scenic route. Get off at St Pauls and walk across the Millennium Bridge. After TM walk along the South Bank up to Waterloo and from there to the Imperial War Museum.

See a show in the evening. So much to see!!

But do book ahead.

Waterloo is a great base, there are lots of hotels near the station, we use the Premier Inn and ask for a top floor room with a view, there are 2, one on the main road and one in the old County Hall building where there is an open square with restaurants. Dump your bags and go exploring. The London Eye is very near, you can also pick up the riverboat Clipper for a Thames trip. You can get a bus from Waterloo to 3very park of London and there is also the tube which is quicker.
If it were me with a teen I would probably visit either Camden market, Portobello market or Covent Garden if they like that sort of thing. There is a great steak restaurant in Covent Garden called Porters. Covent Garden is walkable from Waterloo, you walk over several bridges
seeing the Thames and you could see what's on at The royal festival hall which is also there, they have films, music, exhibitions, street artists. You can walk along Southbank which has a book fair on weekends with loads of chain restaurants.
If you like art, I would visit the Tate Modern and then get the boat to Tate Britain.

We've now booked at london county hall hotel as a starting point.

How long will you be staying

Definitely a busy tour. You can hop on/off for 24 hours. There are different tours. They’re great

bus tour lol

Uber boat....fast journey up the Thames and you see loads. You can do Emirates cable car at Greenwich. Get tube to London Bridge....walk along South bank

We arrive 12pm Friday and leave Sunday morning

www.thamesclippers.com/plan-your-journey/route-map

Its busy that time of day but the hotel is only about 5mins from the station. When you have checked in, you can store your bags there if its not check in time, I would wonder around the area, there are loads of places to get coffee, lunch or snacks around the hotel and under the arches by the Festival Hall or you could walk up to the Southbank and sit by the river. I would fill up on Premier Inn breakfasts to keep you going during the day. Some places are expensive to eat so we always go to chains or get picnics for lunch then splash out a bit for dinner.
Some of the museums and art galleries have late night openings so maybe you could do that if you are interested.

A visit to the Sky Garden is really good, it's in the City but easy to get to, it's a free one hour visit and you have to book but the views are amazing, your teen might like shopping and there's loads of places for that, do you like mooching around markets.

www.visitlondon.com/things-to-do/budget-london/free-attractions-in-london

If you're staying near Waterloo, definitely check out the South Bank Centre, there are usually lots of events/festivals/markets to explore, as well as lots of places to eat. Also, National Theatre, BFI, Imax nearby. Otherwise, make an itinerary of where you wish to go, bear in mind Science Museum, Natural History Museum will take up most of your day. You might want to base your trip around that area or jump on a bus to save your legs and see more sights. Generally, if you're planning to see London Eye, the Shard etc, book well in advance. Enjoy your trip!