Very Exciting Things to do for Teens in London (15 and 16)

[BaconAndAvocado]

Planning a 2 night break in London.
Any ideas for really great things for us to do with our teens?
Maybe not a show unless it’s something different.
16yo DS2 currently “revising” for GCSEs and seems to have little enthusiasm for anything.
They both love food!
tia

What are their interests?
Do they know London or have been there before (ie seen all the famous sights)?

My 16 yo loved The Gunpowder Plot at Tower Bridge. Really good interactive show.

There are the Lewis Hamilton owned burger bars if they are interested in F1/vegetarian!

Mine like roaming around the tech section of Selfridges, and the Brasserie Light restaurant there has a bit of a wow factor.

Pottering around South Bank, with its street performers etc might be fun, and plenty of places to eat around there.

You can book a speedboat ride down the Thames, or walk along as far as the Globe Theatre via a quick look into the Tate Modern and then across the glass bridge.

Not such a fan of Camden market, but teens still seems to enjoy it.

'Very exciting ' doesn't exist much anymore. Aside from the architecture and history, it's chain stores for both food and clothes and the markets are being squeezed into obscurity.
Having said that! Re shows: ABBA voyage is brilliant. Camden still has a good vibe in places so can be good for a wander, Portobello bit more interesting now IMO. If you go to Borough market get doughnuts from Bread Ahead. A general wander to see the main things, don't bother with the Eye. Crazy golf in Camden was good fun recently.

Powerboat ride on the Thames?

The ArcelorMittal Orbit slide at Stratford
London Dungeons
Up at the O2
Jack the Ripper tour
Puttshack (under 18s allowed before 7pm)
Inamo for food. They’ve got cool interactive table tops and chef cams. Benihana for their spectacular live flame cooking.

Is this for after the GCSEs? So late June? It’s likely to be really hot so I’d say boat on the Thames, outside stuff and lots of little stops for food/drinks

What about an escape room?

Thames rockets were lots of fun, we used Tesco vouchers on them as they're a bit pricey.

There was a bit of a sightseeing info tour on the Thames and then when past the police speed check on the water we sped up and they did a few twists and turns, lots of laughs

Eating in the sky garden

Thanks all.
Yep, trip is post-GCSEs but in mid August.
Will have a proper look at all your fab ideas later 👍🏻

They have been to London before for shows, exhibitions but never overnight.
So also looking for somewhere not too spendy and central to stay!

The Premier Inn in County Hall is extremely central, and can be reasonable for a quad room if you book well in advance

Sky Gardens ( which is free but you have to book in advance)
If they enjoy history then the Tower of London, if you can tag into a yeomans tour it is fab! My teens loved it.
Walking from tower bridge along Southbank is great, absolutely buzzing and loads of food.

Mittal Slide at Stratford, and subsequent shopping
Beefeater tour at Tower of London
Dr Who shop
House of Minalima
Harry potter walking tour
Wandering Chinatown, looking for the strangest things to buy/eat
Greggs at the top of Primark, Oxford Street
Microsoft store on Oxford Street
Mine still love Hamleys
Santander bikes
Live Monopoly
Sky Garden

If there is one this summer, mine still love a treasure hunt across the city for a model character/item. Previous hunts have been for Paddington's, Grommits and Dream Jars.

I want to try this - may appeal to a teen?

https://www.phantompeak.com

Mine loved Camden market as teens, also street performers in Covent Garden. Any bar that served mocktails was a hit

Mine really enjoyed the Soca social football place at the O2 - was a good mix of a fun activity in what feels like a cocktail bar/ club, and we combined with the Cablecar trip over the river.
Also the Skygarden is a free, and was considered cool to go up to the 38th floor of a landmark building (the walk-in-talkie).