I’m lost as to what to do in London. Any suggestions?

[theferry]

I’m visiting London in July with DDs (14&17) and DH for 5 nights I’m a bit lost as to what to do (ie should be a priority). We’re staying at the Doubletree in Kensington. Happy to use the tube. I’ve been to London, but only for work so haven’t seen very much of it. DDs haven’t been there. DD1 loves the hustle and bustle of big cities. DD2 doesn’t like crowds so any suggestions of things that would give her a bit of respite from the crowds (or strategies for avoiding crowds) would be welcome.

What I know we’ll want to do

• tower of London
• skygarden
• covent garden
• V & A
• we have tickets for a show
• some cool coffee shops

what we don’t want:

• boat rides
• London Eye

I know it could be boiling in July? (No choice on the dates due to my work). I do not cope well with the heat so I don’t want tons of walking around.

Your girls may like Phantom Peak at Canary Wharf

Monmouth coffee is great, Covent Garden. I’d go to Greenwich for the day (on the boat), the walk along Regents Canal is lovely; all the parks! South bank, Battersea Power Station, see what’s on at the less known museums like the Design Museum. Look at Time out website for what’s on.

Monmouth is my best cup of coffee in London — branches in Covent Garden and Borough. No single-use cups.

Hampton Court and Kew gardens are easier to get to and will be out of the hustle and bustle orin central London takes swimwear and go to serpentine lido and swim amongst the geese, we went in a heatwave and it made a huge difference going for a midday swim.

Royal Academy Summer Exhibition.
Design Museum (I see they have a Barbie exhibition starting in July).

It really depends on what they like. We are going for a shorter visit soon and my eldest is nearly 16. My two are quite up for museums and hate shopping. We are going to

Tower of London
Sea life aquarium
Cable car
Disney 100 exhibition
Boat trip

Plus 2 x shows

If we had longer we'd add

Churchill war rooms
Natural history museum
Van gogh immersive

Kensington or Buckingham palace? National Gallery, Southbank and Borough market, proms at Royal Albert Hall

We did the London dungeons recently and loved it! It was much better than I thought it would be.
Tate Britain is also great.

The Shard
Visit the Tate Modern
Liberty - a lovely shop with modern designers as well as the liberty prints
Carnaby Street

Kings road?

Absolutely this. And you can walk from there to Hampstead Heath too. A nice bit of respite from Central London.

I know you said no boat trips but getting the Uber boat to Greenwich might be an exception.

Loads of open space, a cool market with food options and a couple of free museums. I've not been to the observatory as that is paid .

Oh and show wise my friend took her teens to Cabaret and they thought it was amazing. It's more of an immersive experience than a musical. Not cheap though of course.

Re: Highgate ponds, there is a men's pond, women's pond and mixed bathing, so you would all be able to swim, although I think you may have to book during the summer months.

I would second or third the suggestion of Kew Gardens, Greenwich and the Cutty Sark. Also Richmond and Richmond park might be worth considering if time allows.

OP if you're going to the Tower of London nip across the road after to St Katharine Docks (I used to work there). Lots of cafes and restaurants, and you can have a gawp at the flash yachts!

Spitalfields and the brick lane area is perfect for their age. It’s my teens favourite place to hang out. It’s also nice to take the clipper bus up to Greenwich from embankment and have a wander there.

OP there's a really good Youtube channel called Love and London, run by an American woman who has been living in London for more than 10 years. She has loads of videos about cools stuff to do in London as a visitor, including some off the beaten track stuff your kids might like.

If DD likes history but thinks the popular London historic sites might be too much then I have two alternatives, Fulham Palace ( Chelsea way) which is free entry or Eltham Palace (south London but easy bus ride ) If you have or can borrow an English Heritage or Art Fund card from someone it will cut down costs. Of the two I prefer Eltham but they are both good for a visit.

I am not sure why you say no boat trips, the trip down to Greenwich on the normal passenger boat is lovely, and very interesting as you get a different perspective on the riverside buildings, eg the Tower of London, HMS Belfast, Tower Bridge, a sight of Canary Wharf, St Katherine s Dock - Greenwich is a great place to visit, with smaller crowds than many central London places and lots to see and do.

if you are in London on a Sunday morning then a trip to the flower market in Columbia Road is a busy but interesting visit, follow up with a mooch around Spitalfields Market.

For quirky search out Postman’s Park, Sir John Soane Museum, The Foundling Museum( look for the Tracy Emin work on the railings) , Corams Fields for a breathing Space.

The British Museum is always busy, but it is huge so there are always corners to explore.

I am not sure of the age restrictions but check out the London Transport Museum to see if they are doing any of their amazing abandoned tube station visits, run by enthusiasts they give you a very different perspective of London and its development.

Take a trip to Stratford on the Elizabeth line and visit the Elizabeth Park, formerly the Olympic site ( 12 years ago, doesn’t seem possible) . Great walks, gardens, buildings, take a canal trip, hire a bike, lots of places to eat.

Kew gardens has been mentioned a few times, it is eye wateringly expensive, but worth it if you grit your teeth. I would opt for the Chelsea Physic Garden, smaller and cheaper, but have lunch in the Army Museum just up the road, better and cheaper food than CP and often very interesting displays and exhibitions, not just about army life.

@viques I said no boat trips as I’m scared to death of water. Just walking over a bridge scares me!

Don’t go to Battersea Power Station. It is just a massive shopping centre and not a very nice one at that.

Camden Lock will be packed at the weekend but quieter in the week and lots of places to eat and walk along the canal to Kings X and Coal Drops Yard. There are often things going on but if it is hot it will be packed with kids in the fountains,

You might find something here,

https://www.timeout.com/london/things-to-do/secret-london-1

That will be a no to the Tower Bridge Experience then - part of it involves a glass-floored walkway right at the top!

If it is hot bear in mind which tube lines are air conditioned. The most civilised ones IMHO are the Circle, District, Hammersmith and City, DLR and Overground. The Jubilee Line is fairly civilised too. The Northern and Central Lines are unbearable.in a heat wave.

Greenwich..
park
Market
Observatory
Foot tunnel
Cutty sark
Palace
Maritime museum
And if you all like it there's a lovely pie mash and liquor cafe opposite the cutty sark. If not there's lots of nice pubs/restaurants along the river, you can also get a river boat ride from Greenwich.

Loads of great suggestions from pp but please note that Kings Road is always jam packed with tourists/visitors and no longer has much to recommend it as most of the shops are all the usual culprits! The Saatchi Gallery in the Duke of York Square at the Sloane Square end of Kings road often has interesting exhibitions though

For reasonably priced food I suggest any branch of Cote.

Chelsea Physic Garden is a dream location and so interesting. It has a very nice cafe. The garden is closed on Saturday.

Highgate Cemetery for sure. Kew Gardens if you want to be outside central London.

Tubes tend to get pretty busy almost any time of day so check out buses as alternative transport.
Hope you all have a wonderful time here! From a born and bred Londoner.

Oh FFS