Myself and 14 year old son trip to London, what do we do during the evenings?

[Confused92739572]

Im taking my son to London for 5 nights next week. I have tickets booked to the attractions and an itinerary planned but will only take me up to about 5pm
What do we do after that time? I must admit I feel slightly vulnerable and dont know if i will feel safe after a certain time.
But also dont want to be stuck in a travelodge room with him from that early either.
We are staying in tower bridge area. Area looks abit sketchy. Want to get a taxi back to the hotel each evening.
Am I being silly? Any ideas of things to do? We will eat during the day so won't want to go out for an evening meal and he won't be interested in seeing a show

don't leave your bag on the floor when you're in a cafe

Yes, my mum who is a very savvy Londoner had her bag stolen like that. Don't hang it on the back of your chair either. Keep it on your lap or between your feet. And a cross body bag recommended when you're in a crowded area, with valuables at the bottom of the bag.

Yes why did they change the glorious number 11 route?

I sometimes meet a friend at Vctoria. If we couldn't think of anything else to do, we would often have coffee, then get on the No 11 and ride down to Liverpool Street, then go for a walk round the City.

We enjoyed a ghost walk, the meeting point was at the tower of London. It wasn't particularly scary but included lots of history.

Why wouldn't you be safe after 5pm.

It's hilarious, how some people speak about London as if it's Mordor

Have any of you peeps done the Jack the Ripper tour……. Worth doing?

I know there are some great tours - wish I could remember them!

What about Meet-up events - I used to go on a lot of very nice walks.

It was such a wonderful route.

I think there should be a petition to bring it back!

Changing the #11 route was nothing short of cultural vandalism… 😡

https://www.outernet.com/#on-screen is worth a look if you’re in the Tottenham Court Road area and is open late

Was coming to suggest this - Jack the Ripper walking tour was a big hit with my Year 8 students when we did it last year. Very entertaining, a bit creepy, and also really interesting to see how much of the area has stayed the same and how much has changed.

There are loads of great evening walking tours available in London, OP, many of which are suitable for teenagers and only last an hour or so. With the lovely weather we're having at the moment it makes sense to be outside if you can.

Tate Modern is open late on the last Friday of the month - not sure if that will coincide with your visit.

Greenwich is amazing in the evening - lots of nice restaurants, gorgeous walks along the river, and you can walk under the river in the foot tunnel if you like and get the DLR back to Tower Gateway from Island Gardens.

Canary Wharf also has loads going on in the evenings - there's a mini golf place there now and loads of shops and restaurants that stay open late, as well as nice walks along the river. Again, easy to get to by DLR from Tower Gateway station which is right by your hotel.

Shoreditch BoxPark is a good place to get street food and there's a place near there that does crazy golf as well - https://tedscrazygolf.co.uk/london/

IMAX cinema at Waterloo is well worth a visit.

Please don't worry about safety. London is so so safe. I'm born and bred, lived here nearly all my adult life, never had any issues with safety. I sometimes have to do volunteer shifts that finish in the early hours of the morning and I walk home without a worry at 3am. The streets in central London are busy all night long so you're never going to be in a situation where you're alone and vulnerable - there are always people around. I feel more unsafe in the countryside at night than I do in London!

The Tower Bridge area is totally safe and it will be busy at night - there are lots of pubs and offices and so on around there so always people milling about, plus loads of tourists. Get out and enjoy the beautiful river views at night and walk as much as you can. Don't waste money on taxis and Ubers!

Oh and I know you said he won't want to see a show - but take him anyway. London is the world capital for theatre and it would be criminal not to see any while you're here.

Operation Mincemeat is the hot ticket at the moment and it's so hilarious - a 14 year old would love it. The Play that Goes Wrong is also a big hit with younger teenagers - very silly and fun. Back to the Future could also work for him. Great music and special effects.

London is fantastic at night.

And surely you will need to eat something! Walk round Chinatown, along the South Bank. Take a river boat (the uber boat), look up ‘free events in London’, there are loads of shows suitable for 14 yo boys.

Get the boat to Battersea Power Station and get a sandwich from M&S and sit out on the tables on the pontoon on the river.

I have been to so many great cities - Paris, Rome, Florence, Venice, Lisbon, Oslo, Berlin, Munich, Zurich, Prague…… etc et cetera - but NOTHING beats London.

Enjoy - and don’t be afraid!!

Sorry, me again - just remembered Outdoor Cinema!

The Barbican is doing outdoor cinema on select August evenings - and it's a great venue - nice cafe, cool architecture - well worth a visit.

There's also outdoor cinema at Granary Square, behind Kings Cross station -it's really fun as the screen floats on the canal - and it's free! There's something on every day throughout the summer - I think there's afternoon and evening screenings - and there's loads of food trucks and restaurants there too, and shops as well - not sure if your son is into vintage but there's a huge Beyond Retro that's fun to browse. It's a great place to spend an afternoon/evening.

Ah London, let me count the ways I love Thee. Some great recommendations here OP, definitely do not sit in your hotel room.

So many fab suggestions thank you!!
Regarding eating, weve got lots of things we want to try through the day, I think we will be snacking constantly so dont expect to be hungry enough to eat a large evening meal but will do of course if we want to.

The hotel is in goods yard not far from tower Hill tube. I've had a look on instant street view and I thought it looked a little sketchy with all the graffiti and the arches of the railways , looks like lots of dark areas. If there's lots of people around i would feel fine but I would not feel safe on our own, im just not used to that. Will judge it once we are there and hopefully will feel comfortable enough to stay out later

If it’s the travelodge I think it overlooks the railway line so could be noisy.
Someone else might be able to advise where you cross and whether it’s convenient.

Bless you OP, I totally understand that on street view it would look sketchy if you’re not used to that kind of thing. Honestly it’s completely safe as a neighbourhood and you will be fine. Graffiti is just street art - no indication of anything bad.

Honestly it’s a busy spot, filled with office workers from the banks in the area (Bank of England is right by Tower Hill) and loads of tourists. You’re going to be absolutely fine. Just relax and enjoy yourself. I know the news is always reporting stuff about crime in London but 99% of it is gang related and targeted within those communities that you wouldn’t be going anywhere near as a tourist.

It’d be unnecessary and overanxious to pay for cabs to the hotel in the early evening and avoid going out and about in the summer evenings. It’d be much better to do things - unless too tired from the busy days - and mainly use public transport.

You won’t feel ‘comfortable’ because you’re unused to London and presumably worrying about risks such as crime. The actual risks are low. I relate (I experience anxiety about travel).

I don't know how people can live their lives with such fear that they can't be out beyond 5pm! It's not even like it will be dark!

OP I'd look into working on this. It's a not a normal level of fear and it would be a shame to your raise your son to have a similar fear of the world.

Walk along the South Bank towards Tate Modern and the National Theatre
Its the best people watching in the world
and well lit and busy
and will be FULL of families until late in the evening

Battersea Power Station is well worth a visit for an evening - again just chill and people watch
again FULL of families

Covent Garden,
find a seat near the church and just watch the world go by

Trafalgar Square
sit on the edge of a fountain and watch the world swirl around you

To be fair to OP she’s planned a nice trip to London with her DC and is on MN asking for information and advice, also being open about her fears. Many with such worries might simply avoid doing it.

Why not a black cab, out of interest

Cost!

5pm near the City will be the absolute busiest time in that neighbourhood! Everywhere in central is busy till later than you’d think every day of the week especially in peak tourist season. There’s no need for you to think you will ever be walking empty streets!

Have a look to see if there are Cricket 100 matches on at either Lords or The Oval - great family atmosphere and short matches!

The area is perfectly safe and not in the least ‘sketchy’. Obviously if you’re not used to London / big cities, it may look intimidating compared to what you’re used to but it really is completely fine. I live nearby and know those streets very well.

The train tracks nearby are DLR / trains into Fenchurch St so nothing will be running during the night so there won’t be any noise issues then. It’s a very convenient location and easy walking distance to multiple tube lines, DLR, trains, buses and the river bus. Don’t bother with taxis as 1)there is zero need and 2)unless it’s 4am, it will take you a million times longer due to the traffic. (I regularly drive in that area and even late at night traffic can be slow moving due to traffic lights/20mph limit).

You’re very close to St Katherine Dock which is a lovely area for a wander round in the evening (or daytime). There’s also a very nice Everyman cinema within easy walking distance at Goodman’s Yard. Lots of £1m+ flats here and zero sketchiness.