I am pretty sure I posted this thread a while ago but I just can't find it anywhere.
I've got x1 day in London coming up with my 16 year old lad, he's never been before. I'm originally from down sowf but not been to London for 15 odd years so a bit out of touch. So, what are the main sights to take the lad to. Ideally mixing up main tourist sights with a bit of less visited. I know its only one day, I know its not long enough and I know everyone is different. Lad doesn't seem that fussed about anything in particular (he is 16) so aiming to visit lots of recognisable stuff.
Any suggested itinerary would be great. Walking and tube for transport. Not adverse to using bikes once in town.
Ta
Sites wise you cant go wrong with Buckingham Palace, walk to Westminster, cross over to the london eye side and keep going along the river to Tower of London.
I would say, if your teenager uses insta or tiktok get them to look for some food things too, it wont just be the chocolate strawberries at borough market, the best burger I've ever had I found from an insta review (Bleecker Bacon Double...), although you may just end up at a Side men food place pending what your teenager likes...
I recall if you do walk the river in front of the national theatre was an open space with some good food and drink stalls. Think it was called Kerb.
EDIT: I never figured out the uber boats, but I think you can just get on, tap your card and ride it like the tube, would give a good view of some sites from the water for cheap. But I'll let other fact check how easy and cheap it is!
My daughter is younger, but we have done a couple of London trips - the most recent being last Friday.
The first time, we got off the tube & went to Trafalgar Sq to see Nelson's column. We then went into the National Gallery on her request until she realised how boring it is (about 5 mins). From there we walked down The Mall to Buckingham Palace, then up Birdcage Walk to the Houses of Parliament. We had a look at the London Eye, then crossed the footbridge (a little further along) to get to Embankment station & then from there to Leicester Sq. The Dune 2 premier was on, so we got forced to wander into China Town, then back to the edge of Leicester Sq to have a look around the Lego Shop.
This time we did the London Eye, wandered up the river a bit, looked at the skateboarders along there (is it under the Royal National Theatre?), lunch in Wagamamas (which was really good), walked to Hamley's (or Ham Leaves as we called it) which was much more disappointing than I remember it being as a kid, then Lego shop again where she emptied my wallet 😁 and then McDs for a McFlurry & a tube back to my parents in Wembley.
I would recommend going to The Monument and paying to go up there. Tower Bridge experience looked quite good & reasonably priced, but we've not done it yet.
Depending on what he is into, Buck Palace is worth a walk to & the Bomber Command Memorial is just round the corner. The Battle of Britain Memorial is also worth a look on the other side of the river from the London Eye - of course, it depends if he would be into that.
There's the cable car near the 02 arena - not done it, but it's supposed to be good & I think you can buy ticket in conjunction with the Uber Thames Clippers.
If you want some exhilaration, get booked onto one of the Thames Rib experiences. Not cheap, but a good laugh. I'd like to do that again.
To be honest, most of the activities are ridiculously expensive. I would give them a swerve, or do one thing & base the day around that. We did the London Eye this year.
Borough Market or Camden Market are worth a wander round if that's his thing. I rarely buy anything so find it a bit of a waste of time, but good to people watch & take things in.
Covent Garden worth a visit maybe - again, lots going on & good for people watching. The Franco Manca there is nice, for a reasonably priced lunch.
City for sky scrappers, then Lime bike (they are good fun E-bikes) along Embankment (it's cycle path and safeish) to Big Ben, over the river past London Eye to the South Bank for the OG London skateboarding spot, under the national theatre. Carrying on walking east, stick your head in TATE modern for the Turbine Hall/POP art (which teenager doesn't like POP art) and Rothkos. Carry on past the Shakespeare's Globe and have mooch around Borough market (watch Lock Stock and Two Smoking Barrels before you come down and try to find Dog's lair)
Have fun.
Yep .... To get to The City (in my above post) take the Number 26 from Parliament Sq. Takes you past Horse Guards through Traf Sq down The Stand past Royal Courts of Justice, St Paul's, Bank and get off on Bishop's Gate.
The Skygarden viewing platform is free & pretty mint - https://tickets.skygarden.london/WebStore/shop/viewitems.aspx?cg=SkyGarden&c=Tickets
Which station are you arriving at?
Anything he likes in particular?
For me, go to Victoria. Walk to Buck Pal. Down the Mall to Traf square. Go to nat gallery,( its not boring, I've been literally 100's of times.) Explore Covent Garden
I really like cycling round looking for blue plaques, you could research a circuit of the people he s interested in.
Also, some really good gardens to just sit and chill. Despite working for 10 years about 2 mins away from the actors church in covent garden, adjacent to piazza, I went last week for the first time. The piazza is so busy the gardens are not.
Riding on buses on top deck at the front is the best. Any route in the centre, it crawls along you see loads.
Start at St Paul's, cross the Millenium bridge, Tate Modern, walk along the south bank past the Oxo Tower, cross Waterloo Bridge, Covent Garden, back to along the Strand, Trafalgar Sq (Admiralty Arch, National and Portrait galleries), along Haymarket to Piccadilly, Regent Street for shops and finish at Oxford Circus.
Lots of good suggestions but I'll chuck a couple in, one to visit (sort of) but one as a cut through.
Rather than traipse all the way to Borough for the market, Seven Dials food court (Covent Garden all but) is pretty good, or if further west Mercato Mayfair.
And if you are heading to or from StPauls/ToL to/from theatreland, Covent Garden, etc rather than go straight down Fleet Street either go a bit further north through Lincoln's Inn or south through Temple. Wonderful inns of court for the legal profession - lovely old buildings full of history.
I got given this and gave it to my boys to explore the city. They said they enjoyed it. Although I did let them go off on their own so that may have added to the positive reply.
https://www.mysteryguides.co.uk/products/londoncity
walk along the south bank past the Oxo Tower,
Of course, someone had to mention it 😔
I just took my lads to the Natural History Museum and Science Museum. It would have been good if it hadn't been so damn busy. Just absolutely packed.
The glass walled lift up the chimney at Battersea power station for a spectacular panoramic view. Even more impressive after dark.
The surgery museum near Borough market is quirky and macabre and will appeal to a teenager I reckon.
The Churchill war rooms is well worth a visit but will eat up a big chunk of your day to do it justice.
What does your son do for a hobby? There must be something in London that is linked to what he likes?
I think I'd head to the cemeteries where once popular dead people are buried 🤔. And look at the really old stuff rather than the new.
How are you getting there and from which direction?
Er, you know to walk past the Oxo tower so you haven't mistakenly gone over Blackfriar's Bridge. I planned this walk for coach loads of 6th formers having a post-exam day out in London which took them past many London landmarks and a few cultural centres at zero cost. Generally teenagers don't want to spend all day in a gallery or museum that might interest an adult so I might set tasks like 'find the Arnolfini portrait and the Embassadors'. The walk can be done with lots of little breaks in 5-6 hours.
Imperial War Museum in Lambeth, then a short walk over Blackfriars Bridge to the The Black Friar an amazing Arts & Crafts pub saved from destruction by Sir John Betjeman (at least that’s what I’d do! 🍻)
What does your son do for a hobby?
This. We often end up taking 12-20 year olds to Forbidden Planet/Comic Shops/skate shops/flagship stores for cult brands.
Lime bike (they are good fun E-bikes) along Embankment (it's cycle path and safeish)
You ride a bike, I'm guessing your kid might too. London really does have some safe, comfortable cycle infrastructure now that's great for sightseeing. Lime can get expensive - don't pay by the minute, buy a bundle. In theory you have to be 18 to rent one so he can't have his own account but you can get more than one bike on a 'group ride' using the bundle minutes on your account. 200minutes would get both of you around a good few places.
Santander Cycles (not electric/have to dock at physical stops) are super cheap - £3.50 for a day pass of unlimited trips up to 60minutes.
The https://safecycleldn.com/ map shows the cycle routes/tracks/low traffic streets better than anything else if you're not comfortable cycling in traffic (but also shows how much you can see of London).
Itineraries we've done with visitors and their kids that I never tire of doing again -
- walking the south bank of the river from Westminster to London Bridge (you could make that a day trip by itself). Drop into the Tate Modern (free, worth it just for the turbine hall and oil tanks which nearly always have something interesting in it and are impressive if they dont), South Bank Centre skate park, food at Borough market.
- ride to Greenwich (Santander don't go that far but Lime do). We always used to wind our way along the shared river path which is probably better on your own bike, but theres a new protected cycleway all the way to Greenwich now basically from London Bridge Station. Markets/pubs/Cutty Sark or the park/observatory then Uber boat back to central London (about £10 a person, if you've got your own bike they go free). Stay outside at the back near the engines for the best views. Even better do it at dusk/just after dark.
- Ride (start at maybe Hyde Park Corner?) round Hyde Park (Serpentine Gallery is free entry), then down past Buckingham Palace, Westminster, and along the embankment as far as Tower of London.
Santander Cycles (not electric/have to dock at physical stops) are super cheap - £3.50 for a day pass of unlimited trips up to 60minutes.
in case it's not clear - you can effectively ride all day. Before you get to 60minutes ride time you find a dock and do a "pit stop" - dock the bike and then use the app to take another one out (which can be the same bike).
Sites wise you cant go wrong with Buckingham Palace, walk to Westminster, cross over to the london eye side and keep going along the river to Tower of London.
I'd suggest getting tube to Green Park, walk down to Buckingham Palace, follow this route then from Tower of London head up to St Paul's, through Temple Bar to Paternoster Square and then on past Barbican to London Wall - where you can see some segments of the old city wall nicely preserved.
Took my lad there last week and it was one of the highlights of the day. Lovely and quiet compared to the tourist traps too.
- ride to Greenwich
Did this today. The new cycleway is great but it’s not scenic. Would still do this via the Thames path as a tourist trips.
when EpicJnr was 15/16 he liked to go to soho for Stussy, Palace and Supreme skate shops. Then we'd head to Bao for bao ( https://baolondon.com/restaurant/bao-soho/)
Borough Market as above for great food as well.
Lime bikes too - he does that now with mates when he goes up with them rather than M&D
