Are you planning a trip with your teen? London is one of the top tourist destinations for all ages, but it’s good to have some teen-specific ideas in mind when you’re planning your family trip with teens to London.
These thrilling things to do in London with teens and older kids are fun, unique, and totally Insta-worthy!
Fun Things to Do in London with Teens
It’s been our daughter’s wish for a long time to have a trip to London so this year we are planning to spend her birthday weekend in the big city. Obviously we can choose the usual tourist options like bus tours, but it’s nice to have some ideas up our sleeve that will particularly appeal to older kids and teens.
Here’s a list of fun and unique things to do in London with teens – let us know how you get on!
1. Enjoy the latest modern art at Tate Modern.
2. Recreate the iconic Beatles’ Abbey Road album cover at Abbey Road Studios.
3. Head to Bounce for a unique family game of Ping Pong.
4. Take in the live music from buskers in Covent Garden, South Bank or Trafalgar Square.
5. Experience the thrill of seeing your team’s home ground with a football stadium tour at Stamford Bridge (Chelsea FC), Emirates Stadium (Arsenal FC), The Tottenham Experience (Spurs) or Craven Cottage (Fulham FC).
6. Ride the Tube! London Underground is a thrill for kids of all ages, and is an adventure you can have several times a day. Get your teen to navigate the London Underground map and plot the shortest routes.
Top tip: Pick up an Oyster card when you arrive and top it up. It’s the easiest way to pay to travel and is good for buses too. You can also return it and get back any unused credit at the end of your stay if you wish.
7. Rent a deckchair in Hyde Park and people-watch.
8. Indulge your sweet tooth and go on the chocolate tasting adventure in the Cocoa Vaults at Hotel Chocolat on Monmouth Street.
9. Take a trip to one of the uber-cool Inamo restaurants, where you order your food on an interactive table and then watch it prepared via Chef-cam!
10. Experience ice cream like you’ve never had before at Chin Chin Icecream in Camden, Soho and Shoreditch. With flavours from Burnt Butter Caramel to Speculoos Cookie Butter, they make ice cream with liquid nitrogen!
11. Treat them to a feast for the senses at one of ChinaTown’s huge selection of authentic restaurants.
12. Scare yourself silly by delving into the capital’s dark and bloody history at the London Dungeon.
13. Head down into the underground headquarters that sheltered Churchill and his wartime government during the Blitz at Churchill War Rooms.
14. Explore the history of surgery at the Old Operating Theatre.
15. Have a wild water adventure at Lee Valley White Water Centre (for over 14s).
16. Enjoy an exhilarating ride down the river Thames on a speedboat tour.
17. See Napoleon’s toothbrush and Darwin’s walking stick at the Wellcome Collection.
18. Take a trip into the haunted tunnels of London’s famous bridge at the terrifying London Bridge Experience.
19. Browse for treasures at Camden Market, home to more than 1,000 shops, stalls and restaurants.
20. Hear the stories of people whose lives have been impacted by war at the Imperial War Museum London.
21. Get a taste for the high life on the London Eye.
22. Check out the street art at world-famous Brick Lane, which features artist like Banksy, D*Face and Ben Eine.
23. Grab a selfie at the Nelson’s ship in a bottle outside the National Maritime Museum, one of London’s most photographed pieces of art.
24. Hone your wheelie and ollie skills at the skate park BaySixty6.
25. Get some 1960s-style strikes in at Bloomsbury Bowling Lanes.
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From the infamous to the insane and quirky to cool, fun is guaranteed with these unusual places to visit in the UK – perfect for a memorable family day out!
26. Browse through an extensive collection of comics, graphic novels, animation and caricatures at The Cartoon Museum.
27. Stay up to date with the latest tech at the Apple Store Regent Street.
28. Over-10s can enjoy sky-high views and an exhilarating climbing expedition with Up at The O2.
29. Go behind-the-scenes of the Harry Potter film series at the Warner Bros. Studio Tour.
30. Then visit all the London locations from the Harry Potter films and books.
31. Explore a few of the capital’s top film locations, like Notting Hill.
32. Rub shoulders with the rich and famous at wax figure museum Madame Tussauds. Definitely selfie time!
33. Learn some serious spy skills at the escape rooms at ClueQuest.
34. Explore a rainforest, walk along the treetops, meet real life coffee, rubber, and chocolate plants, all at Kew Gardens.
35. Feline fans will love the opportunity to head to Lady Dinah’s Cat Emporium for cats and a cuppa (over 12s only).
36. Get snap-happy with selfies at a world-famous red telephone box.
37. Young creatives can set their potential music career alight with a trip to the Young Creatives at The Roundhouse.
38. Visit the LUSH store on Oxford Street, it is one of the their largest stores and you’ll find three levels of lush-iousness to explore.
39. See real life justice in action at The Old Bailey (Central Criminal Court) where visitors over 14 are allowed in the public galleries at courts to watch trials from Monday to Friday between 10:30am and 1pm, and 2-4pm.
40. For a really special treat (could be a good birthday present) enjoy afternoon tea, for example, Tea at The Ritz or Afternoon Tea at Claridges. Check dress code before you go, sportswear generally not permitted for either ladies or gentlemen!
About the Author: Emily Manning
