Teens are notoriously hard to please. Don't suggest a London day out that feels 'babyish' or 'family-friendly'. Instead, follow this guide to fun, quirky things for teenagers to do in the capital, and earn some 'actually quite cool parent' kudos.
1. Take a trip in Lift 109, Battersea Power Station
Step inside the iconic Battersea Power Station in south west London, and zoom up 109 metres to the top of the north-west chimney, where you can take in a stunning 360-degree view of London's skyline. Once you've taken enough selfies, you and your teens can mooch around the high end fashion brands on Electric Boulevard and grab some food from one of the many outlets in the area.
Where:
Lift 109
,
Battersea Power Station
, Circus Rd W, Nine Elms, London SW8 5BN
2. Dive into the BBC Earth Experience in Earls Court
If your teen loves BBC nature shows like Blue Planet, take their passion to the next level at the immersive new BBC Earth Experience in Earls Court. Explore the wonders of planet Earth on a microscopic scale in the Micro Life room; then enjoy spectacular drone footage on the Vista Stage. Head below the waves in the Water Life room; but you might want to look out for creepy crawlies as you travel further around the show!
When: Until Jul 23
Where:
BBC Earth Experience
, The Daikin Centre, Earl's Court, Empress Place, London SW6 1TT
3. Ride the IFS Cloud Cable Car, Greenwich
Sweep your teens off their feet with a trip across the Thames in the IFS Cloud Cable Car. Take in gorgeous aerial views of London's skyline, as you travel from the Greenwich Peninsula to the Royal Docks. Combine the trip with some shopping at The O2 or at Greenwich Market; or if your teen's into politics, check out City Hall, the headquarters of the Mayor of London, and the London Assembly.
Where:
IFS Cloud Cable Car
, 27 Western Gateway, London E16 1FA
4. Take in a teen-specific show at the Unicorn Theatre
The ever-brilliant Unicorn Theatre in Southwark produces age-appropriate theatre for all ages – including those aged 13 and over. So while your teenager might have seen kid-friendly shows at this venue in the past, book a 13+ performance, and they can be sure they'll be in an audience of similarly aged teens seeing powerful shows aimed directly at their age group.
Where:
Unicorn Theatre
, 147 Tooley Street, London SE1 2HZ
5. Wow your teens with a trip to the Barbican Centre
There's so much on offer for teenagers at the Barbican, you're sure to find something that will suit your growing kids. The Young Barbican scheme gives 14–25 year olds discounted access to unmissable art and entertainment: Young Barbican members can get tickets to art, film, music, theatre and dance shows for only £5, £10 or £15. From electronic artists pushing musical boundaries, to the best in international theatre and major fashion, design and photography exhibitions, there's sure to be something to fire your teens' imaginations.
Where:
Barbican Centre
, Silk Street, Barbican, London EC2Y 8DS
6. Take a speedboat down the Thames
See the sights of London from a different angle with a trip on a Thames speedboat! Experience the world famous sights of the capital with a Thames Rockets RIB experience. Choose from a 50-minute or an 80-minute tour, depending on your teen's attention span.
Where:
Thames Rockets
, Boarding Gate One, London Eye Millennium Pier - London Bridge Pier, London SE1 7PB
7. See a film al fresco at the Rooftop Film Club, East London
Choose from two funky venues, the Bussey Building in Peckham, or Roof East in Stratford, and take your teen to see a film under the stars at London's Rooftop Film Club. The films shown include both classic, cult and current releases, perfect for teens with a range of tastes.
Where:
Bussey Building, Peckham
, or
Roof East, Stratford
8. Watch a top West End show aimed at teens and over
A modern take on the classic Cinderella story, Pretty Woman The Musical was created by the same team as the hit 1990s romcom. One for the older kids, Pretty Woman The Musical comes with a 12+ age recommendation, so is great for teens looking for a more grown-up West End musical.
When: Booking until 18 Jun 23
Where:
Savoy Theatre
, Savoy Court, London WC2R 0ET
9. Bathe in creativity at Gods Own Junkyard, Walthamstow
If your teen is looking for unique pictures to add to their Instagram feeds, take them on a trip to Gods Own Junkyard in Walthamstow. A wonderland of old, discarded and occasionally very famous neon signs, Gods Own Junkyard is also an art gallery and neon museum, with a café and shop inside. Definitely one for the 'coolest London spaces' list.
When: Open weekends: Fri, 11am-10pm; Sat, 11am-10pm; Sun, 11am-6pm
Where:
Gods Own Junkyard
, Unit 12, Ravenswood Industrial Estate, Shernhall Street, London E17 9HQ
10. Take your teen cricket fan on a tour of Lord's
Visit the most famous cricket ground in the world and take your cricket-loving teens behind the scenes at 'The Home of Cricket'. Join an expert guide who will lead you through iconic parts of Lord's Cricked ground including the Grade II*-listed Victorian Pavilion, the world-famous Long Room, the Players’ Dressing Rooms, the dramatic J.P. Morgan Media Centre, and the MCC Museum, home of the Ashes Urn – cricket’s best-known artefact.
Where:
Lord's Cricket Ground
, St John's Wood Road, London NW8 8QN
11. Take a Wembley Stadium Tour
Take a tour where being glued to your phone won't mean you're missing the best bits! This Wembley Stadium tour uses a state-of-the-art multimedia guide on your smartphone to create a really immersive tour of Wembley Stadium with a guide and a ton of digital extras. Walk where your teen's heroes have played, performed and celebrated, and take in the atmosphere of one of the most famous stadiums in the world. You'll see the player’s tunnel and the pitch, the dressing rooms, and get a look inside the Royal Box.
Where:
Wembley Stadium
, London HA9 0WS
12. For teenage rugby fans, try a tour of Twickenham Stadium
Guided tours of Twickenham Stadium are the ultimate experience for any teenage rugby fan. Follow an expert tour guide around the most exciting and historic areas of Twickenham stadium, including the Royal Box, players' tunnel, pitch-side and the England Dressing Room. Then head to the World Rugby Museum where your teen can put their skills to the test in the Play Rugby Interactive Zone, featuring a scrum machine, line-out jump test, kicking machine and much more.
Where:
Twickenham Stadium
, 200 Whitton Road, Twickenham TW2 7BA
13. Go Ape at Alexandra Palace
Teens with a head for heights will love the 2-3 hour Treetop Challenge at Go Ape in Alexandra Palace park. It's a demanding and daring high ropes course; your teen will need focus to gain the unique sense of accomplishment you get from trying something brand new. Plus, they'll love that adrenaline rush rising as they shoot between the different treetop platforms!
Where: Go Ape,
Alexandra Palace
, Alexandra Palace Way, London N22 7AY
14. Pootle around Portobello Road Market
There's bound to be something to catch your teen's eye at Portobello Road Market, the world's largest antiques market with more than 1,000 dealers selling every kind of antique and collectible. Start early on a Saturday to avoid the biggest crowds, and see the talented and bizarre street performers who frequent the area. Fashionistas might enjoy searching through the vintage fashion finds on a Sunday too.
Where:
Portobello Road Market
, Portobello Road, London W10 5TY
15. See real-life courtroom drama at the Old Bailey
Take your teen to witness a real-life courtroom drama at the Old Bailey in central London. Strictly for teens aged 14 and over, and you have to think about wearing 'appropriate' clothing, visits to the Old Bailey are free, and almost always fascinating. You'll only have access to the public galleries to view trials; watching from the public gallery is a bit like sitting in the balcony seats of a small theatre. But any drama witnessed here is far from fictional.
Where:
Old Bailey
, London EC4M 7EH
16. Spook your teen with a London Ghost Bus Tour
Take a brilliant comedy-horror tour around the city with your teens, all on board a repurposed Routemaster bus. Let by professional actors with guaranteed top London sightseeing plus comedy scares, teens who are into gothic horror will love the classic 1960’s Routemaster bus, lovingly restored in a midnight-black livery and finished with antique lamps and plush red velvet curtains.
When: Everyday, tours last 1hr 15min
Where:
Departing from 8 Northumberland Avenue
daily, outside the Grand Hotel, opposite the Sherlock Holmes Pub
17. Try a Tunnel Walk at the Postal Museum in London
Take your teen below the streets of London for an exclusive underground walk along the 100-year-old Mail Rail tunnels. Everyone on the tour will be over the age of 12, and for safety reasons, will need to wear a hard hat and high vis jacket. Teens who love history, architecture, technology and more are sure to find exploring the secret tunnels, tracks and platforms of the Mail Rail pretty awe-inspiring.
When: 25 April; 2, 16 and 23 May; 6 and 20 Jun 23
Where:
Postal Museum
, 15-20 Phoenix Place, London WC1X 0DA
18. Take technology and art-loving teens to the brand new Lightroom in London
Art and technology-loving teens will love the remarkable new art exhibition by the always-brilliant David Hockney at Lightroom in London. Lightroom's vast walls and revolutionary sound system have been used to create an art show dedicated to Hockney's 60-year long career. You'll hear Hockney explain his processes at the same time as witnessing him him experimenting with perspective, capturing the passing of time in his polaroids and the joy of spring on his iPad. This show pushes the possibilities of new media, and invites you to look more closely, more truly and more joyously at the world around you.
When: Until 4 Jun 23
Where:
Lightroom
, 12 Lewis Cubitt Square, London N1C 4DY
19. Enjoy films for less with the BFI 25 & Under scheme
Does your teenager want to see the latest cinema releases for just £3? Of course they do! Join the BFI 25 & Under scheme (for over 16s) and you can do just that, plus enjoy events and amazing film industry opportunities for 16-25 year olds. At the BFI Southbank, there are four screens open seven days a week; the BFI IMAX is the country's largest cinema screen, perfect for teens who just want things louder, bigger and better!
Where:
BFI Southbank
, Belvedere Road, London SE1 8XT;
BFI IMAX
, 1 Charlie Chaplin Walk, South Bank SE1 8XR
20. Leave your mark at the Leake Street Arches, London
Eight former railway arches beneath Waterloo station, adjoining London's longest legal graffiti wall, are a brilliant place to visit with your London-loving teen. Look out for London's very best board games cafe; wonderful independent restaurants and bars; and the chance to leave your mark on London's largest legal graffiti wall and enjoy one of the best urban galleries in the world.
Where:
Leake Street Arches
, Leake Street, London
21. See shows for less at London's National Theatre
Teens aged between 16 and 25 years old can now pay £5 (for 16-18yos) and £10 (for 19-25yos) for shows at the Olivier, Lyttelton and Dorfman theatres. There are also discounted ticket options for a range of Learning talks and courses at the theatre.
Where:
National Theatre
, Upper Ground, South Bank, London SE1 9PX
22. Take on the Crystal Maze LIVE with your mates
The Crystal Maze LIVE Experience is 75 minutes of frantic, frenetic, silly team fun that’s open to those everybody aged 9 and over. Run around four different zones – Industrial, Futuristic, Medieval and Aztec – testing your skills, solving mysteries and facing mental and physical challenges. The more challenges you complete successfully, the more crystals you win and the more time you'll have for the final test in … drumroll… the Crystal Dome...!
When: Tues-Sun
Where:
Crystal Maze LIVE
, 22-32 Shaftesbury Avenue, London W1D 7EU
23. Climb the rigging at Cutty Sark
Give your teen a new perspective on an old favourite by climbing the rigging at Cutty Sark! Perfect for teenagers who love climbing walls, high ropes challenges and messing around on zipwires, the Cutty Sark Rib Climb experience will give you a sailor's eye view as you sample what thousands of mariners did daily during Cutty Sark’s long and fabled career at sea.
Where:
Cutty Sark
, King William Walk, Greenwich SE10 9NF
24. Ride the waves at Lee Valley White Water Centre
Want to try white water rafting? In London? Of course you can. Head to Lee Valley White Water Centre and you and your teenager can not only ride the rollercoaster of the Olympic-standard white water course; you can also try canoeing, kayaking, hydrospeeding, paddle boarding and even take on the Water Wipeout obstacle course.
Where:
Lee Valley White Water Centre
, Station Road, Waltham Cross EN9 1AB
25. Step back in time at the The Old Operating Theatre Museum and Herb Garret
Step back in time at the atmospheric Old Operating Theatre museum in London Bridge. Climb the stairs to the preserved attic of the early 18th-century church of the old St Thomas’ Hospital, where you can see (and smell!) the remarkable, original timber-framed Herb Garret where herbs for patients' medicines were once stored. Then take your place in the 'audience' in Europe's oldest surviving Operating Theatre, a fascinating place for anyone interested in history, medicine, or the (more) gruesome history of medicine...
When: Thurs-Sun from 10.30am until 5pm
Where:
Old Operating Theatre Museum and Herb Garret
, 9a St Thomas Street, London SE1 9RY
26. Twist your teen's perceptions at London's Twist Museum
Can you see colours that aren’t there? Do you always know which way is up? Can a corridor go on forever? Test your teen's perceptions at London's mind-altering, immersive home of illusions. Twist Museum on Oxford Street is full of fun, interactive exhibits that play with how you understand the world around you. It’s reality, with a twist.
Where:
Twist Museum
, 248 Oxford Street, London W1C 1DH
27. Scoot over to BaySixty6 Skate Park
If your teen loves to skate, this is the place to take them. London's most famous skate park offers three main sections: a bowl, a street section and a beginner section, with a lot of space designated for each theme and in between. The friendly staff make this a brilliant place for teens of all abilities, whether they want to skateboard, BMX, inline, or scoot. Look out for the Girls' Only sessions if that would suit your kid.
Where:
BaySixty6
, Bay, 66 Acklam Rd, London W10 5YU
28. Musical teens will love a jam session at We Jam Camden
Does your teen dream of rockstar glory? Make those dreams come true at WeJam in Camden, a step up from Karaoke or Escape Room experiences where you can create your own rock band. Your older kids will love using real instruments alongside other technology to perform some classic hits from across the ages. You can even record your performances and compete with other friends for a high score. Wigs and rock power poses at the ready!
Where:
WeJam - The Immersive Rockstar Experience
, 23 Chalk Farm Road, Chalk Farm, London NW1 8AG
29. Try your luck at Plonk Golf, Borough Market
Crazy golf-loving teens will love celebrating all things London at Plonk Borough Market. A crew of London's hottest muralists and street artists have created a 360° gallery on the walls, ceiling and floors in the arches underneath London Bridge and Borough High Street. This awesome street art wraps around a 9-hole golf course, showcasing some of London’s most famous monuments. Tackle a big red phone box ramp, roll around a Thames barrier wave, jump into the Tower of London and swoosh around the London Eye loop on this unique crazy golf course.
Where:
Plonk Crazy Golf – Borough Market
, Arches B, C, D & E, Montague Close, London SE1 9DA
There are also Plonk Crazy Golf courses in Shoreditch , Camden and Hackney .
30. Shop til you drop at Boxpark, Shoreditch
Head to the OG pop-up shipping container shopping mall at Boxpark in Shoreditch. Grab a bubble tea; check out unique vintage clothing; browse sustainable designer brands; enjoy samples at the Arch Brow Bar; and sample vegan wings, dirty burgers, pasta, dumplings, frozen yoghurt and more...
Where:
Boxpark Shoreditch
, 2-10 Bethnal Green Road, London E1 6GY