travelgirl2

My friend's son will be spending the spring 2007 semester in London (Jan - May). He is doing a college exchange program. He will be staying in a flat with 5 other guys, location not yet determined.

I would love to start a thread for her with ideas and suggestions for her son. Can you guys help me? Anything you think a 20 year old guy should do while in London? Anything he shouldn't miss?

Carrybean

What is he studying & what are his interests? I'm sure he'll find pubs all on his own.

Carrybean

Here's a previous thread on the same topic:

http://www.fodors.com/forums/threads...p;tid=34883699

travelgirl2

Thanks Carrybean. I would imagine he is looking forward to some pub crawling!

I'll forward that thread to my friend - it is focused mostly on what would be the best guidebooks and sources of information for college students.

I am looking for suggestions of fun or unique activities for a 20 year old who will be in London for a couple of months.

He is interested in business, communications and journalism.

travelgirl2

Anybody?

Mab85

I mean, anything, really! There's so much to do. I stayed across from the Guardian newspaper headquarters - maybe they have tours there? The British Library had a whole exhibit about front pages of newspapers - but no idea if that'll still be there. Check about other exhibitions though! I'd suggest picking up a Lonely Planet guidebook for help.

Also, tell him to check out the club Printworks in Farringdon.

Sorry I can't be of more help!!

papagena

There's so much choice his best plan is to get a subscription to Time Out (they do cheap new subscriber offers) which lists pages and pages of things to do, from the mainstream tourist stuff to bizarre performance art.

A few examples of fun things to do are:
- the huge slides at the Tate Modern (art apparently, but you get to go down them).
- the outdoor ice rinks all over the place.
- Pub quizzes (a British thing to try).
- The duck tour of London, I don't know the official term but it's a bus that becomes a boat.
- stand-up comedy; the Comedy Store is particularly good introduction as you get to see several comedians in an evening.
- going to a gig; again Time Out will list which bands are playing where.
- a pantomime maybe; certainly not "cool" for a 20 year old, but they're a big British christmas tradition so if he's writing any articles on his semester abroad it might provide interesting material.
- Taking up a random sport for five months. You can learn anything in London and it's a good way of making friends.
- Clubbing obviously, but he'll find that out for himself. A slightly more educational version of drinking is to do the vinopolis tour at the start of a night out.
- Taking the eurostar to Paris for the day.
- Weekends abroad c/o easyjet or ryanair. Can be as cheap as staying in London if you budget carefully and stay in a hostel, particularly if you go to eastern europe.

It really depends on the individual - he might hate all of these suggestions. But the Time Out subscription is definitely a good plan.

rachael9

Since he's already going to be abroad, he should check out some more of Europe (plane tickets are so expensive this days.) This summer I went on a trip with Contiki Holidays, a travel company geared toward younger adults, and many of their trips start in London. I'm 21 and had a blast! If he has some time before or after the semester, I totally recommend that he do some exploration. Their trips last anywhere from a few days to a month. The website is www.contiki.com if he's interested. Also my blog from my 2-week trip is http://rae-does-contiki.blogspot.com/ if he wants to get an idea of what a real trip is like. Give him my best wishes on his semester abroad!

nixx

to be honest a 20 year old coming to London from USA for a few months will probably just be rat arsed (drunk) the whole time - the freedom of being able to buy alcohol without ID is likely to be too much of an attraction

otherwise apart from the usual recommended sights, i would recommend the following for a 20 year old in London:
- Explore London's markets (camden, greenwich and borough are my faves)
- Goto a football match
- check out the huge variety in live music,comedy and club nights
- Berwick Street (for CDs, records etc)
- Covent Garden (for funky clothes shops)
- Tate Modern (and too many other museums to mention)

As others have mentioned, London is also a great base for exploring the rest of Europe with cheap flights etc

Pausanias

With only a semester, he might want to stay in the UK, then travel on the continent over the summer.

Time Out is a great resource, as mentioned.

The sports suggestion is also good. I took up fencing in London when I was a student, and made some local friends.

I'd suggest that he get out into the countryside and do some walking. Cornwall, the Cotswolds, Hadrian's Wall, the Lake District. etc. Be willing to bet there are student groups leaving from London making these treks. Another good way to meet his hosts, the British.

audere_est_facere

All the above are good advice. Also he will be there for heh beginning of the cricket season. Perhaps he could get a local to take him to a game at Lords (there's no point in him going on his own - he's just be baffled). Rugby will be on too.

Do you know what college he's going to be at as that will make a huge difference - ie the LSE is smack bang in the middle of London whereas Brunel is miles out.

Time out will become his new bible.