London, England
 

Let me know where to go with a goup of teens around London, Also where to go out for Lunch that they would like.What shows to see?How is the weather this time of the year? That cloth to bring?

Where are you staying? When are you arriving? How many? Do you like things historical? What sort of food are you looking for? What age group?
The weather in January can be cold and wet, and often is! Travel around London on tubes (underground) and buses is easy. Loads of restaurants in central London - should not be a problem. There are many web sites about London. You can visit places like Westminster Abbey and the Houses of Parliament, the Tower of London and Tower Bridge etc. Good planning is essential and good walking shoes are a must. London is vast! Give some answers to the questions above and I am sure that you will get many useful answers.

Don't forget Madame Tussaud's Wax Museum...fabulous!

I was just in London last summer with a group of 16 year old students (4 of them). We all went to the Tower of London (amazing), Westminster Abbey, Buckingham Palace, and a day trip to Stonehenge, Salisbury, and Bath. The "kids" loved it all. I was really surprised how much they appreciated the history of Westminster Abbey, The Tower, and Bath. They all wanted to stay longer than we could at any place. Plan a couple of hours at Westminster Abbey, and 3-4 at the Tower. Also, London's subway "The Tube" is very easy to navigate. I let the kids go out by themselves many days. Have fun! Lisa

I agree with the note you've had on the forum. If you'll give us an idea of these people's tastes we can advise you better. Perhaps you could show this note and others you've had to a couple of students, and ask them to Email me and to put a message in the forum. What do they eat, read, watch on television, listen to, go to see ? What are they doing just now or going to do in school English, history, geography, and art ? Is there an point about Britain that they want to clear up ?................................................. ....................................

Meanwhile, here are a few generalities...................................... ..................

At the arrival airport you and some of them should buy "Time Out", and study ot on the train into town. It gives leads on many of your questions...............

Lunch. I think American teenagrs like burgers and pasta, and they are thick on the ground in the west end and beyond: they are short only in the City. If they've a spirit of adventure they should think of lunching in a pub that takes teenagers. These offer no suppers. They include................................
The Two Chairmen, 31 Dean Street, near Tottenham Court Road tube...
The Punch and Judy, Covent Garden Market........................................
The Phoenix, 14 Palace Street, SW1, Victoria tube.................................
Lowndes Arms, 37 Chesham Street, SW1, Sloane Square tube..............
The Old Rose, 22 Medway Street, SW1, St James' Park tube...............
The Lord High Admiral, Lillington Gardens, SW1, Pimlico tube..............
The Market Porter, Southwark Vegetable Market, London Bridge tube....
Both the pubs in the old market place at Greenwich.................................

From 5 or 12 January the university colleges will be open, and their student canteens open for lunch. At South Kensington, Imperial College...............
Along the Strand from Trafalgar Square, Kings College..............................
Near the British Museum, the School of Oriental and African Studies (and others, but SOAS has the biggest erthnic variety)....................................

Shows to see. Well, what have they been reading ? In Time Out you might look especially for Shakespeare and other classics, and look in particular for Fringe shows, cheaper, less formal, and often more freshly shown. Also, they may have reductions for young people (called "concessions). But I don't rule out the West End, which can cost just ten pounds a seat if you go to a midweek matinee or to the Monday evening show and ask for the cheapest seat in the house (they close the topmost gallery, so you tend to get a good seat in the main gallery. You can usually creep into a more central seat just as the curtain rises)............................................ ............................................

Comedy. The Government Inspector at the Almeida. To 31 January.........
The Magistrate at the Savoy. To 28 March............................................. ..
The Chairs at the Duke of Yorks (but check it's in English, not French)
Bench seats at tenpence.......................................... ...............................
Shakespeare. The Tempest at the Two Way Mirror Club (the one I'd pick)
The Merry Wives at the Barbican (not really very funny)............................
Hamlet at the Barbican.......................................... ....................................
Othello at the National.......................................... ....................................
Drama. An Enemy of the People at the National..........................................
Little Eyolf at the Pit in the Barbican.......................................... ...............
Journey's End at the Kings Head.............................................. .................
The Waste Land at Wilton's Music Hall. To 11 January. Not for dimwits....
In through the out door: three plays. Imperial College Union.......................

Weather. Cold, but seldom or never freezing. Overcoats or padded warm jackets. Glovs, scarves, and enough thick-soled footwear to dry one pair out while wearing another........................................... ....................................

I look forward to hearing from your party or you.......................................

Welcome to London............................................ ...................................

Ben Haines

i would like to know if the york hotel in london and the horset pavillion in paris are good hotels to stay in if you are on your honeymoon. thanks.

To Michele with the teens in London..... my wife and I just happened to come upon a pub that served the best food I've experienced in London; it was called "Rhe Windmill", just off Bond Street, near the Bently Dealership, and it proclaimed that not only had it won the award for London's best steak and kidney pie for the past 3 years, (we concur), but that in another competition, it had won best sandwiches as well.Wonderful food, very reasonable prices, great atmosphere.

We have two teenagers and have just returned from London and Paris where we celebrated the Christmas holiday with friends. Prices are very high and the exchange rate is not very good but London can still be affordable. The "Tower of London" was a very good deal at L25 for a family of four and offered many new exhibits and new lectures given by the warders (beefeaters) which my kids loved. You can easily spend 5 hours roaming the grounds.

Travel on the tube is very easy and with a 3 or 7 day travel card , very affordable. Each person will need to take a passport size photo with them or, if your lucky enough to find one that works, use a photo machine that can be found in various tube stations.

As someone before me wrote, it's best if you could provide further information as to travel dates, ages and number of travellers so that we can be of better assistance. If you should like further information please contact me via email as I do not check the forum on a daily basis. I would be happy to help you in any way.