Visiting London With A Teen On A Budget, Sort Of

London on a budget with a teen? It is possible and here's how to do it. We already covered flights in a previous post so let's start with hotels. Start with awardmapper.com to see if you can use your points or miles. FREE is, of course, always the goal! I couldn't find any good values for my points or miles for mid July. So I turned to bed and breakfast type hotels. I always look for breakfast included when travelling with my kids. If you start off with full tummies, it just makes the day better. 

Belgrave Road in London

There are a ton of budget hotels on Belgrave Road near the Pimlico metro stop. Most include breakfast and run about $100 per night for a private room and bathroom. We stayed at the Melbourne House. It is centrally located near a metro stop. Breakfast included croissant, cheese, meats, yogurt, fruit, coffee and orange juice. We even made sandwiches one day for lunch on the train. Only downside, there is no elevator! The farther out of town you go, the cheaper the hotels are, but you are out of town. 

From Heathrow, you can take the express train to Victoria metro station. Pick up an Oyster card in the to pay for the express train and pre-load it with funds. This makes riding the metro in London so much easier. You can use the automated machines to add funds. When you are ready to leave London, scan your card again so you get your deposit and unused funds back. 

Now what to do in London with a teenager. Where should we start? To be honest, I did not expect to like London as much as I did. It was quite a charming city with lots of places to walk. We started by walking by Buckingham Palace and through the nearby park. Then proceeded to walk to Big Ben. Of course, stopping for ice cream on the way. Be sure to include a chocolate flake on top of your ice cream!

The Tower Of London was a definite highlight of this visit. There are discount tickets online, but you may need to wait 30 minutes to recieve a confirmation email with your ticket voucher. You have to take the voucher to the customer service window to exchange it for tickets. The tower offers free walking tours every 1/2 hour and I highly recommend at least doing the 1 hour tour for a part of the time. Includes lots of good history. There is a separate line for the Crown Jewels exhibit, but it is included in your ticket price. Definitely take the time to see the exhibit which includes many crowns, scepters, and much more. 

We walked by Big Ben, River Thames, Westminster Abbey, Parliament Square and then hopped the metro to the theatre district, Picadilly Circus. FYI, Westminster Abbey closes at 3:30pm. The changing of the guard at Buckingham Palace happens at 11am. Checked out the 1/2 price booth near Leicester metro stop. There is a board in front that lists the shows available for that evening. We were able to pick up 2 tickets for 22.50 pounds each to see American In Paris. Awesome!

London with a teen is not complete without a day to the WB Tour, The Making of Harry Potter. I must admit that I have only read the first book, but this exhibit and tour is fascinating even for the non fan. You must book tickets online and in advance. I couldn't find any discounts so we just spent the money. When you buy your ticket, you are assigned a time to enter. Do not stress out if you are late or early. Once you arrive, you actually can enter within 30 minutes of your assigned time. You will need to take the train to Watford Junction. The train leaves from Victoria Station and you can buy tickets from the automated machines or the ticket window.  Tickets are 9 pounds there and 4 pounds to return. It can cost more during rush hour. The trains leave every 20 minutes or so and the train takes about 20 minutes. It took us 1.25 hours to reach Watford Junction. Once you arrive in Watford Junction, you will need to wait for the Harry Potter shuttle bus. The ride to the park is included in your ticket. The driver will ask you to pre pay your ride home so be sure to have 2.50 pounds per person.

You can bring your own food and drinks into the park. There is a cafe inside and it's not too overpriced. The tour begins with a guide who takes you through the grand hall and then it is a walking tour that you do at your own pace. There is a lot of reading about the different sets and costumes. Plan to spend about 3 hours at the park.
You can't be in London without enjoying high tea. We chose the Charlie and the Chocolate Factory High Tea at One Aldwych Hotel.  It is inspired by the hotel's partnership with the musical. This was definitely not almost free, in fact, for two of us, it cost about $115. Definitely a splurge, but worth it if you love chocolate. Starts with little sandwiches and then a dessert platter. Lots of interesting teas as well and a nice atmosphere.

So all total, we spent $400 for the hotel, $115 for the high tea, $100 for Harry Potter, $40 for the Tower Of London, $45 for a show and $100 for transportation. We ate fish and chips one night and at an inexpensive restaurant the other. You could spend less, but we enjoyed the splurges.