Teened London 10

My friend Katherine is bringing her two teens to the UK for summer holiday next month and she asked me for some recommendations. So here are my top ten for things to do in London with a teenaged guy and a teenaged woman...in no particular order.

1. You can't bring a young lady to London and not have proper tea, but what's the young lad to do? Take tea at the British Museum. Tea is served at the Court Restaurant, from 3p to 530p, reservations are highly recommended: +44 (0)20 7323 8990 or email: eat@britishmuseum.org. While the ladies are having scones and finger sandwiches, the lad can wander the galleries.

2. Take a tour boat - not just a transit, but one with a guide that narrates - to Greenwich. Make sure you arrive in time to be close enough to the Royal Observatory to see the ball drop at 1p as it has every day since 1833, before taking your picture straddling the 0 degree meridian that marks GMT. Consider lunch at Trafalgar Tavern, built in 1837, Dickens drank there, plan accordingly as there might be a long wait. Other things to check out in Greenwich include the Greenwich Foot Tunnel, the Fan Museum and the National Maritime Museum.

3. Have lunch from the stalls at Borough Market. Open Thursdays, Fridays and Saturdays, this is a truly London moment. Bring your appetite and cash, most stalls take credit cards, but what a pain. Don't miss the grilled cheese and chopped onions sandwiches, look for the raclette signs. After lunch head to Tower Bridge for the tour or if you'd prefer something more macabre the London Dungeon.

4. You can't come to London for the first time without going to the Tower of London.

5. Over the weekend spend some time at Camden Market, open noon to 6p daily, but weekends are most interesting.

6. See a show for half price. Like New York City, London has an official Tkts Tkts service - and lots of not official ones so beware - where you can get day of tickets for shows at half price. What is listed the day before is a good indication of what you'll get the next day. Show up at 10a for the best shot. Want to see something special, most sold out shows offer excellent tickets for sale (usually 10 to 30) for day of show that go on sale when the box office opens. Remember "stalls" means "orchestra section".

7. Grab a coffee, or an expensive lunch, at the Tate Modern Restaurant on the 7th Floor of the Tate Modern for an amazing view of the city. When you're done take in some art, or head out the front door to the right to tour the Globe Theatre.

8. It's really hard to understand World War II and what it meant to the Londoners that lived through it. Other than imagining sleeping on a tube platform by flashlight (aka torch) a visit to the Cabinet War Rooms can help people get a sense of the reality.

9. Gain an understanding of British culture through the centuries by spending a few hours at the Tate Britain. The museum displays the world's largest collection of British art from the 16th century through today. If the weather's great, when you finish go right out the front door and walk across Vauxhall Bridge and have lunch or dinner on the waterfront at St. George Wharf (the giant high rise that looks like cruise ships). If the weather's lousy, go left out the front door to the Millbank Tower where you'll find a Pizza Express (make sure to check the website for great 2-for-1 coupons good at their outlets all over the city).

10. Because you will go to Harrods, with a teenage daughter how could you not, you'll need a destination beyond the Egyptian Escalator. I really recommend for a high level Mother/Daughter moment - send the lad sporting goods on the 5th floor - Harrod's Chocolate Bar.

Don't forget to visit Transport for London to find out how to get around town and most importantly how to get your Oyster card.