Europe Summer 2025: A London Girls’ Trip

For my daughter’s “senior trip”, we packed our bags, grabbed our passports, and jetted off to London for the ultimate girls’ trip. It was Shayla’s senior celebration and her very first time in the UK, so we wanted to pack in history, culture, food, and plenty of teen/young adult adventurous fun!  With my sister, sister-in-law, and nieces in tow, we spent five adventure-filled days exploring London.

We stayed in two areas of London – first, we based ourselves in Southwark, within walking distance to the South Bank and many iconic sights. Later, we moved closer to Kensington to explore another side of the city. Here’s an itinerary that includes a little bit of everything that the girls and moms loved! 

For those point travelers- check out the end of the post for my point hacks and ideas to get to London: 

Day 1: Arrival + South Bank Stroll

Where to stay: If it had just been two of us, I would have used points to stay in one of the favorite London Hyatt’s like the Great Scotland Yard or Hyatt Regency Blackfriars as they are in a great location and a great value for your credit card points (see end of post) but usually only available to do 2 in a room via points. You can add a cot of 3rd person, but it would have cost $100 a night more, so we went another route. As there were 6 of us, we wanted to do a favorite affordable family hotel that can fit 4 or more, so we chose the Premier Inn. 

There are many options for where to stay, and most can fit 4 or more in a room and include breakfast.  We liked the Premier Inn in London, Southwark, as it is in a good location and very near Southwark Station.

After landing at Heathrow and checking into our hotel, we fueled up at Nando’s – a great, affordable fast eats location with variety for all (halloumi for the win—seriously, it’s everywhere in London, even at McDonald’s).

From there, we walked to the Leake Street Graffiti Tunnel to see the amazing graffiti art and watch artists painting live.  The art there is always changing as artists paint over the wall. Another cool thing to do – you can buy your own spray paint there and make your own art! Navigate there via Google Maps or Apple Maps – but know you can access the tunnel from Lower Marsh Street, which has its own charm with small shops, restaurants and cafes (and a flea market on Saturdays).

Next, keep walking and cross over the river for epic views of Big Ben, Westminster Abbey, the London Eye, and St. Paul’s Cathedral. The South Bank vibe was the perfect first-night intro with street performers, twinkling lights, and plenty of energy!

A TRAVEL Tip: If you want to see inside Westminster Abbey for free, skip the busy lines and save money and time, and see Westminster Abbey for a free performance! Five nights a week, Evensong services are offered at 5 pm (3 pm some weekends). To attend the service, walk over to the iron gate by the main entrance to the Abbey, not the side entrance. Guides wearing bright scarlet capes stand there and tell them you are there for Evensong! Then you get an inside look at the Abbey for free and a 45-minute choral performance with fewer crowds. 

🍦 Teen Tip: Don’t skip late-night gelato at Amorino near the London Eye. Another gelato favorite nearby is Anita’s!  

Day 2: Royals & Westminster Highlights

We braved the crowds at Buckingham Palace for the Changing of the Guard—chaotic but worth it! Here are a few not-as-crowded areas to see the Changing of the Guards:

Buckingham Palace—it can get packed around the front gates. Here are some insider-friendly alternatives and quieter spots to catch the Changing of the Guard:

1. The Mall

• Stand along The Mall (the road leading up to the palace) near St. James’s Park.
• You’ll see the guards marching toward the palace, often with the band, and it’s far less crowded than pressing up against the gates.

2. Wellington Barracks

• Located just a short walk from the palace, Wellington Barracks (on Birdcage Walk) is where the new guard forms up and departs from.
• You’ll get close-up views of the soldiers and band before they march to the palace, without the crush of the crowds.

3. St. James’s Palace & Marlborough Road

• The Old Guard leaves from St. James’s Palace on Marlborough Road. Watching from here means you’ll see them start their ceremonial march to Buckingham Palace.
• This area tends to have fewer people, and you still experience the pomp.

4. Spur Road (side entrance to the palace)

• This quieter side road, just off the palace forecourt, is where the guards often enter and exit.
• You won’t see the entire ceremony, but you get close views without fighting for space.

5. Birdcage Walk by St. James’s Park

• Position yourself near the Queen Victoria Memorial side or along Birdcage Walk.
• You’ll catch the guards and horses marching by with plenty of room to breathe.

Pro Travel tip: Arrive 30–40 minutes early and avoid the palace gates themselves—those spots fill first. Some travelers say the best experience is combining one of the side approaches with a post-ceremony stroll through St. James’s Park for the atmosphere.

Don’t go close to the gate unless you want to be stuck in and can’t leave before the crowds do.  Another good option is to watch from the memorial statue.

It is great too.  Also, watch out for pickpockets! The cops told us this is the most pickpocketed area of London! Note that the ceremony usually begins at 11:00 daily and lasts about 45 minutes.  

Next, we explored St. James’s Park (spot the famous pelicans too!) and grabbed lunch at Benugo. Shayla’s highlight? Finding Fanta Limon in the U.K.

Afternoon High tea would be fun on the same day as Buckingham Palace – Top Afternoon Teas include The Ritz, Claridge’s, or Sketch – Book these weeks ahead too. 

We split up for a few hours due to our interests! Half of our group dove underground into the historical Churchill War Rooms for the history buffs, while the others opted for the free and interactive Science Museum for the science buffs!  Both were amazing! 

Later, we wandered Trafalgar Square, checked out British bookstores for U.K. editions, and ended with a West End night.  It was hard to choose for Broadway plays so we split up again – half seeing the classic Phantom of the Opera (see link for Viator tickets!)- never can go wrong there – and half choosing the classic The Mousetrap, the longest-running play in the world. We saw the 30,114th show (they list the number in the program!) Trying to solve the mystery alongside the cast was a blast. Buy ahead of time or get discount tickets at TTKS at https://officiallondontheatre.com/tkts/ 

Teen Tip: Near the Mousetrap theater, we stumbled on this handmade chocolate shop called Barnabys! It was amazing!  You must try it!

Head to Leicester Square afterward to walk the trail of movie statues.

Day 3: Tower Tales & River Adventures

We started the day at the Tower of London. BOOK AHEAD, especially if it’s a busy time of year.   Definitely check out the Yeoman Warder (aka “Beefeater”) guided tour that’s included with your Tower of London ticket—you don’t pay extra and you can’t pre-book it. The tour included gruesome (and fascinating) stories of Anne Boleyn, the Salt Tower, and the ravens who guard the monarchy. 

Key details:

• When: runs daily, starting every 45 minutes. First tour 10:00 Tue–Sat and 10:45 Sun–Mon; last at 15:15 (within opening hours). Book at Historic Royal Palaces.
• Where to join: by the Bell Tower near the main entrance.
• Cost/booking: included with admission; no advance reservations needed (they’ll try to fit in as many people as possible). Pro tip: If you want lighter crowds, line up for the first tour of the day, then head to the Crown Jewels straight after (shorter queue early).

So many other great highlights at the Tower!  The Crown Jewels are a must to see and are dazzling—no photos allowed, so soak it in.  Go earlier in the day or later before closing for shorter lines. There is a beautiful poppy exhibit around the grounds where each poppy represents a life lost in war. And of course, you must see the Ravens of the Tower! It was fun watching them hop around and see them in and out of their cages…the legend is that if the ravens leave then the kingdom crumbles! 

We then walked across Tower Bridge for sweeping city views before hopping on a boat ride down the Thames – you can take a boat ride as part of the 24-hour Big Bus pass or do an Uber Boat ride.. Seeing the skyline from the water was such a highlight. Note on the 24-hour Big Bus or double-decker pass.  The buses go SLOW in traffic and take forever to go from one stop to another!  If visiting in the off-season and not crowded, then it MAY be worth it! We did enjoy resting our feet and getting in the A/C!

Lunch stop was the Borough Market treats (don’t miss Bread Ahead donuts), and the afternoon was free for exploring Covent Garden, Neal’s Yard, and shopping, and of course, for Harry Potter fans, don’t miss a visit to Platform 9 3⁄4 at King’s Cross station! There may be a long line but we stood on the side and snapped a photo!

🎭 Evening pick: Catch views or sunset at Sky Garden if you can snag a free reservation (Book ahead three weeks in advance!) or book a paid table – https://skygarden.london/restaurant-bars/ or Horizon 22 is another great place for views (reserve ahead!) at the top of 22 Bishopsgate, the tallest building in the City of London!

Day 4: Kensington & Market Vibes

After moving to our Kensington hotel – loved this cute, affordable hotel in a great location that fit all 6 of us with two doubles and 2 bunk beds – See the hotel we chose!  We slowed the pace with a walk through Kensington Gardens—the Italian Gardens, Peter Pan statue, and Sunken Garden are perfect for whimsical photos.  The sunken garden and memorial statue to Princess Diana were very special! 

I think if it were not a super hot day, we would have loved to rent bikes in Hyde Park for a breezy ride.

From there, we explored the colorful stalls of Portobello Road Market—vintage fashion, funky souvenirs, street musicians, and bubble tea. For shoppers, Oxford Street is nearby, while royal fans can pay to go in and visit Kensington Palace.  The girls did not want to spend time inside the palace with limited time, but it would be neat to check out!

Teen Tip: Swing through Chin Chin Ice Cream or Bubblewrap Waffles in Soho for over-the-top dessert fun.

Day 5: Final Strolls & Quirky Stops

A few other fun recommendations for adventuresome teens or off-the-beaten-path ideas: 

LOVE NATURE: Check out Holland Park’s Kyoto Garden—a peaceful start to the day.

LOVE ANIMALS: Book the Hobbledown Capybara Experience near Heathrow (yes, you can feed capybaras before your flight!).

LOVE ALL THINGS ROYAL: Everyone said Windsor Castle was a favorite, but we did not have time this trip as we chose to head to Scotland instead (see post about that here).  It is closed on Monday, so check times!

Love MYSTERY:  Check out the immersive escape room, Sherlock: The Game Is Now or the tourist favorite, The London Dungeon. I would book the escpae room a week in advance.

LOVE UNIQUE EXPERIENCES:  Check out this Fri or Sat night interactive escape live experience – PHANTOM PEAK https://www.phantompeak.com/ 

LOVE Adrenaline: Climb the O2 – or travel a bit outside of London if renting a car and try this cool Olympic park – Helix | The world’s longest and tallest tunnel slide | Zip World 

Teen-Friendly Eats & Snacks

London is packed with easy and fun food stops:

• Nando’s (fast and flavorful)
• Pret a Manger (healthy grab-and-go)
• Borough Market (street food + donuts)
• Padella (famous for fresh pasta near Borough Market)
• Pizza Pilgrims (casual pies teens love)
• Tesco (cheap snacks and drinks everywhere)

For late-night cravings:

• Cyberdog in Camden (shopping meets rave vibes)
• Amorino, Anita’s, or Gelato Amarino for sweets.
  

Final Thoughts

London is the perfect city for a teen-focused girls’ trip—full of royal pomp, quirky neighborhoods, delicious eats, and Insta-worthy photo ops. From graffiti tunnels to regal palaces, West End mysteries to bubble tea markets, we found the perfect balance of history and teen-approved fun.

One tip: always check the local calendar. You never know what surprises might pop up, from royal appearances to live music. We stumbled on a Brandi Carlile concert at the historic Royal Albert Hall last minute – an incredible venue where we found tickets for $40 – a memory that became one of the trip’s highlights. Some of the best experiences are the ones you don’t plan, so leave space in your schedule for those spontaneous adventures.

We left London knowing we’d only scratched the surface, and that’s the beauty of it. This isn’t just a city you visit once; it’s a place that pulls you back again and again.

Points & Travel Hacks 

For fellow points travelers, London is one of those dream trips where rewards can stretch a long way if you plan smartly. We were able to cover most of our flights and hotels using points, and it made the girls’ trip that much sweeter. Here’s how we did it—and how you can too:

• Flights with Virgin Atlantic: We transferred American Express Membership Rewards to Virgin Atlantic during a 30% bonus promotion. That meant snagging one-way tickets for just 6,000 points per person and the return for 9,000 points each. Taxes and fees came to about $300 per person, which is a fantastic deal for transatlantic flights.
  
• Hotels on points: We booked the Premier Inn through the Chase travel portal, and while some travelers worry about third-party bookings, we double-checked directly with the hotel and everything was seamless. For other stays, we used Capital One points to erase hotel charges entirely as an easy way to keep out-of-pocket costs low. Since there were 6 of us, we did not use Hyatt points, but I would if 2-4 of you ( remember many Europe hotels won’t allow more than 2 people per room!)
• Future Hyatt stays: If you’re working with Chase Ultimate Rewards, London has some amazing Hyatt redemptions. With one Chase Sapphire Preferred sign-up bonus of 75k-100k points, you could stay 3–5 nights at luxury properties like the Great Scotland Yard, Park Hyatt London River Thames, or Hyatt Regency London – The Churchill.
  
• Activity bookings: Don’t forget about Rakuten! Get $30 or $50 back when you sign up or 3,000 or 5,000 American Express points back! We booked tours and activities through their site, earning extra AmEx Membership Rewards points back on purchases. It’s like stacking travel savings.
  
• One card = one trip: To put it into perspective, a single AmEx sign-up bonus (100,000 points!) could cover round-trip flights for four people to London, while one Chase sign-up bonus could cover several nights in a top-tier London hotel. Message me if you have more questions on how to book with points and I can walk you through it!

💡 Takeaway: If you’re planning a teen-focused family or girls’ trip like ours, points make it possible to save big on the essentials—flights and hotels—so you can splurge guilt-free on experiences, eats, and last-minute surprises (like that Brandi Carlile concert we scored for under $40!).

 Teen Tips for London 

• Snacks on the go: Tesco and Pret a Manger are everywhere for quick bites.
• Photo ops: Neal’s Yard, Tower Bridge, Portobello Road Market, and the Peter Pan statue in Kensington Gardens.
• Wi-Fi spots: Most Pret a Manger, Starbucks, and museums have free Wi-Fi (handy for posting pics!).
• Budget eats: Nando’s, Borough Market stalls, or Pizza Pilgrims are fun, teen-friendly, and affordable.
• Late-night sweets: Bubblewrap Waffle in Soho or gelato from Amorino for the perfect treat.