London - one afternoon/evening?

How would she do with a Hop on Hop off bus? Or a boat ride ? Would a walk by Big Ben and then thru the park etc be good?

What about a park setting? The gorgeous grounds around Kensington Palace are quite serene and it is easy to avoid crowds there. Same with much of Hyde Park. Feeding the water birds on the Serpentine is fun and low stress but still quintessentially “London.” Regent’s Park is gorgeous and can be low stress and crowd-free: there is a lot of space in which to wander and explore.

Another option would be to spend time in a characteristic neighbourhood. Say - a walk along the canal in Little Venice, or a stroll through South Kensington or Chelsea, just taking in the architecture and the flavor of the neighbourhood without getting jostled by a million tourists.

Greenwich is another thought. It’s utterly beautiful and perfectly classic, but can be much lower stress than anything touristy in central London.

hey hey sarahk91
don't know how old teenager is. when is this trip?
check out b-bakery.com.few tours on the big red london bus goes around main sights of london.
have tea/alcohol and desserts served while you tour around
virginexperiencedays.co.uk
afternoon tea for two
theatre tickets
jasons.co.uk
boat trip down regent's canal.
walks.com
look at days and what they offer
shoreditchstreetarttours.co.uk
londonwaterbus.com
so many things to see and do in london, your time is short, some things to check out and what suits you two best. have fun
aloha

The parks suggestion is good- you could also head up to Hampstead Heath and the village of Hampstead or even Highgate. To get a sense of the town, I think one of the best ways is to walk along the Thames. It does get crowded between Westminster and Tower Bridge but if you walk in either direction from that it starts to get quiet and you have nice views. One of the nicest stretches in London is between Hammersmith and Richmond (which also takes you by Kew Gardens). Another suggestion, if you are here over a weekend, is to walk around the City- lots of historic buildings (going all the way back to Roman times) and outside of work hours it's very quiet.

would this be popping in from, say, Heathrow, between flights? Are you flying out the same evening?

I ask because maybe getting into and out of London would register high on the stimulation scale. If I am right, maybe consider a taxi to Windsor and Eton - much less crowded, the real deal, Windsor Great Park goes on for ever.

Or Richmond, and along the Thames.

Or Kew.

All of these places are close to Heathrow and do have flights overhead if that would be a problem.

Start at Parliament Square ( which will be crowded ) but there are three options to consider:

River Cruise which boards right there. If weather is nice sit upstairs, outside.

Walk across Westminster Bridge avoiding the shell game audiences but enjoy watching all the river traffic

Walk along the Thames River path away from Big Ben. The bell chimes hourly.

OR

Take the River Cruise to Greenwich and enjoy Greenwich Park.

OR

From Paddington Station stroll over to the Lancaster Gate Entrance into Hyde Park / Kensington Gardens.

There’s a lovely foot path next to the Serpentine and if you head towards Kensington Palace and the round pound you might see model boat enthusiasts.

OR as recommended above Kew Gardens.

London is a loud metropolitan city but meandering in parks and gardens can be calming experiences.

Lastly, interior of churches can be quiet respites.

Those are all great ideas - parks, quieter stretches of the Thames for walking, and some good neighborhoods for just getting a feel of the city seem like just the right things. I really appreciate the specific suggestions and I think we’ll be able to use those to make a great day of it.

Any suggestions for relaxing places to eat or get afternoon tea around Kensington Palace, Regents Park, Hyde Park, or Kew Gardens?

We will get to London (via train) around lunchtime and then fly out of Heathrow the following day so it’s a short time in the city but we’re not trying to cram a visit in during a long layover :)

For tea/lunch near Kew Gardens, Maids of Honour is a well-loved institution- I haven't eaten there myself but others have recommended it to me: https://theoriginalmaidsofhonour.co.uk/

It's just across the street from the gardens. There are also some good places to eat right by the station (Kew Gardens station)- I like Tap on the Line (Fuller's pub) which is in the former ticket office of the station.

There are a ton of great suggestions in this thread, especially the ones that mention the parks near central.

One thing I haven't seen mentioned that may be a fun and cheap alternative is hopping on a bus that hits a few major landmarks and waiting until the top, front seats come available (my girlfriend and I call them the "captain's seats"). Busses can get busy, which may not be the best for someone with sensory needs, but never to the level of the tube where you'll have to be standing or squished against people, and especially on the top level, nobody stands anyways most of the time.

https://content.tfl.gov.uk/bus-route-maps/hyde-park-corner-a4.pdf This map for example shows bus routes that go by Hyde Park and Buckingham Palace gardens. If your goal is to see some of the city's main attractions, I'd say the 148 & 9 busses are a great shout. To add to all this, it'll only cost you £1.75 each!

For afternoon tea near Hyde Park, I recommend the tea at The Parlour in the Zetter Marylebone. Smaller than the big hotel/department store tea rooms so perhaps less overwhelming. Very good selection of food and as a bonus, not as pricey as the well-known spots. Crammed full of character and atmosphere.

It’s also not too far from the southern part of Regent’s Park, but it’s closer to Hyde Park. If you’d like some tips on nice spots within Regent’s Park, feel free to PM me - I live nearby and am there most days so know it well :)

Thank you so much! I think we’ll plan on a walk at Kensington/Hyde Park, tea at the Parlor, and then play it by ear after that to potentially do a bus, boat, or just walk around the Thames. I very much appreciate everyone’s responses and ideas.