I'll be taking my 21 year old granddaughter to the UK for her first visit. I'm looking for suggestions for sites and activities she might like to do and see. I will not be with her for the whole time - I'll be in class in Oxford and my granddaughter will spend part of the time in London and then go to Oxford. Any and all advice would be vastly appreciated.
Posted by
Land of La
8682 posts
Have you asked her what she’d like to see?
Posted by
Downingtown, USA
2367 posts
Absolutely get a guidebook.and the two of you decide on must see places. She can easily do day trips on her own from London. if she is on her own one must do is keep.a card from her hotel with her. once you decide on places you would like to visit, come back here with your itinerary. Claudia has been to UK since Grant was president and is wealth of knowledge. Lol Claudia just wanted to get your attention. Others on this site live in UK and are fantastic sources of info. we have found London wonderful! Enjoy.
Posted by
585 posts
What are her interests? Theatres, music, fashion, history, art? Why not get her a good London guide book and do the research as to what there is that interests her?
Posted by
2422 posts
When in Oxford, she could take a short train ride to Bicester Village station for the designer shopping:> https://www.thebicestercollection.com/bicester-village/en
She could also take a short bus ride from Oxford to Blenheim Palace.
She could also go by train from Oxford to Bath for a day out. https://visitbath.co.uk
How about a visit to Henley-on-Thames - which can be done by train in around an hour for £15.20 (off-peak return from Oxford). (Change at Reading & Twyford if coming from Oxford. Can also be done from London Paddington). Henley hosts a famous regatta for 1 week in summer. You don’t have to pay to get in as the footpath alongside the Thames is a ‘public footpath’. Loads of fit men for her if the regatta is on when visiting! https://www.hrr.co.uk
Posted by
Land of La
8682 posts
@Gail
Grant? Good Lord NOT that old.
Truman, Harry Truman….. in my best Sean Connery brogue.
Posted by
Tunbridge Wells
6113 posts
At 21, she could do online blog/vlog research into what she wants to see (people that age don’t use guidebooks), rather than a bunch of (usually) older strangers suggesting stuff without any hints from you as to what she is interested in!
Posted by
2422 posts
I have taken teens & young 20’s on trips to places they have never heard of & they all appear to have had a good time. Sometimes they can learn from the oldies and sometimes older people can learn things from the young people.
Posted by
Land of La
8682 posts
I’ll bet anything the 21 year old would like to go into a pub, shop at Carnaby Street and visit Portobello Road market. If Harry Potter fan maybe WB Studios.
I Might be “ old “ but young at heart.
OP Ask your 21 year old granddaughter.
Posted by
Tunbridge Wells
6113 posts
Fwiw, I have never enjoyed Portobello Market. I don’t think I have ever bought anything on Carnaby Street, despite my office being 5 minutes away from there!
Posted by
Edmonds, WA, USA
931 posts
I've made some edits here for tone. Let's keep it light, folks.
Posted by
Land of La
8682 posts
OP….
I do hope you will ask her what she’d like to see and do in London.
Things a 21 year old might like:
Shopping ( Oxford and Regents Streets, Harrods, Spitalfields Market, Portobello Road Market, Carnaby Street, Camden Market and Cabbages and Frocks ( if she likes vintage), Shoreditch Box Cars, )
Going into a pub:
Bank of England pub is gorgeous
Ship and Shovel is down a passage way
The City Barge is on the Thames
The Dove in Hammersmith ( owned by Sir Ian McKellen ) is also on the river. Enjoyed some lovely lunches there.
She’ll have a great time.