05Aug 2024 by Gail
Cool things to do with older kids in London

Cool things to do with older kids in London

London
For first-time visitors, London has so many big hitters (step forwards Buckingham Palace, Westminster Abbey, Trafalgar Square etc). However, if you've been before or even if you just want to break up your must-sees with some activities and experiences for older kids or teens, these are my current favourite suggestions. I'll keep adding to this as we try cool new things in London with our kids! So, in no particular order, here are some cool things to do with older kids in London: 1. Monopoly Lifesized For monopoly without the family arguments (I promise), try Monopoly Lifesized on Tottenham Court Road. I will be writing a review of our visit soon but here's some pics to get you started: Playing the classic board at Monopoly Lifesized Even the toilets are…
Read More
23Jul 2024 by Gail
Wembley Stadium VIP Tour with kids

Wembley Stadium VIP Tour with kids

London
My 10 year old son is football mad but doesn't support a team. As one of his "10 treats for 10" birthday surprises, I booked a VIP Tour of Wembley Stadium. I would definitely recommend the Wembley Stadium VIP Tour for kids. As luck would have it, our tour, booked months previously, was on the afternoon of the England-Spain Euros final. We thought it might have been auspicious but sadly it wasn't coming home.... Nonetheless, the atmosphere around Wembley that afternoon was buzzing and the tour was fabulous. An empty Wembley Stadium from the Centre Circle! One of the three lions... Dressing area for ACDC (left for the Boss!) Regular or VIP Tour Having a private tour was a bonus. It gave the guide time to get to know my…
Read More
07Jul 2024 by Gail
2–3 Day Berchtesgaden Itinerary with Teens: Königssee, Eagle’s Nest & More

2–3 Day Berchtesgaden Itinerary with Teens: Königssee, Eagle’s Nest & More

Bavaria, Germany
An easy hop from Salzburg, Berchtesgaden is an attractive town in the Bavarian Alps. Nestled in beautiful countryside, it offers many restaurants, bars and accommodation options. It's also the ideal base for trips to Hitler's Eagle's Nest and stunning Königssee (known in English as ‘King’s Lake'). While there are lots more things you could do in this area, this is my suggestion of an ideal 3-day itinerary for a trip to Berchtesgaden with older children. Originally published June 2024. Updated May 2026 with revised itinerary suggestions, FAQs and travel tips. Planning a Bavaria trip with teens and tweens? Berchtesgaden makes an excellent (and convenient) base for exploring the Bavarian Alps. These guides will help you plan the rest of your trip: Visiting the Eagle’s Nest in Berchtesgaden Königssee boat trips…
Read More
29Jun 2024 by Gail
Eagle’s Nest, Berchtesgaden with Teens: What to Expect & How to Visit

Eagle’s Nest, Berchtesgaden with Teens: What to Expect & How to Visit

Bavaria, Germany
Visiting Hitler's Eagle's Nest (Kehlsteinhaus) was one of our top things to do with teens and tweens in Berchtesgaden. Getting there was half the fun! Looking out from the sun terrace at the Eagle's Nest An even bigger view from the high viewpoint beyond the restaurant terrace Walking from the top of the cable car to Obersalzburg The Eagle's Nest perches dramatically on top of the Obersalzburg Mountain, just outside Berchtesgaden. The Nazi Party built it in the 1930s to mark Hitler's 50th birthday. During the second world war, senior members of the Nazi Party would host visit diplomats in this mountain retreat. Ironically, Hitler himself had a fear of heights and only visited 14 times. Nowadays, the building hosts a mountain restaurant with breath-taking views. Whilst there are photographs…
Read More
28Jun 2024 by Gail
London Restaurants – Abeno

London Restaurants – Abeno

London
After a 15 year gap, I visited Abeno Restaurant in London again with my other half and kids in June 2024. An easy hop from the British Museum, Abeno claims to have been the first specialist Okonomi-yaki restaurant in Europe. I have no idea how true this statistic is but this is a unique and exciting dining concept in London. Super fresh salmon sashimi! The basic "omelette" mix on the hotplate My son's seafood version! Bacon and prawns for me! Fully dressed and ready to eat! How to Abeno! Each table has a hot-plate in the middle. Starters / sides do include dishes which are prepared in the kitchen, including an amazing salmon sashimi. However, the star of the show is the savoury pancake / omelette type creation with shredded…
Read More
11Jun 2024 by Gail
Ping pong fun at Bounce, London with teens and tweens

Ping pong fun at Bounce, London with teens and tweens

London
Ping pong or table tennis, call it what you want, this sociable sport is having a revolution in the UK at the moment... Hopping firmly on that band wagon, Bounce, with locations in Battersea, Farringdon and Old Street, is styling itself as the home of ping pong in the capital. We checked it out in May 2024 for some ping pong fun in London with our tweens. I treated myself to a meal at Dans Le Noir for my 21st (again) birthday with my hubby and boys (then aged 10 and 11). I knew we would have an hour or so to kill in the Farringdon area before our lunchtime reservation. So I was looking for something fun and active to do with the boys first. It's always quiet around…
Read More
08Jun 2024 by Gail
Königssee with Teens: Bavaria’s Alpine Lake Experience

Königssee with Teens: Bavaria’s Alpine Lake Experience

Bavaria, Germany
Königsee (or "Kings Lake") is a simply gorgeous lake in the Bavarian Alps near Berchtesgaden. It's beauty is enough to win over the most cynical of teens and tweens! We visited in May 2024 with our tween boys. We only managed to get out to the lake on our last day in Berchtesgaden as thunder storms were predicted for the previous days! There are some short walks to viewing points on the lake from Schönau am Königssee. It isn't possible to walk right round the lake as the surrounding mountains rise sheerly from the lake shore. As such, the most popular way to visit the lake and do some good hiking is to catch a boat across the lake to either St Bartolomä or Salet (or both). Getting to Königssee…
Read More
03Jun 2024 by Gail
Salzburg: Apple Strudel making workshop with teens and tweens

Salzburg: Apple Strudel making workshop with teens and tweens

Salzburg
We love our food - and a foodie tour in a foreign city. However, I struggled to find any good walking food tour in Salzburg. What I did find - and which turned out to be amazing fun for our boys - was a workshop where we learned to make apple strudel and Salzburger Nockerl. Read on to find out more about our apple strudel making workshop with our tweens in Salzburg. Our workshop was with Edelweis Cooking School and I would definitely recommend them. The workshop is held in a well-equipped kitchen-cavern, built into the side of the Monschberg mountain. Its only a 5 minute walk from the old town and around 10 minutes from Mirabell Platz and was very easy to find with Google Directions. The workshop was…
Read More
03Jun 2024 by Gail
Salzburg – top things to do with teens and tweens

Salzburg – top things to do with teens and tweens

Salzburg
I LOVE Salzburg! Lets just start by saying that. I had visited twice previously with my hubby. I was excited to return for a short break with our 10 and 11 year old boys in May 2024. Sadly, the weather was not with us. There was rain, lots of rain..... Despite this, we had a fab few days in Salzburg. I wanted to share some of our top things to do with tweens and teens. 1. Make (then eat) apple strudel Our very yummy apple strudel! Salzburger Nockerl - not sure ours resemble mountains but they tasted good! You cannot visit Austria and not eat apple strudel. However, if you are looking for hands on things to do with tweens or teens, I would really recommend a strudel making workshop…
Read More
25May 2024 by Gail
Top things to do in Berlin with teens

Top things to do in Berlin with teens

Berlin
We visited Berlin in late October 2023 when our boys were 9 and 11. Read on for our top things to do in Berlin with tweens (and teens!). 10 year having fun with spraypaint! Lunch with a view at the TV Tower! Channelling our inner spies! Getting our democracy groove on at the Reichstag Yummy currywurst! Our masterpiece on the Berlin Wall! Graffiti your own patch of the Berlin Wall. Lunch at the top of the TV Tower. Foodie tour of Berlin with Fork and Walk Tours. Pretending to be James Bond at the German Spy Museum. Learning about democracy (and good architecture) at the German Parliament (Reichstag). Animal time at Berlin Zoo. Cold War Berlin tour with Insider Tours. 1. Spray-painting the Berlin Wall with teens and tweens This…
Read More