Overseas teenager coming to stop, ideas without breaking bank-help please

Spendless

In the next couple of weeks we have a family friend's teenager (16yo male) coming to stop, from Canada. DH is looking likely to be back at work by then (following illness), so it will be mainly me at home. I have 2 primary school age kids, soi am stuck to the school run.

We intend having a bbq for him and inviting 2 neighbours with teenagers same age, who've finished school early due to GCSE's that we'll introduce him to. (have already spoken to them about this), so he can have some company of his own age. My 17yo neice *might* be about, but she is extremely busy with cadets and DofE so not completely sure.

My kids have a school sports day and summer fayre, that we'll take him to, and we also intend taking him to London and stop o/night.

It's been suggested that we take him to visit a castle and on a double decker bus, os he won't have experienced either before.

Any more ideas? Am not used to entertaining teenagers.

CB1979_2

why not ask him?

KittyKate

Try looking on your local council's website, they list the attractions (and most of them are very cheap/free). It depends what he's into. It sounds like a good plan getting him pally with the neighbours - they'll be up and off before you know it

Oldernotwiser

Where do you live and do you have transport?

Spendless

We live in Yorkshire (rather not say exactly where) and I have a car, and a train station, in my village. I want some ideas of what to do, just in case he'd at a loose end and I ask and I get a teenagers grunt of "I dunno";)

Fleago

What about Beamish, Spendless? I went there with my M-I-L and it was very enjoyable. I'm sure it would be interesting enough for a teenager, especially if they're interested in history and wanted to see how "quaint" it used to be in Britain. Not that cheap though, but we found it good value for money.

fraz_babe

What about a tour round your area? Like the shops etc. Maybe a museum too. Thats all i can think of silly as it sounds ! Will reply if i can think of more . xxx

morganb

Are you close to York? The Yorvik centre is fantastic (and available on Tesco vouchers); the open-top bus likewise.

Oldernotwiser

If you are on a good bus network, is there an unlimited travel ticket you could buy him? With this he could go out and about independently and follow his own interests. You're not going to want to take him around with you every day for 2 months and he won't want this either!

lady_stardust

We had canadian friends staying with us last year and they were fascinated by two things - Castles, and Tesco!

Penny_Watcher

York is a good day out, as is Leeds( I think the Royal Armouries Museum is free, as is the National Railway Museum in York).

Knaresborough and Harrogate are very pretty (but maybe not to a 16 year old:o) and full of cafes and shops.

What about a trip to Saltaire in Shipley to see Salt's Mill and a go on the Water Bus down the canal.