Choose from 184 Fun Things to Do in London
Platform 9 3/4
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Notting Hill
Notting Hill is also home to the world famous Portobello market, where one of the largest antique markets in the world is held alongside stalls selling everything from vintage and alternative clothing to handmade crafts and jewelry, music (legendary record store and label Rough Trade is in these parts) and fruit and vegetables.
Notting Hill’s nightlife is also renowned – the Notting Hill Arts Club hosts a number of live bands and DJs; The Castle, Prince Albert and The Cow are popular local pubs or else there are dozens of trendy bars on and around Portobello Road. A number of art house cinemas make it a popular destination for film fanatics too, including the funky Electric cinema with its plush leather sofas and an in-house bar; the small yet luxurious Gate cinema and the grand Coronet cinema, London’s oldest operating cinema, which has been showing movies since 1916.
Paddington Station
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Madame Tussauds London
- Don’t forget your camera, and wear comfortable shoes to walk around the many exhibitions.
- For security reasons, only small bags or handbags are allowed in the building.
- Madame Tussauds London is wheelchair accessible, but for safety reasons the museum can only accept three wheelchair users at a time. Disabled customers are asked to submit a form and book their visit in advance, if possible.
Monument to the Great Fire of London
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Oxford Street
- Oxford Street is an absolute must for shopaholics.
- Remember your coat and umbrella in winter, as the mile and a half-long street is entirely uncovered.
- Most of the street’s major department stores are wheelchair-friendly, with step-free entrances and wide-access elevators.
Millennium Bridge
- The bridge is a must for first-time visitors to London.
- Soon after the bridge opened, structural issues caused it to wobble. Although it was never seen as a danger, the bridge was closed for two years while dampers were added to stop the movement.
- London can be very cold and wet in the winter months, so dress accordingly if planning to walk across the bridge.
- Gentle ramps offer wheelchair access on both sides of the river.
Kensington Palace
- Admission lines can be long in summer, especially for special exhibitions, so it’s best to book priority entrance tickets in advance.
- Free Wi-Fi is available on-site.
- Most areas of the palace are wheelchair accessible, and concession tickets are available.
Regent Street
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Portobello Road and Market
Portobello market is world renowned for its antiques market with over 2,000 specialist dealers and vast crowds of bargain hunters, but the two-mile long sprawl includes a plethora of other goods. Vintage clothing, local designers and handcrafted accessories make up the fashion section of the market, with an array of unique and trend-setting pieces on offer, and plenty of incognito celebrities scouring the clothing racks. Hoards of eccentric retro memorabilia, one-of-a-kind furniture and second-hand household items, a wide range of bootlegged music and vinyl and a sprawling fruit and vegetable market, make up the rest of the stalls.
The street market is open six days a week but the Saturday market (which includes the main antiques market) is the most popular and crammed with vendors. There’s plenty to keep you occupied when you’ve finished shopping too – a number of independent art galleries, vintage clothing boutiques, bars and chic cafés (don’t miss the cupcakes at the renowned Hummingbird Bakery) are dotted along the main drag and side streets. Alternatively, film buffs can spot landmarks from Hugh Grant and Julia Roberts’ Notting Hill, much of which was filmed on Portobello Road – look out for that famous blue door, the location of the Travel Bookshop (actually a shoe shop) and the coffee shop where the romantic leads first meet.
Jermyn Street
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Mansion House
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National Maritime Museum
- The National Maritime Museum is a must-visit for history buffs and art lovers.
- Special, child-oriented tours of the Greenwich neighborhood, which include a visit to the National Maritime Museum, are a good option for families.
- The National Maritime Museum is wheelchair accessible.
Mayfair
The district’s principal shopping streets include the world famous Bond Street, home to Balenciaga, Christian Louboutin, Jenny Packham and Marc Jacobs, among others and Saville Row, legendary for its exquisite men’s tailoring. The elegant Royal and Burlington shopping arcades are also worth a wander, with luxury boutiques set to a stunning backdrop. New Bond Street is famed for its auction houses, including the ever-popular Phillips and Sotheby's.
It’s not just shopping that draws visitors to the streets of Mayfair – there are around 20 art galleries in the area, as well as the Handel House Museum, set inside the former home of the renowned composer, and the Royal Academy of Arts lies on the cusp of Picadilly. If you can afford to stay in Mayfair, you’ll be spoiled – the area is home to the highest concentration of luxurious hotels in London, including the illustrious Ritz and the local nightlife is among the glitziest in town, with celebrity-studded nightclubs like Mahiki just a short stroll from a selection of plush wine bars. A number of exquisite restaurants have put Mayfair firmly on the map for roving gastronomes too - celebrity chef Gordon Ramsay owns a number of restaurants in the area and the world-famous Nobu has an outlet on Berkeley Street.
Natural History Museum London
- Wheelchair users can access the museum via the Exhibition Road entrance.
- This museum is big; download the visitor app or pick up a map upon arrival to help you navigate.
- Be prepared for a short wait for security checks at the entrance.
Regent's Park
- Regent’s Park is a great place to take a time-out from sightseeing.
- Most of the park’s pathways are paved and wheelchair-accessible. Information boards at entrance points list the most accessible routes in the park.
- Find several restaurants, cafés, and food and drink kiosks (summer months only) situated around the park.
- Deck chairs are available to rent between March and October.
Knightsbridge
If you’re in the mood for maxing out your credit card, you’ll be in good company in Knightsbridge - the luxury district is home to some of the world’s richest people (unsurprising when you consider that apartment prices here are among the world’s highest) as well as Coutts, the bank of Her Majesty the Queen. Thankfully, admiring the buildings doesn’t cost a cent, and the stately elegance of the area’s Victorian architecture makes even window-shopping worthwhile. Visit in the evening hours or over the Christmas period for the most atmospheric experience, with the streets aglow with twinkling lights and the shop windows featuring luminous displays.
King's Cross
Kings Cross was named after a monument for King George IV but the area was settled much, much earlier. St Pancras old church originated in 4BC. These days it's most famous for its train station: Kings Cross/St Pancras. From here trains go all over England, including to Hogwarts if you can find Harry Potter's Platform 9 3/4. It's also home to Eurostar, which whisks you to Paris and Brussels.
The surrounding area is slowly edging its way out of being one of the seediest parts of London. The magnificent St Pancras building is coming back to life as a posh hotel, the British Library is just down the road, and of course, the station redevelopment is full of shops and restaurants.
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So many trains and buses stop at Kings Cross Station that it's hard to not find your way there eventually. To get a feel for the area wander up Euston Road to the British Library, visit St Pancras Old Church and look at the altar piece, fuel up at the St Pancras Champagne Bar in the station, then head up York Way behind the station where you'll find Regent's Canal. The towpath makes a lovely walk through Kings Cross, Islington, Camden, and Little Venice.