As the Real World once said, “You think you know, but you have no idea.” Wisdom, huh? But that dumb tagline kind of perfectly describes London. The first time you see it, the skies will likely be grim. Big Ben always seems to be under construction and the Queen will probably be away on holiday. If you’re on your first Eurotrip, it’s easy to skip right over London in favor of European cities. You’ll leave feeling like you’ve conquered all the unique things to do in London, like you know the city, but actually? You have no idea.
I had my reunion with London after 9 years away. I quickly realized I had oversimplified the city on my first trip through it. Perhaps first impressions aren’t London’s strong suit. But if you’re patient, you might be perfectly capable of a slow-burning love with London, too. Like any big city, the neighborhoods in London evolve as quickly as you can travel through them. The once quiet outskirts are now changing into pop up bars and startup spaces. The city that always sounded cool because of its icons and history is actually quite cool in modern times with ball pit bars, music festivals, and sprawling parks readied for picnicking.
Ya ready? Here are 101 weird and unique things to do in London that will help you make the most of it.
101 Weird + Unique Things to do in London
Very London Experiences
1. Explore art through the centuries at The National Gallery
2. Freudian slip your way into The Freud Museum to take a look at his famed couch
3. See one of your favorite films on the rooftop at the Rooftop Film Club (£14.95)
4. Head to Hamstead Heath for a (swimsuit optional) summertime swim
5. Join in on a run of the city with the squad at Run Dem Crew
6. Explore quirky objects and bizarre clothing at The Camden Lock Market
7. Peruse freshly cut flowers at the weekly Colombia Road Flower Market
8. Explore Shoreditch’s best street art on a walking tour
9. Browse vintage finds in the basement of the Brick Lane Market
10. Check out the upcoming events and exhibitions at The Bussey Building
11. Tour the Chelsea Football Club Stadium
12. Build your own terrarium in a workshop at Jar and Fern (£50)
13. Dip into the depths of the London tube on a hot day
14. Suit up for urban beekeeping with The Hiver Experience (£49)
15. Venture to Las Vegas Arcade for a rearing round of Street Fighter 2
16. Thumb through the massive vinyl collection at Rough Trade on Brick Lane
17. Lace up your ice skates and take to the 18th-century courtyard rink at Somerset House
18. Bring your paddle for an outdoor ping pong session at London Fields
19. Go for a show at the iconic Brixton Academy
20. Catch a concert at the theatre-turned-concert venue in Camden
21. Stroll along the Thames to spot the quintessential London sights
22. Explore culture and history through the massive collection of artifacts at the British Museum
23. Head to Drink, Shop & Do for high teas and weird workshops (permanently closed since 2022)
24. Spotting the main attractions is one thing to do in London you can’t miss. For a new perspective, paddle the Thames in a kayak!
25. Listen to arguments at an Intelligence Squared debate (£30)
26. Experience London through your camera lens
27. Make your own perfume in a fragrance design masterclass with the Experimental Perfume Club (£150)
28. Grab discounted tickets from Lastminute and go to the theater (Varies)
29. Sweat it out at the Russian spa, Banya No. 1
30. Have yourself a picnic at Victoria Park
31. Watch the sunset from Primrose Hill
Drinking London
32. Head into an underground bunker for a code-breaking bar experience at The Bletchley (£34.99)
33. Venture to Beavertown Taproom on a Saturday to sample their Neck Oil Session IPA and Gamma Ray APA
34. Drink & walk your way along the brewery-packed Bermondsey Beer Mile 
35. Go for an extra magical afternoon tea at sketch
36. Sneak into Opium – a cool London speakeasy with an Asian twist
37. Head to The Ginstitute to craft your own bottle of custom gin (£120)
38. Enter the kitschy Mayor of Scaredy Cat Down through a sneaky refrigerator door
39. Get cozy on eclectic armchairs at Ninetyeightbar in Shoreditch
40. Experience one of the coolest things to do in London by popping into a sneaky warehouse party
41. Settle in for a mojito and join the tropical party at Ridley Road Market Bar
42. Enjoy a coffee while having your bike fixed at Look Mum No Hands!
43. Venture to London Cocktail Club for a Harry Potter-inspired butterbeer
44. Grab some friends and head downstairs at the Loading Bar for a bar + board game night
45. Join a 1940’s postwar party with singalongs and cocktail at Cahoots
Eating London
46. Experience an authentic curry at the no-frills Pakistani restaurant, Lahore Karahi
47. Fill up on London’s best street food at Pop Brixton
48. Sit down for a proper Sunday Roast at The Duke of Wellington
49. Dip into Battersea Pie for a steak pie
50. Scarf fish + chips with a side of mushy peas from Poppies
51. Get your Molly Ringwald on with an 80’s themed brunch at The Breakfast Club
52. Head to Bao Bar in Netil Market for a cheap and totally delicious bao bun
53. Venture to Chinatown for a sui mai feast
54. Dine in a hollowed-out tube car with The Underground Supper Club
55. Dine in the absolute dark at Pitch Black
56. Venture to Soft Republic for ice cream out of a takeaway box
57. Fill up on an anything but traditional English Pie from Pieminister
58. Drunk eat a salt beef bagel at Beigel Shop on Brick Lane
59. Swing by Tratra (5 pm – 8 pm and after 10 pm) for their £10 Bottomless Charcuterie board
60. Grab one of the city’s best sausage rolls at The Ginger Pig
Events + Festivals in London
61. Count down the seconds to tickets going live and snag your ticket to Glastonbury
62. Dance your face off at Lovebox Festival
63. Start the year off all wrong at a New Year’s Eve rave
64. Glitter up and join the Pride Parade (more Pride Festivals)
65. Snuggle up and watch the Bonfire Night fireworks taking place across the city
66. Discover London illuminated around Christmas time
67. Join in one of the many celebrations for International Women’s Day
68. Grab tickets for Wimbledon, the world’s oldest tennis tournament
69. Get your butt to London Fashion Week to forecast trends for the season ahead
70. Lace up your runners or stick to the sidelines for the famed London Marathon
Keeping London Weird
71. Pull an all-nighter at Dino Snores for Grown-ups, the adult-only sleepover at the Natural History Museum
72. Enjoy an above-average read-aloud at Naked Boys Reading
73. Try on glow-in-the-dark lipstick and get your London rave fix in the basement of rave store, Cyberdog
74. Wander the neighborhoods of South London to experience the South vs East riff firsthand
75. Explore the history of the world’s most notorious, unidentified serial killer on a Jack the Ripper Tour with Ripper Vision (£15)
76. Grab a cappuccino at The Attendant – the lovingly restored Victorian-toilet-turned-café
77. Get balls deep in a glow-in-the-dark ball pit at Ballie Ballerson
78. Pet the urban pigs at Hackney City Farm
79. Make some feline friends at Lady Dinah’s Cat Emporium
80. Order a bowl of “oh my god I haven’t seen this since I was a kid” cereal at Cereal Killer Café
81. Get creeped out at the Clowns Gallery-Museum when you browse their collection of 200+ eggs painted with clown makeup
82. Join in the sleepover-style fun with Bedtime Story Nights at 40 Winks
83. Spend the night in a modular room at Qbic London
84. Stay overnight in the Gir Lions Lodge at the London Zoo
85. Join on a factually inaccurate tour of London with Bullshit London (£7.50)
86. Go for a ride in the world’s longest tunnel slide – the ArcelorMittal Orbit – in Olympic Park
87. Complete a secret mission in plain sight with Undercover London
88. Wander amongst Europe’s largest collection of neon signs at God’s Own Junkyard
89. Try your hand at DIY taxidermy at The British Academy of Taxidermy (£50)
90. Spend the night in a penitentiary-turned-hotel at The Malmaison Oxford (from £129)
91. Live out your Hogwarts fantasies with a visit to Platform 9 3/4
92. Check out the tiny London’s Lilliputian Police Station – London’s smallest police station beside Trafalgar Square
93. Join a Morning Gloryville morning rave, complete with superfood smoothies and massages
94. Head to Bunkerville 51 for a zombie-themed game of laser tag
95. Watch hip-hop crews take over Brick Lane on a busy Sunday
London + Beyond
96. Escape to Brighton for a taste of the classic British summer holiday
97. Find your own little pony amidst the some 3,000 wild ponies in New Forest
98. Grab the Eurostar for a cheeky day trip to Paris
99. Venture to Liverpool for some Beatles kitsch and some Northern hospitality
100. Escape the city to explore every era of architecture in Oxford, Windsor, & Stonehenge
Just Because
101. Brush up your royal family trivia
Bonus
Fun Things to do in London for Free: Check out what’s going on in London today and this weekend on Time Out’s Free London
Unusual Things to do in London: Want to experience the weirdest day ever? Start with breakfast at Cereal Killer Café, take an alternative tour of the city, grab some cocktails at Ballie Ballerson, and spend a night at the museum with Dino Snores for Grown-ups.
Unique Things to do in London at Night: The list is literally endless. London is well known for swanky cocktail bars, warehouse parties, and outdoor cinema. Make the most of your night out in London by going where the crowds are.
Traveling in London? You might also like:
- How to Use the Tube (Without Looking like an Idiot)
- Fantastic London Markets + Where to Find Them
- Bright, Brighter, Brighton: Photos from the British Seaside
1 Comment
KhasabSeaTours
May 25, 2018 at 6:58 amGreat collection of activities. UK no doubt one of the most attractive place to visit. Great country with rich culture & London of course is one of the most beautify part of the country.