The great thing about London, is that it's fun to visit whether it's your first or 50th time there. There's always new restaurants to try, bars to visit and activities to experience. If you're planning a weekend in London soon, this is my guide on where to stay and what to do.
Where to stay
London is pretty big, but luckily it’s quite easy to get around using the underground. Depending on what you want to spend your time doing, here are some of the best locations to consider.
Stratford
Stratford is in East London, and is the perfect option if you’re wanting to shop as you’ll have Westfield shopping centre, one of the UK’s biggest shopping centres, on your doorstep. It is also a few stops away from the O2 Arena, so it’s worth checking in advance if any of your favourite artists are playing there. Our go to in Stratford is the Premier Inn, as it's located right at the end of Westfield and a 10 minute walk to the tube.
Kings Cross
King’s Cross has become a hotspot destination and is ideal if you’re planning on moving around a lot, as you can pretty much get on any train or underground line here. If you’re a Harry Potter fan, you’ll also find Platform 9 ¾ here as well as a gift shop.
Clapham
If you’re looking for a more lively area to stay in, Clapham has a plethora of bars and clubs to choose from. It’s also very easy to get around as you are quite well connected in Clapham Junction.
Victoria
Victoria connects you to the Underground, National Rail and Gatwick Express, so it's a great place to base yourself. You'll have plenty of great restaurants on your doorstep and be close to parks such as St James's and Hyde Park. We recently had a stay at CitizenM Hotel in Victoria and loved the funky tech features the room came with!
Markets
London has so many markets that you could probably spend a whole week exploring them, but if you’re only planning a weekend in London, here are some of my favourites.
Camden Market
Arguably London’s most famous market, Camden is known for its music scene, eccentric shops and a lot of good food. The market is open everyday from 10am-6pm and is home to CyberDog, a ‘rave clothing’ shop that is worth the visit even if you don’t plan on buying anything. A trip to Camden market isn’t complete without a bowl of Mac n Cheese from The Mac Factory stall.
Portobello Road Market
Famous for its antiques, Portobello Road Market in Notting Hill is one of the world's largest antique markets. It's also a great place to find vintage clothes and
collectibles. Make sure you snap a pic of the colourful houses as you enter the market!
Borough Market
Borough market is a food lover's heaven, so make sure you come hungry! Some My favourite thing from here is the strawberries drenched in milk chocolate. They’re pricey but every strawberry was juicy and the warm chocolate was poured over it as you ordered, so you can enjoy it before it hardens! Don't miss
- Creme Brulé Doughnut from Bread Ahead
- Sausage Roll from The Ginger Pig
- Pulled Pork Sandwich from The Black Pig
Old Spitalfields Market
Located in East London, this market offers a mix of fashion, art, and food. It's a great spot to find unique gifts and enjoy delicious street food. Here is where you’ll find the Instagram spot Humble Crumble, just expect to queue for a while!
China Town*
Not exactly a market, but the area is worth visiting for the food! Popular places:
- Mamasons for their Filipino inspired desserts
- Plum Valley for their dim sum
- Bunsik for their Korean hot dog
- Bun House for their custard steamed buns
- China Town Bakery for their Taiyaki custard fish
- Ji Chickens for their popcorn fried chicken
- Four Seasons for the best roast duck!
Museums
London is home to some of the world's most renowned museums. Personally I am not the biggest fan of antiques or art museums, but London has some unique ones that are worth visiting.
British Museum
If you like your history, the British Museum houses a large collection of artifacts from around the world, including the Rosetta Stone and Egyptian mummies.
Natural History Museum
Here you can discover the wonders of the natural world, from dinosaurs to a life-sized blue whale. The 5 main collections here are botany, entomology, mineralogy, paleontology and zoology.
Science Museum
This is definitely the most engaging and interactive museum in London. There are exhibits around physics, human biology, astronomy and technology.
London Transport Museum
As the name suggests, here you can learn about the history of London's transport system, including vintage buses and the world's first Underground steam train.
Tate Modern
This museum houses collections of international modern and contemporary art, with quite a few unique and somewhat bizarre exhibitions.
Unique things to do in London
If you’re pretty much a London local, then you might be looking for some new activities for your trip. Here are a few fun options for when you fancy doing a fun activity in London.
Taste Film
If you love movies and food, then this is something you’ll want to experience! Taste Film offers an immersive experience where you can watch a movie, and have dishes related to the film served to you during the movie. When they had a showing of Matilda, you can imagine what items definitely made the menu (chocolate cake and pancakes).
Book Taste Film Tickets (£82.50)
Alcotraz London
Alcotraz isn’t your typical cocktail bar, as they’ll have you dressed up in orange jumpsuits and ‘smuggling’ in your own alcohol. Then, one of their mixologists will use it to create delicious bespoke cocktails. Sounds fun right?
Book Alcotraz Tickets (£48.50)
Fairgame
Fairgame is an adult arcade based in Canary Wharf, where you can find classic games such as Whac-A-Mole, Skeeball and Shoot the Clown. There’s also street food vendors and you can have a few drinks whilst you play.
Book Fairgame Tickets (£15)
Ghost Bus Tour
These ghost bus tours give you a creepy history of London whilst also showing you some of the famous sights. You’ll travel to places like Westminster Abbey, The Tower of London and London Bridge. Don’t worry, it’s not scary enough to keep you awake at night as the guide also offers some comedic moments.
F1 Arcade
If you love racing and the world of Formula 1, then this might be of interest to you. St Paul’s hosts a brand-new exhilarating simulation racing experience. They also host watch parties and you can find creative food and cocktails here.
Book F1 Arcade Tickets (£17.95)
The Cube
Remember the gameshow? Well now there's an immersive experience in London for you to test your skills! In a team of 4, you'll take on a series of mental and physical challenges inside a high-tech glass cube (no cash prize involved though).
Book The Cube Tickets (£64.50)
Squid Game The Experience
Now you have the chance to play the games, without fearing for your life! Located at the Excel London, you'll have the chance to play games inspired by the show. There's also a Korean-inspired Night Market with soju-infused cocktails, exclusive merch and photo ops.
I hope you have discovered something new in this blog post! Enjoy your London trip.
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