Things to do in London in March 2024

If you're planning your London visit for March, we've got you covered. London is a great destination, and one of the best places to visit.

This post is our list of the best things to do in London in March 2024. We include a top 10+ list, free, family-friendly, and nighttime activities.

Top 10
Nighttime Activities
Free Things to Do
Family-Friendly
How's the Weather
Free Tours by Foot

Disclosure: While our recommendations are always unbiased, we may receive a small share of sales through some of the links below at no cost to you. See the full text.

TOP 10 THINGS TO DO IN MARCH

Below, is our list of the top 10 things to do and see in London this month.

Some of our other most popular posts include:

If you are considering visiting many top attractions, then you should consider a tourist discount card or a bus tour combo ticket.

1. Go to a Concert

March can get quite cold, so it’s the perfect time to spend an evening indoors listening to your favorite artists.

Concerts

Niall Horan | March 1st
ABBA Voyage | March 1st - 31st
Pixies | March 16th, 17th, 18th
John Mayer | March 18th, 19th
Judas Priest | March 21st

Festivals

Master of Riff 3 | March 1st - March 3rd
County to Country Music Festival | March 8th-10th

You can find even more concerts in London here.

2. See a Sports Event

London is known for its local football clubs, and you can see a number of those clubs play this month.

Football (American Soccer)

Rugby

Six Nations 2024 England vs Ireland | March 9th, 2024

If you can’t make it to the stadium, don’t worry! These matches will be played on television in pubs throughout the entire city.

NOTE: Both a Chelsea and Arsenal Stadium Tour are included for free with the London Pass.

3. Enjoy the Theatre

The West End of London is home to some of the most well-known theatres in the city, such as the Theatre Royal Drury Lane, Gielgud Theatre, Apollo Theatre, Palace Theatre, and many more.

Performances have been taking place in this part of the city since 1663!

Here are a few shows that will be produced in London this month:

Musical fans might want to look into a London Sightseeing Pass, as it includes an Encore Theatre Passport.

This passport provides access to some of the most popular musicals on the West End, often including titles such as Wicked, The Book of Mormon, and more.

If you’re looking for cheap theatre tickets, check out our handy discount ticket guide to London theatre.

4. Take a Walking Tour With Free Tours by Foot

March means spring is on the horizon,and it’s the perfect time to get out and about with us as the winter chill finally starts to disappear!

We’ve got two recent additions to our tour schedule that are proving popular with visitors and locals alike, so consider joining one of them this March!

Go through centuries of theatre history and get behind-the-scenes stories about some of the world’s most famous West End shows on our Theatreland Tour.

Or experience the trials and tribulations of the Blitz and learn how Londoners survived during our World War II Tour.

Our tours are name-your-own-price tours, so you decide at the end what they are worth - a deal for any budget! Look into other free things to do in March below.

5. Celebrate Mother's Day

In the United Kingdom, Mother’s Day is celebrated in March.

In 2024, it falls on March 10th, which means restaurants and hotels will be very busy.

Check out our guide to affordable afternoon teas to find out which one you’d like to experience.

6. Enjoy a Comedy Show

London is full of great comedians with stand-up shows and entertaining acts.

If you're a fan of British TV, you've probably seen some of them on comedy panel shows.

Stand-Up Comedy

Sarah Millican | March 8th, 9th
Ed Gamble | March 15th (Cambridge)
Peter Kay | March 23rd
Bill Bailey | March 4th

Comedy Clubs

You could also visit The Comedy Store - London where some of the biggest names in British comedy have performed.

It's a good place to discover new stand-up comics.

For even more comedy shows, click here.

7. Take a Walk Through the Park

London is one of the greenest cities in Europe, which means there are dozens of beautiful parks and squares to spend some time in.

Since the first day of spring is March 20th, this is one of the best times to visit these wonderful parks!

From world-famous Hyde Park to Royal St. James, charming Bloomsbury Square, and rustic Richmond Park, there is plenty to explore.

Expect beautiful flowers, picnic spots, paddle boating, or even deer and pelicans!

Check out our guide to London’s best parks to help you plan your visit.

(Don’t forget, our Royal Westminster Tour takes in views of Green Park and St. James, while our Royal Kensington Tour enjoys the sights of beautiful Kensington Gardens!)

8. Celebrate St. Patrick's Day With a Pub Crawl

The city of London celebrates St. Patrick's Day just like many other cities across the world.

St. Patrick's Day will be on March 17th, 2024, and many of the celebrations will take place on this day.

However, the annual St. Patrick's Day Parade, which runs from Hyde Park Corner to Whitehall, will take place on Sunday, March 12th, starting at 1 p.m. This is a massive event, with over 50,000 people expected to attend.

Afterwards, you can find activities in Trafalgar Square, including live Irish music.

You can also expect all the major pubs to be offering green beer (and Guinness), Irish dishes, and other specialties for the holiday.

If you're not sure which pubs to visit, consider going on a London pub crawl.

We have an entire list of the best London pub crawls available, including historic locations and even a bar bus!

9. Enjoy Kew Gardens During the Orchid Festival

The annual Kew Gardens Orchid Festival takes place from February 3rd to March 3rd.

Explore some of the world’s most beautiful and diverse flora during a celebration of Madagascar's plant life and culture.

Guests will get to see some Malagasy orchids, giraffe weevils, ring-tailed lemurs, and more.

Kew Gardens is a spectacular place to visit throughout the entire year, and entrance is included on many tourist discount passes.

This is something children might like. Click here for even more family-friendly activities in March.

10. Save Money with a Tourist Discount Pass

March means winter hours are over for some of London’s biggest attractions!

Longer opening hours mean you can get even more for your money with a London Discount Pass.

The London Pass is just one of several London tourist attraction discount passes available to you.

Passes include hop-on-hop-off bus tours, fast-track entry to numerous locations, and entrance to over 80 attractions and tours.

The perfect compliment to our wonderful walking tours!

Included in many of the London tourist passes are great things to do in March, such as:

Find out which pass will work best for you in our full post.

If you know which discount pass best suits your purposes, you can purchase one here:

The London Pass | Explorer - Go City London | Day Pass - London Sightseeing | London City Pass - Turbopass

Have Fun at London Comic-Con

The largest Comic-Con in the UK is coming back to London on March 2nd and 3rd.

You'll find a large show floor with vendors for games, crafts, show merch, panels, and cosplay.

You can purchase single-day passes, weekend passes, and upgraded passes with photo opportunities built in.

Past celebrities with meet-and-greet sessions have included such stars as Brian Blessed, Colin Baker, and Brian Cox. You can expect new stars each year.

Find tickets to London Comic-con here.

Cheer On The Boat Race

One of the world's oldest sporting events, the first Boat Race took place in 1929!

Crews from Oxford and Cambridge universities come together each year to run the almost 7 km (4.25 mile) championship course down the Thames.

Over 250,000 spectators watch the race from the banks of the River Thames.

The race starts past the Putney Bridge and finishes near the Chiswick Bridge. Good places to view the race are Putney Embankment, Furnivall Gardens - Hammersmith, and Bishops Park.

This year's race takes place on March 30th.

Cheer on The Head of the River Race

The Head of the River Race does the Gemini Boat Race's course in reverse, going from Mortlake to Putney.

This race was first held in 1926 making it just a bit older than the Boat Race.

400 professional crews and around 3,750 competitors take part, with some of the world's top rowing clubs participating.

One thing that makes it different than the Boat Race - they race against the clock rather than side-by-side.

This year's race takes place on March 23rd

Attend the Affordable Art Fair

This annual contemporary art fair, which began in 1999, was started with the belief that art should be accessible to all.

It's proved so popular that it's expanded to locations throughout the world including New York, Hong Kong, Hamburg, Amsterdam, Brussels, Singapore Stockholm, Melbourne, and Sydney!

In London, the show takes place in Battersea. There's no pressure to buy anything, and guests are welcome to browse, attend workshops and talks, and learn more about art.

Pieces run between £50 to £7,500.

This year events take March 6th-10th. Visit the website for ticket information.

Attend Some Other Festivals

Here are a few other March festivals you might find interesting.

WOW London Festival | March 2024 dates TBD

BFI Flare | March 2024 dates TBD

Banff Mountain Film Festival | March 23, 2024

Read Our Post on Top Things to Do in London

We've listed out some of the best things to do in March, but there are plenty of other things to do in the city.

Our post Activities and Things to Do in London provides details on such things are:

The Changing of the Guard
The Tower of London and the Crown Jewels
Thames River Cruise
Westminster Abbey
and more!

If you want info on tickets to Madame Tussauds, The Shard, O2, or the London Eye, we have that too.

And if you're looking for a list of the top museums in London, we have a post on that. The best part, all of them are free!

THINGS TO DO AT NIGHT IN MARCH

London doesn’t stop when the sun goes down! Check out these activities that take place at nighttime.

Also, take note that the section following features free things to do which includes some additional evening activities.

For more ideas on night activities at any time of the year, be sure to read our definitive guide on things to do at night in London.

Turn Off the Lights on Earth Hour

The World Wildlife Fund (WWF) initiative is inviting people to turn off all their lights between 20:30 - 21:30 (8:30 pm - 9:30 pm) on March 23rd, 2024.

This event has been planned in hopes of raising awareness of climate change.

But what makes this event truly worth watching is that all of London is going to join in!

In previous years Buckingham Palace, Westminster Abbey, and the London Eye all went dark for an hour. Get the full details here.

Many restaurants are also participating this year in hopes of breaking the previous year’s record for the largest simultaneous candlelit dinner party.

Make a reservation at any of the dozens of London restaurants that are taking part in this historic meal!

Attend the Ceremony of the Keys

Every night the Tower of London comes alive with a centuries-old tradition: the Ceremony of the Keys.

This is the official locking and securing of the Tower of London – complete with large rings of keys, secret passwords, Beefeaters, and military music.

The event is free, but tickets are required, and can book up months in advance. Check out our guide to the Ceremony and how to get your tickets.

See the Night Sky at Hampstead Observatory

Hampstead Heath is home to the highest point in central London and is a great place to see the London skyline either day or not.

However, for those wanting a real treat, consider visiting the Hampstead Observatory.

They open their telescopes for public use from 8 – 10 pm on Fridays and Saturdays from mid-Septenber until mid-April for a truly memorable stargazing experience.

FREE THINGS TO DO IN MARCH

Below we list some of the free things to do in London in March.

For more ideas on cost-free activities, do check out our list of 100 free and cheap things to do in London any time of year as well as our guide to London on a budget.

See a Free Comedy Show

Angel Comedy runs comedy shows 7 nights a week – and every single one is absolutely free.

Featuring well-known acts, those new to the scene, and Edinburgh Fringe Award winners, it’s almost always a guaranteed great night!

It’s located just off Upper Street in Islington (a stone’s throw from Kings’ Cross).

Shows start at 8:00 pm, but people start queuing early so make sure you give yourself time to grab a spot!

Watch a Debate at the Houses of Parliament

The Houses return from their summer recess during the first week of March which means the public galleries in the Palace of Westminster are opening their doors to visitors once again.

Take in a debate in the iconic House of Commons, or surround yourself in opulence in the historic House of Lords.

There’s no fee to enter, so take the opportunity to visit a royal palace for free!

Our guide How To Visit The Houses of Parliament will surely come in handy.

(Our Westminster Tour finishes across the street from the Palace of Westminster so consider making this the next stop after your walk with us!)

Walk Across Abbey Road

Recreate the famous album cover by the Fab Four who recorded their material at the Abbey Road studios, located right beside the most famous traffic crossing in the world!

They didn’t go far to reach the crosswalk and neither will you.

It’s located just a short walk from St. John’s Wood Underground station. We detail how to get to Abbey Road in a blog post.

You might also be interested in our self-guided tour of Beatles sights in London, which includes this stop.

For London music lovers, you may be interested in taking our pay-what-you-wish London Rock N Roll Tour, which includes many Beatles’ sites Thursdays and Saturdays at 15:00 (3:00 pm).

We also offer free, self-guided tours of London sights connected to David Bowie as well as Jimi Hendrix.

Be sure to look at our post on the top 10 free things to do any time of year, as well as our guide to London on a Budget.

FAMILY-FRIENDLY ACTIVITIES IN MARCH

Below are just a few of the ideas for things to do with kids in March in London.

You can find even more ideas in our full post about visiting London with kids.

Stay the Night at the Natural History Museum with Dino Snores

This is one on the tamer side of Dinosaur life!

A unique sleepover arranged for kids aged 7 to 11, guests are invited to bring their torches and sleeping bags as they stay the night in the Natural History Museum.

Educational activities, t-shirt making, and a live science show complete the evening’s programmes and all guests leave after a full breakfast the next morning.

You can get the details from their website Dino Snores.

Go on a Harry Potter Tour

We’ve already explained why March is a great time to get walking with us.

But, we have a few tours that little ones seem to love especially, the main one being our Harry Potter Tour!

Let us introduce you to the behind-the-scenes world of Harry Potter.

Our walking tour takes guests through locations used in filming, areas mentioned in the book, and everything in between.

Walk in the footsteps of the world’s most famous wizard with us!

We also have a full post with great information on how to get to the Warner Bros Studio Tour in London.

Take Part in St. Patrick’s Day Celebrations

As mentioned above, Trafalgar Square will once again play host to some family-friendly St. Patrick’s Day celebrations.

Children will love the parade, and afterward can convene in the square for traditional Irish snacks, Irish dancing, crafts, and activities specifically aimed at little ones!

This year the festival takes place Sunday, March 12th, 2023.

Visit A World-Class Aquarium

The London Sea Life Aquarium is home to over 500 species from all across the world, including 40 different sharks.

Guests are led through the building to visit over 65 different displays and 14 themed zones spaced out over 3 floors.

The Sea Life Aquarium is affordable family fun as they also run a spectacular 2-for-1 deal on tickets as well as being included in the London Pass!

For more ideas on keeping your family entertained, see our family-friendly section in our Free Things to Do in London.

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What to Do in London in March