This post is our guide for things to do in London, with tips on free things to do, suggested nighttime activities, things to do with kids, top attractions and other points of interest.
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 EVENTS AND THINGS TO DO IN LONDON
In this section, we list our top 10 things to do in London. In reality, these are the top 10 concepts, as we are listing many more than 10 items.
Of course, many things might belong on this list, so be sure to check out our other sections of this post.
TIP:Many of London’s top attractions and tours are included for free or at a discount with any of the many London tourist attraction discount passes available to you.
1. Witness the Changing of the Guard at Buckingham Palace
This world-renowned spectacle takes place daily in the summer and 4 days a week for the rest of the year (weather permitting).
Our definitive post explains how and when the ceremony takes place, who make up the guards, and shows you where to get the best spots to watch – or watch this video.
Or, you could have us take you along on our free Westminster Tour.
And did you know that you can tour Buckingham Palace? Well, there are 3 different options and not all are available all year. We detail it all in the link above.
2. Tower of London and the Crown Jewels
Both the Tower of London and the Crown Jewels are enduring symbols of the British Monarchy.
We give tips on how to visit, what you will experience, the best times to go (including exclusive early-bird tours), as well as tips on how to save money, in our guide to visiting the Tower of London post.
Top Tip: Entry into the Tower of London and the Crown Jewels exhibit are included for free in both the London Pass and the IVenture London Card.
Whether you’re in town for a weekend in London or sightseeing for the day, our London tours cover popular tourist destinations as well as off the beaten path parts of town.
We offer both guided tours and self-guided tours that take you through the heart of The City and Westminster and help you decide what to do in London and what to see.
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 the St. John’s Wood Underground station. We detail how to get to Abbey Road in a blog post.
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. Mondays and Thursdays at 14:00 (2 pm).
London is one of the world’s premier cities to view street art and there is no better place to see it than in London’s Shoreditch district.
World-renowned artists as well as the anonymous hit the London streets to put up some of the most impressive pieces of artwork.
Jam-packed full of eclectic, interesting, shocking, and beautiful street art, this area of London is practically blanketed in some of the most famous street art in existence.
While you are in the neighborhood, you might want to check out our free, self-guided East London Food Tour and it’s surrounding areas.
8. Visit Westminster Abbey and the Palace of Westminster
Famous the world over, Westminster Abbey has seen over 16 royal weddings, is the burial location of 17 monarchs, has held globally watched events (such as the funeral of Lady Diana Spencer).
It is also home to the United Kingdom’s Tomb of the Unknown Warrior.
What could be more British than sipping tea and eating finger-sandwiches and scones with jam?
With so many choices, our post on affordable Afternoon Tea can help you find the best service for you.
We list Afternoon Tea offerings for all budgets, as well as children’s teas, vegan and gluten-free tea, and even an afternoon tea bus tour!
Honorable Mention: Take a Food Tour
There’s a lot of great food in London, but it’s not always easy to find the best local eats. If you’re looking for some help, consider taking a London food tour.
These outings typically include at least 5-10 samples and cover multiple neighborhoods, giving you the opportunity to experience the best meals in the whole city.
Whether your kids are picky eaters or you just want to find some food you’ll love, this is a great way to become acquainted with several great dishes in London.
Honorable Mention: Self-Guided Exploration Game
If you’re looking for an interesting way to discover some of the lesser known aspects of London, there are a few different self-guided games you may want to consider.
There are currently three great options to choose from, and each one gives you the task of solving a mystery using clues provided to you which will help you find each stop on your journey.
TIP: The best and fastest way to get between our top 10 stops and our tours is using the London Underground (the “Tube”), use our guide to navigating the Tube for information on tickets, reading the map, and tips on Tube Etiquette.
FREE THINGS TO DO IN LONDON
There really is so much to do in London that doesn’t cost anything that you could spend an entire visit visiting free attractions, museums, and events.
Several can be visited by day, some by night, and even a few can be visited at both times.
Many of the items mentioned in the top 10, such as watching the Changing of the Guard or visiting one of London’s many museums are also free to do, as well as items in other sections of this post, are absolutely free to do.
The Houses of Parliament (located inside the Palace of Westminster) is the legislative body for the United Kingdom.
Any time the House of Lords or the House of Commons is at work inside the Palace, the public may enter the building and sit in the public galleries to watch the political debates as they take place!
A particularly popular time to visit is at noon on Wednesdays when the Prime Minister takes questions.
There is a price to enter the Tower Bridge Experience, but it costs nothing to cross Tower Bridge and it’s spectacularly illuminated in the evening.
The bridge opens and closes several times a day, so be sure to time out your visit to witness this. Sometimes, the bridge is scheduled to open is drawbridge at night.
Westminster Abbey and St. Paul’s Cathedral for Free
St. Paul’s Cathedral and Westminster Abbey have a hefty price-tag for entry.
But for those who are traveling on a budget, it is worth noting that both churches hold services on weekday evenings and throughout the day on Sundays that are free for the public to attend.
Guests at the services are not allowed to wander throughout the building. This means no audio tours or taking in the museums and memorials throughout both churches.
However, worshipers are invited to come inside and sit in the main body of the buildings and partake in a church service being held in some of the most breathtaking religious sites in the country.
At the top of London’s new “Walkie Talkie” building sits a restaurant, bistro, bar…and free public garden!
The views from this building are almost unbeatable in London, and even though the outdoor viewing balcony closes around 5, the atrium stays open until the late hours of the night.
Founded in 1753, the collections held at the British Museum span over two million years of history!
World-famous objects kept here include the Rosetta Stone and Parthenon sculptures which are displayed alongside classic sights such as Egyptian mummies and ancient works of art from across the globe.
The British Museum isn’t the only free museum in London.
Other notables include the Tate Modern, the National Gallery, and the Imperial War Museum. Read our post on other free museums in London.
Piccadilly Circus
OK. It’s not as crazy as Times Square, but it’s close.
There’s no need to spend a dime here. You will be entertained just by the cacophony of buses, cars, people and just about every other sound imaginable.
While the passes themselves certainly aren’t free, if you plan your itineraries well, you will end up getting one or two attractions for free each day.
There are several different types of London tourist discount passes, so be sure to read our comparison post to learn about how you can save more of your hard-earned money while in London.
TOP LONDON ATTRACTIONS, MUSEUMS, AND POINTS OF INTEREST
As a mega-city, London has no shortage of night activities.
For our full list of recommendations, visit our full post on things to Do in London at Night, where we break down by free, family-friendly, restaurants, and entertainment.
We also have a post where we list and review all of the night sightseeing tours available to you, including our pay-what-you-like evening tours.
We have several dozen ideas as well as links to other resources.
Open to the public, you can explore certain sections of the palace, home to the royal family.
Family activity bags are available free of charge, so be sure to ask for one when picking up your tickets. At the State Rooms, there is a drawing and coloring room.
This is the world’s highest and longest tunnel slide.
It was originally intended to be a piece of art, but in 2016 the slide was added which takes guests from the observation tower at the top, 12 circles throughout the curves on the structure, and all the way to the bottom in a 40-second trip!
Both theatres have kid-themed shows running often and at times host interactive workshops.
LONDON NEIGHBORHOODS
Another effective way to plan your trip is to discover London by neighborhood. This has the advantage of cutting down on time spent traveling from one area to the next.
London contains many distinct neighbourhoods and districts.
You can explore on your own and we’ve created over a dozen self-guided tours, many of which also provide tips on things to do, restaurants and places to stay, as well as a growing list of self-guided GPS-enabled audio tours.
Of course, you can join us for one of our many pay-what-you-wish walking tours for deeper insight into the neighborhoods shared by one of our knowledgeable and personable guides.
An American simply by accident of birth, Margaret moved to London over 16 years ago and hasn’t looked back since! With a keen interest in History – and a BA degree to match – Margaret prides herself on her knowledge of the amazing city she calls home and she's been guiding here now for nearly a decade. Social history is her real expertise, with sound understanding of the day-to-day lives of Londoners over the past centuries.