Fun and unusual things to do in London?

[Mitsuko]

We're going on a city trip in London in June and I'd like to hear your best ideas on what to do while there. Of course, we will visit a museum or two and admire Big Ben/Tower Bridge but we're not that much into the usual touristy stuff so we will not do any guided tours.

We like nice strolls (along the Thames, in parks...), fun shopping places (Camden Town?), movie locations, botanical gardens, markets... I love crafting so if you have addresses of good craft/yarn stores, I would love to have them! I am also crazy about food and cooking so if you know some good kitchenware stores and gourmet groceries, please go ahead and post!

Nice restaurants or bakeries would be great too, especially if it's organic/vegetarian. And also, where can we go for Indian buffet? Any London specialties I shouldn't miss?

I'm up for any ideas you could have, except for "take a hop on hop off guided city tour". We're staying next to Earl's Court underground station so transportation isn't a problem!

Thanks!

 

[Kimboowee]

Portobello Market - not been in a few years so not sure what its like!
Covent Garden
Kew Gardens - Botanical gardens

Thats all i can think of atm!

 

[Panda_Ally]

Camden market, Covent garden, Hatton Garden, Notting hill - if ur in to it try and catch a play on the west end if u just show up on the night u can get some great deals but u have to be flexable about what u see. Harrods have an amazing food hall if u like fine food - mind the price tag tho!!! Will post again if i can think of anything else!!

 

[Panda_Ally]

China town if u what REALLY good chinese food - sorry dont no of any indians!!

 

[Kitten]

I like having a mooch round Soho.

 

[lady3]

I knit is a good yarn store in Waterloo. There's also Loop in Islington.

I love Camden Stalls Market. They're re-doing it at the moment so not as good as it once was, but still have a great atmosphere and only up the street from Camden Market.

Spitalfields Market is great too on the weekends! If you go over to the East End, there's Brick Lane also to walk around. Lots of curry restaurants with byo (but if you're going to eat a curry, I recommend Tayyabs just a short walk away-it's awesome!). It's not vegetarian though.

There's a good vegetarian cafe in Vauxhall that is really cool called Boddington's Cafe. It's community run so they have different chefs there every night. Meals are really well priced and it's bring your own. They have a website you can check out.

Borough Market near London Bridge tube is great to go to. Lots of good foods to eat! It's a neat market to look around too.

Gordon's Wine Bar is a great place to go to near Embankment Tube.

Sheesh....maybe I should write a book?! lol

 

[sam#3]

Last time we went was to london zoo and we went to camden market, both were great

 

[joeyjo]

If you are foody I thoroughly recommend Borough Market

https://www.boroughmarket.org.uk/

The Southbank Book Market is nice to browse especially on a sunny day and there is loads of other things to see if you stroll along the south bank, including the eye, tate modern and the aquariam all near by.

https://www.southbankcentre.co.uk/visiting-us/shopping/southbank-centre-book-market

Shopping: I like Convent Garden and also The Kings Road in Chelsea.

Currently the Wildlife Photographer of the Year Exhibition is on at the Natural History Museum and I loved it.

For curry - Brick lane is the obvious place
https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Brick_Lane
I don't know specific restaurants but I have always chosen a BUSY restaurant, preferably one with lots of indian/asian looking customers, and I've not been disappointed.

Have Fun!!

Oh also I'm not normally into Guided Tours but I did do the hop on hop off big red bus round London a few years ago and I was very pleasantly surprised.

 

[Mitsuko]

Thanks for all the advice girls! I will make sure to check all the markets you mentioned. I'll probably gain a few pounds in the process, though! Thanks also for the restaurant recommandations, maybe we'll have to have 4 meals in a day to eat everything we want!

Kew gardens looks amazing and so does the wildlife photographer exhibition! Unfortunately, it closes on the 26th April . We'll have a go at the Natural History Museum instead (especially if the weather is bad).

Hop on hop off can be great, Joeyjo. We actually tool part in a guided Hudson River cruise in New York and we loved it. The thing is we can find info on big tourist stuff in guides, so here I prefer to hear about things that would not be stressed in Lonely Planet, f.i..

 

[joeyjo]

I did the bus tour after I'd been living in London for a few years. A visiting friend insisted and I was not at all keen - but it turned out to be a good day!