Things to do in London this Weekend 

Wondering what to do in London this weekend and not sure where to start? England’s Capital is truly a city that never sleeps. London is always packed with exciting things to see, do and try out. If you find yourself near the city on a Friday night, Saturday night, or Sunday night, here are the 12 best things to do in London, England: 

We don’t advise engaging in any of these listed things while we’re social distancing, isolating, on lockdown, self-quarantining – to stay safe. These activities would be best enjoyed after things settle down and we’re all cleared to engage in social activities. Refer to the CDC,  NHS, UK GOV, WHO for more guidance and please do your part to stay safe as we fight this virus together.

1) Make the Most of Happy Hour

Regardless of what corner of the city you find yourself in, you’ll never be too far from one of the fabulous chain bars across the city. Many of whom will offer a happy hour deal on selected drinks. London cocktail club, dirty martini and All Bar One are some examples. Murder inc., just off Oxford street, and The Escapologist serve fantastic cocktails for less until 7pm. This is one of the best things to do in London this weekend. 

If you’re keen to stretch your night a little further, Soho is a hub of modern nightclubs and bars to get your weekend off to a wallet-friendly start. This might sound as one of the weirdest things to do in London, but trust us, the happy hour can be a great place to make new friends or meet new people even if you’re not much of a drinker. You can still have fun for a day or two. 

2) Enjoy an Open Top Bus Tour

Wondering what’s happening in London this weekend or just simply what’s on in London this weekend? Perhaps the best way to really experience London at night for an astonishing price will be with an open top bus tour. Just £21 is all that it would cost for you to experience all of London’s fabulous sites in twilight. The two-hour tour will take you around the London Eye, Buckingham Palace, St Paul’s Cathedral and Piccadilly Circus. We think this is one of the top 10 things to do in London. And if you are looking for things to do in London in one day, an open top bus tour fits the bill. 

3) Head to a Music Bar

Some of the most fabulous music bars can be found in London. Some great examples include House of Vans, Ain’t Nothing But, or the Troubador, which offers free music with a drink or meal purchase.

Elsewhere, areas such as Camden and Brixton are full of grassroots music performers, with music gigs at almost every street turn. This is one of the free things to do in London except you have to buy a meal or drink. But if you’re looking for London entertainment, you won’t have to look further. 

4) Try a Comedy Night

Lose yourself in laughter at one of the rib-tickling and tear-inducing nights at one of London’s most famous Comedy Clubs. Angel Comedy at Camden Hill and the Big Murray, or perhaps the Top Secret Comedy Club, (possibly the worst kept secret in all of London’s comedy). Fortunately, it won’t be an expensive night either, with many evenings either free, or entry for as little as £1. 

If you are happy enough to splash a little more cash, you can check out the Comedy Carnival at Covent Garden or Leicester Square; tickets there start from only £12. We say you can consider this as one of the non-touristy things to do in London at night. And we also think it’s one of the coolest things to do in London. 

5) Enjoy the Stunning Scenery from the Sky Garden

Want to see arguably the most fabulous views over London’s skyline for a cheap price with music and cocktails available? If so, then you can head to check out the Sky Garden, for unmissable views across the entire city. London’s Sky Garden is situated on Fenchurch street, and is completely free to reach the very top.

Enjoy the sunset over the capital while paying absolutely nothing, just make sure to book your tickets online due to the limitations of entry. If you’re looking for the top things to do in London at night and the most romantic things to do in London, enjoying the scenery from the Sky Garden should be on your list. Great idea for things to do in London for couples if you can get away from the kids for a bit. 

6) Visit Museum Lates

If you ever want to sample some of London’s museums, a great way to do so is with Museum Lates. Some of the most well-known and prestigious museums in London, including Science Museum, British Museum, Museum of London and much more put on regular lates, with special exhibitions available. 

Those art lovers amongst us can run wild in the National Gallery, Royal Academy of Arts and Tate Modern for after-hours access. If you’re looking for things to do in London today, this should be on your list. Going to the Museum is great when you are looking for things to do in London in October, November, December, January, February, and March–the winter months which tend to be harsh. Since you have to be indoor, you’ll have a good time while keeping warm. 

7) Eat Some Savory Street Food

Sitting in is overrated! If you’re out and about in the city, why not stop at one of the fantastic street fold havens for a complete meal at an unbeatable price before continuing your Friday night adventure in the city? You could have a look at some of StreetFeast’s venues, including Dinerama in Shoreditch, and Model Market in Lewisham. 

And if you’re searching for something a little but extra to spice up your Friday night (quite literally), then you could check out Flat Iron Square, home to the music venue O’Meara. Eating and sharing street food is one of the top things to do in London with kids. And if the kids are not with you or you don’t have any, street food ranks on our top fun things to do in London for adults. And unlike the museums which are great for a visit in the winter months, street food are great in the summer and summer months so if you’re looking for things to do in London in April, May, June, July, August, and September, this is one thing you should add on your list. 

8) Enjoy a Late-Night London Walking Tour

If you’re looking to experience the fright of your life with a Jack The Ripper tour, you can do so for only £10, or perhaps experience Sandeman’s new London Grim Reaper for just £14. Both of which showcase the area where one of the greatest unsolved crimes took place. Sandeman’s new London also offer free tours during the daytime. We think this is one of the unique things to do in London. 

If you’re looking for a slightly less thrilling experience, you can take a self-guide tour of London’s most famous landmarks anytime of the day by following the City Visitor Trail. Even this less thrilling alternative still ranks on our list of best things to do in London. 

9) Enjoy some Shakespeare theatre

Heading to Shakespeare’s global theatre in the bankside will give you the opportunity to experience some of the most talented actors in their world mastering their craft. The best part is, that tickets are extremely reasonable, with standing tickets available for as little as £5. If you want to find out more about playwright, you can check out the Shakespeare Global Exhibition Tour. 

This is great for things to do in London when it’s raining as you’ll be indoor. It’s also one of the cheap things to do in London if you can get the cheapest tickets. And we think it’s also one of the unusual things to do in London as most tourists do not head for the theatre. And seriously, even though we’re not judging, we also think it’s one of the nerdy things to do in London – something we’re guilty of as well. 

10) Enjoy one of London’s healthy “Pay-What-You-Can” Restaurants

Some restaurants in London operate on what they call a “Pay-what-you-like” or “Pay-what-you-can” system. This is a system whereby the restaurant places their own price on items, and if you like it, you can lay the whole price, otherwise, you can pay whatever you like. Save the Date café or Brixton Pound Cafe meals are made from surplus veggie produce. You can certainly take your kids along and make this one of the top things to do in London with your kids! 

11) Enjoy the Outstanding Travel System

London is a huge city. There is no denying it. That’s why when you’re planning your Friday night in town, you should make sure to plan well in advance exactly even up to knowing exactly how you’re going to get around. You can use Transport for London’s journey planner to do so, and don’t forget, that it may actually be quicker to walk between places.

The night tube runs between five lines on Fridays and Saturdays, which makes it easier to get around the city, not to forget some overground trains too. If you ask us, this is one of the best things to do in London. In fact, enjoying the tube and figuring out how it works is one of the top things you should do in London! 

12) Enjoy some of the World’s most fabulous opera stars

You can sample some serious English culture at the royal opera house in Covent Garden. There, you can watch some of the most famous opera singers in the entire world. If you’re traveling with teens, you can take them to the opera for a Cost friendly night out, as the English National opera offers as many as four free tickets for minors with every adult ticket that is purchased. This falls under our list of cool things to do in London! 

Sharing is caring!