Despite having visited London (and the UK) multiple times, it’s fun to see how much there is to do in the city. To be honest, though, my favorite things to do are just walking around London, people-watching, getting the bacon and cheese turnover at Pret, and mooching around in any Boots supermarket I can find. There! You can exit this page now if you came to find out my favorite activities in London.
However, if you’re really here for “activities” to do as a couple or with your family in the city of London, I’ll share what we did when we visited in April. Although my husband and I don’t have kids, we love to go where the kids are; it’s always more fun, so all of these can be done with kids (we saw loads of kids enjoying themselves at all these locations).
What to Do During Your Spring Trip to London
If you’re traveling to London this spring, here are my top recommended activities:
Visit Borough Market
Borough Market is a group of food stalls in London selling everything from cheeses to brunch to paella dishes. It is a sensorily overwhelming experience — it was PACKED when we visited. But if you love markets and tasting a bunch of foods from around the world, it’s an experience worth having.
We popped into one of the first stalls we saw, Maria’s Market Cafe, and had a hearty English breakfast. The servers were sweet and attentive, and the food definitely energized us before the one lap we did around the market.
Go to the Churchill War Rooms
I always thought history was boring until I discovered good museums. After visiting the WWII Museum in NOLA, I was curious what additional perspective the Churchill War Rooms would offer. It was fascinating — plus many wax figures dramatizing what life would’ve been like for Churchill and their comrades strategizing against Nazi Germany make this a fun experience for older kids and adults alike.
We booked our tickets online, which made entry a breeze (I hate figuring out tickets to museums and public places at the venue). You can buy Churchill War Rooms tickets for £32/adult and £16/child.
See a Show at the West End
This was one of my favorite things to do in London (and one reason why I can’t wait to go back)! We saw our first theater show, and it was wonderful! The performance! The ambiance! Everything. I didn’t love the actual show we saw (Mrs. Doubtfire), especially with the way the story was spun toward the end, but I would definitely want to see another show in the near future.
If you love the arts or are already a theater fan, this should be a MUST-DO for you. And if you’re not sure it’s the right fit for you, do it anyway. My husband was very skeptical of enjoying people breaking into song during a “movie,” but he loved the experience, too. You can book West End show tickets via Today Tix.
Explore Notting Hill
If you’re a romantic comedy movie buff who has watched the movie Notting Hill a gazillion times, then you absolutely must visit the Notting Hill neighborhood for a stroll, some drinks, and maybe a peek at the Notting Hill Bookshop.
We went there for a photo shoot with Flytographer (which is something we do whenever we travel), and the pictures came out so lovely! We shot with Emily, who was super friendly and helpful during the shoot. Every time I use Flytographer, I only book about 30 minutes. Unless you have a big group, that’s enough time to get some solid pictures!
🎁 Use my code AFOMAADENIYI for $25 off your first Flytographer shoot. I’ll also get $25 off my next shoot. It’s such a joy to have professionally done photos of you and your loved ones — trust me!
Eat at Dishoom
Every food writer I follow has raved about Dishoom every time they’ve visited London, so it was HIGH on my list of places to eat at. (I can’t be the only one who makes a list of places to eat at whenever they travel — or am I?) Fortunately, it lived up to the hype.
The food is unrivaled, so you really want to make a reservation if you have a larger group. We visited the Carnaby location and waited 20 minutes for a table, but they gave us free chai while we were waiting at the bar. Truly 10/10, no notes! Must-do for foodies visiting London.
Visit Chinatown
I must have read something about great restaurants in Chinatown, but I can’t remember what specifically moved me to go to Chinatown anymore. It was a good move, though.
I’ve never been to Chinatown anywhere, so seeing the vibrant decor and the swarms of people there made me feel like I’d done something right.
After a quick stroll in the cold, we entered Wong Kei restaurant, a Chinese restaurant with the rudest staff ever. Completely unsmiling and uncaring, but serving good food regardless. I was unbothered, but my husband felt quite uncomfortable being served by people who apparently didn’t care much about niceties.
We love Chinese food, and we enjoyed our meal here — my husband mostly forgave the staff after the meal. So if you’re ever in Chinatown, I think they’re worth a visit. The restaurant was packed throughout our time there, which has to mean something.
Shop at Covent Garden
I’ll tell you a secret: Our main goal for visiting London was to SHOP. We wanted some new clothes (basics) from Marks & Spencer and needed to replace some of our favorite products (hello, skincare) that would cost an arm and a leg to ship to Nigeria. So yes, Covent Garden was THE spot for us.
If you also enjoy a good shop, another place we loved shopping at was Westfield. You’ll find all the big brands, from Mejuri to Sephora, at these malls. Go crazy!
See Big Ben
We didn’t need to go “see Big Ben” because one of the hotels we stayed at (Park Plaza, Westminster Bridge) had a glorious view of Big Ben from our bedroom window. That was enough seeing for me. We also saw it every time we walked back to the hotel or went anywhere.
If you’re not staying at the Park Plaza, you could walk to the area around Big Ben for some photos if you’re really into it. We stayed at several properties during our London visit, and I shared all about where we stayed in this blog post.
Enjoy High Tea at Fortnum and Mason
Every time I read a blog post about what to do in London, someone’s always telling me to go do high tea. So I finally took the internet’s advice… and honestly? I was a bit underwhelmed. Like, is this it? It was pretty expensive to travel all this way to come… drink… tea?
STILL, if you’ve been dreaming of a British afternoon tea experience, I won’t deter you. I LOVED the scones and would return for the scones alone. I also liked being presented with an impressive selection of teas to choose from, and the Fortnum and Mason ambiance and customer service are very warm, so there’s that.
You can book an afternoon tea reservation at Fortnum and Mason.
Go Book Shopping at Daunt Books
You know what is never underwhelming for me? Visiting bookstores! Everyone recommended Daunt Books and I loved the experience. I visited the one in Marylebone, and frankly, their selections were so extensive it was a tad overwhelming — you could spend the whole day in there and not see everything they had.
What We Wish We Did
As you know, it’s impossible to do everything you’d like on every trip, so here are three things we fully planned to do (even paid for tickets for one) but couldn’t squeeze in!
Hang Out at Hyde Park
I love a good park hang and was looking forward to long strolls in Hyde Park, but we never figured out a good time between the slightly chilly weather and the long days of walking around London. Next time, if we visit when the weather’s warmer, I’d definitely love to do this.
Visit the British Museum
We got free tickets for the museum but were too tired to make it work — twice! Trips should serve you, not the other way around, so we always prioritize rest, health, and well-being when traveling (and always). See you next time, British Museum!
Go to Sea World
I was so excited about this one, but it was at the tail-end of our trip, and there were other conflicting plans that day, so we couldn’t make it. Sea World is a great option, especially if you have kids who love animals and under-the-sea stuff. We’ll definitely be headed there on our next visit.
Have you been to London? What was your favorite thing to do in the city?
More UK Travel Posts
- What to know about visiting London in the spring
- A visit to Llandudno, Wales (What we did)
- Where to stay in London (as a first-timer)
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