1. Ride the singing lift at Royal Festival Hall
Hey, you know the Royal Festival Hall? It’s not just a cool spot for live concerts, dramas, and all that jazz. They’ve got this super fun lift that actually sings! Yeah, you heard that right. It’s a total blast for kids and young folks, and a perfect spot for those Insta-worthy pics and reels. So, if you’re looking to wow them, this is your place. And hey, while you’re there, why not grab a ticket to one of their amazing live shows? Trust me, it’s worth it!
2. Neal’s Yard
you gotta check out Neal’s Yard in Seven Dials. It’s packed with cool indie restaurants, cafes, shops, and wellness brands. It’s a total hotspot for Instagram pics in Covent Garden. You can find this not-so-hidden treasure from entrances on Monmouth Street and Shorts Garden. Trust me, it’s worth a visit
So here’s the scoop on Neal’s Yard. It got its name from this business dude, Thomas Neale. Before it got all trendy, it was just a storage space called King’s Head Court. Then in the 70s, a guy named Nicholas Saunders decided to turn it into a spot for his ethical and sustainable business. Neal’s Yard started to really take off after that. They even ditched the original plans to knock it down and refurbish the area. And that’s how we got the Neal’s Yard we all know and dig today. Cool, right?
3. Watch street entertainers at Covent Garden
So, here’s the deal. Every day, right in front of Covent Garden Markets, you can catch some seriously cool street performances. These aren’t just any shows, they’re big, they’re famous, and they draw a massive crowd. The best part? You can watch ’em for free! But remember, these performers make their living off your tips at the end of the show.
Now, don’t get any ideas about just showing up and performing. It’s not that easy. You gotta pass an audition and get a slot. Everything’s super organized and tightly controlled at Covent Garden.
If you’re looking to check out some Living Statues, head over to James Street, London WC2E 8RD in Covent Garden. You’ll always find a few folks painted in gold or silver, seemingly floating in mid-air with no visible support. It’s pretty wild! The most famous of these Living Statues is Silverman. Worth a look!
4. The LEGO Store on Leicester Square.
check out the LEGO store in Leicester Square. It’s got two whole floors packed with LEGO bricks and models.
This place is a total must-see for any LEGO fan. They’ve got demos, in-store activities, and loads of cool stuff to check out.
And get this, they’ve got a life-size model of James Bond’s Aston Martin. You can even climb inside and snap a pic. How cool is that?
What can I do in the Lego store?
Massive, colorful LEGO tree that stretches all the way up the building. It’s got secret viewpoints and models hidden in its branches. See if you can spot ’em!
Upstairs, there’s a double-decker bus made from a whopping 270,884 LEGO bricks. And guess what? You can snap a selfie with none other than William Shakespeare, who’s just hanging out at the bus stop.
But that’s not all. There’s an exhibition space, a Minifigure Factory where you can design and build your own Minifigure, and a Mosaic Maker machine that turns your photo into a LEGO masterpiece you can take home. How cool is that?
5. Harry Potter at filming location Leadenhall Market
Leadenhall Market isn’t just a cool spot for shopping, it’s also a star in its own right! It’s been featured in a bunch of films like Tinker, Tailor, Soldier, Spy, Lara Croft: Tomb Raider, The Imaginarium of Doctor Parnassus, Hereafter, and Love Aaj Kal.
But here’s the real kicker – it was also a filming location for Harry Potter and the Philosopher’s Stone! Yep, it stood in for the famous wizarding pub, The Leaky Cauldron, and even inspired the magical shopping street, Diagon Alley. Pretty awesome, right?
6. Watch skateboarders perform gravity-defying tricks at the Southbank Centre Undercroft
So, Feilden Clegg Bradley Studios gave the Undercroft skatepark at the Southbank Centre in London a bit of a makeover. This place is like the holy grail of British skateboarding.
They fixed up the space under the Queen Elizabeth Hall, which is pretty unique with its mushroom-shaped concrete columns holding up the building.
The Southbank Centre says the Undercroft is the “world’s longest continually used skate spot”. The goal was to keep the original vibe of the place.
Chris Allen, the project architect, said they wanted to bring back as many of the original design features as they could. They paid a lot of attention to the 1960s design and materials, from both an architectural and skateboarding heritage perspective.
Skateboarders have been using this space since the 70s. Pretty rad, right?
7. Be a pirate in the Diana, Princess of Wales Memorial Playground
The playground’s star attraction is Captain Hook’s massive wooden pirate ship, set on a sandy beach. It’s perfect for anyone who’s ever dreamed of being a pirate for a day. You’ve got ladders and rope bridges to scramble up, masts to climb, and a lower deck to explore.
For the little ones, there’s a special area for under 3s, complete with a seesaw, playhouses, a sand pit, and a slide. They even have their own smaller wooden boat.
For the musically inclined, there are giant glockenspiels and xylophones to play. And for the adventurous, there are play sculptures and tree-houses to climb. On hot days, the water play area is a hit, and the teepees provide some much-needed shade.
The playground is nestled in the beautiful Kensington Gardens. Once a private play area for the palace’s noble children, it’s now open for everyone to enjoy. So, why not come and have some fun?
8. Have a blast splashing around in rock pools and testing your balance on shaky bridges at the Tumbling Bay playground!
Up north in the park, you’ll find the Tumbling Bay playground. It’s got rock pools, sand pits, tall treehouses, wobbly bridges, slides, swings, and loads of space to run around. It’s all about giving kids a chance to play in a real, natural environment that encourages them to experiment. Plus, it’s right next to the Timber Lodge café, so you can grab some fresh, home-cooked food and drink.
The playground was designed by play space experts Land Use Consultants and Erect Architecture. It even includes a piece of modern art: Heather and Ivan Morrison’s Cross and Cave sculpture.
Down south, there’s the Pleasure Gardens Play Areas. Kids love the huge expanse of play areas, which are designed to let them explore and play freely. There are gigantic red rocks that form challenging climbing frames, oversized swings, and even a giant sand pit!
There’s also a vibrant red climbing wall, formed from the gap left by a bridge that was used during the London 2012 Games. It’s one of the park’s most popular spots for climbing fans.
And don’t forget the Waterworks Fountains. With 195 individually controlled jets of water, these fountains outside London Stadium are a hit with visitors of all ages. You can find yourself in a labyrinth of computer-controlled walls of water. The fountains usually operate each day from around 10am until 5pm, except on Stadium event days.
9. Get up close and personal with ferrets, bunnies, alpacas, and a whole bunch of other farm animals at Vauxhall City Farm and Mudchute Farm and Park!
10. Check out some incredible exhibits, like the Apollo 10 command capsule, at the Science Museum!
- Stop 1: Making the Modern World Gallery
- Stop 2: Apollo 10 command module
- Stop 3: Information Age gallery
- Stop 4: Flight gallery
- Stop 5: Medicine: The Wellcome Galleries