Things to do for 2 nights in London?

[bitchstewie]

I'm staying a couple of nights in London shortly, just off Bayswater Road.

Any suggestions on anything worth doing above and beyond just going out and seeing the sights by night?

I always assumed if you can't find something to do in London there's something wrong with you so I feel a little hypocritical but looking for inspiration

[Melman Giraffe]

Similar thread recently in the Holiday Forum

Here you go.....

https://www.pistonheads.com/gassing/topic.asp?h=0&...

[anonymous-user]

Have lunch in the Whistler restaurant at the Tate Britain. Then go and wander round the impressionists. I’d book if I were you.

If you are in the West End at any point - wander down to Red Lion Street in Holborn and eat at Eat Tokyo - best Japanese food in London - terrible service but very cheap.

There are great, and free, views of London from the balcony at the top of the Tate Modern. Just keep going up - decent cocktails with a view from the bar up there as well, if you are so minded.

The view from the top of Primrose hill is good. Then a pint at The Queens. Cross over via Chalk Farm and wander up the heath if you are so minded.

If you need to be in the city - the Restaurant at the Ned is recommended. Right by the BOE. It’s not cheap - but it’s mellow.

If you don’t know London - walk over Waterloo bridge at night.

[Shakermaker]

Go and see a show at the Theatre?

[okgo]

W124 said:

Have lunch in the Whistler restaurant at the Tate Britain. Then go and wander round the impressionists. I’d book if I were you.

If you are in the West End at any point - wander down to Red Lion Street in Holborn and eat at Eat Tokyo - best Japanese food in London - terrible service but very cheap.

There are great, and free, views of London from the balcony at the top of the Tate Modern. Just keep going up - decent cocktails with a view from the bar up there as well, if you are so minded.

The view from the top of Primrose hill is good. Then a pint at The Queens. Cross over via Chalk Farm and wander up the heath if you are so minded.

If you need to be in the city - the Restaurant at the Ned is recommended. Right by the BOE. It’s not cheap - but it’s mellow.

If you don’t know London - walk over Waterloo bridge at night.

Some great ones there, Waterloo Bridge at dusk is really something. Not sure I'd be with you on The Ned, I thought it was poor, but no doubting the building and scale is impressive.

[nealeh1875]

Was there for new year, we went to a crazy golf place in Shoreditch high street.

Was cool. 4 different 9 hole courses to chose from. all indoors, drinks etc Really enjoyed ourselves.

[Dr Interceptor]

Dressing up is all the rage currently in London...

I'd recommend a sailor outfit, or maybe a 1980 motorbike policeman's uniform.... Then go for a walk around Wardour Street, Rupert Street, and Old Compton Street.

[Dr Interceptor]

nealeh1875 said:

Was there for new year, we went to a crazy golf place in Shoreditch high street.

Was cool. 4 different 9 hole courses to chose from. all indoors, drinks etc Really enjoyed ourselves.

Good suggestion.... I can recommend Swingers...

https://swingersldn.com/home/

(work safe, I promise)

[prand]

Dr Interceptor said:

Dressing up is all the rage currently in London...

I'd recommend a sailor outfit, or maybe a 1980 motorbike policeman's uniform.... Then go for a walk around Wardour Street, Rupert Street, and Old Compton Street.

ooer, mind yer backs, don't bend over in the showers

Soho is interesting to walk around and some decent bars and restaurants, not just for the "open minded". Though I prefer to go a bit further South and have a wander around Carnaby Street and Kingly Street as they have a new load of interesting little shops, and places to eat and drink. Kingly Court, a covered courtyard between the two roads is worth a visit.

[DonkeyApple]

bhstewie said:

I'm staying a couple of nights in London shortly, just off Bayswater Road.

Any suggestions on anything worth doing above and beyond just going out and seeing the sights by night?

I always assumed if you can't find something to do in London there's something wrong with you so I feel a little hypocritical but looking for inspiration

To be honest, you can do pretty much whatever you want there. I think the key is to look at where you live and think about the things you’d like to do but your home town doesn’t cater for and do those.

For food just go to the most mental places you can find. Nowhere else in England does that like London. Every town has expensive or poncy food. Batst mental/different is what you don’t get everywhere.

In short, if you just do the fancy restaurant on a weekend then you’re probably just going to be in a room with a load of unimaginative tourists or middle aged couples from Yorkshire looking for a three-way (bafflingly common!!!).

[Mr Peel]

Left-field suggestion - a tour of Highgate cemetery. One side of the road has loads of well-known graves (most famously Marx but there are dozens of other worthies and celebs) while the other side is full of magnificent 19th century tombs, headstones and memorials. It's a brilliant insight into the Victorian way of doing things.

[anonymous-user]

okgo said:

W124 said:

Have lunch in the Whistler restaurant at the Tate Britain. Then go and wander round the impressionists. I’d book if I were you.

If you are in the West End at any point - wander down to Red Lion Street in Holborn and eat at Eat Tokyo - best Japanese food in London - terrible service but very cheap.

There are great, and free, views of London from the balcony at the top of the Tate Modern. Just keep going up - decent cocktails with a view from the bar up there as well, if you are so minded.

The view from the top of Primrose hill is good. Then a pint at The Queens. Cross over via Chalk Farm and wander up the heath if you are so minded.

If you need to be in the city - the Restaurant at the Ned is recommended. Right by the BOE. It’s not cheap - but it’s mellow.

If you don’t know London - walk over Waterloo bridge at night.

Some great ones there, Waterloo Bridge at dusk is really something. Not sure I'd be with you on The Ned, I thought it was poor, but no doubting the building and scale is impressive.

Interesting. Which one of the restaurants do you pick? We went to Zobler's. It seemed very good - though this might have been more to do with the bottomless Mimosa for £20 situation after a very, very heavy night. Actually - I was in a bit of a state there. The food might have been terrible for all I know. I just like the Ned because of the building itself - it's the mad Hogwarts scale of it. It's a bit of a sanctuary in that regard.

I really do recommend Eat Tokyo if you have not been. There are three or four in London but the Red Lion street one is the real deal. Black Miso Cod for £9.80! As good as you will get anywhere at not far off 20% of the price you can pay in some places. The service is marginal and the place is cramped and a bit manky. The food is astonishing though. We have learned the menu simply by the fact that you almost never get what you have ordered. Thus, you always get something incredible. It's so cheap it doesn't really matter. Highly recommended.

[Dr Interceptor]

prand said:

Dr Interceptor said:

Dressing up is all the rage currently in London...

I'd recommend a sailor outfit, or maybe a 1980 motorbike policeman's uniform.... Then go for a walk around Wardour Street, Rupert Street, and Old Compton Street.

ooer, mind yer backs, don't bend over in the showers

Soho is interesting to walk around and some decent bars and restaurants, not just for the "open minded". Though I prefer to go a bit further South and have a wander around Carnaby Street and Kingly Street as they have a new load of interesting little shops, and places to eat and drink. Kingly Court, a covered courtyard between the two roads is worth a visit.

Soho is indeed lovely - Bodeans for BBQ food (Ribs/Chicken/Brisket)

Edited by Dr Interceptor on Thursday 4th January 12:04

[kiethton]

Dr Interceptor said:

Dressing up is all the rage currently in London...

I'd recommend a sailor outfit, or maybe a 1980 motorbike policeman's uniform.... Then go for a walk around Wardour Street, Rupert Street, and Old Compton Street.

[Frank7]

prand said:

Soho is interesting to walk around and some decent bars and restaurants, not just for the "open minded". Though I prefer to go a bit further South and have a wander around Carnaby Street and Kingly Street as they have a new load of interesting little shops, and places to eat and drink. Kingly Court, a covered courtyard between the two roads is worth a visit.

Strictly speaking, wearing my retired Black Cab driver’s hat, Carnaby and Kingly are a tad west of Soho, south of Soho would put you in Leicester and Trafalgar Squares.
However, prand is right about interesting shops and eating places around Carnaby.
If you like Indian, try Masala Zone in Marshall St, and if you take a look at the Palladium, in Argyll Street, you’ll find the Cape Town Fish Market Restaurant near there, naturally it offers S. African fare, I can heartily recommend the kingklip, an eel-like fish found in the Atlantic off Namibia and S. Africa.
One tip, give the rickshaws a miss, they want £20 to go a couple of hundred yards, an out of town accent will double that.

[TwigtheWonderkid]

nealeh1875 said:

Was there for new year, we went to a crazy golf place in Shoreditch high street.

Was cool. 4 different 9 hole courses to chose from. all indoors, drinks etc Really enjoyed ourselves.

Seems a huge waste to me. If you're a visitor in London for a short time, to spend it playing crazy golf indoors. I think London has slightly more to offer than that.

For a kick off, I'd take the DLR under the river, sit at the front (no driver). Get off at Cutty Sark station, and take the river bus back to Westminster

[Lee_sec]

OO Beckton said:

I’d recommend East Ham, Manor Park, Green Street or Ilford. Lots to see and do; quaint tea shops, old book shops and really safe drivers.

.

HAHAHAHAHAHA really showcasing the best that London has to offer there!!!! Grew up in East Ham and the best thing about it is many roads that lead away from it

[okgo]

W124 said:

Interesting. Which one of the restaurants do you pick? We went to Zobler's. It seemed very good - though this might have been more to do with the bottomless Mimosa for £20 situation after a very, very heavy night. Actually - I was in a bit of a state there. The food might have been terrible for all I know. I just like the Ned because of the building itself - it's the mad Hogwarts scale of it. It's a bit of a sanctuary in that regard.

I really do recommend Eat Tokyo if you have not been. There are three or four in London but the Red Lion street one is the real deal. Black Miso Cod for £9.80! As good as you will get anywhere at not far off 20% of the price you can pay in some places. The service is marginal and the place is cramped and a bit manky. The food is astonishing though. We have learned the menu simply by the fact that you almost never get what you have ordered. Thus, you always get something incredible. It's so cheap it doesn't really matter. Highly recommended.

Not tried there, did Millies and Ceconis in December, was ok. Will give it another go though, debating joining the rooftop club actually, though its a bit of a trek from my Soho office, but it looks decent up there.

If parks and views are your thing then I remember walking from Highgate to Hampstead (via Swains Lane and the cemetery and the swimming lakes) and it was great, there are a couple of great pubs just near the Hampstead side that you could swing into, also.

Or wandering up from Cutty Sark to the Observatory is a good one, though not sure if you are allowed in there at night?

On hidden gems, Nambu Tei just up from Baker St is one of the best Sushi places in town, you'd be hard pushed to notice any difference in most of their stuff to Roka IMO, and its far cheaper.

[Rawwr]

I guarantee you'll either be mugged or not appreciated. Catch the train to London; stopping at Rejection, Disappointment, Backstabbing Central and Shattered Dreams Parkway.

[48k]

For something a bit "London" how about a visit to the Postal Museum and a ride on the old Mail Rail system.

https://www.postalmuseum.org/discover/attractions/...