Free things to do in London

[smallpaul]

While not quite free, get a oyster card delivered before travelling.

[Timothy Bucktu]

Well, this is for 'free' things, but you've got to eat right...Our favourite Wetherspoons is Goodman's Field near Tower Hill. From there you can wonder down to Tower Bridge and explore a lot of the places already mentioned.

[The Mad Monk]

smallpaul said:

While not quite free, get a oyster card delivered before travelling.

I am not sure that is good advice.

An adult can travel around London simply tapping in and out using a contactless credit or debit card. Always make sure you tap in and out even if the barrier is open. Use the same card all day. Your spouse or other must use a different credit or debit card.

[dontlookdown]

The Mad Monk said:

smallpaul said:

While not quite free, get a oyster card delivered before travelling.

I am not sure that is good advice.

An adult can travel around London simply tapping in and out using a contactless credit or debit card. Always make sure you tap in and out even if the barrier is open. Use the same card all day. Your spouse or other must use a different credit or debit card.

Yeah, you don't really need an oyster card anymore. I still use mine as it helps me to keep track of travel expenses, but for adult visitors contactless is prob easier.

Oyster might still be good for kids though, as with contactless it's only one person per card. The rules on kids have changed post-Covid but mine are all grown up now so I'm out of touch;)

[silobass]

I'm not sure it's free, I assume it is as it's galleries, but there's quite a few art galleries on Cork Street. It's on the list to go there next time we're in London.

[Cotty]

Secret London website is good for showing free things to do in London https://secretldn.com/

(Possibly) The Most Efficient Sightseeing Tour Of London
https://secretldn.com/sightseeing-london-map-walki...

LeoSayer said:

Walk along the grand Union canal from the Thames to Little Venice which takes you past some great sites like Regents Park, London zoo, Camden Town and go to the cavalcade...
https://waterways.org.uk/support/ways-to-get-invol...

I recently did this the other way Little Venice To Limehouse Basin. I warn anyone attempting it its over nine miles.
https://www.theplanetedit.com/regents-canal-walk/

vikingaero said:

Some of the parks are lovely when you go from an urban to park setting - Crytal Palace Park, Hampstead Heath (although not if you are a MP obviously).

If anyone is visiting Battersea Power Station its right next to Battersea Park and the other side is a nice pub called the Prince Albert. Its a really big park for a wonder around.

[White-Noise]

You got me thinking, this one is on the outskirts but near the tube. You have all of ruislip woods to explore by foot or bike. There is also ruislip lido. The lido is free, but there is a small steam railway and a cafe too, not free. You can walk through the woods all the way to Harefield where the canal is.

Rickmansworth aquadrome is also free to walk round.

[Cotty]

Roofless Toothless said:

Quite a lot of free things to do at Greenwich, one of the best places to visit in London.

https://www.rmg.co.uk/stories/topics/free-things-d...

I was there on 9th March. The park is undergoing some repair works to the Castle Hill Path/Prime Meridian Walk and also the viewing platform next to General Wolfe was closed as it was having a refresh with new seating etc.
Best to check on their site first
https://www.royalparks.org.uk/visit/parks/greenwic...

[valiant]

RAF museum is free and pretty good.

Up near Hendon (or is it Colinwood?) anyway, it’s up that way somewhere and for the price of a tube ticket is a good day out.

[Cotty]

valiant said:

RAF museum is free and pretty good.

Up near Hendon (or is it Colinwood?) anyway, it’s up that way somewhere and for the price of a tube ticket is a good day out.

Yes Hendon, but Colindale Underground Station would be the closest station
https://www.rafmuseum.org.uk/london/plan-your-day/...

[Rayny]

This covers a lot of ground :

https://www.visitlondon.com/things-to-do/budget-lo...

[Luke.]

This is probably the best channel around for the best walks in London.

https://www.youtube.com/@Joolzguides

[B'stard Child]

E3134 said:

There are free walking maps of London for download, I would go around the City, starting near Lloyds, Leadenhall Market. and go up towards the Bank, especially some of the tiny alleyways near there.

All depends if you are interested in history and architecture.

https://www.walklondon.com/london-walks/city-of-lo...

On the subject of walks - If you’ve got kids with you (or even if you haven’t) play hunt the “sculpture in the city”

https://www.sculptureinthecity.org.uk/

In it’s 18th year and I think we’ve done it every year

[essayer]

If you do have kids under eleven on your trip, all TFL travel is free for up to 4 kids travelling with an adult. Underground, buses, trams, DLR and specific National Rail services on journeys in the zones such as Watford-Euston (assuming your train stops or starts at Watford)

If they look older than 11 or want to travel on additional NR services - link below - a 5-10 zip Oyster card is £10

https://content.tfl.gov.uk/free-travel-areas-witho...

[Cotty]

B'stard Child said:

On the subject of walks - If you’ve got kids with you (or even if you haven’t) play hunt the “sculpture in the city”

https://www.sculptureinthecity.org.uk/

In it’s 18th year and I think we’ve done it every year

There is one happening at Canary Wharf but they have not released the trail map yet. I think there will only be 25 sculptures
https://www.guidedogs.org.uk/paws-on-the-wharf/

[Pit Pony]

vikingaero said:

Puggit said:

Hammersia said:

Just to mention having tried and failed to enjoy Tate Modern several times, they have finally put a huge combined gallery together with a good selection of real art (Rothko, Kandinsky, Pollock etc.) all in one place and free to view. Loads of total rubbish as well of course but that's part of the fun.

I'll never forget my only trip there. Someone had created a tiny shelf with a half full glass of water on it and called it 'The Tree'.

I obviously missed an opportunity in life to commit fraud.

When we travel around the country/world, we try to educate and interest the Vikingettes and drag them into art galleries and tiny provincial museums.

One such was an exhibit at the De La Warr Pavilion in Bexhill. The sheer look of disgust and apathy as Vikingette 1 said to me: "Dad, it's a stick and a leaf stuck to the wall. Why are we even here?!"

At the Tate Liverpool.

6 I beams, left over from.building work, painted rainbow colours placed on the floor about 12 inches apart.

No idea what it was called, but I my kids then 12 and 9, thought it hilarious.

[Billy2023]

If you are in London early in the morning the Household Cavalry exercise their horses past Buckingham Palce in Green Park. Quite a sight one squaddie controlling 6 horses very big horses flat out galloping.

[Pit Pony]

dontlookdown said:

The Mad Monk said:

smallpaul said:

While not quite free, get a oyster card delivered before travelling.

I am not sure that is good advice.

An adult can travel around London simply tapping in and out using a contactless credit or debit card. Always make sure you tap in and out even if the barrier is open. Use the same card all day. Your spouse or other must use a different credit or debit card.

Yeah, you don't really need an oyster card anymore. I still use mine as it helps me to keep track of travel expenses, but for adult visitors contactless is prob easier.

Oyster might still be good for kids though, as with contactless it's only one person per card. The rules on kids have changed post-Covid but mine are all grown up now so I'm out of touch;)

On the few trips I've made to London, I've realised that often it's quicker to walk and more pleasant to walk, and that some of the tube stops are really close, so by the time you've negotiated the stairs and just missed the previous train and waited for the next and squeezed yourself in like a sardine in a tin of smelly pilchards, you could have walked along a canal, or past a historic monument to get to you next destination.

[ClaphamGT3]

Huge number of really good suggestions here and a few to add;

Colombia Road flower market early on a Sunday morning

The Design Museum in the old Commonwealth Centre on Kensington High Street

An Uber boat ride from Westminster Pier to Greenwich (not technically free but covered in your daily TfL travel allowance)

Walk around Shad Thames, Cross Tower Bridge and walk around St Catherine's docks

Walk through Burlington Arcade just off Piccadilly

If you're an architecture 'wonk' I can list a number of 'must see' architectural gems in London from Nicholas Hawksmoor's magnum opus the Church of St Anne's Limehouse to Debenham House in Holland Park to the Lloyd's Building in the city

[TwigtheWonderkid]

Pit Pony said:

and that some of the tube stops are really close,

Many of the stations on different lines are really close, something that i think they now highlight on the tube map. Worth looking out for. Getting out at one station and walking 5 mins to another before continuing your journey can save you a tonne of time. And don't get the tube from Queensway to Bayswater!