What Are Some Less Common Things to See and Do in London?

Question

Going on 4-day trip to London next week. We've seen the more common tourist venues on past trips (Brit Museum, Tower Bridge, Thames Cruise, Harrods, etc.) We would like to see and do some less touristy things this time. Suggestions?

Answer 1

I love wondering around the city of London espescially around fleet Street and the Strand.  You've got inner and middle temple (Da vinci code/ Jeckyl and Hyde) Somerset House, St Brides with the wedding cake spire and loads more history and small museums. Further up you have the bank of England museum where you can touch bar of gold.  

The southbank is also worth exploring aswell as the Tate modern you also have the Globe, Golden Hinde, the clink and small shops and pubs.

Grenwich is also worth exploring.

Answer 2

street markets ... Camden Lock, Portobello Road, Brick Lane, Brixton's Electric Avenue, etc etc

Museum of Childhood in Bethnal Green, Geffrye Museum, Pollocks Toy Museum

take a short trip out of London, e.g. Hatfield House (where Queen Elizabeth the first lived as a child), St Albans (nice county market town, lots of Roman and medieval history), Windsor Castle, Kew Botanical Gardens, Historic Dockyard at Chatham

Answer 3

Do the things that Londoners do. My kids are students in London and they go to Brick Lane market, Camden Lock market (theres also a club there that turns into a market again in the day!!) I wrote a book review about a student london book.

Mind you, youll find that Londoners like to do the same things as tourists! (ie Covent Garden,picnic in the parks - try and see if theres a free festival on in Trafalgar Square)