Great 'cheap things to do in London' Hunt

MzFitz

This weekend is Trooping The Colour at Buckingham Palace / Horseguards. They have a rehearsal on the two Saturdays before the actual date, I went to the first rehearsal and it looks spectacular. Suggest you stand on the steps by the Duke of Yorks column off Carlton House Terrace or a little further down the same road where the Queen Mothers statue is. Or, if you are early enough, you might be able to get a view of Horseguards from St James's Park - expect a lot of people there though.

Already posted on the Theatre thread - 18th & 19th June is West End Live at Trafalgar Square - lots of the West End shows will perform one number on stage - no guarantee which stars will appear or which number they will do, I think that's still to be confirmed. I went a few years ago and saw the Blue Man performance, which was fun. Saturday is probably more popular as the West End shows will do a performance before the matinee. Check out the website for more info - http://www.westendlive.co.uk/what-s-on

I love the City on weekends - don't expect many pubs or restaurants to be open though. St Bartholemew The Great next to Spitalfields is very popular as a film set - £4 to look around the church where Duckface didn't marry Hugh Grant in Four Weddings and a Funeral.

dronid

I live close to the Elephant and Castle/Borough/London Bridge.

Good website for SE1 area
http://www.london-se1.co.uk/

Unusual Locations
You can find out more about Cross Bones Graveyard here http://www.crossbones.org.uk/

Shopping - Food
Borough Market http://www.boroughmarket.org.uk/
Other Markets in Southwark http://www.southwark.gov.uk/info/10005/markets

Free Festivals etc
Coin Street (by the river) http://www.thamesfestival.org/coin_st/
Free events in Trafalgar Square http://www.london.gov.uk/trafalgarsquare/
Gay Pride – London http://www.pridelondon.org/
The Thames Festival http://www.thamesfestival.org/trust

Museums
There’s a good list of free museums here
http://www.daysoutguide.co.uk/free-london-museums.aspx
The Imperial War Museum is very good and has some nice grounds including a Tibetan Peace Garden

There are lots of cheap places to eat in London. Of course this site has loads of discount vouchers so make full use of them and often you’ll find cheap, pre-theatre deals for lots of places. Time out has a full list of budget eateries
http://www.timeout.com/london/restaurants/ (enter Budget as a Keyword) and of course the main Timeout site has a good list of events and distractions.

With kids it’s quite good to take them on the Docklands Light Railway for a wide ranging view of London – and if you’re lucky you might get them sitting right at the front of the train!

froggy27_2

this thread has been very inspiring... so yesterday, very rainy day, we did few museums.. i can highly recommend the Museum of childhood, for kids and nostalgic parents.... many activities and trails..they even have a 'picnic area' downstairs so even in bad weather you can sit down and enjoy your sandwiches! but there is also a cafe if needed. We will go back soon!

MzFitz

Something I did last Autumn was a Bat walk through Hyde Park / Kensington Gardens - free, escorted walk from the Hyde Park Cafe, walking beside the water through Kensington Gardens at dusk, listening to bats on special equipment supplied - and watching the bats dart around. More information from Royal Parks website (bats aren't up yet, but some info on bands playing and other escorted walks).

Also showing this - http://www.dancealfresco.org/generalinfo.html - on the website, not free, but not madly expensive to join in, free to watch.

MzFitz

And a post all of its own - audience tickets for TV and Radio tapings. These are free but they HATE it if you don't turn up, and therefore oversubscribe for each show - popular shows, if you don't get there early you may get turned away. And it's just rude not to let them know if you have no intention of making it.

http://www.sroaudiences.com/
http://www.lostintv.com
http://www.applausestore.com/home.php
http://www.bbc.co.uk/showsandtours/tickets/

RichyRich

Browntoa wrote: »

agreed , it's this one



regular trips from work on the 388 bus to stock up the freezer

Thanks Browntoa; that's the one! I work in Whitechapel so visit far more often than is healthy but I can't resist! I'll miss it when I go to my new job in south east London :-(

Mr_Smith_3

Absinthe_Fairy wrote: »

If you're going to the pub in London, try and find one owned by the Samuel Smith's brewery. There's loads, in great locations including the Chandos opposite the National Portrait Gallery and the Fitzroy Tavern near Tottenham Court Road: check out the map at http://www.jamesgretton.co.uk/samuelsmiths/. They are very cheap compared to other pubs/bars in the capital. You can get two pints for under a fiver, and the food's cheap too, e.g. chips £1.50 and pizzas £5-£6.

Not all of them. A pint of their Lager and even Ales in The Angel were £3.30 and The Chandos was £2.70 a time - this is coming from recent experience

However the Cittie of Yorke is a nice pub with cheap ales

Surreystarlet

Jax1970 wrote: »

Just wanted to check this with you? The website says tis £14.50 per adult? Is it possible to visit for free?

No - you have to pay to get into St Pauls.

I went in using a 2for1 voucher a few years ago, so keep an eye out for them!

RichyRich

Surreystarlet wrote: »

No - you have to pay to get into St Pauls.

I went in using a 2for1 voucher a few years ago, so keep an eye out for them!

I thought you could attend a service and not pay?

http://www.londonisfree.com/ongoing-events/2008/01/st_pauls_cathedral.html

stevesmith598

Howdy, I love London.... there is so much to do ... even when you don't want to spend that much .... I found this article on net where they have summarized 8 things that one could do under 10 pounds .. I have already tried couple of them ... nice stuff ... please share if you have something similar and so good stuff...
:j:beer:
bookatlastminute.com/2011/03/top-8-things-to-do-in-uk-for-10-pounds/

thanks! Steve