With an attraction for almost every day of the year London can satisfy all tastes! Plus, with one or two exceptions, most of them are suitable for young or old alike.
QUIRKY?
If you want to try something different then the attractions mentioned below won't disappoint. All of them will have something very different and some will happily relieve you of a hundred plus pounds and that will be just for one person! None are more than 30 minutes by public transport from our properties. So... don your spirit of adventure, go with an open mind and have an experience that you won't forget and head for;
DANS LE NOIR
A restaurant but an attraction as well in its own right. Eat in the pitch black. No lights allowed!!! Not even mobile phones. You will experience a meal like no other using your senses to taste your food and try and work out what you are eating (yes you don't know what the food is- just a vegetarian or meat option with no idea what is actually on the menu).
All waiting staff are blind.
Easy to get to on the Central Line. Booking essential!
Our Tip:
Arrive in plenty of time and don't expect a gourmet experience. The food is nice but it is more about the sensory experience than the food.
Book well in advance. Dans le Noir is only open at weekends for lunch. Dinner is every day. Near the Museum of London.
Have fun trying to feel your cutlery and drinking in the pitch black is quite a challenge! Interact with your waitress/waiter.
UP THE O2
For people who don't mind heights. Climb onto the roof of the iconic 02 arena at 52 meters.
Fantastic views of the London skyline. On a nice day you can see up to 15 miles away. Totally safe.
Access is easy. Great to reach it by boat on the MNBA Thames Cllippers leaving from the London Eye. Otherwise catch the Jubliee tube line and get off at North Greenwich.
Our Tip:
Make a day of it and catch one of the lovely shows on at the Arena...Lots of eateries there too. Great Elvis exhibition.
Try and check the weather forecast before booking. Best done on a clear day.
HOT AIR BALLOON:
Another beautiful way to see London from the sky! Rise above the sites and sounds of London and fly away in a beautiful hot air balloon. Great for children as well.
You will fly over Tower Bridge, the financial city with the Gherkin, Buckingham Palace, the London Eye, The Houses of Parliment, the O2, Wembley Stadium just to name a few
Parking on site in different take off locations.
Our Tip:
Early start essential......so not ideal for late risers. But worth the effort. Trips can get cancelled due to weather so best booked at beginning of stay.
Other Trendy hangouts?
Sketch - with 3 lovely restaurants. Afternoon tea and a cocktail bar and fine dining restaurant. Easy access from Oxford Circus Tube.
Our View? Worth a visit if you're up for quirky decor and amazing egg shaped toilets!
Helicopter Rides - based at Battersea Heliport about 7 minutes from the properties by train in a great location. There are three different journey lengths on the helicopter, 12 minute buzz ride, 18 minute sights ride and 30 minute max ride.
We say catch the train from Wimbledon to Clapham Junction for a unique view of London. It is only a 10 minute walk from Clapham Junction to the Heliport. The buzz ride is the best value and takes in most of the sites.
BFI Bar- one for film lovers! The British Film Institute is a great destination for movie buffs right in the heart of the South Bank. Head to the main Benugo Bar and take a look at the bookshelf on the wall. There is a secret door that leads to the Drawing Room which serves cocktails and canapes for those brave enough to enter! The decor is Old Gentelman's club style. Great find!
Our View? Nice to go if you are old school and like mahogany, leather sofas and soft lighting.
FAMILY FRIENDLY?
Oh...so many to choose from! However within easy reach of the properties;
POLKA THEATRE CHILDREN'S THEATRE
This is reachable on foot from the properties (10 minute walk). It was the first Uk theatre for children and is aimed at children aged 0-13. Great good value entertainment.
WIMBLEDON THEATRE
Another theatre only 10 minutes walk from the properties. Has some fantastic shows. Lovely Pantomime at Christmas with past celebrity names such as Henry Winkler, Linday Gray, Wayne Sleep to name but a few. They also have regular children's shows during the rest of the year with shows post or pre West End so the standard is really high. A fantastic theatre which is over 100 years old from Edwardian London. Nice Nandos opposite for after show munchies.
Lots of other restaurants and bars to choose from nearby.
WIMBLEDON PARK
1 stop on the tube. Free parking is tricky, but meter parking is available - Lovely park with playground, paddling pool, tennis courts, mini-golf, sailing and other watersports.
CHESSINGTON WORLD OF ADVENTURES (sometimes called Chessington Zoo on signposts):
Lovely theme park with lovely zoo! But add to that different themes around the park and characters in costume and you can see why it is very popular. You can also get a discounted entrance to the other parks (Lego Land, Thorpe Park)
Great parking and you can get the train direct from Wimbledon. Journey time 20 minutes. The park is a 10 minute walk from the station and you can get a great value combined train and park entrance ticket.
Our suggestions?
All these attractions are with a short distance of our properties
SPEED BOAT RIDE ON THE THAMES
This is a great experience but not for the faint hearted. Speed along the Thames at high speed for 50 minutes taking in sights such as the London Eye, Tower Bridge, St Paul's Cathedral and the Tower of London! Direct train from Wimbledon to Waterloo! Excellent guide/commentator. Departs from Millenium Pier under the London Eye daily March to October from 10.00 am to dusk.
LONDON GHOST BUS TOUR
Leaving from Trafalgar Square, the tour takes you to London's most sinister sights. Easy access on the Northen Line. Quickest route is a direct train from Wimbledon to Waterloo and then the tube from Waterloo to Charing Cross (1 stop) It's great for kids on a beautifully refurbished vintage double decker bus. Travel back in time to Buckingham Palace, Westminster, across the Thames from Royality to the Great Fire. With the addition of video cameras, plasma screens and sub-woofers. Daily 7.30 and 9.00 pm
AFTERNOON TEA ON A VINTAGE DOUBLE DECKER BUS
Take traditional tea whilst soaking up all the London sights. Monday to Fridays. 12.30 or 3.00 pm. From Trafalgar Square. Lovely afternoon tea with sandwiches, mini quiche, patisserie, scones, clotted cream, jam, mini cup cakes, macroons, tea and fresh orange juice....served on a beautiful 1960's double decker bus! There is a minimum aged restriction of 6. A unique experience
Further afield?
Try Bicester Village in Oxfordshire for designer outlet shopping only 42 minutes by train, Stonehenge in Wiltshire, Stratford-Upon-Avon in Warkishire are all worth a visit.
Our Tip? London Walks organise walks all over London on themed subjects. Really interesting and very good value. No need to book just turn up at the designated meeting point and time. Some of the themes are Oscar Wilde, The Secrets of Westiminster Abbey, the Beatles just to name a few. They run every day usually at 10.30 am, 10.45 am, 11.am, 2.00 pm, 2.15 pm and 2.30 pm. The guides are really knowledgeable...and there are quite some characters. It is a fantastic way to see a side of London you will never get from the guide books. They also organize out of London trips...Cambridge, Sailsbury, Oxford, St Albans, Richmond, Cantebury, Bath, Winchester just to name a few! It is a tour with a difference as you travel in a group by train not by coach; quicker easier and more comfortable. Once you get there all the sights will be visited on foot ...so a much better experience!
Most secretive hidden gem?
That has to be Camden Passage in Islington. A well kept secret amongst those that know, tucked behind Upper Street in Islington. It is a real treasure trove of cute cafes, independent boutiques and vintage shops. It has unique items and also an antique market. Fantastic whilst wondering around Camden which is unique in itself. Also take in Camden Lock- and Camden Market!
and finally....?
...the answer we always give is Lower Marsh; a few streets from the South Bank, vibrant and historic. What is so special about it you may ask? Great shops...theatres, and eateries.
There is also a Satruday food market...so nice to meander in this area!
