Cheap Things to Do in London
May 12th, 2025
Sometimes it feels like even leaving your flat in London should come with a financial warning. You step outside for a “quick walk” and somehow end up £17.85 poorer, armed only with an oat latte and the mild regret of spending your last fiver on hummus crisps. But, believe it or not, this city still has a few tricks up its sleeve for budget-friendly good times.
Whether you’re looking for free things to do in London or just hoping to have a great day out without emptying your Monzo, here’s a list of brilliant activities that won’t make your bank account weep. From riverside BBQ boats to nostalgic museums and date-worthy art cafes, consider this your go-to guide for affordable, quality fun.
Thames Lido, Reading
📍 Outdoor swimming Lido | 💸 From £20
Okay, technically it's just beyond London, but still within reach. Thames Lido is the city break you never knew you needed—and it is one without the inconvenience of traveling abroad. Located in Reading (just a lil train ride away), this spot boasts a romantic, outdoor pool surrounded by restored Victorian style architecture and laid-back vibes all over. For £20+, you get to use a warm pool, a wood-fired sauna, and the kind of tranquility London simply can't provide on a weekday.
After a swim, head to their restaurant for Mallorca-style Mediterranean morsels. It's elegant, relaxing, and surprisingly affordable for what constitutes a mini break. Whether you head there alone with a book or use it as a date activity, it's a no-brainer for a wellbeing day out.
Barbecue Boats, Canary Wharf
📍 BBQ in Canary Wharf | 💸 From £14.50
Ever wanted to have a boat trip and a BBQ without setting your friend's house alight? Skuna BBQ Boats in Canary Wharf lets you do just that—cook your sausages as you cruise down London's canals. It's silly, it's clever, and it's actually cheap on a budget if you split the cost with friends.
Whether you’re celebrating something or just want to get out of your flatshare for a bit, it’s got that “we’ll talk about this forever” factor. The boats are super easy to steer (even if your idea of navigation is mostly shouting “left” until someone does something), and the views? Genuinely lovely.
Brixton Brewery Tour
📍Fun activity | 💸 £15 (includes 3 pints!)
A brewery tour that comes with three pints to the top for £15? Sign us up. Brixton Brewery makes it short, sweet, and tipsy with its 45-minute Saturday-only tour. You'll catch a sneak peek at the behind-the-scenes of your favorite beers being produced, topped off by a proper tasting session that's really just a pre-drinks with an entertaining educational twist.
Seek out the positive vibes, friendly staff, and cozy small-group environment that's a whole lot more personal than the giant-brand beer mills. And it's literally next to Brixton Village, so you can keep the party going with some dumplings or jerk chicken afterward.
Museum of Brands, Notting Hill
📍Museum | 💸 £9
This museum is your childhood, literally, on a bottle and on display (that is a reference for old labels on sodas- get it?). You'll stroll through decades of vintage packaging, old advertisements, and classic items that'll have you saying, "I remember that!" every five seconds.
It’s oddly emotional, surprisingly fascinating, and a full-on nostalgia trip that somehow costs less than a tenner. Whether you’re a sucker for retro cereal boxes or just curious about how we marketed soap in 1930, it’s a charming stop in west London.
Draughts Board Game Café, Waterloo
📍 Indoor activity | 💸 From £5
In the mood for some low-key, fun action with a date or mate hangout? Draughts in Waterloo boasts over 1,000 board games, snacks at thetable, and cheap drinks. For just fiver, you're indulged in hours of ruthless fun (or childish grudge matches) with indie and retro games.
The atmosphere is laid-back but buzzy, the grub is good, and the staff can tell their Cluedo from their Catan. It's cozy, geeky, and the sort of place where time gets lost in the best possible way. An absolute no-brainer if you're looking for couple activities in London that won't resultin cringey silences or forking out £80 for sharing plates.
Pizza-Making Class at Gallio, Canary Wharf
📍 Fun classes | 💸 £15 per person
Some classes are boring. This one’s cheesy—in the best possible way. Gallio’s pizza-making experience isn’t just about flinging dough around (although, yes, there is some flinging). You’ll learn to craft your own artisan pizza with fresh toppings, under the guidance of proper chefs who somehow make it feel easy and fun.
It's the ideal couple thing that's half therapy, half food, and half fun. Bonus: you eat what you make in a cool restaurant-like environment, soit tastes far more expensive than it does on the price ticket.
Rise Climbing, Canning Town
📍 Fun activity | 💸 From £10
This isn’t just bouldering. It's social climbing, literally. Rise in Canning Town combines cozy community vibes with cutting-edge climbing walls, gym space, and superior coffee to what you'll find in a climbing gym.
Whether you're scaling your first wall or extending your seasoned grip, the zone is laid-back and welcoming. It's also walking distance from the docklands, so you can cap your climb with a walk on water or even cable car ride. Perfect for those looking for outdoor adventure in London with a touch of sweat and serotonin.
Charles Dickens Museum
📍 Museums | 💸 £12.50
You don't actually have to be a full-on literature geek to enjoy this. The Charles Dickens Museum takes place in the author's original home and teaches you tons about his life, quirks, and works. It's just all so "Great Expectations" crossed with Airbnb.
Anticipate beautifully restored rooms, handwritten books, and personal belongings that make the 1800s seem oddly familiar. It's a serene, sophisticated way to soak up a bit of culture—and one of the more tranquil fun things to do in London.
Art Play London
📍 Group classes London | 💸 From £20
Want to unloosen your inner artist without worrying about someone criticizing your dodgy brushwork or wobbly vase? Art Play in Spitalfields is the place. You can paint, draw, sculpt, or just make a merry mess—glass of wine at the ready, if you wish.
The atmosphere is chill, the instructors are low-key, and the end result needn't be great at all. It's art therapy combined with social night out, and we're huge enthusiasts.
Lady Dinah’s Cat Emporium
📍Unique / unusual activity | 💸 From £10
Cats and tea. That's the pitch. And honestly, it pitches itself. At Lady Dinah's, you sip tea and nosh cake while rescue cats stroll past your table as if they own the joint (because, technically, they do).
It's all very laid-back, with plenty of quiet areas and blankets to curl up under. Cat lovers will be in paradise. Everyone else can still have a weirdly calming way to spend 90 minutes in Shoreditch.
Plonk Hackney
📍 Indoor games/Arcade | 💸 £5 for 30 min
Tucked behind London Fields, this neon-drenched spot offers pool tables, old-school arcade games, and enough snacks and drinks to keep you fuelled for hours. Think mini-golf energy without the club vibes—just bright lights, retro tunes, and plenty of space to unleash your inner gamer. You’ve got classics like Pac-Man and air hockey, plus a few unexpected gems that’ll make you go, “wait, I haven’t seen this in years!”
Whether you're on a casual date or catching up with mates, Plonk is playful, low-commitment, and seriously fun. No dress code, no pressure—just good vibes and friendly competition. Bonus: the cocktails are decent, the beer list’s solid, and the prices don’t make you cry. There’s even vegan grub on the menu (hello, plant-based tacos) and the staff are absolute legends.
It’s the kind of place where you arrive for a quick game and end up staying all night. Not bad for something that costs less than your Friday night Deliveroo.
Boat Ride in Hyde Park
📍 Outdoor activity | 💸 £13
Let's be realistic—there's something quaintly beautiful in rowing a boat past Londoners sunbathing like lizards on blanket mats. Hyde Park's boat hire by the Serpentine is an instant winner for anyone seeking a gentle, leisurely adventure right in the middle of central London. At just £13, you can paddle around like you're in a Jane Austen novel, but with more selfies and without corsets.
The lake itself is actually pretty big, and the environment? Green trees, the occasional swan floating past, and that far-off city noise remindingyou you're still in London, really. With friends, with a partner, or just being a bit whimsical on your own, it's a nice 'main character'experience. The boats seat six, so bring your crew—or just claim the pedals for yourself.
Bonus: it's only a short stroll from Kensington Palace, and yes, you can follow it up with a posh ice cream. As London outdoor activities go, this one's got sunshine, exercise, and a touch of romance all wrapped up in one.
Boating Pond at Greenwich Park
📍 Outdoor activity | 💸 £4.40 (adults), £3.15 (kids)
And now for a pint-sized, yet potent, boating alternative. Tucked away off to the side of the playground in Greenwich Park, this tiny pond has been quietly delivering no-nonsense family fun for years. It's not giant—you won't be filming Pirates of the Caribbean here, but what it doesn'thave in size, it makes up for in affordable fun.
No faff. No queues, no bookings. Just rock up, swipe on card for £4.40, and you're paddling off in less than a minute. The pond is shallow (read: nobody's drowning), so it's great for kids, jittery adults, and amateurboat captains. And when the sun's shining? It's the sort of simple pleasure that stays with you way after your 20 minutes are up.
It's the kind of budget heaven that proves not everything in London fun has to be Instagrammable and £30 a head. And, amazing as it sounds, you can still get a cracking shot with the Royal Observatory or thatrenowned Greenwich skyline looming in the background.
Greenwich Peninsula Golf Range
📍 Unusual date idea | 💸 £16/hour
Swing, sip, and look out—that's the Greenwich Peninsula Golf Range's slogan. Ringed by shimmering glass skyscrapers and the wide Thames, it's glow-up golf. You've got a whole bay to yourself for £16 per hour (split it between two or three and it's pennies), and you don't need to be a golf pro to enjoy yourself.
Each tech-savvy bay is designed to track your shots so that it really feelslike playing a video game in the real world. The balls just never stop coming, the beer never stops flowing, and there's even a rooftop bar where you can toast your accidental hole-in-one (or just your prowessat getting the ball in the right direction).
Whether it's on a date or hanging out with friends, this one is a heavycontender for fun things to do in London that don't come across as too try-hard. Tip: visit Canary Wharf at sunset for a lit up mood.
Tower Bridge Glass Walkway
📍 Iconic landmark | 💸 Small fee (~£16)
Walking across Tower Bridge is cool. Walking across it on a glass floor, 42 metres above the Thames while traffic and boats pass beneath your feet? That’s next-level cool. You don’t need to shell out mega bucks to enjoy this London classic—just a small entry fee and a bit of bravery.
It’s not too scary, but it’s thrilling enough to give your legs a slight wobble (in a fun way). Plus, the views across London are fab, and you’ll learn a bunch of history too—like how they used to lift the bridge by hand (kind of). There’s even a mirror on the ceiling so you can take that ultimate “I did it!” selfie.
And once you're done, you're next to the Tower of London, St. Katharine Docks, and a riverside walk that feels like a different city altogether. History, views, and light vertigo? Bargain.
Horizon 22 Viewing Deck
📍 Free viewpoint | 💸 Free
Skip the £30 Shard ticket. Horizon 22 is taller, newer, and 100% free. Onthe fashionable 22 Bishopsgate building, this viewing platform is London's highest free one, with floor-to-ceiling glass and views that sweep from Wembley to Woolwich.
You’ll need to book in advance, but it’s surprisingly easy—and way less crowded than you’d expect. Great for dates, photo ops, or just clearing your head above the clouds. And hey, it’s free. That means more budget for post-view drinks or snacks downstairs.
Another hidden gem that proves London’s skyline doesn’t have to come at sky-high prices.
St Katharine Docks
📍 Hidden gem | 💸 Free
Just behind the Tower of London lies St Katharine Docks—a serene marina filled with bobbing boats, cafés, and calm waters that feel like you’ve wandered into a secret pocket of Amsterdam.
It's peaceful, picturesque, and not tourist-ridden so it's a perfect stop for an after-lunch stroll. You can even see the royal boat or some surprisingly upmarket yachts while you're on it. Get a coffee, sit by the water, and soak it all in.
It's not trendy, but one of the most beautiful spots to stop and fill up after the fray of inner London. A hidden gem for anyone who likes their city trips with a bit of added serenity.
Barbican Conservatory
📍 Free stuff in London | 💸 Free (Sundays only, booking needed)
The Barbican itself is a brutalist labyrinth of cool (or maybe for the cool) but on Sundays its Conservatory is opened to the public—and it's like running across a secret tropical paradise. Palm trees, koi fish, and over 1,500 species of plants, all cozy in a greenhouse inside the Barbican Centre.
Free to enter, although you will need to reserve in advance, but it is no big hustle. Once you're inside, it's a whole mood: relaxed, leafy, and a great free things to do if you're hungover or just need to escape the greyness for a while. Bonus points for being an indoor activity that still provides proper jungle vibes.
Final Thoughts
London might be pricey, but fun doesn’t have to cost you a whole day’s salary. Whether you're after couple things to do in London or just scoping out some free things to do in London with mates, this city’s bursting with creative, quirky, and surprisingly cheap gems. Go on—make some memories without rinsing your card.
