adventurous things to do in london

Adventurous Things to do in London

By Dom Bewley

Calling all daredevils among you! Are you tired of boring, normal activities? Are you sitting at home right now, staring at walls? Are you on your slog of a commute hoping a ninja will jump out and start doing ninja stuff? You sound like the sort that yearns for that sweet adrenaline. Well, never fear, because London has plenty of white knuckle adventures to sate your hunger. But where are they? Well, here. In this handy list, we made just for you. The stars have aligned, and adventure is nigh! These are the best adventurous things to do in London!

Featuring:

  • ArcelorMittal Orbit
  • Sherlock Holmes: The Game
  • The Crystal Maze Live Experience
  • Helicopter Tours
  • Thames Rockets
  • and more!
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ArcelorMittal Orbit

Instead of sliding into some unsuspecting person's DMs, put down the phone and try a real slide. Built during the 2012 Olympic Games, ArcelorMittal Orbit is a towering structure. Looming over the Olympic Park, it stands at a whopping 114.5m tall, it's quite the sight. If you have the stomach to climb the hundreds of stairs it takes to reach one of the viewing platforms, you'll be able to see the whole city. But why not take it one step further - step inside the world's tallest slide, and ride it all the way down to the bottom? Its twists and turns are sure to delight all the daredevils out there. Just, maybe leave lunch until after you're done. No one wants to clean up that.

Sherlock: The Official Live Game

Dare you tangle with the maniacal mastermind Moriarty himself? Well, you can now, at Sherlock: The Official Live Game! Part escape room, part immersive Sherlock experience, and part bar, this thrill ride will pit your team's wits against Sherlock's nemesis. Featuring real props and recreated environments from the BBC TV show, as well as exclusive clips from the cast, use key detective work and problem-solving to crack the case. Sherlock's busy, doing Sherlock things like being unnecessarily arrogant, so you're on your own this time! But don't dally; you only have 100 minutes to complete the tasks. If you don't, you die! Okay, probably not. But you will bring great shame to your house.

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Crystal Maze Experience

Take a trip back to the bizarre but unique Nineties, replete with leopard print jackets, at the Crystal Maze Experience! Bring some friends and take on challenges in four unique zones. Use every ounce of mental and physical strength to complete challenges and get the crystals! Take too long, and you'll be locked inside forever! Or until your team gets you out. Whichever happens first. Then, you'll enter the crystal dome and flail about pathetically as you attempt to grab as many notes as possible. The winner, well, you'll have to find out what the victors win when you try it for yourself!

Go Ape

Do you ever wonder what life was like before, when our ancestors lived in the trees? Yes, evolution is real. Probably. And yes, you can relive your ancestral heritage at Go Ape! Suspended in safety, thanks to a key harness, you'll be free to tight-rope walk across a daring assault course in the sky. Then, when you've assaulted the course completely, ride down to terra firma in style on an exhilarating zip line! Feel the primal roar inside you grow. Know what it was like to live in trees. Maybe move into a treehouse with central heating. All this and more is waiting for you at the three Go Ape centres across London. Definitely one of the best things to do in London for the adventurous of you!

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Helicopter Tour

Yes, there are even more adventurous things to do in London! If trees aren't high enough, how about you try a few hundred metres higher? Hop on a helicopter and take a tour of the city! See all the city's sights from a new angle. Get a bird's eye view of legendary London landmarks like Big Ben, St Paul's Cathedral, the London Eye, and many more! Just like a bird! It might just be the best way to see the city you love. Or, at least, the city you tolerate.

Bungee Jump at the O2

Have you ever jumped off a building and lived? Probably not. But what if I told you you could jump off an entire arena and survive. Well, that's exactly what you can do at the O2 Arena! Climb to the top, suit up, and plunge nearly 50m down! Feel the wind rush past your face. See the city rush towards you. But don't worry, you'll be safe. And you will love it.

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London Bridge Experience

Feeling spooky? Do you thrive on horror movies? Are you the sort to look for the monster under your bed instead of cowering beneath the quilt? Well, have we got an experience for you. A London Bridge Experience! Dwelling beneath the eponymous bridge, you'll find spooky spectacle and daring delights alike. Revisit the city's ghoulish past, all 2000 years of it. The experience itself is an interactive theatre of pain and misery. Hear tales from London's residents throughout time. No, they're not paid actors; they're real historical people!

Listen as they transport you back to some of London's most haunted historical moments. Revisit the horrors of the Great Fire, relive Jack the Ripper's reign of terror, and also the Romans were bad! Or, if you dare, delve into the tombs beneath the bridge. Supposedly, real ghosts and demons prowl the lower levels. Not paid actors. Will you live to tell the tale? Or will you be scared to death! Alternatively, if you have little ones with you, there's the kid-friendly Guardian Angel Tour. Expect the same stories with less spook and makeup.

Thames Rockets

And finally, if you prefer your adrenaline sun and sea-soaked, where better to get your fix than on a speedboat? Head to the Thames, put on your best life jacket, and prepare for a wave-crashing thrill ride of thrillingness! All thrills, no spills. Take a day trip around the city's shoreline, or try an evening ride with a complimentary drink at the end. Kick your weekend of thrills off with a boat ride you won't soon forget.

And that's our list of the most adventurous things to do in London!

Dom Bewley
Go City Travel Expert

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A couple walk past Tower Bridge in London in April
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One week in London: your ultimate itinerary

London isn’t just a list of landmarks to tick off but a living entity which has been constantly evolving for over 2000 years. Hugely diverse in origin, Londoners shop, work and worship amidst world-beating attractions. Spend enough time in the capital, and you’ll realize that behind their frosty exterior most of London’s nine million people are also a friendly – if modest – bunch worth taking the time to get to know properly. A week in London it is then! Plan it well and a London 7 day itinerary can provide you with a view of the British capital it’s not possible to get with a two or three day visit. As Samuel Johnson once said, when you’re tired of London, you’re tired of life. Your first day in London With your camera battery fully charged and SD cards empty, ease yourself into the next 7 days in London at Piccadilly Circus. At the junction between the thoroughfare simply known as Piccadilly and Regent Street, it’s a spot that has spun with black cabs, red double decker buses and advertising hoardings for decades, with the Statue of Eros acting as the starting point for countless romances. Piccadilly has its fair share of famous storefronts should you want to start the souvenir shopping early, with Fortnum & Mason as evocative of time in London as afternoon tea at The Ritz a few doors down. Spend the rest of the day taking in the views of Buckingham Palace from the roof of Wellington Arch – once home to London’s smallest police station – and admiring the collections of Apsley House. Also known as No 1 London, it was the home of the Duke of Wellington, victor over Napoleon. A day by the river The views at the Tower of London extend back close to 1000 years. A fortification built by William the Conqueror around 1066 which became a prison to Anne Boleyn, Guy Fawkes and The Kray twins, the tower is now best known for its ravens, yeomen wardens (beefeaters) and crown jewels. Together they provide an unforgettable morning of heritage, wit and bling. Cross the Thames by Tower Bridge to reach the south side of the river. Opening on average three times a day, with a week in London you can afford to hang around the area for a while just in case, perhaps taking in HMS Belfast at the same time. With nine decks to explore, it’s one of the most detailed displays of life in the navy during peace and war time you’ll encounter. End the day looking down on London from The View from The Shard. Western Europe’s tallest building, The Shard’s observation floors stand 250 meters above the riverside, providing panoramas capable of transporting you 40 miles in any direction. The bar makes an extra-special spot from which to enjoy London’s sunsets too. The rainy day The weather in London is fickle enough that you could experience a rainy day at any time of year. But don’t worry, there’s plenty indoors that will keep you busy without them feeling like second-rate options. The Natural History Museum, Science Museum and Victoria and Albert Museum are located side by side in Kensington, though with such extensive collections you’re better off sticking to the one that interests you most. Whilst the first two museums are relatively self-explanatory, the Victoria and Albert Museum name doesn’t give much away. Funded by the profits of Hyde Park’s 1851 Great Exhibition, it concentrates on the decorative arts, from ceramics to tapestries and jewelry. The site of performances throughout the year, the Royal Albert Hall really comes into its own in August and September, when it welcomes the Proms. But even when there’s no scheduled performance you can still take in its main auditorium with a behind the scenes tour. Span a millennium in a day For a trip beneath the world’s oceans without the price tag to match, start the fourth day of your London week itinerary at SEA LIFE Center London Aquarium. As well as a coral reef and a shark tunnel, visitors are able to watch the antics of a small colony of penguins. Just outside, the steady rotation of the London Eye has become an irresistible part of anyone’s London experience. The world’s first cantilever Ferris wheel – supported on just one side – its location means it provides some of the clearest views of the Houses of Parliament and Westminster Abbey beyond. With origins predating the Norman Conquest of 1066, the abbey has witnessed some of the most important events in British history, from the coronation of over 40 kings and queens, to royal marriages, memorials to national treasures and the burial of the unknown soldier at the end of the First World War. Royal brides continue to place their bouquet on its black marble surface in honor of the fallen. Spend a day at Kew The list of public green spaces that were once the private property of the British monarch extends to the Royal Botanic Gardens, Kew. A cherished part of west London, the gardens have gained international recognition through their UNESCO World Heritage status and continuing work to save botany’s rarest plants from extinction. Nor does it matter when you plan to visit London, since Kew provides all-year color and interest. Spring sees tulips, daffodils and cherry blossom take centerstage, before the summer months present its follies – including a ten story Chinese pagoda – in all their glory. Fall sees Kew’s 14,000 trees from around the world turn stunning shades of sunset whilst even the winter isn’t lacking in attractions thanks to its multiple glasshouses and February orchid festival. So slip on a good pair of walking shoes and discover for yourself what Kew is all about! A day in the City of London Begin Day 6 of your odyssey at the northern end of London Bridge. Once the only crossing over the Thames in the city, the current version dates from the 1960s and is a little underwhelming compared to London’s other crossings – but does have clear views towards Tower Bridge and The Shard. Head north from the city of London into the City of London – which has its own police force and ancient ways though not much over two kilometers square – for one of London’s quirkier attractions – The Monument. Located on an easy-to-miss side street, it commemorates the Great Fire of 1666, reputed to have started in Pudding Lane opposite. The ‘new’ St Paul’s Cathedral rose from the ashes of the fire. Designed by Sir Christopher Wren, its sightlines are protected by law and its interior considered one of architecture's greatest achievements. End your day in and around the Museum of London, which tells the story of the capital from the time of the mammoths to the latest archeological discoveries. A day of live performances Make sure you haven’t missed anything by spending the morning enjoying the commentary and day ticket opportunities of a Hop-On Hop-Off Bus Tour through the heart of the capital. Follow this up with a matinee performance at one of the West End’s top theaters, where dramas, musicals and comedies switch between coming from and going to New York’s Broadway and attract big names in television and cinema to their stages. On a bright summer night the open-air amphitheater forming Regent’s Park Theater ensures each show is unique, whilst an afternoon at ZSL London Zoo provides another type of entertainment. Its 750 species, from aardvarks to zebra, never fail to charm. A week in London with Go City Capture the essence of the living and breathing British capital with one week in London. Its range of attractions are extensive, but that doesn’t mean you have to watch your bank balance drain. Travel with Go City to take advantage of massive savings on admission to many top attractions!
Ian Packham
A typical Mayfair Street scene
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Things to do in Mayfair London

Mayfair is one of London’s most upmarket neighborhoods. Just mentioning its name will probably bring to mind high-end shopping and extravagant meals to any Londoner, whilst anyone who’s played the London version of Monopoly will know Park Lane is a dangerous square to land on. Located in the leafy West End between two royal parks and two of London’s main shopping streets, many of its properties were once the London townhouses of the British aristocracy. Although you may want to indulge if you visit, you certainly don’t have to spend big to enjoy all the things to do in Mayfair London, as you’re about to find out! Seek out a bargain There are two forms of shopping that take place in Mayfair – the real kind and the window kind. Despite its high-end reputation, Mayfair does allow those on more modest budgets than the Duke of Westminster (one of the UK’s richest men) to enjoy the thrill of picking up the latest must have item. Oxford Street runs along the neighborhood’s northwestern boundary and has most of the main high street shops as well as Selfridges’ flagship store. Turn onto Regents Street and the ambience seems to rise another notch. The two big names to look out for here are Hamleys and Liberty. Very different in their target markets, Hamleys is the world’s oldest and largest toy shop, with seven floors and 50,000 items of stock. The mock Tudor edifice of Liberty meanwhile has been at the center of the arts and crafts scene – promoting individual handmade items – since it first opened in 1875. Mixed-use Shepherd Market was the site of the original May fair from which the neighborhood takes its name. Its current buildings date from the 1860s and contain deli-like food stores alongside antiques emporia, restaurants and pubs. But if one single location in Mayfair speaks of decadence and extreme luxury it’s Burlington Arcade, whose storefronts manage to maintain an essence of the covered walkway’s origins in 1819, whilst Old and New Bond Streets coming a close second with their pick of designer brands. Soak up Mayfair’s cultural side Predating Burlington Arcade by a couple of generations is the Royal Academy of Arts (RA) in Burlington House next door. The oldest institution of its kind anywhere in the world, it regularly hosts exhibitions, most notably its Summer Exhibition, which sees its walls packed frame to frame with works of original contemporary art submitted by the public. One of London’s top private museums, the Handel House Museum on Brook Street has recreated the rooms in which the German-born composer created many of his most influential works including those still used in coronation ceremonies and his oratorio Messiah with its Hallelujah chorus. From time to time the museum also celebrates Jimi Hendrix, who lived in the neighboring property some 200 years later. If science and engineering are more your thing, don’t miss the Faraday Museum. Located in the basement laboratory where the scientist conducted many of his experiments on electricity, it contains instruments the great man used as well as various awards he received for his research. Alternatively, you can honor Faraday by taking a seat at one of the screens of the Curzon Mayfair Cinema and make the most of his achievements with a bucket of caramel popcorn. Picnic in its open spaces When the weather’s playing ball there may be nowhere better in Mayfair than Hyde Park, whose footpaths and cycleways form one of central London’s largest green spaces. They are connected together by various memorials and monuments, whilst also incorporating the Serpentine Lake, Kensington Gardens and Kensington Palace as its major attractions. At its northernmost tip – somewhat forgotten about – stands Marble Arch. The main entrance to Buckingham Palace until the horse-drawn carriages got too big, it was moved in 1851 close to the site of Tyburn Tree – one of the city’s traditional places to publicly hang criminals. A spot without such a grisly history is Berkeley Square. Pronounced ‘Barclay’ and made famous by the 1940 tune A Nightingale Sang in Berkeley Square, the shade cast by its 200 year old London plane trees makes it a pleasant spot to relax on its benches surrounding by some of the capital’s most impressive private homes and what’s said to be London’s most haunted house at number 56. Have an afternoon tea to remember Mayfair has some of London’s oldest and most-prestigious hotels, many of which are open to non-guests looking to celebrate their time in the UK capital with the most British of mealtimes – afternoon tea. Opening its doors in 1837, Brown’s flies a little under the radar, but has a history which includes visits from Queen Victoria, Agatha Christie and Theodore Roosevelt as well as being the location of the country’s first telephone call. Claridge’s foyer and reading room is another popular afternoon tea destination, where the scones, finger cakes and petite sandwiches match perfectly with the art deco surrounds and the sound of a live pianist. For foodie souvenirs you can take back home there’s also a number of options. H R Higgins is where the royals get their coffee – although naturally tea tends to be their drink of choice. The Royal Arcade’s Charbonnel et Walker have chocolates and truffles that will win over even the most critical of diners whilst Hedonism Wines has developed a name for itself by bringing in unusual vintages from around the globe. Delve into Mayfair with Go City Known for its exclusivity, Mayfair is more than a playground for the British aristocracy and their modern equivalents. Visit for yourself and you’ll discover there are an array of things to do in Mayfair London, from almost-endless shopping opportunities to afternoon tea. Explore London with Go City and you can visit many of London’s top attractions whilst making huge savings on admission so you don’t need to own a house in the neighborhood to enjoy all Mayfair and beyond have to offer!
Ian Packham
Friends exploring London together
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Things to do in Shoreditch London

If you’re wondering about the things to do in Shoreditch London, know this first. Shoreditch is many things, but probably not the things you think it is. Technically part of east London, it feels more like an area of central London, lying just north of the Square Mile and its financial institutions. Likewise, Shoreditch is often described as being edgy and creative, but this shouldn’t be mistaken for dirty or seedy. By day the neighborhood throngs with young professionals working in the office blocks around the Silicon Roundabout – the UK’s answer to Silicon Valley. By night, its triangle of main streets is alive with bars and restaurants, as well as spots to dance the night away and seek out a comfy hotel bed. Surprised? You shouldn’t be. Shoreditch has been an entertainment district since Shakespeare’s time. It was here – rather than the Globe – where his earliest and best-known plays were first performed – Romeo and Juliet, Henry V and Hamlet amongst them. Rub shoulders with market traders A couple of hundred meters south of Shoreditch, Old Spitalfields Market has been in operation since around 1666 – the year fire devastated much of central London. For centuries a wholesale market open only to traders, the early 2000s saw its redevelopment into a hub for the public. It’s Victorian era structures provide an atmospheric backdrop for seeking out everything from the latest fashions to street food. Open daily, the complex has a pop up vintage market every Thursday, a vinyl fair on Fridays and a mix of arts and crafts throughout the week. The backdrop of an otherwise ordinary terraced east London street is not necessarily where you’d expect the explosion of color that is Columbia Road Flower Market either. Each Sunday the narrow street becomes a jungle of plants, with connecting roads seeing a spillover of plants and café tables. Explore the Shoreditch of yesteryear Old Spitalfields Market isn’t the only attraction in Shoreditch to have undergone regeneration. Still known to many as the Geffryre Museum, but rebranded the Museum of the Home, this former almshouse on Kingsland Road explores home life from the year 1600 to the present day. Visitors are able to pass through rooms from multiple ages, including a drawing room from 1870 and a loft apartment from the late 1990s. The period gardens are a nice spot to escape the hubbub of Shoreditch High Street. Operating in a similar vein, Dennis Severs’ House has been dressed up into an approximation of a home of Huguenots in the 1700s. Protestants from France, the Huguenots are just one of a series of groups who have sought refuge in London’s cheaper neighborhoods alongside Jews and Bengali immigrants, creating one of the world’s most diverse cities in the process! Satisfy your hunger You only need to head as far as Brick Lane to experience this diversity in all of its aromatic glory. The heart of London’s Bangladeshi community, it has bilingual street signs and some of the best curry you’ll find in the capital. It has also become one of the top areas of the capital when it comes to street art, with works of graffiti spanning many buildings and side streets. For a whistle-stop tour of world cuisine, and a dose of fashion from independent stores with their finger on the pulse, make the short journey from Brick Lane across to Boxpark. Named after its formation out of converted shipping containers, its kitchens serve up everything from doughnuts to vegan-friendly dishes and Jamaican to South American cuisine. Take your pick of the bars Ask most people who know about the things to do in Shoreditch and they’re bound to tell you to hit the bars and nightspots of Shoreditch High Street and Old Street, where there is something for everyone. Traditional-style pubs line up alongside trendy cocktail bars and more than a few themed locales that will either have you jumping for joy or weeping into your craft brewed IPA. Hoxton Square is another destination to be aware of when it comes to all things wining and dining. Believed to be one of London’s oldest squares, it was laid out in 1683. Today most of its Victorian buildings contain a bar or restaurant whilst its lawns frequently host live events in the warmer months. Another Shoreditch structure that has reinvented itself over recent years is the Old Truman Brewery, which has become a home for creatives including fashion designers, DJs and artists. Its 10 acres of once derelict warehouse space has been put to good use with plenty of small shops and exhibition spaces in which to while away a pleasant hour or two. Delve into the art scene Spanning two stories of a former furniture warehouse, the Victoria Miro Gallery is one of the largest spaces in the neighborhood dedicated to contemporary art. With its back facing a canal basin, the gallery has represented two Turner Prize winners – Chris Ofili and Grayson Perry – amongst many other established and up-and-coming artists. Perhaps better known, the Whitechapel Gallery has been a public arts space since its unveiling in 1901. Nonetheless, its focus remains on contemporary art, having displayed Picasso’s Guernica in 1938 and hosting the first UK hanging of Rothko’s work in 1961. A further space to consider is the Flowers Gallery, whose 50 year history has led to the showing of over 900 exhibitions of painting, sculpture and photography. Discover London’s Shoreditch with Go City Shoreditch has always been known primarily as an entertainment district. The sheer volume of bars and restaurants means it continues to attract revelers from across London. But don’t think that there aren’t additional things to do in Shoreditch London. Visit London with Go City and you can get incredible savings on admission to many of the capital’s top attractions. Outside of Shoreditch this means savings on entering everywhere from the Tower of London to St Paul’s Cathedral.
Ian Packham

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