Non-tourist stuff in London
 

Hi all. I'm visiting London for the third time. I have seen all the big touristy stuff and would love some suggestions for a non-tourist London experiences.

We have been a dozen times
We are in Regents park went to Camden this morning now heading to Oxford street. Will end up at Piccadilly and tomorrow London tower on the agenda.
We don't seem to tire of tourist stuff.

tired of London (now complete the Johnson quote)

http://www.visitlondon.com/things-to.../major-museums

https://www.londontoolkit.com/whatto...al_palaces.htm

http://www.ngs.org.uk/gardens/county...esultsbookmark

http://www.telegraph.co.uk/gardening...ecret-gardens/

http://www.visitlondon.com/things-to...london-gardens

http://www.timeout.com/london/events...in-the-capital

http://www.whitewaterthecanoecentre.co.uk/

http://www.thelondonencounter.co.uk/

https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/List_o...ches_in_London

http://www.visitlondon.com/things-to...istoric-houses

for a taster

Or read this post;
http://www.fodors.com/community/euro...rip-report.cfm

I lived in London for almost 10 years, and visit at least 10 times a year, and there are so many things in welltravbrits' post that I have not done.

Without knowing anything about you, it's impossible to recommend anything specific.

Rather than waiting for an on-demand and obviously free tour guide I suggest the use of Google.

Some of the big book stores have fascinating guest speakers as do th universities. I saw Madeline Albright giving a talk at a book store last time . There were also a series of cooking classes offered by a local TV station somewhere else.. in the kitchenwares department of a shop. It was a lot of fun, too.

You can check to see any NGO events while there and free recitals at the College of Music.

While it is now out-of-print, The Companion Guide to London is a well-written guide to neighborhoods and sites extensive enough to leave the dreaded other tourists behind.

If you browse Amazon for London Guides you will find many specializing in literature, history, eccentrics, architecture, food, etc. Many of these will fit the bill.

Your screen name + your topic title = smile

http://www.fodors.com/community/euro...-path-gems.cfm

a litle old but the places are still there!

I used PQ's thread when I was planning our trip, there are certainly lots of gems there.

The thread listed a little further above does was for our three month sojourn in London and it have a crazy number of obscure places in it! Thanks Tulips, I'm glad it was useful to someone who knows the city well.


Here is the link to my blog which has a lot of additional info

http://www.somuchmoretosee.com/search/label/London

Here are some ideas...

Italian Fururist Art in Islington anyone?
http://www.somuchmoretosee.com/2015/...ck-museum.html

A perfectly preserved Victorian home in Kensington, very close to Leighton House and Holland Park... there's a perfect day out.
http://www.somuchmoretosee.com/2015/...sambourne.html

Wandsworth anyone, you won't find any tourists here but you'll have to book in advance....
http://www.somuchmoretosee.com/2015/...sterpiece.html

William Morris Gallery in Walthamstow, how about combining this with a walk on Radical London for a socialist day out? Not you typical tourist fare ;)

http://www.somuchmoretosee.com/2015/...lthamstow.html
http://www.somuchmoretosee.com/2015/...al-london.html

Bookmarking

If you really don't want to do tourist stuff when you travel, you could just stay in your room and watch TV. The Disney Channel, of course.

Cemeteries.

A church service or a lecture or a music event?

Take the tube to the end of the line and return (using your Oyster card) Hop off somewhere and walk around the neighbourhood. Visit some of the suburbs of London that have an interesting mix of ethnicities (Cricklewood springs to mind). Go to the movies. Visit a library. Go watch Arsenal play someone. In fact, watch any sporting event - like cricket. Go somewhere tourists never go - like Luton or Basingstoke. Eavesdrop on conversations in a cafe. Re-visit places you have been before and really liked. London has so many free museums - there must be one you haven't seen. Even if you think it won't interest you, give one a try - like the Imperial War Museum if you haven't been there. It is so incredible and rarely crowded. Get someone at home to tune in to the webcam at the Abbey Road crossing in St. John's Wood and cross the road, waving to the folks back home on the webcam. Sit on a deckchair in the Serpentine and read a book - by Charles Dickens.
Most of my suggestions are free or really cheap, with the exception of seeing Arsenal play and renting the deckchair. Hope you have a great time.

check eventbrite for events

Lots of really good suggestions Blueeyedcod -- but just the one warning for folks not totally used to London Transport . . . >>Take the tube to the end of the line and return (using your Oyster card) Hop off somewhere and walk around the neighbourhood. Visit some of the suburbs of London that have an interesting mix of ethnicities <<

<i>If</i> one have a 6 zone Oyster (or more if using the Overground or other suburban lines to outer suburbs) or a lot of PAYG loaded on it.

(zone 6 isn't applicable to Cricklewood since it is in zone 3 - but one would still need more than the typical zone 1-2 travelcard)

Yes Janis - thanks for the reminder about the zones! I forgot to mention that.
Another one I thought of is Aldwych tube station - it has periodic openings for tours and I have heard you can even sleep there like they did during the Blitz. Some information is here

http://britmovietours.com/bookings/a...-station-tour/

Thanks everybody. I had a fantastic time. I will be posting my London blog link over the weekend.