Suggestions for after dark in London
 

Other than theatre or dinner any suggestions for Sat. or Sun. evenings in the winter? Tourist sites and museums all seem to be closed by six. We have theatre tickets for Mon. and Tues. so looking for something else.

Ballet? Opera? Symphony? Jazz club? there have to be tons of choices if you check the local weekly entertaimnet mag: Time Out?

Try Londontown.com

Also, not sure if you enjoy clubs.
Try:
Blue Bar at the Berkley
Purple Bar and
Long Bar at The Sanderson
Akbar under The Red Fort restaurant on
Dean Street, Soho

Check for closing on Sundays and if its a holiday. We found out the hard way last week!

Bars don't get started until 10/11. After work crowd before.

Have fun.

How about checking ticketmasteruk? We just bought tickets to a concert in February.

Believe it or not, you can't go around a museum at two am, it simply wouldn't be profitable...just a load of tramps!

I'd advise going to see a late (9pm start) film at The Curzon (Curzon St. W1), that'll finish around 11pm. Then you have a choice of not getting into the (all nearby) Met Bar, a classic cocktail at the somewhat staid Dorchester, not getting into Annabel's, finding a cheaper bar in Dover St., a short walk to the clubs in Soho, or a leisurely drink and cigar at Claridge's bar.

Try as I might, I'd find it hard to enjoy having a drink in that cigar smoke laden Claridge's Bar. We stopped in (believe it or not at your suggestion m_kingdom), but we turned around when the smell hit us. I guess if I smoked cigars it would be one of the nicest places around to have a drink, but not for me.

I'm sorry to hear you couldnt stay in the bar, but I feel that smoke adds atmosphere, obviously not to American tastes!

The London Walks are a great thing to do at night (www.thewalks.com)

The Ceremony of the Keys at the Tower of London is also an excellent event to attend (www.hrp.org.uk/webcode/content.asp?ID=622). Tickets are free, but you have to write ahead for them. And after the ceremony is over, walk down to the edge of the Thames for a fabulous view of Tower Bridge all lite up.

Another stunning evening walk - from Charring Cross tube, walk over the Hungerford Footbridge to the south bank of the Thames, walk along the Thames past the London Eye and back over Westminster Bridge, then past Westminster Abbey. Gorgeous views you'll never forget.

I mostly do concerts and/or theater at night. On Sundays concerts are good since there really isn't any Sunday night theatre (there are 4 or 5 theatres w/ Sunday afternoon performances).

But at night I just love being outsied walking seeing the sites, buying roasted chestnuts from street corner vendors, or maybe ice skating at Somerset House.

Kayb95's walk from Charing X, over the river, along the south bank and back to Westminster is a good one. Or Trafalgar Square, Leicester Square, Piccadilly. Or The Tower across Tower Bridge past the HMS Belfast, the Globe and along the South Bank. Or wandering around Covent Garden with all the buskers.

These are all totally safe places to walk and all the major bldgs are illuminated - fantastic photo ops.

Thanks for the ideas. Can't stand smoke so something outside might be the best option. We've already done the Ceremony of the Keys and most of the same walk you suggested Kayb95 and enjoyed both. I just checked out the concert schedule for St. Martin-in-the-Fields.So,possibly there Sat. night and ice skating at Somerset House on Sun.

m_kingdom, your usual attempt to slam all things American by insinuating that American tastes are not liking cigar smoke filled bars is way off. There are many cigar bars in America too and they are very popular. This has nothing to do with being English or American. Some Americans and some Brits don't like cigar smoke. Some Americans and some Brits do.
So what is your point about American tastes? Or do you just like slamming anyone without YOUR perfect taste in anything?

No, she's just practising to be a Mitford gel.

How about a pub? For a meal or one where there's live music. Trivia night?

how about catching a movie at The Eletric in Notting Hill? Very cool theater--comfy armchairs, sofas, drinks (cocktails, beer, wine) and food available. I think it's the greatest place to see a movie.

www.electriccinema.co.uk

Thanks Victoria. The movie theater looks like it would be fun and Ray is a movie I do want to see. But,the price is a bit high for me. Especially, since I was lucky enough to see Ray Charles perform 2x for free. Once at a free concert and the other because a friend was unable to use a concert ticket and gave it to me.

The Original London Walks have an amazing selection to choose from on both Saturday and Sunday evenings. Ghost walks, pub walks, you name it. The website is www.walks.com

What a horrible dilemma - Claridge's or Connaught. We chose the former, and believe me, it was not easy. We'll check out the bar, for sure.

I've been watching this thread for two days and can no longer stay quiet. We went to Claridge's bar almost 5yrs. ago because I saw it was widely publicized as somewhere you HAD to go. I can only say that it was boring and the atmosphere was lacking. From what I remember it was an ugly Georgian green and just your typical bar against the wall.
However, I did use the restroom and the lobby and restroom were quite nice but I wouldn't go out of my way to go back again since I beleive 7 drinks and two appetizers cost us somewhere around 70 GBP or so.
I much prefer the Hard Rock. At least you get entertainment for your money.
But that's just me.
And m_kingdom before you say anything, yes, I am working class.

Georgian green?

Hard Rock Cafe?

Oh dear, it's a fabulously minimalist bar, with the red leather and grey walls setting the scene. As you said you like Hard Rock, which isn't so much working class, just common and lacking in taste.

i did some research about this before my london trip.

the londonwalks idea is excellant fun.

on thursday some museums open till9-10.

you could have dinner late.

souvenir shopping in the main shopping streets can also be done late.

in the end we were so beat after each day we would be in by 9 or 10.