There’s so much to do and see in the capital, so you really need to know what’s what before you take it on. If you want to avoid tourist traps in exchange for more the best things to do in London that aren't touristy, we've got you covered. There’s rooftops with views of famous landmarks, cool pubs with arcade games and if you're not afraid of water - floating restaurants and boat bars. Buckle up and get booking, because here's a local's guide to discovering things off the beaten track that aren't part of the usual London bucket list.
Love theatre but seen it all? Take a journey to Hoxton to find Alcotraz; London's BYOB prison-themed bar, where you'll be trusted with becoming part of the story line. You'll be expected to sneak a bottle of booze past the guards in an orange jump suit in pursuit of criminally good cocktails.
@ Skuna Boats on Every Wednesday
This experience is well-suited to Londoners or repeat visitors who want to explore beyond the city's most photographed areas.
Focusing on Canary Wharf and its waterways, the floating hot tub tour of London's Docklands by Skuna Boats highlights a side of London often overlooked by traditional sightseeing routes. You and your friends will float along the Thames and enjoy a glass of bubbly, taking in the concrete jungle in all its glory from £39 per person.
The Thieves - previously The Four Thieves - has reinvented itself as an 'adult playground' focused on competitive socialising. Upstairs, the Thieves Gambit floor delivers darts, pool, remote control racing, and arcade icons like Mario Kart and House of the Dead. Meanwhile, Balans brings its celebrated food offering to the table.
Founded in 1987 as Soho's Old Compton Café, Balans began by serving coffee to club-goers and evolved into a leading name in British all-day dining with global flair. Known for brunch and late-night dishes enjoyed by stars like Lady Gaga and Amy Winehouse, Balans now adds Sunday roasts to the mix at The Thieves.
London's food scene is bubbling with flavours from across the globe. If you want a hack to try it all in one evening, book a table for Mercato Metropolitano. This sustainable community has over 40 street food vendors and they dish out £5 plates between 12pm and 5pm from Monday to Friday.
Afraid of heights? Take the stairs to London Bridge Rooftop, where you can marvel at the famous Shard with a cocktail in hand. This central rooftop bar not only gives you amazing views of the monument, there are live DJs and bottomless brunches too, as well as interactive darts in the room upstairs. You can also expect gourmet burgers and tasty cocktails.
We can't promise you a crowd-free experience at Flight Club (it's one of the best activity bars in the city and they have an incredible beer garden) but we can promise you one helluva time when you're there. Book an oche for quirky cocktails, pizza paddles and round-after-round of interactive darts.
@ Two More Years on Sun, 30th Aug 2026 @ multiple start times (see ticket info)
This August, Two More Years in Hackney Wick are hosting the sixth edition of the annual London Margarita Rumble, bringing together some of the capital's top mixologists. Representing a variety of bars and restaurants, they'll be serving an impressive selection of margaritas for you to sample, before voting for your favourites.
There'll be live music throughout the event, with food available to purchase too. Tickets start from £38.50, including unlimited drinks.
@ Hexmoor: London on Various dates from Tuesday 11th August 2026
The world's first immersive, wizarding prison bar, Hexmoor, sees you don your official inmate jumpsuit and get locked up with notorious wizards who have a great love of the dark arts. Featuring immersive theatre from live actors and the chance to collude with other characters to orchestrate your escape, this experience is designed to test your sorcerer abilities.
But that's not all, as there are three tiers of tickets to choose from too, including three magical cocktails each (£49.50), four cocktails each (£57.50), or four cocktails and a custom-made wand each, hand-delivered to you by Willbott's Wand Shop as part of the experience (£77.50).
Ask anyone who lives in London where they'd like to live and they'll answer 'Hampstead'. This gorgeous postcode is home to Hampstead Heath but if you want to dodge the crowds, make your way to Bobby Fitzpatrick for cocktails and retro interiors that would put That 70s Show to shame.
London's awash with secret bars but you need to visit Evans & Peel. Enter an evidence-filled office in Earl's Court and you'll be ushered into an illicit bar with drinks names after notorious criminals, and beer that comes poured it from an unassuming radiator.
Discounts available on certain events
Party like a local at one of London's most iconic clubs: Ballie Ballerson. This Shoreditch hotspot boasts a huge indoor ball pit that's perfect for boogieing with your mates in, while sipping unique cocktails as DJs play party anthems.
They host all sorts of fun events here too. Think bottomless brunches with plenty of pizza, alongside mass karaoke, drag parties and nights dedicated to girl band classics.
@ Merchant House on Various dates from Wednesday 12th August 2026
London's best kept secret? It's in an old bike shed and it's called The Brig. For £65 per person you can rent out this intimidate space and order whatever you like from your own personal bartender. They'll even let you jump behind the bar and plug in your own playlist.
Sure, Saint Paul's is pretty cool, but have you seen it from Sabine's rooftop? This open-air bar in the sky offers you the chance to get up close and personal with one of London's oldest landmarks without stepping foot inside.
At Kitty Yoga, every pose comes with a purr. This beloved one-hour experience is the ideal mix of meditative movement and kitten joy, offering a peaceful vinyasa flow followed by playful bonding time with some furry new friends. Participants leave feeling refreshed, recharged, and maybe a little in love with a whiskered yoga partner or two.
With its focus on gentle movement and animal therapy, Kitty Yoga has become a weekend wellness ritual for many - a space to slow down, breathe deep, and enjoy a few cuddles along the way. It's not just a yoga class, it's a full-body (and heart) reset.
When you think of London, do you think of beer? Thought so. If you're looking to do something a little bit different in the city, have a snoop at London's best brewery tours. You'll get history lessons, plenty of beer, complimentary cheese boards and in some cases, some free merch.
Sky Garden is one of the biggest tourist attractions, so why is it in this list? Well, everyone knows about Sky Garden but they don't know about their cool events that include everything from yoga at sunrise to VIP music nights fuelled by Champagne.
We all know that London is full of great bars, but when you're searching for something a little more unique? We've got just the thing. These bars on a boat are a great way to enjoy the city's rivers and canals, with a pint in hand of course.
Whether you fancy boogieing to a silent disco on the Thames, drinking on a barge in Hackney or admiring the skyline from a floating cocktail bar, there's something for everyone here.
Complimentary Bottle of Champagne for parties of 6+ adults and 2 other offers
Step into The Chesterfield Mayfair, one of the city's most luxurious hotels, for a unique offering: the Original Sweetshop Afternoon Tea. Having won an Award of Excellence at the Afternoon Tea Awards, this £65 offering brings you tiers full of nostalgic treats paired with hot chocolate or teas such as yellow gold oolong and liquorice blends.
Expect free-range egg mayonnaise and honey-roasted ham sandwiches, paired with classic and chocolate chip scones, and themed homemade pastries like the cherry love heart cheesecake. You can also add on a glass of Champagne for an extra £10.
When looking for the best non-touristy things to do in London, The Last Tuesday Society's got your back. This bizarre cocktail bar in Hackney comes decorated with taxidermy and skeletons and after you've had one of their absinthe cocktails.
If you fancy venturing a little further to the beautiful borough of Ealing on your visit to London, then be sure to stop by The Pretty Parlour. This unique venue combines high-quality nail treatments with amazing cocktails and Veuve Clicquot Champagne, making for a luxurious pampering session. Choose between 13 different cruelty-free products, with hot towels and head massages on the cards too.
@ The Silent Disco Boat on Saturday 15th August and Saturday 19th September 2026
If you're looking for a way to explore the city without the crowds, then head on a Silent Sounds Boat Party. Available on a monthly basis, this fun-filled event sees you cruising down the Thames while boogieing to silent disco tunes played directly through your headphones.
This two-storey boast has a bar on each level, with plenty of outdoor space that's perfect for seeing all the landmarks along the way. Tickets start from only £27 each, and there's even the option to head to an afterparty at Ballie Ballerson afterwards.
If you're looking for a truly unique, non-touristy spot to enjoy a pint by the river, head to The White Cross in Richmond. This charming, traditional pub is perched right on the River Thames, offering a stunning riverside setting that's hard to beat.
What makes it even more special? When the tide rolls in, the water slowly creeps up the pathway, completely submerging the beer garden - sometimes leaving you feeling marooned in the best way possible.
Some of the best non-touristy neighbourhoods in London just happen to be on the water, making for a great walking route and plenty of pubs and bars along the way.
We've got strolls in King's Cross along the Southbank and beyond, but our absolute favourite is the stretch from Little Venice to Camden. Soak up the canalside views and admire all the cute boats along the way, before ending up at the vibrant market for well-deserved refreshments.
Ever wondered where to get the very best views in London? Luckily for you, there are quite a few brilliant places to choose from, whether it's a hill that overlooks the city or a stylish skyscraper.
Primrose Hill, The Shard and Sky Garden are obvious favourites, but we've also included some lesser-known picks too. So whether you're sipping cocktails while looking out over St Paul's Cathedral or seeing the sights from Battersea Power Station, you can snap plenty of unbeatable photos.
Wondering about the best things to do in London as a local? Then check out our guide to the prettiest and the best secret gardens across the city, promising gorgeous scenery and pretty picnic spots.
We've rounded up all our favourites, including St Dunstan In The East, Hampstead Hill Garden and Pergola, and Chelsea Physhic Gardens and much more.
Torrential downpour or glorious sunshine, London always takes our breath away. If you want to do something that's non-touristy, take a look at these grade A ways to catch the sun set across the city. Think steak dinners with Thames-side views to walks through London's most iconic postcodes.
Get yourself down to Canary Wharf or St Paul's for a whale of a time at Fairgame: a nostalgic activity bar that's full of colourful decor, allowing you to let out your inner kid. It's the world's first fairground-themed bar with unique twists on all your favourite childhood games, including Whac-A-Mole, Roll-A-Ball Derby and everything in between.
Make use of their innovative wristband technology to automatically log your scores, which can be tracked on a virtual leaderboard. Nab tickets for as little as £15, promising unlimited games, before you tuck into mouthwatering street food from the likes of Burger & Beyond, Rudy's Pizza or Taco Collective. Plus, there are creative cocktails and boozy slushies up for grabs too.
If you've been wondering how to live like a local in London, then why not try some of their very favourite spots for a Sunday roast? There's nothing more quintessentially British than this end-of-week tradition, and we've rounded up the very best of the best across the capital.
Whether you're in the mood for a tender chicken breast, a hearty cut of beef or a plant-based alternative, there's plenty to choose from in our city. From cosy pubs to high-end restaurants, check out our top picks.
Escape the usual London crowds and discover God's Own Junkyard, a hidden neon treasure in Walthamstow beloved by locals.
Once the studio of neon artist Chris Bracey, it's now a captivating space filled with glowing signs, music memorabilia, and a cosy café serving great coffee and cocktails. Open only on weekends and free to visit, it's the perfect non-touristy hangout to soak up some unique art and vibrant vibes away from the city's busiest spots.
