33 Quirky & Cool Non-Touristy Things to do in London for the Unique Traveler
If you live in London or you’ve visited before, you may feel drained at the thought of another hip brunch spot, another tourist attraction, or another cool pop-up event.
There’s so much going on in this city all the time, the decisions alone can leave you wanting to stay at home on your sofa with Netflix and zone out. That’s when you know it’s time to find London off the beaten path.
There are so many non-touristy things to do in London to keep you active and out of the house – you just have to know where to look!
Find some quirky things to do in London instead, and you’ll be rewarded with less crowds and more interesting and unique experiences.
Here are my favorite non-touristy things to do in London off the beaten path to add to your London itinerary. Some you may have heard of, others maybe not. But they’re all excellent choices when you’re feeling burned out, overwhelmed, and feel like you’ve already done all the quintessential London things.
Try something new this weekend!
Non-Touristy Things to do in London: History Lovers
See my complete guide for things to do in London at night for all ages here!
1. Tour London’s Herstory with Harlots, Strumpets & Tarts, Oh My!
Expert London tour guides Herstorical Tours offer this incredible look at the hidden history of sex workers in London. Through dramatic immersive theater, learn about the lives and fates of London’s Georgian ‘harlots’ while seeing some historic London landmarks.
End at a pub to have a pint with the Madam herself and chat all things London herstory.
2. The British Library
Yes, it’s an excellent study spot. But the free Treasures of the British Library collection is a hidden museum full of incredibly rare and valuable artifacts, too. See Jane Austen’s desk, rare book editions, and original Dickens handwriting.
3. Imperial War Museum
This is London off the beaten path at its finest: this museum is out of tourist town and south of the Thames in Lambeth. And yes, the collections themselves are incredible at this free museum.
But did you know the building itself used to be Bedlam mental asylum? It’s definitely haunted. Make it a day out south of the river and you can also tour the territory of the infamous all-female gang the 40 Elephants used to roam.
4. Ceremony of the Keys
See the ceremony that’s been going on nightly at the Tower of London for 700 years. You need to book this ultimate experience in advance, but tickets are only £5 and released on the first working day of every month. They sell out, so queue up on that date.
5. Sir John Soane’s Museum
Tour the home of one of the greatest English architects, left intact and (almost) untouched since his death in 1837. Free to enter. His drawing rooms were recently open to the public and offer incredible collections of his works.
6. Hidden London Tours
See the station exclusively used by Churchill and his compatriots, tour long-abandoned bomb shelters, and learn the secrets of London’s oldest underground station.
Book in advance; some of the tickets are quite pricey but worth it to see exclusive places no one else can go.
Non-Touristy Things to do in London: Dark History and True Crime
7. Gaol Birds of Old London Tour
Find the hidden history of London off the beaten path with a unique tour! Meet the women who were persecuted, slandered, imprisoned, poisoned and executed in Herstorical Tours’ epic immersive theater walk. So much of London’s feminist history is untold, and these tours bring those stories back to life.
8. Find the Oldest & Spookiest Pubs in London
London’s pubs date back centuries, and in some of them, some very dark things have happened.
From hangings to piracy to jail cells, these old pubs have seen their fair share of creepy history over the years!
9. Go for a Walk with Murder Mile Podcast
Londoner Mike has been recording the Murder Mile Podcast for ages and covers all of the infamous murder cases in the capital. He also has maps with his episodes with related locations so you can follow along in the victims footsteps.
10. London off the Beaten Path: The Clink at Brixton Prison
Dine in the old Brixton Prison governors house, where each meal is prepped, cooked and served by current prisoners working to gain skills in the restaurant industry.
Not only is the food incredible (it’s consistently ranked on best restaurant lists), your money is going to a good cause by helping prisoners create a sustainable life after release.
11. Visit the Oldest Pubs in London
Take the ultimate pub crawl to the capital’s oldest and most historic pubs! There’s one near you now, so go have a pint and soak up the centuries of history.
Quirky Things to do in London: Food Lovers
12. Dine in a Crypt at Gremio de Brixton
Situated in the crypt under St. Matthew’s Church, this is one darkly atmospheric restaurant. The food is great too with Spanish tapas fare of chorizo and croquettes.
13. Press for Champagne at Bob Bob Ricard
Yes, there is a button you can press to get instant bubbly with your English/French fancy fare. This one is definitely for special occasions!
14. London off the Beaten Path: Garlic & Shots
Maybe not a great idea for romance, but garlic infuses everything at the aptly-named Garlic and Shots in a moody basement locale in Covent Garden. You’ll definitely be safe from vampires afterwards.
15. Try the Blood Chocolate Pate at Bocca di Lupo
The most famous and charming Italian in the capital, you can try some interesting dishes at Bocca di Lupo. They’re most well-known for their blood chocolate pate, which is exactly what it sounds like and is incredibly good.
16. Quirky Things to do in London: Try Jellied Eel at a Traditional Pie and Mash Shop
London used to live on jellied eels, or at least the working classes did. Since eels were abundant and cheap, Georgians and Victorians boiled them in brine and served them up with mash.
But don’t worry, if jellied water snakes turn your stomach, original pie and mash shops like M. Manze, Arments, or F. Cooke have you covered with traditional meat pies, too.
Non-Touristy Things to do in London: Music Fans
17. London off the Beaten Path: 3 Savile Row
Relive where the Beatles played their infamous rooftop concert and based their headquarters. It was, sadly, their last live performance before John Lennon was killed.
18. Savoy Steps
You’ll recognize the alleyway of the Savoy Hotel as the location where Bob Dylan shot his music video for Subterranean Homesick Blues with his infamous cue cards. It’s right where the Savoy Steps meet Savoy Hill behind the hotel.
19. The Roundhouse
See a gig in the historic Chalk Farm location where Led Zeppelin, Pink Floyd, Jimi Hendrix, Fleetwood Mac, David Bowie, and The Rolling Stones have all graced the stage.
20. See a Film Where the Greats Recorded: Olympic Studios
While The Beatles recorded at Abbey Road Studios, everyone else recorded at Olympic. Today it’s a cinema, and you can eat popcorn while sitting right where musical legends made history.
21. Visit Eel Pie Island
This is London off the beaten path…really off the beaten path. From a small footbridge in Twickenham, you can walk across to this oddly-named island where greats like The Rolling Stones, The Yardbirds, Pink Floyd and The Who performed at the infamous Eel Pie Island Hotel. The hotel was destroyed in a fire, but the island is still a cool historic place to visit, and definitely one of the most non-touristy things to do in London!
22. Marylebone Station
The opening scene of the Beatles’ Hard Days Night was meant to be Liverpool, but it was actually filmed right here at Marylebone Station!
London Off the Beaten Path: Unusual Film and TV Locations
23. Thamesmead
The darkly atmospheric housing estate is famous as a filming location for A Clockwork Orange & Misfits. It’s brutalist architecture at its most creepy.
24. Australia House
Forget platform 9 ¾ where everyone and their mother poses as Harry Potter. The less well-known Australia House is where Gringotts Bank was filmed for the Harry Potter films, and more recently a Muppets movie and Wonder Woman used the location.
25. Hidden Marvel Filming Locations
In Avengers: Age of Ultron, this location was epically destroyed in a battle between Iron Man and the Hulk. But in reality, the Brent Civic Centre still stands, and you’ll recognize it from the battle scene immediately.
26. Highgate Cemetery
Another location in London’s Harry Potter portfolio, the creepy Highgate Cemetery was used in Fantastic Beasts: Crimes of Grindelwald. It is worth a visit in itself, but you may also recognize it from some of the first cult classic horror films involving Dracula and Frankenstein.
27. Senate House
Christopher Nolan Batman fans will recognize Senate House from big scenes in The Dark Knight (the masquerade ball scenes) and Batman Beings (as a courtroom).
28. The Origin of the Indiana Jones Hat
One afternoon in 1980, Steven Spielberg and Harrison Ford popped into a milliner at 13 Old Burlington Street. They needed help finding the perfect hat for an upcoming film, and it’s here that the iconic Indiana Jones cap was found.
Quirky Things to do in London: Art and Culture
29. The Crypt Gallery
The crypt of St. Pancras Parish Church is no longer used for burials, though remnants of them are everywhere. Today it’s an art gallery, and definitely the most unique one in London.
30. The Old Police Station
A former police station turned arts centre, The Old Police Station turned prison cells, interrogation rooms and loos into studios. They have an ever-rotating events list of fun, community-based drinks nights and art exhibitions.
31. The Viktor Wynd Museum of Curiosities
This isn’t anything like the popular Natural History Museum. The Viktor Wynd showcases the strange and unusual: human hair, monsters, occult artifacts, mermaids, unicorns and giants in a curated space. Plus they have workshops on everything from flower pressing to tattoos. Plus, they have an absinthe bar!
32. King’s Cross Tunnel
Elevate your commute by walking through an LED rainbow! The King’s Cross tunnel doesn’t just get you from point A to point B; it’s an art installation worth visiting all on its own.
33. The Vaults
London’s home of immersive theater (in a very cool space) in a maze of underground tunnels. Check the events calendar to see what’s on and enjoy a different and unique night out!
34. Visit a Cool Cat Cafe
London has 4 purrfect cat cafes for you to choose from where you can mingle with kittens while enjoying afternoon tea!
Non-Touristy Things to Do In London: Final Tips
Finding London off the beaten path takes a bit more work and thought than going to the usual places. But this city has so much to offer, you can find something that interests you everywhere you go!
There’s nothing wrong with doing the touristy things – but remember that that’s not all London has to offer.
More on Visiting London:
Is London Safe For Tourists In 2024? What You Need To Know Before Visiting
19 Epic Good Omens London Locations for the Ineffable Explorer
41 Incredible Ted Lasso Locations You Can Visit Today
The Ultimate Taylor Swift Guide to London
London Hotels for Family: 10 Great Values to Book Now
Your Ultimate Guide to a Family Trip to London on a Budget
Printable London Packing List to Save you Money
Itinerary for 3 Epic Days in London: An Insider’s Guide
How to Get Cheap Train Tickets to and From London
