Whether you are there on vacation or a local looking for something new and exciting in your free time, you can never fall short of things to do in North London. From the beautiful landscapes to the historical monuments and amazing townscapes, you’ll find something that can keep you occupied. Below is a list of some interesting things you might want to try while in North London.
- Visit Alexandra Palace
- Explore Camden
- Explore Abbey road
- Check out Forty Hall estate
- Explore Muswell Hill
- Visit Walthamstow village
- Explore the Asian indoor street food market in Colindale
- Check out the Wellcome collection
- Explore The British Library
- Check out Regents Park and Primrose Hill.
1. Visit Alexandra Palace
If you’ve been to the Haringey area of North London, you most probably know of Alexandra Palace. Recently declared one of London’s nature reserves, this is the perfect place if you are ever up for a stroll. You can also enjoy the beauty of nature at its finest. A boating lake is among the many things this beautiful place offers. You can pass the time by going rowing.
If you are heading inside, you might want to grab a seat and enjoy the various concerts and shows that happen all year. They host many artists ranging from internationally recognized musicians to DJs.
If you are in the mood for a snack, you will find what you want at the amazing Sunday farmers market. You can also swing in the trees at Go Ape, explore the trails, and enjoy the palm gardens. You’ll enjoy the amazing skating rinks if you are lucky to visit in the cold seasons.
2. Explore Camden
Most people would describe Camden Town as a special neighbourhood to explore. Camden is one of those down-to-earth and alternative North London areas with a charm you don’t find easily. Once you get here, your first stop should probably be the Vagina Museum. You can also explore the stables for all the amazing vintage shops.
In Camden, you won’t notice how quickly time goes by because of all the exciting things to do after work. There are many wonderful places for you to explore.
If the evening finds you in Camden Town, you should enjoy a show at the Roundhouse, one of London’s best music spots. Lining the street and markets are hundreds of street food vendors that provide you with anything you might want to eat in case you get the need while in the area.
3. Explore Abbey Road
Made famous mostly by the Beatles, North London’s Abbey Road has become an internationally recognized spot for its association with musical legends. It’s slowly becoming a popular spot, especially for music lovers. There is also the Abbey Road Studios, another famous location for music enthusiasts.
Even though this place is legendary, you might not enjoy it as much as music enthusiasts would, especially if you are a die-hard Beatles fan. With this in most people’s minds, most of those who choose to come and visit this place are either die-hard fans of the Beatles or general music enthusiasts.
4. Check out Forty Hall Estate
You will enjoy visiting Forty Hall if you are a keen history buff. You can have fun exploring the forty halls, which gives you a beautiful glimpse of some 1629 properties and their heritage. Here, you will also find permanent exhibitions detailing the life of Sir Nicholas Rainton and life in the 17th century in general.
Forty Halls is the place to go if you’re in the mood for a morning trip on the outskirts of North London. The gorgeous parklands across the beautiful Elysing palace and the entire estate provide the perfect spot to relax and clear your head. This location should be on your bucket list of places to go when in North London.
5. Explore Muswell Hill
Muswell Hill should be your next stop in North London if you enjoy small and simple shops. Being one of London’s commercial centres, Muswell Hill is a great spot to pass the time. Whether it is for some shopping or simply just taking a walk, Muswell Hill will always have something exciting to do, see or buy.
Another thing that makes many people love Muswell Hill is it has many restaurants, coffee spots, and other eateries to choose from whenever you feel like grabbing a bite. You’ll also find places to enjoy one or two London after-work drinks.
In case you are done with business in Muswell Hill or don’t find what you were looking for, you can head over to Crouch End. Here, you will find plenty of independent bakeries and restaurants as well. This is just a walking distance from Muswell Hill.
6. Visit Walthamstow village
Walthamstow is often attributed to East London, however since it is far to the north, probably on the same level as East Finchley and Highgate, it will appear here. Walthamstow is an upcoming area that’s still growing, it is extremely fun and filled with great places to have an amazing time. Probably the best part about this town is how multicultural and diverse it truly is.
Here, you can grab something to eat at the amazing food joints in the area. There are plenty of cute shops and restaurants so you aren’t likely to run short of options. There are also plenty of fun and unique places nearby, like God’s Own Junkyard, which you can explore.
7. Explore the Asian indoor street food market in Colindale.
If you are a foodie who happens to enjoy Asian cuisine, then you will most definitely enjoy coming here. From Indian to Philippine delicacies, you will find all this in the more than 50 stalls in the market.
The stalls have so much to offer, and it is nearly impossible for one person to visit all of them and have a bite from each spot. This is quite literally heaven for any foodie. A visit to this place will leave you yearning for more.
8. Check out the British Library
Named the world’s largest and the UK’s national library, the British Library holds well over 150 million items on nearly 625 kilometres of shelving. As an official legal deposit library, copies of all books produced in Ireland and the UK are handed over to the library. The library was opened in 1997 and was later recognized as the largest public project constructed by the UK over the last century.
There is a section known as the Sir John Ritblat Gallery within the library. It has rare books and manuscripts that are kept on display. Some of these include the 1215 Magna Carta, the Lindisfarne gospels, and the Golden Haggadah. This is undoubtedly one of the most interesting things to do in North London for anyone into books.
9. Explore the Wellcome Collection
If you are fascinated by the wonders of medicine and the general health of the human body, then you will find this place appealing. The Wellcome Collection is in a small museum in Euston, North London, and is dedicated to health and general well-being.
Henry Solomon Wellcome curated the Wellcome Collection, which was funded by the Wellcome Trust. Medicine Man, the collection’s premier gallery, displays some of the artefacts amassed by Wellcome over the years, ranging from diagnostic dolls to sex aids.
The collection of items includes a cutthroat razor belonging to Horatio Nelson, a British Naval Commander, and Charles Darwin’s walking sticks. You’ll also find horsehair bristles and a toothbrush with a silver-gilt handle made for Napoleon Bonaparte.
10. Visit Regent’s Park and Primrose Hill
Bordering St. Pancreas, Marylebone, and Paddington, Regent’s Park covers nearly 395 acres. It was designed by John Nash in 1811 and borders the outer circle road. This street is most famous for its stucco terraced houses, which make up some of the most expensive real estate globally.
However, the principal attraction of this place is Queen Mary’s Rose Garden, named after George V’s wife. The garden contains over 9000 begonias, the national collection of delphiniums, and over 30000 roses from 400 species. Sounds almost like the Garden of Eden.
These are not the only attractions. You will enjoy the boating lake and the adjacent beautiful boathouse cafe, the open-air theatre, the bandstand, and three children’s playgrounds. There can never be a shortage of fun things to do once you come to this part of North London.
11. Explore Alfie’s antique market
If you’re a fan of antiques, you won’t want to leave Alfie’s antique market in North London once you get in. Entering this place feels like you are leaving reality and have been transported back in time. The huge indoor antique market is a total treasure trove for lovers of vintage artefacts.
The Art Deco building is a maze of furniture sellers, milliners, and bronze sculptures flogged around by lovable misfits. The place also has an amazing rooftop section where you can enjoy a nice cup of coffee and your antique goodies.
Exploring North London can be quite complicated for anyone new to the area. However, with the list above containing some of the fun and interesting things to do in North London, your stay or visit there is bound to be fun. There are other interesting things you can do like visiting Parliament Hill or even bonding with the lions at the London Zoo.