Got a girl coming to stay with me in London - what fun things can we do?

June 15, 2007 6:21 AM

I got a girl coming to stay with me in London (England) and I want to show her a good time. Where should we go and what should we do there?

Some ideas of stuff that we would probably both enjoy: dining out, exhibitions, gigs, picnicing, parachuting, wandering around and getting lost, going to a party, going to the theatre, visiting strange bookshops/clothes shops/markets.

Oh, and it's next weekend (Fri 22nd).

posted by pollystark to travel & transportation (14 comments total)

Clothes - Cornucopia (if it's still there) Tachybrook St, Nr Pimlico (great little Delicatessen next door)
-V&A

Weird places - Highgate Cemetery - The old-gnarly bit - makes for an interesting walk

Duck tour (Pick up nr Waterloo?)
posted by Dub at 6:46 AM on June 15, 2007

Shunt Vaults, if it's open. Absolutely gorgeous, cool bar, details here.
posted by danhon at 7:03 AM on June 15, 2007 [1 favorite]

I thought the Tate Modern was very impressive and might be full of good conversation starters.
posted by mmascolino at 7:27 AM on June 15, 2007

My favourite place to spend Sunday morning in London is Spitalfields. Market shopping, cool buildings, espresso houses galore, art galleries, and then topping it off with lunch on Brick Lane.
posted by meerkatty at 7:31 AM on June 15, 2007

Wrap a few of the comments above up together and take a walk along the South Bank from London Bridge up to Westminster (or how ever far you want or even the other way round) Spitalfields Market is near London Bridge and the South Bank by the river is full of cool stuff like the Tate Modern, The British Film Institute and loads of little galleria's and restaurants and the view of the river and book markets and and and and... It's a really nice day out with very little planning needed.
posted by merocet at 7:44 AM on June 15, 2007

Some ideas of stuff that we would probably both enjoy: dining out, exhibitions, gigs, picnicing, parachuting, wandering around and getting lost, going to a party, going to the theatre, visiting strange bookshops/clothes shops/markets.

You're in luck. You can do all of this in London. (Well, I'm not 100% sure about the parachuting.) You might want to narrow it down or it's going to be a busy weekend.

For a nice relaxed picnic, (if the weather permits), I would recommend taking a ferry from the centre of town along the Thames to Greenwich. Awesome place, with a great nautical museum, and taking the boat over there will give both of you a unique view of London.

For gigs and drinking, I recommend Camden (if you're into the more rock/alternative scene at least).
posted by slimepuppy at 7:47 AM on June 15, 2007

Borough Market is near London Bridge. Doh! Never post before breakfast. Borough Market and surrounds are also incredibly nice and cool.
posted by merocet at 7:47 AM on June 15, 2007

Borough Market and Spittlefields are both great.
posted by k8t at 8:09 AM on June 15, 2007

Read the previous threads on travel+london. Or just london.
posted by grouse at 8:11 AM on June 15, 2007

Clothes - Cornucopia (if it's still there) Tachybrook St, Nr Pimlico

It's still there, I live around the corner. And it's Upper Tachbrook Street.

I'd advise a stroll along the South Bank, browsing the books under Waterloo Bridge, going to Tate Modern, seeing the Golden Hinde, poking around Borough market and then supper at the Globe Theatre's lovely and under-visited restaurant, which has stunning views over the River, City and St Paul's. The London Eye can be including in this "itinerary". This is what I tend to do with folks visiting London, if they only have an afternoon to spare. You can extend it to walk from Parliament Square over Westminster Bridge, if you want to see the Houses of Parliament; or (and this is a lovely and under-used service) go to Tate Britain on Millbank in the morning and get the Tate-to-Tate river boat which connects it to the Tate Modern and the South Bank.
posted by WPW at 8:23 AM on June 15, 2007

The Royal Academy Summer Exhibition is on at the moment which is always worth a visit (I'm heading there this weekend). They also have 'The Unknown Monet' which is very interesting. From there, it's an easy walk to some great places such as Momo or the bars/cafes around Carnaby Street or even China Town - I like the Royal Dragon but they are all pretty good!
posted by londonboots at 10:48 AM on June 15, 2007

Where is she visiting from? We'd never had Lebanese until we visited London; it was wonderful!

The Globe Theater was pretty cool. I bet it would be even better with a show going on in it.

Have you considered the British Museum? If you like walking around and getting lost, this might be a good candidate location. Especially the Egyptian/Syrian sculpture rooms.
posted by amtho at 11:32 AM on June 15, 2007

I was a tourist in London some years back, and I loved the London Eye, the Tate Modern, and just general lounging around pubs.
posted by happyturtle at 5:58 AM on June 16, 2007

London Dungeon!
posted by robcorr at 9:51 PM on June 17, 2007