London on a Budget – 38 Things to Do for Under £10

Many people dream of visiting London, but many budget-travelers are often turned off by the thought of exploring big cities, assuming that the prices are going to be outrageous. While it is true that a visit to London could easily break the bank, there are also so many easy ways to do London on a budget and still see some of the best sites! I compiled a list of some of the best things to do in London for only £10 (about $12.50) or less. In fact, many of these are completely free!

ENJOY THE MANY PARKS IN MANY DIFFERENT WAYS – LONDON ON A BUDGET

There are so many parks to explore all through the city. Each has something unique to offer and make a perfect stop on any trip to London on a budget. Some personal favorites for me are St. James Park, Green Park and Kensington Gardens. Here are just a few unique activities to try while exploring the parks. 
TAKE A WALK THROUGH THE PARKS – The easiest and most popular way to enjoy the parks is to simply take a stroll through them. All of them have some sort of walking path and it’s very easy to spend an entire day walking from one to the other. Plus, you’ll see many popular sites from the paths. 
RENT A BIKE – One of the days we were in London, we rented bikes from their bike share program called Santander Cycles. It’s only £2 for a 24 hour rental and makes for a fun way to zip through the parks!

GIVE LAWN BOWLING A TRY – Matt’s family became fans of lawn bowling when they lived in England. So, when we visited Hyde Park we had to give it a try. You can rent the space and balls for £8 in off season £10 in peak season. It’s a lot of fun!
HAVE A PICNIC – Not only would this be a budget meal, but who doesn’t love a picnic when the weather is nice and the spaces are so beautiful!?
ADMIRE THE FLOWER GARDENS – In the spring and summer, the flowers are stunning! We caught the beginning of the blooms and even then, they were beautiful! 
VISIT THE MEMORIALS + STATUES IN HYDE PARK – We enjoyed visiting the Princess Diana Memorial Fountain and hunting down the Peter Pan statue. You could make a bit of a scavenger hunt out of it.

DID YOU KNOW A BUNCH OF THE MUSEUMS ARE FREE? – LONDON ON A BUDGET

There are so many free museums in London that it can seem impossible to get to all of them, but I decided to list out of a few of the most popular museums to visit and what makes them special.
BRITISH MUSEUM – This museum holds some of the most amazing artifacts in the world. Moai? Check! Rosetta Stone? You bet! Mummies? They’ve got ’em! It’s the spot for any history/anthropology-lovers.
NATURAL HISTORY MUSEUM – This is the perfect museum for people interested in dinosaurs and amazing fossils + skeletons.
NATIONAL GALLERY – Filled to the brim with beautiful paintings by some of the most famous artists housed in an equally stunning building.
BRITISH LIBRARY – The British Library holds some of the most amazing historical documents. Think Magna Carta, Da Vinci’s journals and more!

IMPERIAL WAR MUSEUM – This interesting museum takes you through the history and horrors of the wars the UK has been involved in.
TATE MODERN MUSEUM – The Tate Modern is filled to the brim with famous contemporary and modern art and has a stellar view!
VICTORIA + ALBERT MUSEUM – The V+A is one of the best museums dedicated to art + design. I missed it when we were there, but it tops the list for next time.

ICONIC FREE ATTRACTIONS – LONDON ON A BUDGET

PLATFORM 9¾ – Any Harry Potter fan has to pop into King’s Cross Station and snap a pic at the famous Platform 9¾. It’s free to visit and so much fun.
ABBEY ROAD – Another iconic spot! Take your pic in the same location as the Beatles! Expect a bit of a line, and cars actively drive here, so be safe!
WALK ACROSS MILLENNIUM BRIDGE – This is an iconic bridge seen in many films, series and documentaries and is a great way to get from one riverbank to the other!
CHECK OUT THE AMAZING STREET ART SCENE – London is famous for some amazing street art! Bansky got his start in London and Camden + Shoreditch had some of the most colorful alleys in all of London! What’s more London on a budget than artwork you can check out while walking to the next destination?

TAKE IN THE VIEW AT THE SKY GARDEN – One thing many people like to do is take in London from above. Inside the “walkie-talkie” building, you can go up to their Sky Garden for free. Just book your time in advance! 
MARVEL AT THE MADNESS OF HARROD’S – Harrod’s is the ultimate department store. With 1.1 million of square feet
TAKE A MOCK NO. 10 DOWNING STREET PIC – No. 10 Adam Street was built at almost the same time and with strikingly similar materials. At a glance, no one would know the difference. You could totally trick your friends snapping a pic in front of this door.
TRY TO HITCH A RIDE ON THE TARDIS – A Tardis replica is parked just outside of the Earl’s Court tube station! Snag a pic with it, but don’t get shot by a Dalek 😉

SEE THE ICONIC SITES – LONDON ON A BUDGET

You can see the exterior of so many of the most iconic sites in the world. Some can even be free to enter on certain days and times. 
WESTMINSTER ABBEY – You can’t tour this beauty for free, but you can attend a service on Sundays for free as it’s a practicing church. However, treat the service with respect.
BUCKINGHAM PALACE – You can pay a pretty penny to go inside this famous palace, or you can simply take it in from the outside.
CHANGING OF THE GUARD – The changing of the guard is an entertaining experience full of pomp. Don’t miss checking this out. Crowds gather early, so be sure to be part of the early group to get a stellar view.
KENSINGTON PALACE – Once again, you could pay to go inside, but even checking out the royal abode from the gates in Kensington Gardens is fun and beautiful.
TOWER BRIDGE – Although this isn’t the actual “London Bridge”, it is the iconic bridge you see photos of in London. And it’s free to look at, of course. It’s a great backdrop for a picnic because it’s fun to watch it go up and down for the boat who pass under it. 
TOWER OF LONDON – Same as other monuments above, but the Tower of London’s admission is not free, but you can get a great view of it from across the river.

BIG BEN + PARLIAMENT – Although these sites were under some extreme renovations while we were here, it’s worth strolling around these iconic monuments. 
ST. PAUL’S CATHEDRAL – Just like Westminster Abbey, St. Paul’s is open for worship services on Sundays for free – However, treat it as such, not a free opportunity to take pics. 
GLOBE THEATER – You can easily see the recreation of Shakespeare’s famous theater from the outside. Tours are also available for pay.
PICCADILLY CIRCUS – It’s a bit like a vastly scaled-down Times Square. It’s an iconic area adorned with big-screen-ads, old buildings, and even a fountain. It’s seen in many, many films and shows. 
TRAFALGAR SQUARE – Another famous city area, Trafalgar Square sits directly in front of the National Gallery. Here you will find buskers, events at different times of the year and a great space to hang out or picnic.

VISIT THE MARKETS – LONDON ON A BUDGET

BOROUGH MARKET – Borough Market was hands-down my very favorite market in London. There has been a market on this site for about 800 years! Parts of the current market sits under an old railway bridge and some of the merchants have been selling food in this market for over 100 years! This market had a very local feel to it because while there are some household items you can purchase, but it’s mostly a food market. It’s a great place to try some local produce, snacks and different drinks! Or just soak it up and stroll through for free!
CAMDEN MARKET – Camden Market is located in Camden and sells more trinket-y things as well as some handmade items, like jewelry! You can also find food trucks and loads of street art here.
PORTOBELLO ROAD – This famous street is lined with antique and thrift shops. On the weekends vendors line the street with stalls full of all kinds of goodies: food, art, antiques and more.

MUST EAT + DRINK FOR £10 OR LESS – LONDON ON A BUDGET

No trip to any destination is complete without taking in some of the local food or drink. When trying to visit London on a budget, it can be hard to know what to have without breaking the bank. However, we found several options to be very affordable and will allow you some insight into this part of the local culture.
EAT AT THE PHOTOGENIC CHURCHILL ARMS – As of now, everything on their delicious Thai menu is £10! So, in addition to checking out the gorgeous flower-potted facade of this pub (which is free) you can go in and enjoy the plant paradise over some good Thai food too!

GRAB A PINT AT A PUB – What is possibly the most quintessential-British activity you can think of? That’s right! Grabbing a pint! Grab a beer with the locals at a pub!
HAVE A TRADITIONAL PUB MEAL – You can grab a pub meal in a non-touristy pub for £10. Be sure to get away from main attractions, or better yet, ask a local and enjoy a delicious lunch or dinner.

DON’T FORGET TO BOOK AN AMAZING DEAL FOR YOUR TRIP TO LONDON ON A BUDGET

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London is a massive city filled with so many amazing things to do. Hopefully, this post will not only help you plan your trip to London on budget, but have a fantastic time as well!

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