8 Cheap Days Out in London

You may be in a huge city, but there are still farms, within which you can see rare breeds, adorable new-born animals, petting zoos, ponds and gardens – all for free. Many city farms also have their own little cafes or great spots to have a picnic. For example, Mudchute Park and Farm on the Isle of Dogs is one of London’s largest city farms and boasts its own riding school with an all-weather arena and show jumps. Events at Mudchute include agility classes for dogs and the Mudchute Agricultural Show.

Hailed as ‘not the bog standard’ London experience, there are actual London Loo Tours – that’s right, public lavatory-themed walking tours are available. You may be wondering why you’d want to go on a Loo Tour – but your hard-earned £12 (or £10 if you have a student card) will actually provide you with an interesting look at the ‘potty politics’ of public lavatories, allowing you to find out how the loo came to be what it is today, or alternatively learn about the life of the unfortunately named plumber Thomas Crapper. The tour has been rated five stars on TripAdvisor, with reviewers calling it ‘Surprisingly interesting’ and ‘Not crap at all’.  

All the way up in Enfield, North London, you’ll find the beautiful Forty Hall, a 17^th century Grade 1 Listed manor house set upon a tranquil landscape. It’s free to enter and you can step inside to view all the stunning period rooms and architecture and learn about the history of the hall and its original owner Sir Nicholas Rainton. There are also a range of guided tours available, as well as a range of events such as play performances, exhibitions and music shows.  The estate also has its own organic farm, farm shop and vineyard. The nearest stations to Forty Hall are Turkey Street and Gordon Hill. 

If you want to get amazing views of London and beyond without having to pay a penny, the Sky Garden is where you should head – but advanced booking is recommended. At the top (155 meters up) you’ll find three stories of fantastically landscaped gardens, observation decks and great restaurants. The nearest tube stations are Monument and Tower Hill.

You’ve probably already explored the much more well-known Borough Market, but just a 20-minute walk away is a smaller and lesser known alternative. Ideal for foodies, Maltby Street market is home to a huge selection of delicious food and drink options for all tastes - you may want to walk down the whole length of the market before making your mind up. It will probably be busy, but hopefully less packed than Borough Market! The nearest tube station is Bermondsey.

The final of our cheap days out in London is ideal for outdoorsy types – with a great range of activities at the iconic Alexandra Palace in North London, from tree climbing to ice skating or pitch & putt. There’s also currently a free Summer Festival at the palace with a giant waterslide, silent disco, outdoor cinema, theater shows and more. Alexandra Palace is located between Wood Green and Muswell Hill, and the nearest stations are Alexandra Palace and Wood Green.

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