Best Things to Do in London This Summer

Published by Thames Rockets 4 hours ago

Your guide to London's most unforgettable experiences!

 

Get on the water with Thames Rockets

 

If there is one thing that separates a good London trip from a truly unforgettable one, it is seeing the city from the river. A Thames Rockets speedboat is unlike anything else on offer in the capital. Departing from the London Eye Pier on the South Bank, you will tear past some of the most iconic landmarks in the world at up to 35mph, with a comedy commentary that keeps you laughing between gasps.

 

This is London's original speedboat experience, and it shows. From the moment you climb aboard, the city looks completely different. Tower Bridge, St Paul's Cathedral, the Tate Modern, the Houses of Parliament and Canary Wharf all roll past in a blur of history, skyline and storytelling. It is award-winning, TripAdvisor-recognised and consistently one of the highest-rated things to do in the capital. A river Thames speedboat ride is not an add-on to your London trip. It is the highlight.

 

Book your Thames Rockets experience here before the summer crowds beat you to it.

 

Explore the South Bank

 

The South Bank is London at its most alive in summer. From the Tate Modern to Borough Market, from the Globe Theatre to the sweeping views from Waterloo Bridge, this stretch of the river is endlessly walkable and endlessly rewarding. Start at the London Eye, head east past Bankside and Shakespeare's Globe, and finish at Borough Market for some of the best street food in the country. The South Bank also happens to be exactly where your Thames Rockets adventure begins, making it the perfect base for a full day on and alongside the river.

 

Visit the Tower of London

 

Few places on earth pack as much history into a single site. The Tower of London has served as a royal palace, a prison, a treasury and a zoo across its 900-year life, and summer's long evenings give you more time to take it all in. Book tickets in advance, arrive early and make sure you factor in the Crown Jewels. Then, once you are done inside, see it from the water. There is no better view of the Tower than from a speed boat on the Thames, and no better way to understand just how imposing it was designed to look.

 

Catch an open-air event

 

London's summer calendar is extraordinary. From open-air cinema at Somerset House to concerts in Hyde Park, theatre in Regent's Park and rooftop festivals across the city, there is something happening every weekend between June and September. Time Out London keeps a full and regularly updated listings guide covering everything from free events to major ticketed experiences, and it is well worth bookmarking before your trip.

 

Take a walk through a Royal Park

 

Hyde Park, St James's Park, Greenwich Park and Regent's Park all hit their peak in summer. Pack a picnic, hire a pedalo on the Serpentine or simply find a patch of grass and watch the city go about its business. Greenwich Park is particularly worth the trip, with views across the London skyline from the top of the hill that stop people in their tracks every single time.

 

See the city from above

 

The Shard's viewing platform offers one of the most dramatic London sightseeing experiences in the city, with floor-to-ceiling glass and views stretching up to 40 miles on a clear day. For something free, the Sky Garden at 20 Fenchurch Street combines rooftop gardens with sweeping views east and west. Book ahead for both. For a perspective that neither of them can offer, a speedboat London experience puts you at water level with the entire skyline unfolding around you in real time.

 

Spend a morning at a market

 

London's markets are as much about atmosphere as they are about what is on the stalls. Borough Market is the most famous and deservedly so, but Maltby Street, Spitalfields, Broadway Market and Portobello Road all offer something distinct. Go early, go hungry and leave room for a coffee somewhere new.

 

Make the most of the long evenings

 

One of the great underrated pleasures of a London summer is simply being out in the city as the sun goes down. The golden hour light on the Thames is something photographers chase all year, and from the deck of a speed boat on the Thames it is quite something. The landmarks glow, the city settles into its evening rhythm and the river takes on a completely different character. If you only do one thing at dusk in London this summer, make it a Thames speedboat experience.

 

London rewards the curious. There is always a new view to find, a story you have not heard and an experience you did not expect. Start from the water, and work your way out from there.

 

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