Features

Jason Allen 16/06/22


Best Things To Do in a London Heatwave

Yes, we’re all sweating like a long-tailed cat in a room full of rocking chairs.

We get it.

But here’s what you can do about it. To be precise, here are thirty – yes THIRTY – things you can do in London when the heat refuses to leave you alone…

1. Cool down on an ice cream crawl around Central London.

Bake ice cream london

2. Order a frozen cocktail at one of the best rooftop bars in London.

outdoor bars london

3. Let off some steam at a beautifully retro London lido.

Brockwell lido outdoor swimming london

Book sessions here: Brockwell Lido | Parliament Hill Lido | London Fields Lido (download the Better app to book) | Charlton Lido (book via Better) | Hillingdon Lido (book via Better) | Park RoadTooting Bec Lido | Hampton Pool

4. Top up your t-shirt tan by the canal at King’s Cross, with a scoop of raspberry ripple from Ruby Violet

Then grill your own dinner on the terrace at Parrillan, and listen to live jazz outside at Notes (Wednesday & Saturday evenings)…

5. Sip a cider in the rooftop garden at quirky Spitalfields pub, The Culpeper.

The Culpepper

6. Find your zen by a peacock-inhabited waterfall at Kyoto Garden in Holland Park.

Kyoto garden sunny day london

7. Get into a high-octane pedalo race.

pedalos london

8. Watch a film as the sun goes down at an outdoor cinema

9. Cook a summer barbecue. ON A BOAT.

Skuna bbq boat hire london

10. Kick back on the beach… in Southwark

11. Dine out in a completely car-free Covent Garden

12. Strip off at Hampstead Heath and hit the swimming ponds.

Hampstead ponds

Booking fills up quickly – head here.

13. Hit London’s food markets, build the picnic basket to end all picnic baskets

Borough Market

14. Break out a sweat on a crazy golf course.


15. Rent a boat for the day, and picnic on the water

Go Boat things to do outside london

16. Go to a free outdoor gig at Summer By The River

17. Take a dip in Stoke Newington’s open-air reservoir

open water swimming london

18. Pretend you’re in Miami by playing shuffleboard outside.

London shuffle club things to do outside

19. Cool off in London’s only purpose-built swimming lake.

beckenham outdoor swimming london

20. Kayak your way to a craft brewery along London’s canals

Kayak outdoor things to do london

21. Listen to live music round a campfire by the river

Campfire club things to do outdoors london

22. Dine al fresco on one of London’s loveliest summer terraces

things to do outdoors london

23. Book in a visit to Kew Gardens.

kew gardens things to do outside london

24. Soak in the views from Alexandra Palace’s huge outdoor beer terrace.

Alexandra Palace beer garden

25. Take a break from the heat, and go ice skating instead.

ice skating summer london

26. Watch theatre under the stars in the middle of Regent’s Park.

Regents park open air theatre

27. Cook your own BBQ atop a riverside shack.


28. Catch some rays as you float along the river… in a hot tub

hot tub boats london outdoor things to do

29. Take in Canary Wharf’s Summer Lights trail

summer lights


30.
Watch the sun set while you sip negronis on the top of a multi-storey carpark at Frank’s Cafe.

Franks cafe open again london


Looking for more ways to cool off? Take a look at these 75 Outdoor London Date Ideas


Best Things To Do in a London Heatwave


London,