Things to do on a Sunny Day in London

There really is nothing nicer than London on a sunny day. The sun shining, everyone in a good mood and all the sights and smells of London right there in front of you. Sunny days are when I am most grateful to live close enough to central London to enjoy everything it has to offer. But, what is the best way to spend a sunny day in London?

I thought I’d put together a few ideas of things to do when the sun is shining in London – not just across the summer months. Whether you want to be outside, enjoying the sunshine, or inside, enjoying the air con, I’m sure you’ll find a great way to spend the next sunny day in London. It includes quite a few free things to do on a sunny day in London too. 

Things to do on a Sunny Day in London

Enjoy nice food and drinks

Eating and drinking are pretty much the perfect ways to enjoy London in the sun, especially if accompanied by the best friends and family. Here are a few ideas of the best places to eat or drink on a nice day in london.

• Wander along the South Bank and enjoy the street food vendors. There’s always such an eclectic mix of food to enjoy.
• Head to Borough Market and enjoy all the wonderful aromas of the food market.
• Enjoy a picnic in Hyde Park, Regents Park, Greenwich Park or anywhere else in London. There are so many green spaces to enjoy a picnic in the sun. 
• Find a rooftop bar and enjoy a drink.
• Visit the Sky Garden Bar and enjoy incredible views of London.

Spend time outdoors

There’s nothing like feeling the sun on your face in London and so you might want to spend the day outside. Here are a few ideas of things to do outside on a sunny day in London:

• See a show at the Regent’s Park open air theatre
• Wander through some of London’s iconic parks, appreciating the wildlife and hum of activity that sunny days bring. Try Battersea Park, Kensington Gardens or Hampstead Heath.
• Do a Treasure Trail. Learn more about London whilst enjoying being outside – and there are always plenty of places to stop for a drink or two along the way.
• Head to Covent Garden. Sit outside at a cafe or bistro, have a glass of wine and watch the street performers. 

Take to the water

Who doesn’t love being on or in the water on a sunny day? Here are a few water based activities for a sunny day in London.

• Go swimming! Enjoy the atmosphere at London Fields Lido, take a dip in Hampstead Heath ponds or head to Oasis Sports Centre in the West End for a real hidden gem.
• Hire a boat and be captain for the day. GoBoat along the Regents Canal or at Canary Wharf is a fantastic experience or you could rent a pedalo on the Serpentine. 
• Book a Thames Rockets tour of the River Thames. WIth incredible views, fantastic London trivia and a great view of the Thames Barrier, it’s a really great experience.

Go sightseeing

We always love sightseeing on a sunny day in London. Here are just some ideas for things to see and places to go:

• Enjoy a self guided walking tour of London, seeing the sights from the outside. Buckingham Palace, Tower Bridge, the London Eye, Trafalgar Square. There is so much to see without having to pay a penny!
• However, if you want to go in the sights and learn about them too, head to the London Bridge Experience, HMS Belfast, the Tower of London, the Golden Hinde or maybe climb Monument!
• Take one of the many open top bus tours around London. Enjoy the sunshine and fresh air whilst taking in the sights and learning more about this fantastic city.
• Hire a bike and cycle around London. Such a great way to explore the capital and you get to see so much more than walking too.

Go on a day out

Aside from traditional sightseeing, there are so many great days out in London. Here are just a few ideas:

• Head to Kew Gardens to have a fantastic day out in the great outdoors whilst learning about flowers and plants. It’s a beautiful place to spend time, especially on a sunny day.
• Visit the animals in London Zoo. It’s the perfect place for a day out and wonderful in the sun. Afterwards, spend time in Regents Park, grab an ice cream or hire a pedalo.

Get out of the heat and enjoy the air con!

If you want to get away from the heat there are a lot of indoor options across London, many of which have great air con. Here are just a few of them:

• Enjoy a museum or gallery. Whether it’s the Science Museum, Natural History Museum, National Gallery or London Transport Museum, London has museums to suit all ages and interests.
• Visit an indoor tourist attraction like Shrek’s Adventure, the London Dungeon, Sea Life London or Madame Tussauds. 
• Visit some of London’s historic buildings like the Houses of Parliament, St Paul’s Cathedral, Westminster Abbey or the Churchill War Rooms.
• See a show at the theatre! From the Lion King at the Lyseum Theatre to a short run show at the Southbank Centre, London has shows for everyone and they’re always a perfect way to get out of the heat.

There are so many things to do across London on a sunny day and we cannot wait for our next trip into town when the sun is shining. I hope that’s given you some inspiration for London in the sun things to do. If you’re looking for even more London inspiration, these posts may help:

• Animal Things to do in London
• The Best Disney Things to do in London
• Adventurous Things To Do in London
• The Best Gin Tasting and Gin Experiences in London
• The Best Harry Potter Things in London
• Best Museums for Kids in London