A little help from the London Folk please

[KeepCalm]

Hello!

DH and I find ourselves in London this wkend.

We have a show on Fri night but haven't booked anything else as my Health was casting a shadow over the trip.

We normally stomp about all over the place when we're down but this time we're staying docklands and need some suggestions for the weekend please.

Might be too late to book the Skygarden, but not sure if they do walk-ups now?

The Museum of London has a museum near West India Quay station. Or you could get the DLR and go to Greenwich. Or Mudchute Farm if you fancy feeding some goats.

Take the DLR to Greenwich (or Island Gardens and walk under the river through Brunel's foot tunnel if you feel well enough.) Loads to see and do in Greenwich: Observatory, Queen's House maritime museum, Cutty Sark, lovely Clipper boat rides up the river and back.

Lovely waterside restaurants in Docklands - take your pick. They're mostly chains but the views are gorgeous.

You're near enough to the Tower, or to visit one of the towers of Tower Bridge.

I agree with Mudchute Farm and Museum of London too. Both fun.

Boat down the river to Greenwich - short walk along the river to a pub called The Trafalgar Tavern and lunch right by the river.

I would recommend 12th Knot at the Mondrian for rooftop drinks with a view of the Thames. They take table bookings for outside and inside

Rib speedboat ride from the o2?

Oh, also - Roka at Canary Wharf does a great sushi and champagne brunch

Lots going on this weekend (as always) but it depends what you're into and if you want to stay local or travel a bit further:

londonist.com/things-to-do-in-london-this-weekend
www.timeout.com/london/things-to-do-in-london-this-weekend

There's the Nomad Film & Theatre festival in Greenwich (pop-up by the Cutty Sark), there's a guided ramble in Mudchute, there's Trooping The Colour if you're willing to head over to The Mall and/or a gun salute at The Tower of London (all for the Queen's birthday this Sat). The list is endless in London.....what do you enjoy?

Thank you guys!

Wee did Greenwich and the tunnel last June which was fab.

Not fancying goats as we're coming in from the country

Did the tower with the kids not that long ago.

Had forgotten about sky garden thank you!

Love south bank and borough market but was considering Spittalfield?

Keep them coming this is priceless, am very grateful

London Walks are good for guided tours - you mention health in your original post, so not sure if that means longish walks are out.

Maltby Street market is also a good one - not too far from Borough.

Roses might be in full bloom in Regents Park - can't remember exactly when the best time is for them.

If walking is OK, you can actually walk from Canary Wharf to the Tower, mostly along the river, and there's some lovely historic pubs along the way.

Make sure you are hungry if you do Spitalfields there is so much delicious looking food.

I like museum of London Docklands. It's really interesting.

Emirate Airline (cable car over the Thames).

It's Also easy to get the tube to the Olympic park and have a wander around if the weather is nice and then all the shops up there too if that interests you.

What about getting the river boat the other way then? Go right down to Hampton Court and have a wander round there.

Not sure if you can do that all in one go from Docklands though.

Spitalfields and Brick Lane on Sunday is always a winner although it gets very very crowded these days as it seems to be in every single guide book that's ever been published. Go late morning before the crowds hit is my best advice. If you're early morning people, you could go to Columbia Road Flower Market on Sun morning for breakfast and coffee, then wander down through Shoreditch to Spitalfields and Brick Lane.

On a Saturday, Broadway Market is excellent. A lot of the Borough Market food vendors have stalls there. It's not as easily accessible as Borough so tends to attract more locals although it is also on the tourist trail these days. It gets very crowded on sunny days especially. It's a nice walk along the canal from here to either Camden (in one direction) or Victoria Park and Docklands (in the other direction).

It is possibly too late to book the sky Garden but you could go to ‘The Garden at 120 Fenchurch Street’ It is stunning, it’s free and you do not have to book. You can walk all around it for amazing views looking down on London. Sadly the restaurant is not open yet, but a short walk to Leadenhall Market has lots of places to eat. Then get the boat or train to the O2 or Royal Victoria Station and do the Emirate Air line cable car. Lots to do at the O2, so if it was me, I would start at Royal Victoria station and finish up to spend the evening at the O2.

Boat to tower bridge and lunch at Butlers wharf or St Catherine’s dock? Visit the Globe and then Tate Modern? There is a Van Gogh exhibition - not sure if it has opened yet

If you are meat eaters then the Chop House at Butlers Wharf is Really good.. For £9 you can go to the top of Tower Bridge and walk across the glass floor.

Megabus do a v cheap and rather good 2-hour sightseeing tour

Docklands museum is very good and tends to be much less busy than other museums. If you can bear to eat at a 'spoons there is one almost next door to it in what was the counting house of the old docks. The naked bicycle ride on Sunday?

crumpet the Van Gogh is at Tate Britain - other side of London. but it is still on.

The VG exhibition is amazing but tickets hard to come by atm

@florentina1 you've just made DH's meat loving days lol thank you

@Lizsmum for the sake of all in London I'll pass on that. Fat blue skinned mono boobed me should never be seen naked on a bike

@Frogbull so can do distance just not hills etc and I'm not very fast.

Stage 4 cancer sucks ass frankly.

@florentina1 we're heading to O2 tomorrow evening anyway so might just do that thank you

It's the annual open garden squares weekend across London.Lots of squares and gardens that are normally closed to the public will be open.Definitely worth a look :-www.opensquares.org/2019/home/index.php

Not Docklands but ironmongers row baths are are great - sneak in a massage? Or if the weather plays ball you do a (chilly) dips in one of the lidos. You might be able to find a last minute cooking or cocktail making class

If you and your DH are meat lovers, Hawksmoor Spitalfields, the original one, right by the Hawksmoor church, is ace. £££ tho.
At Broadway market there's a Cooke's Pie and Mash caff for a traditional London treat. A somewhat acquired taste but I love it. Also on the market, and at the other end of the foodie spectrum, there is Dumpling Shack, which does delicious Asian street food.
You can see their food on Instagram.