What to see and do around Shoreditch (and between there and Kings Cross)

[ElizabethinherGermanGarden]

We've got a family trip to London planned for DP's birthday and we are staying in Shoreditch with breakfast booked at Dishoom. After that, no plans except for a mooch around that bit of London and to walk across to Kings Cross to drop 20 yr old DSD back to her train for uni.

What are the cool things to see and do that would suit a combination of 40-50 somethings and a 20 year old? We are all pretty good at enjoying anything that's mildly interesting so don't want to narrow down options with too rigid an interests list. It's mid-week so Columbia Road flower market isn't an option, sadly.

The Postal Museum
Treasures of the British Library
Spitalfields

Thanks - will do a bit of googling

Gloria Trattoria in Shoreditch for lunch or dinner.

Theatre tickets.

Go for a coffee to Arnold Circus and then can walk from Shoreditch to Kings Cross along the Canal via Angel.

The museum of the home, spitalfields market, victoria miro, you can walk along the canal all the way to kings x.

Dennis Severs’ house is fabulous

@SantiagoSky

Go for a coffee to Arnold Circus and then can walk from Shoreditch to Kings Cross along the Canal via Angel.

Oh, this is useful, thank you. The roads didn't look lovely for the walk so the canal path sounds perfect.

@Singalongsingsong

Dennis Severs’ house is fabulous

Not heard of this one so will be looking it up, thank you.

Thanks everyone.

Do you definitely want to walk rather than tube to KC? Tube would be faster and would give you more time for mooching. Spitalfields is nice for a wander. The KC area itself is nice now too.

The Hardy Tree in the old St Pancras church yard is fascinating.

Museum of the Home in Hoxton (used to be Geffrye Musuem) is good.

Dennis Severs house is only open a few days a week.

London Mithraem - Temple of Mithras is in Bank but is honestly not that far from Shoreditch - then you can do any City stuff there.

Hawskmoor Church is in Spitalfields plus you could do a Jack the Ripper Walk too.

@RemusLupinsBiggestGroupie

Do you definitely want to walk rather than tube to KC? Tube would be faster and would give you more time for mooching. Spitalfields is nice for a wander. The KC area itself is nice now too.

Agreed re Spitalfields being nice for a wander - I used to work there - lots of Weavers houses and various streets. You could probably get a bus to KC.

@AwkwardPaws27

The Hardy Tree in the old St Pancras church yard is fascinating.

Ooh. Thanks for reminding me about this. It's on my list!

Go up The Shard? Quite expensive though but amazing views if the weather is good..
There are quite a lot of nice pubs and places to eat around Old St. station, a great improvement, when I worked near there it was a shithole.
You can go up the Walky-Talky building to the Sky Garden. You have to book but it is (or was) free. You can also get afternoon tea and a drink there.
Spitalfields market is good. www.spitalfields.co.uk/
Lots of great Vietnamese restaurants in Little Hanoi, at the Shoreditch end of Kingsland Road.
If you're carnivores the steaks at Hawksmoor are ace.
Speaking of which, Christ Church Spitalfields, a Nicholas Hawksmoor designed church just across from the restaurant is well worth a visit.
Beautiful interior.

you can walk along the canal all the way to kings x

Just be aware that the canal disappears into an underground tunnel for a while in Islington so there's no towpath for that section so you'll need to make your way above ground to re-join the canal (just use Google maps on your phone).

Since it's mid-week, you could have a stroll down Bishopsgate/through the City over to London Bridge for Borough Market. You'd narrowly pass Sky Garden (on Fenchurch St) on the way if you book free tickets for that. You'll also go past Leadenhall Market if any of you are Harry Potter fans (in which case, you also have the King Cross platform 8 3/4)

Or stroll down Brick Lane and walk over to the Tower of London. It should be quiet mid-week. I live locally and walked past the Tower on my way back from the gym last Thurs and was surprised how very quiet it was (but open!). Great time to visit without the crowds. St Katherine's Dock is next door so a good stop for coffee/lunch/mooching.

Spitalfields market, Truman Brewery including the amazing street art and Brick Lane with a visit to the Beigel shop (orange sign not white sign) for a smoked salmon and cream cheese or hot salt beef beigel.

Also at Bethnal Green next to the tube is the Museum of Childhood, worth it just to point out all the toys you had as a child. Yellow teapot? Tree House School?

Dennis Severs' house.

And I would have suggested Dishoom too!

Sky Garden deffo worth it if you can get (free) tickets

@RemusLupinsBiggestGroupie

Do you definitely want to walk rather than tube to KC? Tube would be faster and would give you more time for mooching. Spitalfields is nice for a wander. The KC area itself is nice now too.

Yes, we have a die-hard tube dodger in the group. I like canals, though, so that will be good.

@Gonnagetgoing

Museum of the Home in Hoxton (used to be Geffrye Musuem) is good.

Dennis Severs house is only open a few days a week.

London Mithraem - Temple of Mithras is in Bank but is honestly not that far from Shoreditch - then you can do any City stuff there.

Hawskmoor Church is in Spitalfields plus you could do a Jack the Ripper Walk too.

I think I'll save the Mithraeum for another day. I love a Roman site but I think I've used up my archaeology quota for this year already.

@RemusLupinsBiggestGroupie

Sky Garden deffo worth it if you can get (free) tickets

Ooh

Placemarking as have a similar trip coming up