Cheap Things to Do in London This Summer

Notting Hill Carnival is Europe’s biggest street festival, taking place every August bank holiday throughout West London (August 25/26 in 2019). The main party is centered around Notting Hill and Ladbroke Grove and celebrates Caribbean culture and cultural diversity. It has an amazing and interesting history, the first event taking place in 1959. You can’t beat Notting Hill Carnival for a high intensity, fun filled bank holiday of partying.

Kew Gardens is a great place to visit all year round, but this summer they are holding Chihuly Nights, a chance to experience Dale Chihuly’s glass sculptures illuminated at dusk. If you haven’t witnessed the American sculptures works before then this is a must. Tickets are £18 and the exhibition opens at 7.30pm. However, to make a real day of it, I recommend going earlier and exploring the botanical gardens too with over 50,000 plants and beautiful Victorian greenhouses to enjoy.

It doesn’t get more British than this. There’s a long history of people swimming in Hampstead Heath ponds and sticking to tradition, the ladies and men’s ponds are still separated. However, there is now a mixed pond too so you can go with all of your friends! Hampstead Heath is one of London’s nicest parks and boasts a beautiful panoramic view over the city. Best of all, it only costs £2 to swim here and the ponds are open all summer.

This open-air cinema, located in Somerset House Edmond J.Safra Fountain Courtyard, is London’s largest outdoor cinema. This year they're screening some cinema classics including The Matrix and Reservoir Dogs alongside DJ sets and BBQ’s every night. Ticket prices vary but you can get yourself some real bargains.

Every year, Open House London offers the opportunity for the public to step inside some of London’s most famous buildings which normally, you wouldn’t be able to enter. The list of buildings taking part this year hasn’t been released but last year some of the best included 10 Downing Street, St Paul’s Cathedral and The National Archives. It’s all free but some of the more popular events had to be pre-booked last year so you can expect to have to do the same in 2019.

Last but not least in our look at cheap things to do in London in the summer, we have the Rugby World Cup. If you want to feel like a real local and get involved in proper British culture then you have to go to the pub to see a few games. My favorite place to watch big sporting events is Boxpark Shoreditch which is a popup food/drink hall. The vibe is young and relaxed, with indoor and outdoor seating, amazing food and big screens to enjoy the action on.

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