Looking for some fun, wallet-friendly activities to kickstart the new year? We’re back with a fresh burst of things to do in London, as part of our partnership with TfL. With the daily cap, you can make unlimited trips all day long in Zones 1-2 and never pay more than £8.50*. What’s more, TfL pay as you go fares on buses and trams, including the Hopper Fare, which gives unlimited bus and tram journeys within the first hour for £1.75, are frozen until March 2026. Keep reading to find out some of the best things you can do on a budget this January…
Use the TfL Go App to plan your journey.
1. Butterfly Gardens at Hall Place & Gardens
Filled with hundreds of tropical butterflies, the Main Glasshouse at Hall Palace & Gardens is the perfect place to stay connected with nature during the colder months. As you explore this toasty indoor enclosure, you can also admire a beautiful array of tropical plants and flowers that play a vital role in the butterflies’ lifecycle.
Price: £6.50 (adult), £5.50 (child), £2.50 (under 5s) when you book online
Nearest TfL bus route: 132, 229, 492, 601, 669
2. National Maritime Museum
From exhibitions to historical tours, there is so much going on at the National Maritime Museum this January.
Astronomy Photographer of the Year
Every year, photographers from across the globe submit their space photography in hope of winning this prestigious title, and you can admire their entries at the National Maritime Museum. Marvel at all-things extraterrestrial at this spell-binding exhibition, featuring suns, moons, and shimmering galaxies.
Character Encounters
From sailors and pirates to time travellers, you can meet some of the most interesting figures in maritime history at Character Encounters. Suitable for all ages, these interactive tours are a fantastic way to get the most of the museum’s many galleries, taking you on an adventure through the Golden Age of Piracy, global trade wars, and much more.
Price: Free
Nearest TfL station: Cutty Sark DLR, Greenwich DLR
Dates: until July 2025 (Astronomy Photographer of the Year); every Saturday (Character Encounters)
3. Citra Sasmita: Into Eternal Land at the Barbican
Featuring paintings, sculptural installations, embroidery, and scent, Citra Sasmita’s first solo exhibition explores ancestral memory, ritual, and migration. Throughout this multi-sensory journey, guests will be invited to explore alternative narratives to a range of pertinent topics, from gender roles to systems of oppression, particularly within Balinese culture, as Sasmita takes inspiration from centuries of displacement across the Indonesian archipelago.
Price: Free
Nearest TfL station: Barbican Underground Station
Until: Jan 30 – April 20
4. Plonk Bingo Hackney
Nothing will give you that Thursday feeling like a game of bingo with your mates, especially when there are top prizes up for grabs – but at Plonk, there’s an added level of jeopardy. If the bingo machine drops your ball into a challenge slot, you’ll have to play an extra game to earn the right to cross the number off your card. So get ready for some impromptu jenga or rock paper scissors, just in case!
Price: From £5
Nearest TfL station: London Fields Overground, (other locations in Borough and Shoreditch)
5. Hurlingham Books
Open since 1968, Hurlingham Books is one of the oldest independent book shops in South West London. To this day, the owner Ray Cole still opens the shop’s doors every morning welcoming people to come and browse in his beloved, quirky neighbourhood haunt. And if you can’t find what you’re looking for, he has a huge warehouse just ten minutes round the corner holding over one million books, where you can continue your search.
Price: free to visit
Nearest TfL station: Putney Bridge Underground
6. Royal Air Force Museum
Discover fascinating stories from the RAF at the Royal Airforce Museum, spanning from 1918 to the early 21st century. The introductory exhibition is a perfect day out for the whole family, with plenty to keep the little ones entertained. Here you can explore hundreds of new objects including log books, hidden maps, survival rations, as well as aircrafts, vehicles, and boats, allowing you to take a deep dive into the world’s first independent air force and its involvement in monumental historical events, including both World Wars.
Price: free to visit
Nearest TfL station: Colindale Underground
7. Kenwood House
Set amidst acres of beautiful landscaped gardens, Kenwood House is an English Heritage Site home to a world-class art collection. Here you can see iconic paintings by Vermeer, Rembrandt, Gainsborough, and Constable – not to mention the stunning 18th century architecture. Look out for paw prints as you explore, to identify family activities on your visit!
Price: free to visit
Nearest TfL bus route: 210, 310, 603
8. TEMPO Running Club
Melding their love of music and movement to create a fantastic community run club, the people behind TEMPO are giving the people of South London an extra incentive to stay active. After the weekly 5k jog that takes place every Tuesday at 6.45pm, the crew are invited to join an open deck DJ session at Peckham Levels (also where the running route begins). Both the run and the open deck DJ session are open to all abilities, plus the city views from Peckham Levels are amazing – the perfect way to end your evening jog!
Price: free
Nearest TfL station: Peckham Rye Rail Station
*Always use the same card or device when touching in and out. Excludes London Cable Car, River Bus, Southeastern high speed services. Daily capping applies to trips completed between 4.30am and 4.29am the following day.