Our beloved capital is full to the brim with things to do and see, but what kinda things do you do when the sun is shining we hear you ask? Well, fear not dear reader, as there’s heaps to do here – we are a city of almost nine million people after all. So, without further ado, here are ten things to do when we’re experiencing sunny days in London. So grab your SPF and let’s go!
1. Start your day right with a jog
If you’d rather not fight with strangers over cross trainers and free weights in the gym when it’s absolutely boiling outside – think how sweaty that’d be hey – then why not head off on a jog? Luckily for you, our beloved capital is chock-a-block full of great spots in which to go for a run. From park circuits to riverside rambles, there’s loads of places you can go and get your sweat on.
One of our top picks is the Parkland Walk, which takes you from Finsbury Park to Highgate along an abandoned railway line. As London’s longest nature reserve, you may be lucky enough to spot some of the resident species of wildlife along the way, and you’ll pass abandoned railway platforms, graffitied walls and some bloody great views.
2. Enjoy an iced coffee for elevenses
What’s cooler than cool? Iced coffee! London Town is getting warmer and warmer, and when the weather’s hot, you don’t necessarily want a piping hot cappuccino or latte to get your caffeine fix right? Luckily for us, we’ve got some damn fine iced coffee here too, with spots like Panadera in Kentish Town, Kaffeine in Fitzrovia and The Monocle Café in Marylebone really taking our fancy.
Perhaps our favourite though is Ozone Coffee Roasters in both Shoreditch and London Fields, which has got three different forms of iced coffee – all with a cold drip and a cold brew combo. Nothing sorts a sweat out like an iced coffee that’s for sure…
3. Continue the caffeine at an outdoor brunch
With Summer finally here and al fresco dining on the rise, our city’s restaurants know exactly what the sun-deprived, famished crowds need after Winter has been and gone: Outdoor. Brunches. And my oh my, does London deliver in that department.
There’s a hell of a lot to choose when it’s one of our sunny days in London. The highly-Instagrammable Dalloway Terrace always serves an incredible lineup of aesthetically-pleasing brunch items, and if you’re looking to go bottomless – and who doesn’t love that right – then why not soak up the views from Skylight in Peckham or Tobacco Dock?
4. Browse the eclectic street art of Brick Lane
Now, you can’t not fall in love with Brick Lane, am I right? And when it’s one of our sunny days in London, then you really can’t go wrong browsing the street art here. You’ll get the most concentration in the area between Buxton Street and Bethnal Green Road, near to where the railway bridge crosses over.
There’s everything here from murals of flowers to giant elephants, and nearby Hanbury Street plays host to perhaps the area’s most famous artwork – a massive and intricate three-story high crane by the Belgian artist ROA.
5. Picnic like a pro
Recently crowned the greenest city in Europe, London is full to the brim with places for you to put down your picnic rug when the sun’s out and about and tuck into all the picky bits – and you know how much we Brits love them.
From Primrose and Telegraph Hills to Greenwich Park, London Fields and Hampstead Heath, there are plenty of places for you to indulge in one of the great British pastimes. So slap on the suncream, grab some mates or your other half and get prepared for a lovely afternoon out!
6. Take a cooling dip in an outdoor pool or pond
When the sun shines and the temperature rises beyond 15 degrees or so, you can bet half the city is going to head to London’s lidos for a cool down. And who could blame them? We’ve got everything here from London Fields Lido and Hampton Pool – both of which are heated – to the famous Hampstead Heath ponds and Hillingdon Lido – which are not.
Add in wild swimming spots like Beckenham Place Park and the West Reservoir in Stoke Newington, and you can see why we’re spoiled when it’s one of our sunny days in London!
7. Soak a few pints at a beer garden or two
Sunshine pints are a staple of any British Summertime, just like music festivals and grumbling when it starts to rain. And where better to enjoy one than in one of our many, many boozers?
We’ve got glorious beer gardens dotted all over the city, from spots in North London like The Edinboro Castle in Primrose Hill to places south of the river like The Ship in Wandsworth. So what are you waiting for? Get yourself to one of them and bottom’s up!
8. Keep the treats going with a spot of ice cream
Now when it is one of our sunny days in London, you’re gonna want to indulge in some ice cream right? And luckily for you dear reader, there’s plenty of fab ice cream parlours dotted about our beloved capital. In fact, Kentish Town-based Caliendo’s Gelato has just been crowned as having the best ice cream in the entire UK! Now who can argue with that…
Chin Chin in Camden and Soho is always a good bet with their ice cream made with ice cream with liquid nitrogen (!), and Greedy Goat in Borough Market also has some fantastic ice cream which uses *duh* goats milk. If you’d like something a bit more ‘normal’, then Oddono’s is a great bet. They’ve got numerous branches dotted around the city, so see where your nearest one is and enjoy!
9. Seize the day watching a flick at an outdoor cinema
Hollywood’s cream of the crop are arriving at outdoor cinemas across London this summer, bringing the magic of film to rooftops, parks, and even canals. With a massive range of blockbusters, cult classics, and family-friendly films on offer, you’ll find something for everyone at any of the best outdoor cinemas in London.
From Rooftop Film Club in Peckham and Stratford to the Screen on the Canal in King’s Cross St. Pancras, there are a whole range of spots in town where you can catch a flick when the sun’s out. So let’s keep this LA-style weather stays hey?!
10. See the day off with a spectacular sunset
Rounding off this list of the best things to do during sunny days in London is catching the sunset from any one of our fantastic vantage points across the city. Ok, so we may be a little bit biassed, but when the weather’s playing ball, you’ve got a can of the cold stuff in your hand and you’re watching the sun go down over some of the most famous landmarks in the world, it’s hard to argue with the statement that we’ve got some of the best sunsets in the world.
From Ally Pally Park to the bloomin’ London Eye, there are a whole bunch of spots to watch the sun go down, so why not get out and see them!
So there you have it – a roundup of the best things to do during sunny days in London. From picnicking like a pro to getting all romantic watching the sunset, there’s loads of stuff to do when the sun’s out. So there’s no excuse not to explore…