London offers some of the most popular attractions of
the world in the form of museums, art galleries and shopping streets, but there
are many less explored parts of the cities which one can visit while being in
London. These places are fun to visit, especially if you are here with your
family, including the little ones.
London Attractions
London is a fabulous city with more than 200
attractions and things to explore. The most popular attractions of the city
includes – The London Eye, The Buckingham Palace, Hyde Park, Tower of London,
Madame Tussauds Museum, Natural History Museum, Westminster Abbey, St Paul’s
Cathedral, Kensington Gardens, Oxford Circus, West End Theatres, Trafalgar
Square, The Science Museum, Tate Modern, Victoria and Albert Hall, Royal
Academy of Arts, Oxford Street, Harrods Shopping Centre, etc. But if this is
your 4th or 5th visit to the city, there is a good chance
that you have already visited these attractions more than once. So what’s next?
Well, London offers much more than you think. Explore these 7 offbeat
attractions offered by London, most of which are located near the busiest
neighbourhood of the city, Kensington.
Play London Skittles
Are you a fan of bowling? Then you will love this
traditional British sport. Skittles is very similar to bowling. The only
difference between conventional bowling and skittles is that instead of a
bowling ball, players use a 10 pounds ball of cheese in order to knock down the
bowling pins. Yes, you heard right! You can enjoy this crazy sport at various
centres in the city but most of these centres have starting using wooden balls
instead of cheese. If you want to enjoy this game the conventional way, go to
places like Freemasons Arms.
Visit the Hamley’s
If you have the company of the little ones with you,
take them to the Hamley’s. The gigantic toy shop sells as kinds and types of
toys and games designed for kids. Your kids will go crazy at this popular toy
shop. Their Hornby Train Sets and Stuffed Toys are popular in all over the
world. The store is located halfway down Reagent Street.
A Meeting with Sherlock
Holmes
One of the most exciting attractions located near Park Grand London Kensington is the
Sherlock Holmes Pub. The popular restaurant and bar located on the
Northumberland Street in Westminster serves classic British preparations. The
décor of the establishment is themed on the legend of iconic detective Sherlock
Holmes. The upper floor of the restaurant is a replica of Sherlock and Watson’s
study room. If you have the books or you have seen the films or the TV series, you
will fall in the love with the place.
Explore the Museum of Brands,
Packaging and Advertising
Yes, we know that you have visited museums like the
Natural History Museum but this particular museum located in London is
something like you have never seen before. Robert Opie’s collection of daily
life consumer products ranging from shampoo bottles to a number of toys can
take you down the memory lane. The size of the collection is enormous. There
are more than 12 thousand items on display. Dine at the nearby ‘Al Waha
Restaurant’, it’s a great place for trying out something new.
Visit the Horniman Museum
Again, a great place for the kids. The museum is a
short ride away from the London Bridge. It was founded by a ‘tea trader’ named
Fredrick Horniman. Most of the items on display were collected by him while he was
travelling. There are no charges to explore this museum which even houses an
aquarium and a farmyard.
Ride the Clippers
An extremely fun activity you can enjoy near Park Grand London Kensington Hotel. Take
a tour of the River Thames on Thames River Clippers, which is actually a ‘river
bus service’. It’s refreshing and a completely innovative way of exploring the
city whilst enjoying a cool breeze travelling on the Thames. It is often
referred as the fastest and the most comfortable way of travelling the river. Besides
normal tours, you can also book special private tours or corporate tour
services.
Imperial War Museum
The museum has five branches in various parts of
England. Out of five, three are housed in London. The establishment’s collection
includes archives of original war documents, letters, photographs, videos and
military equipments and artefacts. The most fascinating branch of Imperial War
Museum is the Churchill War Rooms. This museum houses the actual war rooms
which were used at the time of the war in the 1940s. Winston Churchill used to
walk these rooms planning and scheming how the war could be won.