Done everything central London has to offer, or just fancy venturing a bit further afield for your next day out?
These are our favourite places to visit in outer London, from lesser-known museums to sprawling parks — and several of them are free!
We've even included a map so you can see what's near you, or which of these attractions are close to each other, so you can hit up two or three in a day.
Things to do in north London
Myddelton House Gardens, Enfield
We once described Myddelton House Gardens as "London's architectural dumping ground", and meant it in the most delightful way possible. Here you'll find: the former route of the New River; part of the old London Bridge; the old Enfield Market Cross; paving stones from Clerkenwell; and a pine tree from the Vatican, among many other fascinating oddities. And that's before we get to the plants and flowers. Best seen in wisteria season. FREE.
Whitewebbs Museum of Transport, Enfield
London's "other transport museum", Whitewebbs nudges up against the M25 in London's garden centre hinterland. It's packed to the rafters of its five-floor museum building plus several outdoor buildings, including a replica fire station, auto jumble shop and a model railway inside an original carriage. Among vehicles on display are "Wendy", a 1939 ambulance, fire engines dating back to the 18th century, plus bicycles, tractors, cars and war memorabilia. Note it has very limited opening hours (Tuesday, and the last Sunday of the month).
Forty Hall, Enfield
Jacobean manor house Forty Hall houses a permanent exhibition about the building, and the families who lived here from its construction in 1629 until it became a public museum in 1951. The 270-acre estate surrounding the house is also open to the public, encompassing a walled garden, children's play area, pleasure grounds, farm shop, woodland and a heritage trail. FREE.
Note: Forty Hall, Myddelton House Gardens and Whitewebbs are all very close to each other, so could be visited in a single day.
RAF Museum, Hendon
Walk under the wings of a Lancaster bomber and clamber aboard a Chinook helicopter at the RAF Museum, cluttered with more than 100 aircraft across six hangars. Plus kids will be kept entertained with the likes of a hands-on air traffic control display. The time will fly by. FREE.
Stephens House and Gardens, Finchley
For anyone who cares a jot, London has a little-known Museum of Ink (also known as the Stephen Collection — open by appointment only), located within Stephens House and Gardens, once home to ink magnate Henry Stephens. The house isn't open to the public, but the grounds are, where you'll find woodlands, bothy gardens, a bog garden and a bench statue dedicated to Spike Milligan.
Headstone Manor Museum, Pinner
Local Harrow history is the focus of the Headstone Manor Museum, which has objects spanning archaeological artefacts, fine art and natural history items, all on display inside a manor house dating from 1310 — the only completely moated manor house in Greater London. FREE.
Heath Robinson Museum, Pinner
The work of local artist and illustrator William Heath Robinson — famous for his crackpot imagined contraptions — is on display at Pinner's Heath Robinson Museum. Original artwork books, photographs, film and digital media feature in the permanent display, telling Robinson's story from art school in the 1890s through to the Second World War. A programme of seasonal exhibitions showcases the work of other illustrators too.
Epping Forest
On the north-east London/Essex border, Epping Forest offers 12 miles of ancient woodland to explore on an arboreal day out. Over the Essex side, the star exhibit at the Epping Forest District Museum is a woolly mammoth's tusk, along with other objects revealing local history. Back inside the M25, Epping Forest visitor centres at High Beech and Chingford offer a gateway to the forest, manned by knowledgeable volunteers with maps and the like available. The latter is right next to Queen Elizabeth's Hunting Lodge, a timber-framed house built for Henry VIII.
Walthamstow Wetlands
An internationally important wildlife reserve which doubles up as a reservoir supplying water to 3.5 million people, Walthamstow Wetlands feels a whole world away from central London. Reality: it's less than 15 minutes walk from Tottenham Hale station. Put your walking boots on and follow one of several trails around the reservoirs, looking out for species including common toads, kingfishers and even peregrine falcons as you go.
Things to do in south London
Chislehurst Caves, Chislehurst
22 miles of manmade caves run beneath the streets of south-east London, an underground world where Doctor Who was once filmed, and Jimi Hendrix played twice. The caverns were originally chalk and flint mines, and Chislehurst Caves came into use as ammunitions storage and bomb shelters during the Second World War. These days, the caves can only be visited on a lamp-lit guided tour. Wrap up warm — it gets chilly down here, even in the height of summer!
Eltham Palace, Eltham
Medieval meets art deco mansion at English Heritage property Eltham Palace. Visit the Great Hall, built in the 1470s, and the only surviving part of the medieval royal palace where Henry VIII spent his childhood. Then wander through to the glamorous 1930s mansion built next door, including a wood-lined dining room, gold-plated bathroom and a wartime bunker. Impressive grounds too, encompassing a moat crossed by London's oldest working bridge, a rose garden, rock garden and playground.
Severndroog Castle, Eltham
London's little-known gothic castle (more of a folly, really), tucked away in woodland, with views over seven counties on a clear day, Severndroog Castle invites visitors to climb the 87 stairs to the rooftop viewing platform. You might even glimpse Windsor Castle.
Horniman Museum, Forest Hill
Not by any means little-known, but worth venturing to Zone 3 for, Forest Hill's Horniman Museum offers natural history and global culture galleries, an aquarium and butterfly house, and temporary exhibitions... and that's just inside. The grounds are perched atop a hill offering incredible views of the London skyline. A great one for families.
One of London's most southerly attractions must surely be Down House, the former home of naturalist Charles Darwin where he developed his ideas of evolution by natural selection. Now owned by English Heritage, it is both a period home, with the downstairs decked out as it would have been in Darwin's day, and a museum dedicated to his work. The gardens are magnificent too, still in bloom with (largely) the same species recorded in Darwin's notebooks.
RAF Biggin Hill Museum
A short hop from Down House (and even further south) is the RAF Biggin Hill Museum, a former fighter station turned into a small gallery space telling the stories of pilots and ground crew who worked out of Biggin Hill during the Battle of Britain. Next door is the St George's RAF Chapel of Remembrance.
Bethlem Museum of the Mind, Beckenham
Located within the Bethlem Royal Hospital, a psychiatric hospital which had several homes before ending up in Beckenham, is the Bethlem Museum of the Mind. Through temporary exhibitions and permanent displays, it shares the experiences and achievements of people with mental health problems. FREE.
Wimbledon Lawn Tennis Museum and Tour
For two weeks of the year, the eyes of the sporting world are on SW19 as Centre Court and surrounds ricochet with the thwacks and grunts of the world's best tennis players battling it out at the All England Lawn Tennis Club. The other 50 weeks of the year, the AELTC (or Wimbledon, as it's better known) invites the public inside to visit the Wimbledon Lawn Tennis Museum. Famous trophies, tennis outfits dating back to the Victorian era, and equipment donated by some famous faces are on display. Tours of the museum and grounds are also available.
Sewing Machine Museum, Tooting
Just one Saturday afternoon a month, one of London's most niche museums opens its doors. The Sewing Machine Museum is a private collection of hundreds of the machines, including one which once belonged to Queen Victoria's daughter.
Avery Hill Winter Gardens, Eltham
London's second largest winter gardens (after Kew), Avery Hill consists of three interlinked glass domes, and is open year-round, offering a welcome oasis of warmth, and greenery in the form of Canarian palm trees and cactus plants, throughout the colder months. FREE.
Dulwich Picture Gallery, Dulwich
While central London has its own behemoth art galleries, Dulwich Picture Gallery claims to have been the world's first purpose built public art gallery, established back in 1811, and is still home to a seriously impressive collection today. Works by Rubens, Gainsborough, Canaletto and Anthony van Dyck hang on the walls of a building designed by Sir John Soane, joined by a regularly changing programme of exhibitions championing both historic and contemporary artworks. The charming Dulwich Village is worth a wander if you've never been before (we can personally vouch for Rocca Di Papa Italian restaurant as an excellent lunch spot) and the Gallery is right across the road from Dulwich Park for all your picnicking, boating and general stretching-of-leg needs afterwards.
Brixton Windmill
For more than 200 years, Brixton Windmill has been in situ, now located between Brixton and Clapham South stations. It opens to the public on selected weekends throughout the summer, offering short guided tours where you can see the original equipment in action.
Also in south London is Wimbledon Windmill and Museum, open selected dates March-October. Outside these dates, you can see the sails being turned every five weeks.
Things to do in east London
God's Own Junkyard, Walthamstow
Head to an unassuming industrial estate on the outskirts of central Walthamstow for London's neon paradise. God's Own Junkyard is packed full of glowing, psychedelic signs collected from film sets and photo shoots, fairgrounds and retro displays, all calling out for your eyeballs' attention. You won't know where to look. Extra points for the excellently-named Rolling Scones Cafe on site. Note God's Own Junkyard only opens Friday-Sundays, and sometimes not even then if closed for private events, so check before you travel. FREE.
Crossness Pumping Station, Abbey Wood
How nice can a sewage pumping station actually be? Absolutely magnificent in the case of Crossness Pumping Station, alternatively known as the "cathedral on the marshes", or engineer Joseph Bazalgette's "cathedral of sewage". Open days run throughout the year, inviting you inside to learn how it all works. It has its own narrow-gauge railway too, and on certain open days, a vintage Routemaster bus offers visitors free rides to and from Abbey Wood station.
Queen Elizabeth Olympic Park, Stratford
While still home to some of the 2012 venues, including the Aquatics Centre, London Stadium and Copper Box Arena, the Queen Elizabeth Olympic Park transitioned surprisingly seamlessly into an enjoyable and useful outdoor space, open to everyone for free. It abuts Hackney Marshes to the north, which itself joins with Walthamstow Marshes — meaning you can wander for miles if you're so inclined. Prefer to stay closer to the action? The QEOP perfectly toes the line between enough greenery that you feel wholesome after a quick wander, but sufficient paved paths that you needn't worry about mud. It's also home to the ArcelorMittal Orbit and its Helix slide.
V&A Museums, Stratford
Stratford has undergone something of a cultural boom in recent years, as new venues including the V&A East Storehouse and its David Bowie Centre open in the Queen Elizabeth Park, to be joined by the V&A East in April 2026. Entry to all is FREE (charge for some exhibitions) and booking is recommended. Dance theatre Sadler's Wells East has also opened nearby, offering regular performances and workshops along with its own restaurant and bar.
Dr Who Museum, Upton Park
Well-known among Whovians, and of occasional interest to others, is East Ham's The Who Shop, a passion project of an emporium run by wife and husband team Alexandra and Kevan, selling all manner of Dr Who memorabilia. Less well-known is The Who Shop Museum, located on the same site and open by appointment. Step through the TARDIS to view more than 120 props, costumes and artefacts from the world of Doctor Who, Torchwood, The Sarah Jane Adventures and K9, dating back to 1964. It's a small space, with visiting time limited to 25 minutes, so it's not a full day out, but something to bear in mind if you're in the area.
Upminster Tithe Barn and the Museum of Nostalgia
London's oldest thatched building, Upminster Tithe Barn, nudges up against the M25 on the London-Essex border. The structure itself dates back to 1450 — though it's had a new roof in recent years — but it took on a new purpose in 1976 when it opened as an agricultural museum. It began with a tractor, and other pieces of agricultural machinery but has since expanded to house other domestic and craft items, including washing machines, vacuum cleaners, woodworking tools and printing ephemera. Keep an eye on the website for occasional open days.
Things to do in west London
Hanwell Zoo and Brent Lodge Park Millennium Maze
Londoners of a certain vintage might remember the "Bunny Park", now known as Hanwell Zoo. You won't find lions or tigers in this corner of west London, but flamingos, capybara, monkeys and lemurs are among the species who do reside here. A few steps away from the zoo's entrance is the FREE Brent Lodge Park Millennium Maze, a labyrinth made from 2,000 yew trees, with a viewing platform as its centre.
Pitzhanger Manor, Ealing
If you've enjoyed central London's Sir John Soane's Museum, head west to the architect's country home, Pitzhanger Manor, and its adjoining art gallery. Before opening to the public in 2019, the building was restored to as it would have been in Soane's time, and houses regular exhibitions (Grayson Perry and Rana Begum are among the well-known artists who've exhibited here in recent years). Parts of 2026 Channel 4 TV series Secret Genius were filmed at Pitzhanger, and it's right next door to Walpole Park with its playground, cafe and lake.
Ace Cafe, Stonebridge
Though you can admire the array of shiny chassis and the choir of purring engines to your heart's content, the legendary Ace Cafe isn't just an experience for petrolheads; order a chilli burger and a knickerbocker glory and boogie the evening away to Eddie Cochran on the jukebox.
BAPS Shri Swaminarayan Mandir, Neasden
Also known as Neasden Temple. A hand-carved marble masterpiece, this is the biggest Hindu temple outside India — and a sight to behold. The building is open to the public to peruse, and sometimes there's a guide on hand to lead you round. For the full experience though, attend one of the traditional Hindu prayer ceremonies. Remember, this is a place of worship and there's a strict dress code.
The Musical Museum, Brentford
Self-playing pianos and violins, pipe organs, music boxes, gramophones, keyboards and synthesizers are among the instruments on display at west London's Musical Museum, which doubles up as a concert venue. Crowning glory is the Mighty Wurlitzer Cinema organ, originally used to accompany silent films (indeed the museum still hosts occasional screenings). The on site cafe offers fab views over the Thames.
London Museum of Water and Steam, Brentford
An Italianate brick tower close to Kew Bridge station signals the London Museum of Water and Steam, which occupies the former Kew Bridge Waterworks. The museum tells the history of London's water supply in an accessible, family-friendly way, with a huge collection of pumping engines available to view. Most importantly in our opinion: The museum has its own miniature steam locomotive which offers rides through the grounds on selected weekends.
The Water Museum and Musical Museum are almost next door to each other, so could easily both be visited in a single day. Kew Gardens (below) is a further 10-minute stroll away.
Kew Gardens, Kew
Not a secret, but an absolute shoo-in if you're looking for a day out in west London and the weather's not too shabby. The sprawling grounds of Kew Gardens encompass: three large glasshouses packed with tropical plants; two lakes; a treetop walkway; a royal palace; a pagoda; woodlands; two art galleries; various restaurants and cafes... and that's barely scratching the surface.
Syon Park, Brentford
Syon House is the London home of the Duke of Northumberland, and it's open to the public for part of the year. Visitors can enter rooms including the Great Hall, State Dining Room and Long Gallery. The house is surrounded by Syon Park, home to the Great Conservatory, gardens, parkland, meadows and an Arboretum, as well as a garden centre and cafe.
Hobbledown Heath, Hounslow
One of London's best attractions for families has got to be Hobbledown Heath in Hounslow. It's part adventure playground, part zoo, with indoor and outdoor play areas. There's also zorbing, archery and other activities — should be enough to wear out even the most energetic of kids.
Battle of Britain Bunker, Uxbridge
76 steps beneath the streets of Uxbridge, surrounded by a new housing estate, is the Battle of Britain Bunker, an underground space which remained secret throughout the Second World War. It acted as Fighter Command No.11's Group Operations Room, from where RAF movements were directed, and enemy planes were tracked. Historic maps remain in situ today, and can be seen on a tour of the bunker (recommended age seven+). There's also a cafe and shop on site, and a ground level exhibition for anyone unable to make the descent. Full info here.
Hampton Court Palace
By no means unknown, but absolutely worthy of a visit is Henry VIII's former home, Hampton Court Palace. Now in the care of Historic Royal Palaces, the redbrick beauty is surrounded by manicured gardens and sprawling parkland, along with a famous maze and a top-notch children's playground. You could easily spend the best part of a day here.
London Wetland Centre, Barnes
Much like Walthamstow Wetlands (above), the WWT London Wetland Centre in Barnes is first and foremost a haven for wildlife, with six hides dotted around the place for birdwatchers to make use of. It's not just birds though: the reserve is home to water voles, dragonflies, frogs, butterflies — even otters and lizards. There's a cafe and shop on site, and many of the paths are wheelchair accessible. Regular events include bat walks, pond dipping sessions, wildlife photography courses and school holiday trails for kids.
Strawberry Hill House, Twickenham
The Gallery at Strawberry Hill House in Twickenham might just be the most opulent room in London: we audibly gasped when we first set foot inside, important portraits hanging on its rich red walls, the intricate gold-scalloped ceiling competing with the wooden chequerboard floor for attention. The rest of Sir Horace Walpole's Gothic Revival building is also incredibly ornate: its whitewashed exterior replete with twisting chimneys and turrets, its interior packed with ornate decorations and gilded gold trims, and a charming mismatch of decorative stained glass windows.
Stroll along the Thames
On a budget? Keen to make the most of some rare good weather? Follow our 2.5 mile walking route along the Thames from Richmond to Twickenham, via weird statuary, secret gardens and two flooding pubs.
