Experience London Like a Local → 8 Secret Insider Tips!

London is so much more than Big Ben & the London Eye. Let our local Londoner guide you through the REAL London, with hidden local gems, sustainable travel tips, the best ways locals get around, and some essential tube tips. Get to know the true “Big Smoke” and book all your activities hassle-free straight from here.

Traveling to the UK and want to experience London like a local? I’ve got you covered! 

So many tourists come to London and just see the main attractions – but I’ll show you the REAL London, including tube tips, local gems to visit, where to eat, and how to find amazing views totally for free.

This local’s guide is all you need for your next visit to London!

I was born and raised in the UK and lived in London for almost 7 years, so I know all the things you should be doing in London to have a true, authentic experience in the city. 

No time to scroll? Here are my top tips so you can grab ‘n go 😍

1. Avoid the tourist traps: visit local spots!

Don’t head to London just to stand in queues for the London Eye.

You can, but that’s just not really London. Visit all the touristy spots, world famous department stores, and afternoon tea by Tower Bridge if you like, but the list below is a MUST if you want to experience London like a true local.

1.1 Quirky museums

I recommend visiting the Tate Modern and Tate Britain at least once – but they’re so busy and don’t show the hidden face of London. 

Here are a few awesome museums you can visit for a taste of local London:

• The Horniman Museum & Gardens, Dulwich – a haven for anthropologists and nature lovers. 
• Dulwich Picture Gallery – an art lover’s paradise with a permanent collection of Baroque pieces.
• The Wallace Collection, Marylebone – a historic London house museum with paintings, sculptures, antique furniture, and suits of armor. Best enjoyed with a private tour so you get the full story!
• The Postal Museum, Clerkenwell – a great museum for kids and adults to learn about mail in Britain throughout time. Plus, you can ride the Mail Rail through the old postal tunnels!
• The Wellcome Collection, Euston – a library and museum only locals know about! Subjects connect science, medicine, life, and art. There’s an incredible archive here too!
• Novelty Automation, Holborn – in true British fashion, Novelty Automation displays satirical arcade games, wacky coin-operated machines, and modern political commentary. 
• The Vagina Museum, Bethnal Green – the world’s first red brick museum dedicated to all things vagina. Don’t miss the awesome gift shop!

You can visit many of these totally for free with a London Pass! It allows you to visit all the touristy sites and many of the lesser-known attractions, too. Get it on special offer and save money before your trip! 

1.2 Local hangout spots

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If you’re traveling around London like a local, you’ll want to hang out where the locals do!

My personal favorite hangout spot is Chiswick. Some of the most incredible restaurants and brunch spots are here, and the vibe is super laid back. Plus, it’s so pretty, you won’t even miss central London. I know I don’t!

Here are my top areas for all interests:

Top areas to have coffee:

Fulham, Chiswick, Tooting Bec, Clapham, Primrose Hill

Best places for Brunch:

Shoreditch, Clapham, Bermondsey 

Most unique thrift stores:

Brick Lane, Hackney, Dalston, Notting Hill

Best event spaces:

Tobacco Docks, The Barbican, Canary Wharf

Top areas for wining & dining:

Islington, Shoreditch, Soho, Peckham, Brixton, Chiswick

Areas for nightlife: 

Brixton, Battersea Power Station, Soho, Camden, Hackney, Covent Garden

1.3 London Bookshops

I adore London bookshops! Every time I’m in London I head straight to one of these independent stores, smell all the books, get loads of weird looks, and always end up buying something. I can’t help it – London’s book scene is unrivaled.

Here are some of my favorite hidden bookshops that tourists don’t know about:

• Daunt Books, Marylebone
• Word on the Water, Regent’s Canal (the floating bookstore)
• Brick Lane Bookshop
• Primrose Hill Books
• The Riverside Bookshop, London Bridge
• Hatchards, Piccadilly (the oldest bookshop in the UK!)

PRO TIP: Head to Cecil Court (map) for the most eclectic mix of antique, secondhand, and interesting book shops – this is the spot that inspired Diagon Alley in Harry Potter!

1.4 Historical & cultural sites

Some of London’s best cultural and historical spots are totally hidden from tourists.

This is something I love – to be honest, London is SO busy, and some of these places are so little known to tourists that they’re not busy at all. Quiet London = heaven!

Visitors to London often just follow the crowd and do the Tower of London, Chinatown, Big Ben, and Trafalgar Square, etc etc etc. And I understand, these are all cool places to visit for the untrained eye – but there’s more to London’s history and culture, I promise!

Head to these spots for a taste of REAL British culture:

1. The Hawksmoor Churches – product of the architectural prowess of one man, these churches are dotted throughout London and are some of the most incredible, historical structures in the city. Find them all here!
2. Highgate Cemetery – visiting a cemetery might not be your top priority, but Highgate is beautiful. Some incredible names were laid to rest here, including Karl Marx, Catherine Dickens, and George Michael. It’s such a calm spot, I love just walking around it with my own thoughts. Here’s the map. 
3. Chelsea Physics Garden – a cute botanical garden in upscale Chelsea, this is a haven for nature lovers in the city. Home to over 4,500 medicinal and edible plants, my favorite time to go is at Christmastime, when there’s an independent fair! If you like the idea of a real British teatime, go on this Secret Gardens tour to explore it and have high tea!
4. Marble Hill – located in Twickenham, Marble Hill House is a Georgian villa hidden away in the most gorgeous leafy grounds. I recommend getting an English Heritage Membership to get access to Marble Hill and other places like it so you get free entry!
5. London’s plague pits – not for the faint of heart, the plague pits are home to the burial grounds of victims of the Black Death in the 1600s. It’s so interesting (and morbid)! I recommend this awesome private tour to get the full experience as they’re located all over London!

Did you know that over 300 languages are spoken in London? It’s a hodgepodge of multicultural awesomeness, and one of the things that makes London’s culture so unique.

6. Speakers Corner – a well-known spot for local Londoners in Hyde Park, this is a traditional site for public speaking, debates, the spoken word, and public demonstrations. I always go on a Sunday morning, that’s when the best performances are on! See the map. 
7. Kew Gardens – If you want nature, don’t go to St James Park to see Buckingham Palace. Instead, visit Kew Gardens, a gorgeous spot with the largest botanical collection in the world! You can spend a whole day here since there’s so much to do, and the views of London are breathtaking. Get the admission ticket here. 
8. Royal Observatory & Planetarium, Greenwich – the historic source of the Prime Meridian of the world, this spot marks the divide between eastern and western hemispheres. The views of London are unparalleled, and if you love astronomy, history, and science, this is the place for you! Get your entrance ticket here. 

2. Pay attention to tube etiquette

Want to really live like a local in London? Avoid the London underground, use it only when absolutely necessary, and play by the rules when you do.

The tube is a wild ride, and it can get so rammed full of people you may spend an entire journey smelling someone’s armpit. 

My advice? Don’t travel in peak hours (7:30 AM – 9 AM, and 5 PM – 7 PM). 

Here’s some other advice for you:

Londoners don’t hate tourists. They just hate a lack of spatial awareness. 

HACK: It’s often quicker to walk or take a bus than get on the tube. Examples of this are between Bank and Mansion House, or Leicester Square and Covent Garden. Also, buses are great if you get a seat at the top!

3. Shop at local markets

Local Londoners LOVE a market, myself included. I always head up to the market on Herne Hill (map) because of the wide selection, and always come home with so much stuff!

My favorite thing about a local marketplace is the ability to support local, independent businesses. Products might be a teeny bit more expensive, but the quality is unparalleled, and the experience will make you feel like a local!

Here are some more incredible markets you can visit in London:

• Borough Market (all day every day) – usually very busy but excellent for lunch
• Spitalfields Market (all week 8 AM – 11 AM) – also great for lunch
• Crystal Palace Park (Sundays) – excellent for cheese and scotch eggs!
• Nine Elms Market (Sundays) – great for a non-gentrified experience, plus a car boot sale for trinkets and gifts!
• Maltby Street Market (Saturdays & Sundays) – for food trucks and beer
• Camden market (all week) – great for street food and retail shopping

PRO TIP: If you want to travel like a true local in London and want to go shopping, avoid Oxford Circus like the plague. It’s so busy, too touristy, and most Londoners will go elsewhere. If you need clothes, head to Portobello Road for independent shops & boutiques, Westfield for mainstream stores, and Shoreditch in East London for thrifting & vintage. 

4. Eat in local spots away from the tourists

London is a haven for foodies, and with easy access to pretty much every cuisine in the world, you should definitely focus on trying something new every day.

I adore the London food scene. Whatever you’re craving, you’ll find it here. It’s one of the reasons I loved living in London – listen to your belly and follow your cravings every day!

There are far too many incredible restaurants in London for me to list them out for you!

Here are the best areas to go for the top restaurants in the city:

Want to experience the food of locals with a guide to make your life easier? I highly recommend this walking food tour – you’ll experience the foodie hidden gems of London and have proper British food!

5. Use free local tour guides

If you’re a first-timer in London, you’ll want to get to grips with the city pretty quickly. I personally find London very easy to navigate, but I also grew up in the UK and lived in London for many years, so I’m probably a bit biased!

The best way to navigate the city as quickly as possible is to hire a Guruwalk local to take you on a tour for FREE.

All the guides are certified London locals so they know all there is to know about the city!

The best thing about these tours is that you only have to pay the tour guide a tip at the end of the experience – and you can pay whatever you think the tour was worth!

6. Embrace London pub culture

Even if you’re not a big drinker, to travel to London like a local means embracing its primary cultural aspect: pubs. 

Pubs are a big thing in this city – and in the UK in general! People crowd to the pubs a few nights a week after work, often with their colleagues, often to meet up with their friends. Regardless if it’s summer or not, the rain will never stop a pub-goer!

You can find pubs all over London, literally on every single corner. So just choose one that fits your personality!

My favorite type of pub is one with a beer garden, heaters, and blankets to keep you warm. There’s just something about a pub garden that resonates with me. Whenever I’m in London, I always make a point of heading to South London for The Coat and Badge (map) or The Falcon (map). Great food, great vibes, and great garden!

NOTE: Pubs in London very rarely offer table service – if you want to order something, order and pay at the bar!

7. Don’t pay for views of the city

London looks its most beautiful from above, so seeking out those incredible spots to take in the awesome views is completely understandable. 

However, many tourists will pay for that privilege and head to the London Eye or The Shard – without realizing they can get even better views of the city totally for free, and in stunning locations, too!

Here are some of my favorite free places to see gorgeous views of London:

1. Primrose Hill
2. Hampstead Heath (specifically Parliament Hill viewpoint)
3. Greenwich
4. Alexandra Palace (Ally Pally)
5. Horizon 22
6. Greenwich Park
7. Richmond Hill
8. Horniman Park, Forest Hill

PRO TIP: Alexandra Palace has a year-round ice rink that’s surprisingly cheap given how good it is. It makes for a great date night!

8. Rent a Santander Bike

These rentals are all over the city – just look out for the red signs!

You can use contactless on the kiosk to pay for however long you want the bike. 

Plus, the first 30 minutes are totally free, so if you need to get somewhere quick and don’t want the hassle of the tube, you have yourself a free ride!

Have a look at this map to see all the Santander Bike stations in London.

NOTE: When you’re done with the bike, always put it back at a registered bike station so it gets locked in so nobody can take it. You can always come back and get it again if you keep the receipt with the code!

FAQS about how to experience London like a local

🇬🇧 How do you experience culture in London?

To experience the hodgepodge of culture in London, hang out where the locals do! Go to Dalston, Hackney, Brick Lane, Putney, or anywhere else outside of zone 1 to see the real London and experience our mix of cultural banter!

🏴󠁧󠁢󠁥󠁮󠁧󠁿 What is London like?

London is very busy, but incredibly eclectic and full of surprises. Having lived there for so long, I got used to the madness, but going back there now I can’t believe how mad it is! London is an incredible city, and you’ll never be bored – there’s always something going on!

👗 How do you dress like a local in London?

Dressing like a local in London means dressing for all potential weather scenarios. That means take an umbrella even if it’s not raining, make sure your bag is waterproof, and don’t dress too fancy unless you’re going out at night. 

ℹ️ Where do tourists go when they’re in London?

Tourists always seem to go to Oxford Street, Parliament, Big Ben, The London Eye…all the places that aren’t really considered “real” London for us locals, who stay mainly in the residential areas. Tourists also really love going to the theater in the West End – but don’t we all!

🎡 What is the most visited attraction in London?

The most visited attraction in London is The British Museum, with almost 6 million visitors every year. I love the British Museum, but I also think London’s quirky museums are better. And London has a whole host of them! Don’t miss the Vagina Museum! 🤪

🚇 What time is rush hour in London?

Rush hour in London is typically 7:30 AM – 9 AM, and 5 PM – 7 PM. If you can, try to travel outside of those times, especially if you plan to take the tube! Otherwise, be prepared to get up close and personal with some strangers 😆

Conclusion

Now you know all about how to experience London like a local!

You’re not just a tourist – you’re a FUN, local tourist!

My final piece of advice is this: Never underestimate the power of looking beyond traditional tourist sites. You’ll get far more out of it, and the local communities you’re visiting will benefit, too.

Have a great trip!

Lizzie