The British weather is nothing if not unpredictable, and our plans have all fallen victim to it at some point or another. But, it’s not all doom and gloom – there are so many indoor activities in London that don’t rely on good weather!
The trick is knowing what they are. When you think of indoor things to do in London, you probably think of going to the cinema or shopping – but you don’t need to settle for these, especially not in London. From indoor golf in London shopping centres to extraordinary virtual reality experiences, there’s a lot to try out.
So whether you’re looking for a plan B for today or want to make fail-safe plans for a date in the future, our rainy day date ideas are full of indoor activities in London to keep you and your significant other busy, no matter the weather! Discover your next date idea right here, no matter your interests or bucket list. If all else fails, you could always stay in and ask each other our specially-designed set of couples challenge questions. Prepare for some honesty.
But if you fancy getting out – we’ve split our list into different categories of the types of indoor things to do in London. Whatever you want to get out of your date, you’ll find it here. So, let’s get started!
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Let Your Inner Child Loose for the Day
Dates are supposed to be fun! And one of the best ways to spend a rainy day is having fun and letting your imagination run wild and inner child free! You can do exactly that in so many spots across London, and we’ve got something everyone will enjoy, no matter your interests. From indoor golf to pottery classes, let’s look at some super fun indoor activities in London you can do right now!
Indoor Golf in London
Crazy golf, mini golf, indoor golf, whatever you call it, it’s fun as hell. No matter your age, there’s something delightful about going around a crazy golf course putting like you’re playing in the PGA. Plus, in London, you can do so with a couple of cocktails in hand and your favourite person. Here are some of our top picks.
Junkyard Golf Club Shoreditch
If you love hip hop, UV lighting and crazy golf, Junkyard Golf Club in Shoreditch is perfect for indoor golf in London for you. Nestled in the hustle and bustle of East London, you’re super close to Spitalfields market for some rain-friendly eateries and stalls if you’re hit with showers. Plus, being in Shoreditch means you’re spoilt for choice for pre or after game drinks!
Swingers
When you step inside this indoor golf spot in London, you’ll be transported to the 1920’s British seaside, where you can sip cocktails as you putt your way through Swingers’ indoor golf course. They also have a range of street food available in case you work up an appetite during your course!
Puttshack
If you love your tech, then Puttshack is the best spot for you. This high tech golf experience in Shepherd’s Bush eliminates the need for pen and paper to keep score of your rounds – the system keeps track of everything for you through smart tech in their golf balls! This is definitely one to try if you don’t want a typical golf experience.
Pop Golf
This indoor golf course makes you feel like you’re playing golf in the middle of a music video! Inspired by famous music videos from the likes of Drake and 80’s pop vibes, this is a colourful golf course that guarantees a night of fun and good music! You can find this unique golf experience over at Wembley Boxpark in West London.
Bounce
If you like a game of ping pong every now and then, you can get a little competitive with your significant other at Bounce. They don’t just offer traditional ping pong here, but other table tennis-related interactive games using their smart tables that’ll keep the fun going. Plus, you can order expertly mixed cocktails too, right to your table!
Ballie Ballerson
As kids, we all loved a good frolic in the ballpit at the indoor playground. Well, you can relive that experience by booking a slot at Ballie Ballerson! Enjoy candy-inspired cocktails before diving into their fluorescent ball pit and singing along to your favourite throwbacks.
Flight Club
If you or your significant other enjoys a good game of darts at the pub, but you want to go somewhere a little more classy, then Flight Club is your ideal next date spot for a rainy day. With locations across London, each one of these bars offers a great atmosphere and fun activity to do, so whether you’ve been together for a year or 13, you can share this new experience together.
Go Bowling
Bowling is one of those timeless activities that always guarantees a fun time. And the great thing about London is that it takes the things we love most and reimagines them in fun and innovative ways. So if you fancy knocking down some pins, these picks are great for a bowling date.
All Star Lanes Brick Lane
Just above the famous vintage markets of Brick Lane is All Star Lanes, an old school American-inspired bowling alley complete with drinks, food and even a karaoke bar! So, you can play a few games of bowling and stir up a little friendly competition with your beau here.
Bloomsbury Lanes
Another American-inspired bowling alley in the heart of London, Bloomsbury Lanes has an actual American diner inside alongside their bowling lanes! So you can enjoy a milkshake, hit a few pins and feel like you’re in a scene from Grease for the evening.
Go on a Virtual Reality Adventure
Just because you’re inside, thanks to technology, it doesn’t mean you have to stay there! Virtual reality isn’t just for technology-enthusiasts, and there are a few places to go for this kind of experience in London.
Otherworld
If you or your significant other enjoys a good game of darts at the pub, but you want to go somewhere a little more classy, then Flight Club is your ideal next date spot for a rainy day. With locations across London, each one of these bars offers a great atmosphere and fun activity to do, so whether you’ve been together for a year or 13, you can share this new experience together.
Hypereality
Hypereality is more of a virtual reality gaming experience inspired by the gaming scene in Tokyo, offering up things like virtual go karting and roller coaster rides, as well as other immersive VR games too. If you’re looking for a date with a lot of variety, this is a great pick.
Electric Gamebox
In Southbank, you’ll find Electric Gamebox, which offers up a number of immersive VR game experiences. From saving the Royal Family to exploring Mars, these different missions will (literally) whisk you to another place with your significant other and be a date night you won’t forget!
Shake Things Up with a Cocktail Class
If soaking up some sun on a terrace sipping a cocktail somewhere is off the table, then why not get behind the bar?! London has so many awesome cocktail classes you can try out, with many cult favourite bars like Dirty Martini and Be At One offering mixology classes.
This makes for great indoor activities for adults in London because you don’t just get to make your cocktails together, but drink them too! So get creative with your significant other with a cocktail class for your next date night.
The Folly
If you want to be a bit fancy, then you can mix up your very own cocktail creations over at the Drake and Morgan’s restaurant, The Folly. One of their packages includes time with an expert mixologist who will guide you through different recipes and techniques, and if you want to take things up a notch, they offer a cocktail experience that includes a sit-down meal and glass of bubbly too!
Dirty Martini
Dirty Martini is a chain of cocktail bars known for their happy hours, Instagrammable interiors and beautiful cocktails. And if you want to know how to make your own picture perfect cocktails, then their cocktail class is the one for you. And with locations all over London, no matter where you’re based, you’ll be able to find a class near you.
The Drift
If you or your partner is a bit of a history buff, then the mixology class at the Drift is a 10/10 pick for your next date night. They give you a mini history lesson on the spirits you’re working with before helping you create delicious cocktails!
Feeling Lucky? Play Some Bingo
We all know that bingo isn’t just for old biddies – it’s a super fun activity for all ages. And London has got a few spots that will guarantee you and your partner a night of fun, and hopefully good fortune! Try out a round or two of bingo if you’re looking for something new to do for date night. Here’s a few places you could try.
Hijingo
Inspired by the high tech bingo played in Japan, Hijingo is a multisensory bingo experience that transports you to another high tech world. Plus, the thing that’s extra special about this bingo place is that you don’t have the chance to just win a few quid – you can win holidays and other big ticket prizes! We’d definitely recommend making your way over to their East London location for your next date night.
Dabbers Bingo
A little more tame than our last pick but still putting a fun twist on the game of bingo, Dabbers Bingo offers creative games and top notch entertainment. They bring in the best entertainers, from comedians to performers to delight visitors while they play a good old game of bingo, complete with delicious food and cocktails too. Plus, this spot puts on themed bingo afternoons and nights, whether it’s festive nights around Christmas or high tea afternoons on the weekends.
Get Your Hands Dirty with a Pottery Class
Doing creative activities with your partner is a great way to bond and make memories together – so if you want to learn a new hands-on skill with your beau, pottery is a great shout. And you don’t have to become a professional potter! Whilst you can get your hands on the wheel and shape your own pots and bowls, you can also do the more decorative stuff. So whether you want to throw your own vase or just paint one, you’ll find a great pottery-related activity to do for your next date night.
The Kiln Rooms
This pottery workshop is best for those wanting to learn how to actually make their own pottery. The Kiln Rooms in Peckham Levels offers a range of packages over multiple weeks, so this is perfect for a recurring date night where you can make sure that you’ll get some quality time together each week. You’ll learn all the basics of pottery here, and by the end of your course you’ll have 4 beautiful, handmade pottery pieces to take home! But, if you also want to just have a little taster session, they offer just that, which is great for a one off date night activity.
Wonderland Ceramics
If you’d like to make your own ceramics in just one session, then you can book a slot at Wonderland Ceramics for your next date night. They’ll help you through the whole process of throwing the wheel, shaping your pottery and then you can take home your very own pottery creations! Each time you eat out of your bowls or plates, you’ll remember the fun time you had together.
Token Studio
If you want to get a little boozy while you make and decorate your own pottery, then you have to get yourselves over to Token Studio – this one definitely comes under indoor activities for adults in London! They operate a bring your own booze policy that will inevitably make your date night interesting! Expect good tunes and a great atmosphere at one of London’s best hidden date night gems.
Learn Something New at a Museum
When it comes to things to do when it’s raining, we need to go over to West London, where you’ll find a range of different museums just waiting to be discovered. If you’re looking for free indoor activities in London, then a museum is always a good shout. Whilst you will find that some require an entrance fee, a lot of museums in London are free to wander through. And whatever your interests are, you’re bound to find a museum that itches that intellectual scratch! So, let’s look at some museums where you can get out of the rain and into history.
Science Museum
So we’ll start with a classic: the Science Museum! You don’t have to be a sci-fi geek to enjoy this museum. With displays and exhibitions about everything from the Ancient Greeks to the indigenous tribes of Brazil, there’s a lot to learn about the natural world here. Plus, the Science Museum has everything you need for a fun-filled day – interactive displays, a gift shop full of gadgets, and a chance to spend some quality time with the person you love.
Natural History Museum
The perfect way to spend the day if you’re an animal or nature lover, the Natural History Museum is a fan favourite museum loved by all. Not only can you visit this historic landmark during the day, but the events team at the Natural History Museum really pulled it out of the bag with their series of events after regular museum opening times too.
So, if you’re looking for free indoor activities in London, why not head over to the Natural History Museum for all things nature and animals!
British Museum
Whether you’re a history buff or want to get the feeling of travelling without leaving the country (thanks, Covid!) The British Museum is a good shout for absorbing the cultures of other countries. With one of the most extensive (and questionably sourced) artefacts of any museum in the world, you’ll definitely learn a thing or two if you visit here for your date. Tickets are free too, so what have you got to lose?
Be Fancy for the Afternoon at High Tea
When the weather is all doom and gloom, a great way to take your mind off it is to get cosy inside. And what better way to do that than to sip on some warming tea and enjoy a selection of cakes? Afternoon tea always goes down a treat, and is a great way to spend some quality time together. So if you’re looking for indoor activities in London where you can feel a little fancy, there’s nothing better than afternoon tea. Let’s look at a few of our favourite picks now.
Afternoon Tea at the Ritz
For a quintessentially British afternoon tea experience, it’s got to be at the Ritz. With utterly Instagrammable interiors and picture perfect finger sandwiches, you’ll love the high tea experience here. This is perfect if you’re looking for an extra-special way to spend the day – so if your anniversary or partner’s birthday is in a particularly rainy month, you won’t have to worry about your plans getting foiled!
Or at the Wolseley
Another classic afternoon tea in Mayfair is courtesy of the team at the Wolseley. Undeniably elegant and expertly executed, their afternoon tea is available any day of the week, and caters to all dietary needs too.
The Best Indoor Activities in London
Unfortunately, rainy days happen all the time in London, so it’s good practice to have a few alternative ideas up your sleeve when it comes to date night. Hopefully you’ve found a few new bucket list items, or have even booked one of the indoor activities in London from this post! Either way, you’ve now got a range of date ideas and things to do when it’s raining.
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