London Offbeat: Unexpected and Quirky Things to Do in the City

London is full of iconic sights: Big Ben, the London Eye, Buckingham Palace. But once you’ve ticked off the classics, the real magic begins. Beneath the postcard-perfect surface, the capital hides a weirder, wilder side that most guidebooks never touch. If you’re looking to dodge the tourist crowds and experience something truly memorable, these offbeat and quirky activities will show you a different London entirely.

1. Get Lost in the Viktor Wynd Museum of Curiosities

Hidden down a quiet Hackney street is one of London’s strangest attractions. The Viktor Wynd Museum of Curiosities is part art installation, part Victorian cabinet of curiosities, and part fever dream. Expect taxidermy, shrunken heads, antique erotica, occult paraphernalia, and the personal oddities of its eccentric founder.

It’s deeply bizarre, slightly disturbing, and entirely unmissable for those with a taste for the unconventional. After exploring, you can even enjoy a cocktail in the museum’s surreal basement bar.

2. Wander Through God’s Own Junkyard

Tucked away in an unassuming Walthamstow warehouse is a kaleidoscopic explosion of neon lights. God’s Own Junkyard is the life’s work of Chris Bracey, a neon artist who created signs for Soho clubs and Hollywood films alike. Inside, you’ll find a glowing labyrinth of salvaged signs, film props, and original artworks.

It’s part gallery, part Instagram trap, and totally electric. There’s also a cosy café surrounded by the glowing art—ideal for soaking up the atmosphere with a coffee or beer.

3. Play Surreal Mini Golf at Plonk

Plonk is not your average round of mini golf. Designed by set-builders and street artists, each course is a vibrant, chaotic playground. Think UV lights, skatepark ramps, loops, and psychedelic artwork. Locations vary—some are hidden in railway arches, others inside pubs or on rooftops.

It’s wonderfully unserious and surprisingly addictive, especially after a couple of drinks.

4. Visit the Seven Noses of Soho

Street artist Rick Buckley once glued sculpted noses to buildings around Soho as a protest against surveillance. Most people walk past them without ever noticing. But a dedicated few try to find all seven—if they still exist.

It’s like a treasure hunt woven into the city’s fabric. Strange, pointless, and delightful. Google maps won’t help you here—just your eyes and a bit of patience.

5. Explore Eel Pie Island

Few Londoners even know Eel Pie Island exists. Accessible only by a narrow footbridge from Twickenham, this private island on the Thames was once a jazz and rock mecca, hosting bands like The Rolling Stones and Pink Floyd.

Now, it’s home to artists’ studios and a handful of permanent residents. The island occasionally opens to the public for art open days, when you can wander the eccentric community and peek into its secretive bohemian soul. Watch the dates closely—it’s a rare and fleeting invitation.

6. Blow Off Steam with Paintball in London

If you’re craving adrenaline and chaos, you might be surprised to learn you can get your combat fix without leaving the city. Urban paintball arenas have popped up in unlikely places—inside disused warehouses, underground bunkers, and converted car parks.

Playing paintball in London is a jarring but exhilarating experience: you go from bustling high streets to dystopian battle zones in minutes. Perfect for groups, birthdays, or just anyone who wants to let off steam in a slightly mad way.

7. Dine in the Dark at Dans Le Noir?

Imagine eating a three-course meal without being able to see your plate, your food, or even your hands. That’s the premise of Dans Le Noir?, a Clerkenwell restaurant where diners eat in total darkness, guided and served by visually impaired staff.

The idea is to heighten your other senses and challenge your perception of flavour, texture, and social interaction. It’s not just a gimmick—it’s genuinely transformative.

8. Discover Little Venice… By Kayak

Little Venice lives up to its name, with tranquil canals, leafy houseboats, and waterside cafés. But instead of walking its paths like everyone else, try exploring it by kayak or paddleboard.

You can drift past narrowboats, urban wildlife, and curious onlookers while paddling towards Camden or Regent’s Park. It’s peaceful, gently surreal, and one of the most relaxing ways to experience London’s underappreciated canal network.

9. Hunt for Time Travel at Druid Street Market

On Saturdays, a sliver of Bermondsey becomes a kind of microcosm of alternative London. Druid Street Market combines experimental street food, local crafts, and a kind of unpolished charm that’s been vanishing from central London.

Pick up Ethiopian coffee, handmade ceramics, or vegan bao buns. You might also stumble across someone selling bones, 3D-printed insects, or secondhand zines from the ‘80s. It’s like time-travel meets gentrification, in the best way.

10. Sleep in a Former Police Station

If your idea of quirky includes sleeping somewhere with a past, check into The Great Northern Hotel or The Good Hotel at Royal Victoria Dock. But for real weird points, try the Clink78 Hostel—once a courthouse where The Clash stood trial.

You can sleep in former police cells (now tastefully redesigned), wander the old courtrooms, and soak in a little rock ‘n’ roll history while enjoying budget digs.

Go Off Script

London’s charm lies not just in its grandeur but in its willingness to be strange. Once you start looking past the surface, the city opens up in unexpected ways: glowing junkyards, ghost islands, blind dinners, and spontaneous firefights with paintballs.

So ditch the itineraries, follow your curiosity, and go offbeat. The weird side of London might just be the best side.