Welcome to London, one of the most amazing cities in the world.
Hope you have some fun stuff planned, but if not-we can help you out.
Sports, culture, iconic spots, food, booze-we got you covered.
You’re here for the Texans vs Jaguars? Or just to feel the NFL vibe of the city?
Here are a few things to help you get your weekend sorted and have some fun.
Rugby World Cup
It’s England vs South Africa-not since the Boer War have we seen such animosity on the rugby pitch.
England knocked off the Kiwis with a solid D that would make the Patriots proud.
South Africa got rid of the pugnacious Welsh team, but England has a solid squad, and the Brexit papers to justify the immigrant core who fill out the team.
Head to a local pub-not a chain. Go out of the way. Meet locals.
It will be a fun game.
England SHOULD win..but if they don’t-look at the score, smile and walk away.
Clocks Up!
And there goes your sleep advantage! The clocks change back in North America as we begrudge ‘lazy farmers’ and their work-ethic traditions. Make sure you know the Texans vs Jags game starts at 2:30pm.
Football
Saturday is football (soccer) so dive in, cheer & do don’t talk politics or teams.
Just don’t. You will look stupid & Brits love taking the piss.
You can try to snag London tickets, but the best is to cosy up to a pub and meet some new folks.
Venture away from central London and hit the local pubs-you meet the coolest people there.
Arsenal are at home, which makes north London a nut punch, & West Ham & Watford play later, so maybe try to get a ticket?
Loads of punters will be WASTED if England win, and wasted & angry if they don’t.
Prepare accordingly.
NCAA Football
So you’re here in LAWN-DAWN and you want to watch college ball? Be patient. It only airs on 2 cable channels here so the pickings is slim.
You can either head to Belushi’s London Bridge (packed) or Bodean’s (closes early).
If you want the BEST way to watch college football, find a friend who has the nicest hotel and convince the staff to open their 24hr bar & put it on BT Sport ESPN.
You will get the games, and if they have more than 1 Sky Box-you will get 2.
You can also find most games on Reddit, just search in.
London bars will not play it, not care if you are missing it.
Fireworks
Hope you don’t have a dog/ war veteran/ recent immigrant from a war-torn country with you, because this weekend gets loud. Rolling up to Guy Fawkes Day, things get pretty boomy in the sky.
https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Guy_Fawkes_Night
If you do want to check out some festivities, head north to Ally Pally. You may not get into the Palace fireworks, but pubs in Crouch End, Highgate & Muswell Hill will give you full vantage.
Fireworks lead up to the celebration of Guy Fawkes Day on Nov 5th. Weekends are ripe with blast shows, so make sure you check them out-unless you hate crowds and loud noises.
Then just stay in.
Diwali
It’s the Hindu festival of light, and wow do they light up London. Many of the activities take place around Trafalgar Square, but you can find events & celebrations around the city. Find out why Indian food is the national dish of Britain-it’s AMAZING!
Most of the celebrations are near Trafalgar Square, but it will be hot all around the city. It is one of those places you have to search out, but it’s well worth it.
Try to get in at Dishoom as well. One of the best Indian places in London. You will see massive queues, but once you eat it, you will see why.
www.diwaliinlondon.com
Camden Market/Zoo
Camden Market is crazy on the weekend, & so is the London Zoo. But there is a way to do both in one day without hassle. Want to know how? Book a barge from the locks, prebook a London Zoo ticket and you can explore the market, and get a quick, backway to the zoo.
It’s totally cool.
Camden is a fun daytime place to hang, although it is crazy busy-so venture afoot from the market.
Gets a bit dodgy by the canal at nights-so watch your head.
Ask a pretty face where the party is, and you are guaranteed for a fun night. Head past the stables for late nights. If you’re looking for NFL or sports-no dice.
We aren’t going to give you links.
They don’t pay us, & you’re big enough to Google.
Saturday Night
So you’re heading out, and ready to party in London?
There are loads of areas to go, but surprisingly the best places are around your hotel.
Don’t chase late night venues with clues given by cab drivers-go where the action is, and in many cases it’s close to you.
London loves to drink & do drugs-so be prepared.
Where you go will determine your night.
Buckle in. We will give you a brief allotment of choices based on your being.
Upper Street
One of the coolest walks in London. Between Angel & Highbury & Islington station, there are loads of bars and fun here. The best place for a Sat night out. If you’re looking for the most solid place for food, drinks & fun-just head here.
Just up from the station and moving towards Highbury & Islington is Upper Street, one of the coolest bar strips in London. Amazing venues, cool people, and a fun London vibe.
Angel is your BEST place to have fun on a Saturday night, as well as find late night Sunday fun.
Walk the length of Upper street & you are bound to hit a few bars that pop all night.
Best of all, it’s ‘local’ so it’s not as touristy and dickish.
Late night transport, drunky food & more.
Old Street
Roadtrip Bar & loads of places up Commercial st are open late. Meet some cool people-you might get an all-nighter.You are close to Shoreditch and all of the cool underground venues.
Walk around the side streets and pop into whatever venue peaks your interest. There are so many venues to explore.
Shoreditch high street also has some joints open until the wee hours.
Leicester Square
Leicester Square is London’s dumpster fire. While tourist marvel at the pigeons, & M&M store, a darker evil lurks. Pretty much, it’s where gangs and sex traffickers ply their trade and steal your stuff.
The casinos lack the class, size and fun of a US casino, & their sports offering is suspect.
You might lose your wallet/ phone/ identity.
Why bother?
Crobar is fun on a Saturday-that’s the only reason to be there. Bar Italia is also a peach for a 24 venue. Great if you lose your friends and need a place to meet up.
www.crobar.co.uk
Comedy
Want to see some great comedy? Head to Bethnal Green where the Backyard Comedy Club has great shows going on this week. The fabulous American comedian Russel Hicks is doing a set, plus the rest of the line-up is ace. London has more stand-up shows tan NY, LA, & TO combined-find out why comedy is ace here.
The Backyard is in hipster-villa Bethnal Green, so you will find plenty to do after.
backyardcomedyclub.co.uk
Here are some of our top safety tips for London this weekend:
- The tube is always better-download a tube map.
- Download Citymapper-it will make your journey easier
- 90000 people leave Wembley-expect delays-police on horseback, and jammed trains
- Book ahead-have Uber on your phone & know where you’re going after the game
- Watch yourself at ATMs-Soho junkies will try to roll you
- Stay local-if you’re in a cool hood-explore & meet the pub/ people/ vibe
- London is NOT a 24 hr city-have a plan
- NEVER get in an unlicensed taxi
