Autumn in London: What To Do In London In October?
The evenings are getting darker, the leaves are getting crunchier, and the pumpkin spice lattes are back and tastier than ever!
As we transition into Autumn, the big coats are out and the cold, frosty mornings are slowly re-emerging.
Just because things may be a little different this year, doesn’t mean you can’t explore and take yourself on an autumnal adventure, right?
October in London is filled with plenty of spooky and generally cool activities you need to get stuck into with your pals whist enjoying your student accommodation in London.
To give you a head start, we’ve done our research and made you a list of fun things you can do in London in October.
Grab yourself a nice hot cup of tea and get ready for some serious London inspo, because it’s goodbye summer and hello autumn!
1. London Cocktail Week
Everybody loves cocktails, which is why you need to embrace London Cocktail Week, expanding across the entire month this year to help the cocktail industry get back on its feet, wow!
The festival offers cocktail fans access to a collection of top bars with cocktail tours, as well as masterclasses and immersive experiences – all socially distanced and compliant with the latest government guidelines.
Popular bars such as 108 Bar & Brasserie, 46 & Mercy and Aqua Spirit will all be taking part, but there’s way more to check out on this list here.
Beginning on the 1st October – 31st October, wristbands will cost from £12.50 to £15.00, giving you access to £6 signature serves in hundreds of the best bars in London town!
Although this event will have a 10pm curfew each night due to government guidelines, you’re still bound to have bags of fun, and plenty of cocktails too.
2. Visit Spooky Nunhead Cemetery
BOO! Did we scare you? We’re just testing you, because you’re going to need to be very brave when visiting this creepy cemetery!
Although huge areas of Nunhead Cemetery are now overgrown by nature, it sort of adds to the creepy Halloween vibe.
Nunhead Cemetery has many creepy Victorian gravestones and is actually pretty Insta-worthy especially on a misty October morning.
If you’re wondering what to do in London in October, you could even attend a monthly tour if you’re feeling seriously spooky, just make sure you keep your eyes peeled for any ghouls!
Visiting here is deffo worth the trek to south east London, and if you live in our Landale House accommodation, it’s only half an hour on the Overground. you can get here on the Tube and Thameslink in around 40 minutes.
3. Cosy Up In A Local Pub
When in doubt, head to the pub for a nice cosy drink with your mates and a bite to eat.
The Spaniards Inn in Hampstead is great if you live around Camden, and you’ve just been for a long autumnal walk on the Heath, offering comfy leather seats and cosy wood interiors.
Did you know? Rumour has it that there are three resident ghosts at this pub, so be sure to keep your wits about you!
Stratford residents can head to Hackney’s local boozer The Chesham Arms and warm up next to the crackling open fire with a pint and relax because that’s what autumn is all about.
It’ll take around 35 minutes to get there on the tube from central London, making it a fairly quick and stress-free journey with some pork scratchings at the end of the tunnel!
4. Borough Market
This place really is a foodie’s paradise, offering tons of deliciously fresh ingredients to make a warming autumnal dish for you and your mates – surely that’ll be a fun thing to do this October.
From squashes to pumpkins, to crunchy rosy apples, get ready to be lost in colour at Borough Market!
Open Monday-Thursday 10am-5pm and Saturdays until 6pm, Borough Market is London’s oldest food market, making it a piece of history as well as a market.
Located in the heart of London, the market is next to London Bridge station where there are plenty of signs marking the way so you don’t get lost! And if you live in our Landale House accommodation, you won’t even need those – the market is only a 15 min hop on the train, so if you wake up early one day this October, wondering what to do, you’ve got a plan.
There are tons of recipes on their website for you to try, giving you plenty of inspo to cook a nice hearty meal.
Tip: Don’t forget to wear your masks whilst mooching around Borough Market!
5. Visit London’s Museums At Night
Museums are cool and everything, but have you ever visited one at night? Now that’s an interesting thing to do this October!
Science Museum Lates have returned for a special edition in October to explore the world of Covid-19 and what’s happening right now to fight the pandemic.
General admission is free and the event is 6:30pm-10pm, a must-visit if you want to expand your knowledge on current uncertain events.
If you head over to Visit London, they have a handy guide on all the other museums that take part in Lates, with useful links for tickets.
Every Thursday in September and October, London Transport Museum will also be offering after dark tickets, where you can explore the galleries and exhibitions with a drink in hand!
Tickets cost £15 and your drink is absolutely free, another reason to get yourselves down there, especially if you live as close as Lightfoot Hall in Chelsea.
6. Explore London’s Haunted Spots
If you want to get into some seriously spooky vibes in October, we’d recommend visiting some of London’s most famous haunted spots!
The burial ground in Hyde Park isn’t actually open to the public, but keep your eye out for special tours and you won’t be disappointed.
Dating back to the 1880s, this creepy graveyard contained the remains of more than 300 pets marked by headstones.
It’s not too far from Tyburn either, a site where thousands of people have been executed throughout the centuries, that’s the cherry on the cake really isn’t it!?
The Old Operating Theatre Museum is worth a visit too, even the name is creepy!
Located in a herb garret in the roof of St Thomas’s Church, the theatre was built in 1822 for poor women.
It has since been restored with the original furniture and equipment, including a nineteenth-century operating table and surgical instruments…ew!
7. A Leafy Walk At Battersea Park
Autumn is the perfect time to visit Battersea Park, filled with crispy autumn leaves and beautiful colours.
You’ll definitely want to get a few Insta-worthy pictures whilst on your strolls, because this place is just stunning!
During the week Battersea Park is a great place to visit where you can mooch around at your own leisure, it’s usually a lot quieter in the week as opposed to a weekend.
So wrap up warm, grab a hot chocolate, and get ready to soak up the beautiful sites of Battersea Park!
8. Have A Big Sunday Roast
We’re sure we don’t need to convince you too much to get yourself a classic Sunday roast, because Sunday roasts are just amazing, right?
Perhaps one of the most popular destinations for a yorkie pudding is Red Lion and Sun in Highgate, who offer a massive roast beef dinner on Sundays.
They even offer delivery too if you don’t fancy leaving your student accommodation and staying in your PJ’s!
Barge East is another firm favourite in a super unique place, situated on a barge on the canal between Hackney Wick and London Stadium!
Get ready to scran on the best goose-fat roast potatoes you’ll ever have at this place, with a hearty roast dinner you won’t want to miss.
Just moved to London and want to find more about life there, such as how to travel cheap on public transport or how to make new friends in this cosmopolitan city? Our blog is updated regularly with all the latest London hacks.
Table of Contents