31 of London’s best things to do for silly fun with friends

 

1 Le Petit Chef at London Cabaret Club, Holborn

For a dinner with a difference, Le Petit Chef at London Cabaret Club is a theatrical evening, brought to you by the world’s smallest chef. The elaborate meal uses 3D mapping technology to bring the 6cm tall French chef to life in a narrative played out on your dinner table. The action incorporates the tasting menus five courses, which are “prepared” by the chef and include dishes such as buffalo mozzarella caprese salad, bouillabaisse and lobster risotto. Although the tech relates to the main tasting menu, kids and vegetarian menus are also available.

Tickets: From £119 per person

Address: Victoria House, Bloomsbury Square, Holborn, WC1B 4DA

Website: lepetitchef.com

2 IFLY Indoor Skydiving at the O2, Greenwich

If you’ve ever watch a TikTok of people being pummelled by a fierce jet of air while in a glass-walled tube like room while dressed as a competitive BMX bike racer, then you have a fair idea of what to expect in an indoor skydiving session. Whether you’re good at it, or absolutely terrible, it looks like a whole lot of fun.

Address: iFLY Indoor Skydiving, Peninsula Square, Greenwich, SE10 0DX

Website: iflyworld.co.uk

3 Platform, Canary Wharf & Shoreditch

Gaming bar Platform Canary Wharf, is the sort of place you will keep coming back to again and again and never get tired of. Whether you are a pro or a newbie, have a good time playing a wide range of video games, while you sip on OTT cocktails and gorge yourself with oven-fresh pizzas. The gaming consoles are equipped with everything- from classics like Super Mario to the fan favourite Fifa. What’s more? A robot brings you popcorn and dances for you.

Address: Platform Unit, 40 Crossrail Place, Canary Wharf E14 5AR; 2b Worship Street EC2A 1AH

Website: experienceplatform.co.uk

4 Sandbox VR, Holborn

This high-tech VR experience sees you chase down zombies, defend Earth from aliens, or survive in a post-apocalyptic world (and the like) in a fully immersive digital setting. Players don headsets and vibrating haptic vests, as well as Hollywood-style body tracking technology and hand-held weapons. Once you’re done, make your way over to the robot cocktail maker, which can muddle, dance and serve up to 80 drinks an hour. 

Address: The Post Building, Museum Street, Holborn WC1A 1PB​

Website: sandboxvr.com

5 Oche, The Strand

Dart bar and restaurant, Oche dubs itself as a ‘gastro-dining’ venue – not sure where else you’d find oysters on the menu and a high tech dart board. Enjoy beers and snacks while you play a round, or play around while you have a proper meal.

Address: 105 Strand, London WC2R 0AA

Website: oche.com

6 Hijingo Bingo Shoreditch

Supped up bingo hall, Hijingo is a fast paced, high-energy number game under neon lighting. It comes with loud music, booze, Asian-inspired food and prizes on offer. Check the website as the venue often has events.

Address: 90 Worship Street, London EC2A 2BA

Website: hijingo.com

7 Whistle Punk Axe Throwing, Oxford Circus

If you want to have fun and let of steam, throwing a sharp, life threatening object in a safe space might be for you. Burn energy as you catapult axes into the air, before you get stuck into pizza and beer. Want to throw an axe, but not in Oxford Circus? Whistle Punk has venues in Vauxhall, and find Bad Axe in Wembley.

Address: Oxford Circus, W1W 8DL

Website: whistlepunks.com

8 Monopoly Lifesized, Tottenham Court Road

Who doesn’t love a game of Monopoly? There are four jumbo-sized iterations of the game to try these holidays that all add something new to the much-loved board game. Make your way around the board in teams of 4-6 as you take on dance-offs, stealth-based challenges and solve riddles and puzzles as well, as you battle it out to rule over London. Suitable for ages 9 and older. Closed Mondays.

Address: 213-215 Tottenham Court Road, W1T 7PS

Website: monopolylifesized.com

9 Sixes Cricket Club, Fulham & Fitzrovia

Live your test match dream at Sixes, an indoor cricket simulator with venues in Fulham and Fitzrovia. Test your batting skills with standard batting nets, or there’s virtual reality cricket and UV cricket as well, where your bat and ball (and cocktails) glow in the dark under special lights coupled with state-of-the-art technology that illuminate your game with a neon glow. Book a 30 minute, 60 minute or 90 minutes session, depending on how large your group is.

Address: 170 Great Portland Street, Fitzrovia, W1W 5QB; 18 Farm Lane, Fulham, SW6 1PP

Website: sixescricket.com

10 Go Virtual Clay Shooting at Clays, Moorgate

Guns and booze almost never work well together, however, at Clays, a virtual clay shooting venue and and bar, they kind of do. The venue spans across two floors and features 12 booths which can be booked by groups of up to 20 people for a 90-minute session, and is suitable for pros and novices. The game has been developed using state of the art technology that tracks the gun’s movements with sub-millimetre accuracy, so if you miss, you only have yourself to blame. There’s also a bar serving food and a selection of smashing cocktails that can only improve your aim, right?

Address: 55 Moorgate, City EC2R 6LL

Website: clays.bar

11 Skuna Hot Tub Boats, Canary Wharf

Based at London’s West India Quay, Skuna Boats offers the UK’s first Hot Tub Boating experience as well as self-drive electric BBQ boats, which you get to putt around the quay. Hot tub boats are currently imported from Holland, and it’s good to note that not only is the water refreshed regularly, it’s heated to a toasty 38C – so you can pootle around winter or summer.

Address: West India Quay, off Hertsmere Road, Canary Wharf, E14 4AL

Website: skunaboats.com

Read More: Fun Activities For a Rainy Day in London

12 Flight Club, Victoria, Islington, Shoreditch, Bloomsbury

With four locations in London, it’s clear Londoners like throwing sharp objects, and that you can probably do so at a location near you. You can play social darts for up to 36 people, or you can book out a semi private oche (dart throwing quarters, basically). There’s also food and drinks, and a brunch option offering unlimited pizza and a bottle of prosecco, and Flight Club Victoria has an Insta-worthy rooftop called the Magic Gardens.

Address: 55 New Oxford Street, WC1A 1BS ; 56 Upper Street, N1 0NY; 2a Worship Street, EC2A 2AH

Website: flightclubdarts.com

13 Electric Shuffle, London Bridge & Canary Wharf

Electric Shuffle arrived in London Bridge in 2021 August, bringing the fast-paced game to Bermondsey Street. Shuffleboards have been enhanced by vision technology, so it’s not your traditional game. Book a game, try the brunch menu (Thursday to Sunday) or catch a comedian, DJ or band. Shuffleboard sessions tend to book out, so book in advance and early, although you can try your luck with a walk-in. There’s also a sister location in Canary Wharf and semi-private shuffleboard playing areas.

Address: 10 Bermondsey St, SE1 2ER; 6 Sir Simon Milton Square, SW1E 5DJ; 10 Cabot Square, Canary Wharf, E14 4EY

Website: electricshuffle.com

14 Gravity Southside Indoor Entertainment Centre, Wandsworth

Set over three floors, this newly opened indoor entertainment centre is rammed-packed with fun things to do – whatever the weather is doing. There’s a go-kart race track, a 14-lane bowling alley with augmented reality, a golf course that sees you putt against iconic New York sights, and an e-sports gaming arena which has the best games on the latest consoles. If that doesn’t keep you busy enough, there’s shuffleboard, a digital darts zone, old school arcade games and something called the electric gamebox as well which is a ‘hyper-immersive 60-minute adventure’ which will remain a mystery until you actually try it out.

Address: Wandsworth High St, SW18 4TF

Website: gravity-uk.com

15 Ballie Ballerson, Shoreditch

World-famous ball pit cocktail bar Ballie Ballerson knows that a) it’s not just two-year-olds who find a ball pit fun and b) cocktails make rolling around in a ball pit a lot more fun. General admission tickets give you two hours of jumping around like a loon and access to the bar and kitchen all night long. There are also VIP tickets which gives you a glass of prosecco for each person, ball pit time and a plush booth to quaff cocktails and scoff pizzas down if you work up a thirst and hunger. Or you can go for a bottomless brunch if you fancy.

Address: 97-113 Curtain Road, Shoreditch EC2A 3BS

Website: shoreditch.ballieballerson.com

16 Flip Out at East Ham, Brent Cross, Croydon, Wandsworth

More than just trampoline parks, Flip Out centres are hives of indoor activity for people of all age ranges who like to do more than just bounce. As well as rows of inter-locking trampolines, the three-storey arena also features a giant super-slide with an almost vertical 30ft drop, a network of indoor caves, a 100-metre indoor potholing zone, 12 themed climbing walls, plus a laser maze, cyber tower, ninja warrior course and dodgeball. Flip Out centres also have sessions for people with additional needs, over 18 parties, and tiny tots sessions as well as a host of deals and packages for families.

Address: The old Gala Bingo Hall, 281 Barking Road E6 1LB; Centrale Shopping Centre, Frith Road, CR0 1TA; Staples Corner Retail Park
Geron Way NW2 6LW; Bendon Valley, Earlsfield SW18 4LZ

Website: flipout.co.uk

17 HiddenCity’s Real World Adventure Games

Journey through the city, solving clues sent to your phone, with HiddenCity’s immersive adventure games – just make sure your battery is fully charged. These treasure hunts make you the hero of your own adventure as you step inside the stories you know and love. Their critically acclaimed games based on Alice in Wonderland, Sherlock Holmes and Snow White run every day across the city. Their latest launch, The Enchanted Mirror, is a fairytale quest that grants you the chance to answer the age-old question: who is the wisest of them all? You can also choose from two other adventures, including The Hunt for the Cheshire Cat and Moriarty’s Secret.

Website: inthehiddencity.com

18 Go Ape, various locations

You never really lose the urge to climb trees, do you? Well at Go Ape you can spend hours in the tree tops, swinging through the trees and experiencing the great outdoors in a whole new light (or should that be ‘height’?). Go Ape has a growing number of sites in London, including an urban jungle in leafy Battersea Park, which is our pick of the bunch. You’ll climb rope nets, cross wobbly bridges, scurry through net tunnels and, the best bit, whizzing through the woodland on zip lines as a reward for completing each level. They also do occasional special events, such as night climbs. This one’s suitable for both adults and children, with the obstacles and crossings get more challenging as you ascend up through the levels into the tree tops. You’ll find Go Ape in Alexandra Palace and Cockfosters too.

Address: Battersea Park SW11 4NJ

Website: goape.co.uk

19 The CrystalMaze LIVE Experience, West End

Relive the fun and excitement of The Crystal Maze, the 90s cult television show led by Richard O’Brien, by taking part in a recreation of the fully interactive team-building game. Follow the Maze Master through the Aztec, Medieval, Industrial and futuristic zones, solving puzzles and testing your physical endurance. There’s also the Maze Bar so you can celebrate your successes and laugh at your failures, after taking on the interactive games hosted by the eccentric Maze Masters. So Of course, no such experience would be complete without the iconic Crystal Dome – will you start the fans please?! Also takes stags and hens, as well as school bookings. Book in advance. For ages 13+.

Address: 22 – 32 Shaftesbury Ave, West End, W1D 7EU

Website: the-crystal-maze.com

20 Swingers Crazy Golf, the City & West End

Swingers Crazy Golf combines the holy trinity of fun: street food, amazing drinks and competitive socialising. The Swingers concept is based on a 1920s golf club set in the bucolic English countryside – it’s all picture perfect putting greens windmills and getting squiffy before, during and after the game! The 16,000 sq ft venue in the city, just a stone’s throw from the Gherkin, has two bespoke nine-hole crazy golf courses, five cocktail bars, three of London’s best street-food vendors, a two-storey clubhouse with gin terrace and nightly DJs. There’s also a second venue in the West End, not far from Oxford Street tube station. Open seven days a week from 12noon till late.

Address: 8 Brown’s Buildings EC3A 8AL & 15 John Prince’s Street W1G 0AB

Website: swingers.club/uk

Read More: London’s Best Lidos & Outdoor Swimming Spots

21 Ice Karting at QUEENS: Skate, Dine, Bowl, Queensway

Set in a 1930s refurbished building, the ice-rink and bowling alley is all fairy lights, neon and sing-along tunes. Bowling lanes come with private booths, and the VIP experience comes with a private bar and sound system. If you fancy ice-skating but don’t know how, QUEENS offers lessons in addition to general sessions. Afterwards, why not celebrate or commiserate at MEATliquor Queensway right inside QUEENS? Currently operating at a reduced capacity, so book ahead.

Address: 17 Queensway W2 4PQ

Website: queens.london

22 Paintball, Lazer Tag & Zombie Experiences at Bunker 51, Charlton

Located near The Thames Barrier, not far from Charlton train station and North Greenwich, Bunker 51 is an old Cold War nuclear bunker full of kidulting capers. There are two immersive playing fields, which can accommodate activities including paintballing and lazer tag. You can also opt for Airsoft, which is the same as paintball but without those painful pellets and more of a focus on tactical games. In normal times, Bunker 51 has two zombie experiences – Zombie SWAT Training by Apocalypse Events and Zombie Laser Tag, where you’re given one hour of military-style training before facing zombies (read actors).

Address: 3 Herringham Road, Charlton SE7 8NJ

Website: bunker-51.com

23 Draughts Board Game Cafe, Hackney & Waterloo

London’s first ever board game bar, crowdfunded into life by like-minded analogue gamers, hosts a huge library of more than 800 board games as well as small plates, larges plates and sharing boards alongside local craft beers, ales, ciders and wine. For £10 each, you and your friends can spend the night playing your favourite board games be it the game that always ends in a fight – Monopoly – some more childish fun with Hungry, Hungry Hippos, or the drinkers’ game of choice, Cards Against Humanity. There are also tournaments, themed evenings and workshops led by professional board game designers. There’s now a second venue in Waterloo, too, with food by Jones & Sons. Check out The Thirsty Dragon too for a similar concept in Greenwich.

Address: 337 Acton Mews, Hackney E8 4EA & Leake Street, Waterloo SE1 7NN

Website: draughtslondon.com

24 Junkyard Golf Club, Brick Lane

Londoners seem to have really fallen for crazy golf, but Junkyard Golf Club is a little different, with neon courses created from pre-loved and reclaimed materials. Located on Brick Lane, Junkyard Golf Club is an underground crazy golf haven supplying caddies, private bars and DJs for all your late-night shenanigans. Boasting four 9-hole golf courses with bizarre holes featuring scrapyard slides, circus freaks and jungle bathtubs, crazy cocktails (fancy a Hotline Ting?) and a food kiosk with hotdogs, nachos and popcorn, it’s got all the boxes ticked for a fun night out with friends. Oh, and you can tee off till 10pm.

Website: 88 Worship Street, Hackney, EC2A 2BE

Address: junkyardgolfclub.co.uk

25 Sleepover at the Natural History Museum, South Kensington

The Natural History Museum is a kidult wonderland. They host a number of adults-only events among the dinosaurs and other beastly animals, including their sleepovers and CSI events. Drink, dance and watch a number of spooky films around the relics before nestling up under a T-Rex at one of their DinoSnores overnight parties or take part in a forensic crime scene investigation throughout the halls of the Museum at night. The list of kidult activities is ever-growing due to high demand, so keep an eye on the events calendar.

Address: Cromwell Road, South Kensington SW7 5BD

Website: nhm.ac.uk

26 Sherlock: The Game Is Now, West London

From the team behind Hackney’s Time Run, The Game is Now is a must for Sherlock fans. Mixing the excitement of immersive entertainment with the thrill of intellectual challenge, this new generation of gaming experiences challenge players to race against the clock to crack codes, solve puzzles and progress to the next level. Opt for a private escape room experience or traipse around London while you solve the mystery. Players will be invited to an induction session in a secret west London location, but the induction takes a surprising and sinister turn when, suddenly, you’re in Sherlock’s shoes… Sherlock producer Sue Vertue and showrunners Steven Moffat and Mark Gatiss have consulted on and co-scripted the experience, which features specially-recorded video and audio elements with characters from the show.

Website: thegameisnow.com

27 Jumping Giants, Heathrow

Up the fun factor of your workouts at Jumping Giants in Heathrow, a trampoline arena with over 100 interconnecting trampolines, including a ngled wall trampolines, launching decks, Foam Pits with launch pads, extreme Dodgeball Courts, Slam Dunk Basketball, Junior Jump Zones, Ninja Courts, Battle Beams and a Half Pipe. Go with friends or join a team. Just make sure to warm up and stretch – our bodies aren’t as young as they used to be!

Address: Coln Industrial Estate, Old Bath Road, Slough SL3 0NJ

Website: jumpgiants.com

28 Skateboarding at House of Vans, Waterloo

The House of Vans, a free community space below the arches of Waterloo station dedicated to Vans and the skate culture it embraces, leads free learn-to-skate sessions for all ages every weekend with pads, boards, helmets and a locker provided. There’s also a cinema room that hosts free screenings across a wide spectrum of genres, from family friendly to box office blockbusters and foreign language films. For those not up for the half pipe, you can chill in The Wall cafe, which serves up a weekend brunch menu alongside all-American classics.

Address: Arches 228-232, Station Approach Road, Waterloo SE1

Website: houseofvanslondon.com

29 Puttshack, Bank and White City

Puttshack has taken the traditional game of crazy golf and fused it with space-age technology to create a ‘world first’ social entertainment concept. Brought to you by the same folks as Bounce – London’s home of ping pong – Puttshack is a social hub design to shake up your childhood nostalgia for crazy golf by adding automatic point scoring, leader boards and intuitive gameplay (plus a side of dining, drinking and great music). Novel holes include the Beer Pong hole and Tue or False hole! Each game is nine holes, lasting approx 45 mins to one hour. From £12.50 per player. There’s also another location at Lakeside in Essex should you want to head out of London.

Address: White City Westfield London, Ariel Way W12 7HB or 1 Poultry, Queen Victoria Street, Bank, EC2R 8EJ

Website: puttshack.com

30 Roof East, Stratford

London’s biggest and best adventure playground for grown-ups at Roof East in Stratford opens up every summer with fun and games. From sluggers batting cages and hip-hop bowls, to crazy golf, car kareokee and curling lanes – plus Rooftop Film Club – there’s plenty to do to keep you occupied between trips to the bar.

Address: Floors 7 & 8, Stratford Multi-Storey Car Park, Great Eastern Way E15 1XE

Website: roofeast.com

31 Biscuiteers, Belgravia & Notting Hill

This one is for the creative food-lovers out there. Head to either Biscuiteers boutiques for an evening lesson on how to decorate delicious delicious desserts. Sip prosecco while you try your hand at decorating biscuits under the guidence of Biscuiteers’ professional icers who will dish the tricks of the trade. 

Address: 14-15 Eccleston Yards 21 Eccleston Place, SW1W 9AZ

Website: biscuiteers.com