I was thinking it would be fun for me and my two grandkids to visit Camden Market one day, and was wondering what would be the best day to visit (15 yr old boy & 11 yr old girl). They would probably be interested more in the retail shops than food stalls, although it would be fun to check those out, too.
Thanks for your help!
There’s no particular best day as it’s open week-round. It’s now much more a collection of permanent retail venues and food stalls than a market in the sense of temporary stalls.
I used to go as a student in the early 1980s and it felt genuinely counter-cultural then but now it’s much more family/tourist oriented. Although there’s still that prevailing scent of patchouli oil and cannabis in certain areas.
It can be horrendously crowded at weekends. Suggest maybe a look-see earlier in the week to get a sense of it.
Note opening hours - Mondays most retail stuff doesn’t open till midday, then it’s 11am the rest of the week. https://camdenmarket.com/visit-us
Oh, this is all good-to-know stuff, Golden Girl—thanks! Do you think there would be a better (more funky) street market they might enjoy more?
Camden still has the cachet of being, well, Camden.
Mardee, we went mid week and got there relatively early. It wasn’t too bad crowd wise, but seemed to increase as the day wore on. We ate at The Cheese Bar (Claudia recommended it) and it was delicious. I think your grandkids will love that market if you go. Such a cool vibe. We also walked a short walk over to the Sainsbury’s (big store, not a local) to shop for our British candies, chocolates, and biscuits. Huge selection there. I know you’re getting excited!
Golden Girl, there is definitely something to be said for that! Camden it is!
Mustlovedgs, thanks! The Cheese Bar looks wonderful, although I might have to tear the kids away from the sushi and Boba tea as they love that. :-) Yes, I'm getting very excited! Only 10 days to go!
The Cheese Bar is related to the Cheese Barge, which you can find in the canal near Paddington Station, incidentally. I had an excellent late lunch there (the Barge) back in September.
I can’t think of any other markets that are as big and as Camden as Camden Market so enjoy it!
The two times I’ve been there it has been busy. No idea which days of the week I went.
Keep in mind, Camden Market is really only one market area within the area of Camden Town. They keep developing adjacent areas, adding retail shops, then of course you can wander for blocks along Camden High Street looking at shops and smaller market areas, as well as up side streets.
I will agree with a previous poster, it is much less the gritty, counterculture, multicultural, scrum that it once was; being somewhat gentrified in some areas. However, I think it is still well worth an afternoon.
Yes, Paul and other contributors put it very well. I think I said on here before that I christened Camden "Goth Blackpool", because it is a bit like a seafront resort with more tie-dye and Doc Martens than candy floss.
The shops and a large indoor market on the main drag are kinda fun. I don't know if the youngsters care about shopping for clothes, but it's a good spot if they're a bit alternative.
Paul's right that there's markets within markets at Camden. It's a much better market for food than Borough, prices are maybe a bit more reasonable (maybe not these days) and there are actually places to sit to eat outdoors or in "pod" things which are a bit funky. Choices from all over the world, and fusions of many.
If it's a nice day Camden Lock will be buzzing with folks enjoying a drink and socialising outdoors. I know I had a moan about taking kids to the pub in the evening in your other thread, but most will be welcoming of young people in the afternoons. It doesn't hurt to ask if there's any doubt anywhere.
I thought it might be fun to look for some of Camden's music history. I'll post a couple of links I just Googled for -
https://londonist.com/london/music/a-britpop-tour-of-camden
Britpop of the early 90's didn't really break America, but it was a vibrant scene around Camden and was big news in the British music scene.
I'm not sure how well known Amy Winehouse was in the States, but she's an important figure in Camden music history. A real talent that came to a tragic end too young. I see there's a few guided walks covering her legacy, but here's a link to a self guided walk covering some landmarks -
https://likelovelondon.com/amy-winehouse-london-locations/
Grassroots punk rock thrived in Camden in the late 70's. Here's someone's blog entry with some of the highlights
https://camdenguides.com/punk-rock-in-camden-town/
It might be worth looking on Spotify for a Camden Town playlist.
I'd also advise avoiding weekends, especially if the weather's decent. Camden Town tube station is one of the worst. It's totally not fit for purpose and can be so horribly overcrowded it regularly closes for periods on a Saturday afternoons particularly. The 88 bus from central London is a good run up to Camden at a more leisurely pace.
As a last random, Walden Books, possibly one of the best secondhand book shops in London, is in a little residential street just a short walk from Camden Lock. Worth a visit if anyone is into books.
I will add, if the Narrow boats are running up and down the Regents Canal, watching them lock through and navigate along the canal is worth some time spent.
Color me disillusioned by this entire thread. I had envisioned Mardee as a fresh-faced young professional based upon her youthful commentary about where to go, what to do and how to go about doing it all. Now I find she has a teenaged grandchild. Hmpf. Apparently I'm even older than I'd imagined.
Could also check out the Duck Pond markets in Richmond, Ealing, Chiswick or Harrow.
Lastly I do hope you are taking the grandchildren to Mudchute Farm.
Color me disillusioned by this entire thread. I had envisioned Mardee as a fresh-faced young professional based upon her youthful commentary about where to go, what to do and how to go about doing it all. Now I find she has a teenaged grandchild. Hmpf. Apparently I'm even older than I'd imagined.
Having met Mardee, I can confirm that she is a fresh-faced young professional grandmother.
Another vote for The Cheese Bar! I found it when I first visited Camden market in 2018 and have since returned several times...one of their fabulous grilled cheese with bacon jam sandwiches and a hard cider would hit the spot right now. Otherwise, I felt that one visit to the Market was enough...I had someone with me on my trip last year and he was curious about it, but it was a Sunday in August and felt unpleasantly crowded so it was a quick in and out visit.
Golden Girl, the Cheese Barge sounds pretty interesting, although I was checking out the Food and Drink page and it looks like there are some amazing ethnic restaurants. We have a dearth of those in Duluth, and the kids love foods from other nations, so we may wind up going with something Asian or Middle Eastern.
jaimeelsabio, I guess I'll just plan for crowds. :-)
Paul, I saw that there are a number of different sections, which I think will be fun to explore. Hopefully I can keep up with their energy! And that's interesting about the Narrow boats—I will keep an eye out for them. How fun!
Gerry, thanks for all the links! They are great and I will play them to my grandkids! And thanks for the info about Walden Books. We're all book lovers, so that will be a treat to visit there!
Color me disillusioned by this entire thread. I had envisioned Mardee as a fresh-faced young professional based upon her youthful commentary about where to go, what to do and how to go about doing it all. Now I find she has a teenaged grandchild. Hmpf. Apparently I'm even older than I'd imagined.
Ha ha, jphbucks, you made my day! Especially since I am turning 70 this Sunday. One more decade gone.
Claudia, the Duck Pond Market looks fun. I'm not sure about Mudchute Farm. We live in a rural area in Minnesota with lots of farms around, so they may not be quite into that as maybe some younger kids. But I'll check with them and see. Thanks!
Having met Mardee, I can confirm that she is a fresh-faced young professional grandmother.
Golden Girl, thank you! And having met you, I can safely attest that Golden Girl is younger and even more fresh-faced than me. :-)
christa, we might have to eat at more than one place while we're there! You all are making the Cheese place sound like it should not be missed!
When you're finished at Camden Market, you may be interested in this narrowboat ride beginning at Camden: The London Waterbus.
The 45 minute ride will take you along the Regents Canal west to Little Venice, a community of narrowboats parked canal-side on which people live.
https://www.londonwaterbus.com/
Along the way, you'll see fine houses, the flight cage at the London Zoo (on the south side of the canal). Regents Canal runs along the northern border of Regents Park.
When you get off the narrowboat ride, you can explore the Little Venice area by foot. (Warwick Avenue tube station is nearby.) You are an easy walk from Little Venice to see the Abbey Road Studios and the famous zebra crossing. Perhaps taking a photo here.
You are also walking distance after that to Paul McCartney's old home (7 Cavendish Avenue).
You could wander through the neighborhood of St. John's Wood with its posh homes. St. John's Wood tube station is one option if you're done for the day and need to get back to your hotel. Note the beautiful old tiles in the tube station.
Warwick Ave. tube station = the Bakerloo line (route map):
https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Bakerloo_line#/media/File:Bakerloo_Line.svg
St. John's Wood tube station = the Jubilee line (route map):
https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Jubilee_line#/media/File:Jubilee_Line.svg
Then onward to Regents Park, where you might find the ice cream stand open or one of the cafes serving coffee and tea. The ponds here will be full of ducks and swans.
Little Venice and Paddington Basin are directly behind Paddington Station, so you can access the tube and bus lines there for traveling to another part of London.
If you choose to walk into Regents Park, then turn south, you can walk to Oxford Street and all the shops.
I neglected to mention there are several great restaurants in the Little Venice area. My favorite is The Waterway, right on the water. You could get a dessert and coffee here and soak in the view.
If you and the kids like bookshops, look for the one onboard a barge, Word On The Water. It's always anchored somewhere along the Regents Canal. Most often, in the past, it's moved along the canal, been either near Camden or east towards the Coal Drop Yards, behind Kings Cross Station. Perhaps this is a destination for another day, as the Kings Cross area has lots of shops and restaurants. There's a guide to those restaurants in the second link.
https://www.wordonthewater.co.uk/
https://www.kingscross.co.uk/word-on-the-water-bookshop
Last summer I took a narrow boat tour with Jason's Trips from Little Venice to Camden Market. I really enjoyed the boat tour, but I took one of the last trips and Camden Market was really packed. I went on a weekday in June. Getting an earlier start may help beat the crowds. That's my plan for this year anyway.
Enjoy your trip and happy travels!
OP if Mudchute Farm would be too similar then I suggest taking them to a rooftop like the Garden at 120, SkyGarden or One New Change.
Either that or take them Underground or on a Thames River Cruise.
My other favorite restaurant in that area is Cafe Laville. Spaghetti, pizza, salads, sandwiches, coffee, tea, desserts.
The cafe is on top of a bridge over the Regents Canal.
Sit by the window, eat, watching the narrowboats pass beneath you.
To get to Cafe Laville, walk east a couple of blocks from Little Venice.
Walk along Blomfield Road (north of the canal) until you come to the intersection with Edgeware Road.
The road south of the canal is Maida Avenue.
They also serve breakfast. You could begin your day in Little Venice and work your way east to Camden Market; just an idea.
Menu:
http://www.cafelaville.co.uk/media/pdf/main-menu.pdf?v=1.4
Address: 453 Edgware Road.
Rebecca, thanks so much! So many good ideas! I love the Waterbus and will definitely consider doing that. I do have Word on the Water already in our itinerary. I saw that on the Londonist, and thought it looked really cool and I know the kids would like it. :-) I also like the idea of starting in Little Venice and working our way to Camden. That sounds like fun!
Stacie, thanks! I do think it will help that we are here the end of March/early April, so hopefully will not have as many crowds as June. But still good to know - and thanks for the info on the boat ride!
Claudia, we do have plans to visit the Sky Garden one evening at sunset (before the Ceremony of the Keys), and we're planning on taking the boat down to Greenwich, so they should enjoy that. We're there for 10 nights so I'm quite sure we will be using the Tube while we're there. :-)
Mardee, you're welcome. Glad to help.
If you decide to begin the morning at Little Venice, you could get there easily by taking the tube to Warwick Avenue tube station. Then just walk south a couple of blocks.
