Having problems finding things to do past 3/5pm

A few ideas:

-London Walks has evening walks like this one https://www.walks.com/our-walks/old-westminster-by-gaslight-ok-try-to-top-this/ on Mondays or this one on Tuesdays https://www.walks.com/our-walks/the-ancient-city-at-night-take-another-look/

-this article from London Walks (not walks but evening hours for museums, although they aren't every week) https://www.walks.com/blog/london-museums-at-night/

-evensong at St Paul https://www.stpauls.co.uk/resources/our-service-schedule or Westminster https://www.westminster-abbey.org/worship-music/services-times/regular-services/evensong

-department stores (beautiful for their architecture and displays even if you aren't really a shopper) such as Harrods or Liberty

Enjoy the planning!

Depends on your interests, bur I would normally suggest the shops. Aside from LaurieAnn's excellent suggestions, there's Fortnum & Mason, or you can wander around Bond St, Piccadilly and Burlington Arcade etc. I love the bookshops as well - Hatchards is my favourite.

Download Rick Steves app on your phone or buy his London guidebook and take his Historic London “The City” self-guided waling tour.

The Thames Clippers/Uber boats run until 10 or 11pm. The river is a different place by day than by night. There's the Dockyard quarter at Woolwich (a nice place for an evening meal, which also showcases its history, and with the Elizabeth Line to whisk you 'home'.
Or North Greenwich- another place with a lot happening in the evening, then the London Cable Car across the Thames, and DLR back.
Or the Clipper the other way to its western terminus at Putney. Again lots of evening places for your meal. District line tube and main line trains (to Waterloo) and 2 or 3 bus routes to Central London. A great way to see the city by night.

I usually do relaxing things this time of day. For example, go to Evensong at Westminster Abbey, go on a London Walk, go to a play, shop at Harrods or Covent Garden, have afternoon tea. It's a good time to recharge my batteries so I'm ready for the next day.

Rather stunned you can’t find things to do and see.

Been going to London for 50 years and am never bored because there is so much to see and do. Usually visit in November.

As others have suggested peruse the London Walks website. www.walks.com

Or attend Evensong, or enjoy some pub grub or walk along the Thames River Path or Regents Canal.

Theatre, theatre and more theatre.

Train to Hampton Court or Bletchley Park.

Visit the Crystal Park Dinosaurs.

See a movie: https://www.timeout.com/london/film/the-25-best-cinemas-in-london

I like the Princess Charles theatre near Leicester Square.

Wander about the Battersea Power Station

Walk about Canary Wharf

Visit the Sky Garden as sun sets.

During your dates see what’s on at Wigmore Hall, Alexandria Palace, Royal Albert Hall, and Wilton’s music hall.

Research:
https://www.ianvisits.co.uk/
https://www.aladyinlondon.com/2018/08/london-walking-tours.html
https://www.atlasobscura.com/things-to-do/london-england

Have you thought about taking up drinking?

London Walks also has evening pub tours, or you could consider a food tour with a company like Devour Tours or Eating Europe if that is of interest.

Another idea would be an evening concert at St. Martin-in-the Fields.

GerryM….

Spit out my coffee. Bloody brilliant reply! Cheers mate!

Haha... it is what many British people would think about doing to pass an idle hour in the evening. You've got your pick of pubs in London.

Even if you are not a theatre or concert goer at home, I would say go to the theatre in London.
It’s a totally different experience, especially if the production happens to be in one of the wonderful older theatres.
Central London is perfectly safe at night.

laurie ann - You just reminded me about battersea power station. Thats something id love to go see but never planned on going inside (malls and shops dont interest me at all). However it IS open until 8pm, and there are somethings to see along the way so that might be a good idea.

Simon - Please see above.

isn31c - Im staying near the postal museum so the elizabeth line would actually be a decent way. And I dont have a lot planned on the south side of the Thames right now so that might be a good idea. I also didnt do the Rhine or seine cruises on past trips so the Thames might be a nice way to end the night.

Laurie beth - Im the opposite lol. I run myself ragged during the day and relax for a nice long dinner at night (between 5 and 8pm depending)

Claudia - Its not that I cant necessarily find things, its just that some is already planned during the day. I will say though, ive been a dinosaur nerd since I was a kid, so crystal palace would be kinda cool to see. And its open until 930! I also forgot about canary wharf!

Gerry - Not trying to crap on your comment because its a damn funny one, I was basically an alcoholic for about 10 years. Ill still drink occasionally ( wine in france, beer in germany) but I have to be careful. Ive seen how the brits drink and that "one pint" in that atmosphere will quickly turn into 5 lol Definitely cant avoid checking out a Pub or 2 though

I was basically an alcoholic for about 10 years.

Oops! :) Well, I'm kinda the same these days. I never really had a problem with drink, but I rarely drink now too. Not sworn off it, but I'd definitely struggle to put away five pints!

One thing that occurred to me was seeing a movie. You have the epic Odeon Leicester Square Cinema and The Prince Charles in nearby Shaftesbury Avenue. There's also Screen on the Green in Islington and The Ritzy in Brixton if you want to venture out to see somewhere different.

The idea of venturing out of central London (assuming that's where you're staying) for dinner is something that would pass some time. Maybe dinner in Shoreditch, Hackney or Hampstead and have an evening in another neighbourhood?

The Photographer's Gallery is open late on Thursdays

V&A, National Gallery, British Museum open late on Fridays

National Portrait Gallery open late on Saturdays

In early/mid September, it is light till about 8pm. I love going for an evening walk at dusk in Hyde Park. Something magical about the Serpentine at that time.

Another thing I love to do is explore blue plaques. I usually pick a neighbourhood (eg Chelsea) and devise my own "walk".

I will be in London for 4 nights this September too. One night theatre, one night LSO @ the Barbican, one night evensong (if I get back from my day trip early enough), one night bookstore.

Enjoy your visit to a magnificent city!

Checkout the sunset at The Shard. https://www.theviewfromtheshard.com/

Agree with others here that a walk or the pub (which also has plenty of non alcoholic beverages) would be what I would do in the early evening. Just a small correction to the above point on sunset times- in mid September we're approaching the equinox so sunset time is more like 7pm.

Great thread; a gold mine of ideas here!
I suggest looking into whether your hotel has a free evening social gathering with free snacks and drinks (wine and beer). Coke, Sprite and other soft drinks are usually available. Our hotel had an executive lounge serving snacks--chicken or shrimp skewers, cheese board with fruit, small samples of dessert--cheesecake, sticky toffee pudding.
This started at 5 PM and ran until 8 PM. We sat at a table next to a couple from Scotland who were in London to see a concert the next evening. They started up a conversation with us and we chatted the rest of the evening while nibbling on snacks. It was a fun evening.
When we turned in at 8 PM, it was time to check emails on the laptop and read a bit of our Rick Steves London guidebook. We had an itinerary planned for the next day, but still we talked about things we might add to it.
Lights out fairly early and a good nights' sleep helped us get up early and hit the sights in London the next day.
So there is that idea, too, for an enjoyable evening.

@Cat, yes sunset is around 7pm, but you have those wonderful long northern dusks (I grew up in the tropics where the sun sets very quickly), and it is still light till at least 7:30-7:45pm....lovely for an evening stroll.

I'm sure this is off the wall and I'm probably the only one interested in such things. But...

One of the best days ever was when I took a break from history museums and headed down to TeamSport Docklands, and spent an afternoon into the night racing go-carts on a split level indoor track living out F1 fantasies.

I think I've gotten myself together and enough flex in the ƙnee to go down and do it once again when I'm back in London.

Check out quiz nights at the pubs, usually Wednesday or Thursday evenings. We went to two last year. Talking with strangers is not my forte but I'm not too bad after a couple.

OP if you choose a pub consider any of these. Each in a different London neighborhood.

In Ealing either the Irish pub The Shanakee ( nearly across the road from the Ealing Broadway tube station ) OR the Haven Arms.

In Richmond the Mitre is a 15 minute stroll from the Quadrant. Best owner, Chris. Best pub dog, Rudi.
Edgar’s pizza is excellent and my favorite part is that it is served with mismatched plates of china.

In the Paddington neighborhood, the Mitre Lancaster Gate across the road from Sheila’s cafe OR The Victoria Paddington where I’ve enjoyed a Sunday roast more than once.

The Dove in Hammersmith which is right on the River.

The White Cross in Richmond which is also on the River.

Lastly, the Eight Bells around the corner from the Putney tube station.

Hey, pencilstealer, glad your trip plans are going well! Here are a few ideas:

Have you been to see the Ceremony of the Keys yet at the Tower of London? It takes place at 9:30 pm every evening (and has for the last 700+ years). You have to plan ahead, though, as the tickets are released ona rolling monthly basis (€10 each) and sell out very quickly. For example, September’s tickets will be released at the beginning of August at 4pm (UK time) on the first working day of the month, unless it is a Friday, when they be will released on the following Monday. https://www.hrp.org.uk/tower-of-london/whats-on/ceremony-of-the-keys/

Also, I don't know when you leave London, but this is happening on Sept. 19, and it looks interesting: https://www.soane.org/whats-on/tours

Gerrym - its not a problem! How is anyone supposed to know on a relatively anonymous forum? We sound in a similar situation: Ill have a drink or 2 but i need to be in the right headspace so i dont go overboard (*laughs in Cuba).

Ill already be heading to Bath (and maybe a quick supper stop in reading on the way back), chester, york and lincoln so ill definitely begetting out of london. As well as heading to Kew with a few friends.

Maplady - I have the natural History museum slotted in a friday, and the national gallary isnt just oopen late its open till 9pm!. Even on a regular day its open till 6 which, even if getting there for 2 still gives JUST enough time to see quite a bit of it.

Im from the same latitude as Paris, and while its not quite as far noth as London im quite used to the long dusks you mention. Even if sunset is 7pm its still quite light out for another 45 minutes or so after "official" sunset. Although London and york will be the furthest north ive been so far!

Rebecca - Im staying at a Dorm technically and am not sure that they have this (not that ive seen listed on their web site) but while I was in Italy this did in fact happen a few times.

VAP - That actually sounds kind of cool lol. We dont have anythiing like that where im from so it might be something interesting to check into, thanks!

Claudia - Im staying in Clerkenwell, so im a bit far from paddington, but Ill be around there during the day at some point ( gotta check out hyde park and walk by kensington ofc!)

Mardee - Thanks! If im remembering right youre either planning or already went to the UK? How is that going/how was it?

Ive heard of the key ceremony but ive also heard its very hard to actually get tickets but ill keep that in mind! Most days ill have to be up pretty early, especially the day trips i have i ticket to the baths in Bath at 9 am, and have to get to chester pretty early so I have time to see everything. But ill have to look into that as well

The Odeon Leicester Square, mentioned above, is possibly central London's premier cinema (movie theatre) and one of only a few in the UK still to have a theatre organ (in this case, a Compton) still installed, in Screen 1.
It definitely isn't cheap, even by London standards, but is equally an experience from the glory Art Deco days of cinema. I think the Royal box survived the rebuild a few years ago (something not many cinemas have).
You have no chance of seeing it, but I've even been to a meeting at the Cinema in the Royal Retiring Room - I'm not aware of another cinema which has one of those. It is still used annually, I believe, for it's original purpose.

https://www.team-sport.co.uk/go-kart-tracks/docklands

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=3J4h299lqLI

pencilstealer, I was there last year for about 5 nights, and then this year for 10 nights (with two of my grandkids). Here's the trip report if you're interested, although we didn't do a lot of evening things. https://community.ricksteves.com/travel-forum/trip-reports/london-and-paris-and-grandkids-oh-my-march-and-april-2025-trip-report

Mardee - thats a hell of a trip repot! Btw that "ditch" infront of hotel invalides Is a type of fortification to stop cars/horses/infantry from being able to get access. I did the exact same thing!

Im going solo but am meeting friends here and there. Never had a trip where ive had to juggle 6 or so people lol.

I was reminded of a few things that I can add in the middle of the day. The mithraeum and the national gallary i managed to squeeze in at 3 pm. Im also going to see the amphitheater ( not quite as interested in the art museum the ticket gives access too but since im there and if I have time why not?) The area itself has some cool things anyways.