After spending most of my adult life living in a handful of East London neighbourhoods, I’ve had the chance to explore just about every weekend activity this side of the city has to offer. Whether you’re a local or visiting for the first time, this guide covers my favourite budget friendly things to do in East London, from classic flower markets to new museums and cable car rides across the Thames.

So, if you’re in the mood to wander through Victorian cemeteries in Mile End, grab a gooey brownie at the Victoria Park food market, or just explore a few off-the-beaten-path spots, you’ll find plenty of ideas below to fill your weekend.

1. buy flowers at colombia road flower market

I’m hesitant to add this one, as the market has become so busy in recent years. When I was an undergrad at Queen Mary University, we’d often head down there late in the morning, when the sadder-looking cheese plants were being flogged for half price in the hope of livening up our dreary student flats.

Maybe it’s this nostalgia that feeds my pessimism about how overcrowded the market feels nowadays. That said, it’s still a lovely, wholesome activity, and it’s nothing short of a small miracle how much a bunch of fresh tulips can brighten your life during the glum winter months.

Eat / Drink: Combine it with a coffee from Hermanos Colombian Coffee Roasters and a pastry from Pavilion (I’m personally not a fan of their coffee blends, but love the almond croissant). The Nelson’s pub just around the corner is a great spot for a quick pint, and if you want a delicious meal, then it has to be Campania, a brick-fronted candlelit Italian that looks like it’s straight from an early 2000s Rom Com.

2. snack on tasty bites at victoria park’s food market

A stone’s throw up the road, you’ll find the once weekly food-focused market, which takes over the West side of Victoria Park. With all the essentials you’d expect from a trendy East London artisan food market, wander about and sample local craft beer, homemade kimchi or sugar-powdered doughnuts. Naturally, you’ll want to combine it with a walk around the park and its oh-so charming village.

I was lucky to live in a strange, little, wonky house that overlooked the park for two years. My mornings would consist of spotting green parakeets zooming between the trees from my bed, before lugging myself out for a 5K loop of the park, followed by a flat white from the coffee van that parks up in the food market. During this time, I was also a frequent patron of Chambers, who do a great Mediterranean brunch and The Deli Downstairs for coffee and posh pantry bits. Last time I walked around the area, I noticed a new pizza spot called ACE, which looks very stylish.

3. make a splash in an olympic pool

The nearby London Fields Lido usually gets all the credit as East London’s default swimming pool, but I’m a big fan of the Olympic Pool over at the London Aquatics Centre in Stratford. Not only is it a professional quality pool with its 50m length and extra depth, but the curving architecture of the building is impressive in itself. I think it looks a little like a blue whale. If you’re feeling extra brave, you can cosplay as diving champion Tom Dayley for the day with diving lessons from the 1m - 10m boards.

4. Explore the cemeteries of mile end

This might sound weird, but hear me out. There are quite a few old cemeteries and burial sites dotted around Tower Hamlets. This is due to the Victorian burial crisis, which found an urgent need for new spaces outside of the city to bury the dead. Morbid, but very fascinating. Start your historic tour at Stepney Green and head into Queen Mary University Campus. Right in the heart of it is the Novo Cemetery, a Grade II listed site which is one of only two exclusively Sephardic cemeteries left in England. From here, head further up Mile End Road to Tower Hamlets Cemetery Park.

Eat / Drink: If grave-spotting has worked up an appetite, I’d recommend stopping off at The Coffee Room for a hot drink and one of their more-ish raspberry brownies.

5. catch a movie at the castle cinema

Rainy days are aplenty in grey London, but thankfully, we’ve got a bunch of indoor activities which will motivate you to get up and out of the house. One of my absolute favourites is visiting one of the hundreds of independent cinemas dotted across the city. There are a fair few here in East London, honourable mentions go to Genesis Cinema (Whitechapel), Rio Cinema (Dalston) Rich Mix (Brick Lane). But the Castle Cinema has a special something about it. Located upstairs above a Spar shop (the office, not a wellness centre), it’s plush red velvet lounge chairs, ornate, detailed ceiling and cosy cocktail bar are atmospheric and intimate. If I were going to call anywhere a ‘hidden gem’, it would be this place.

6. ride the cable car to greenwich

I think the cloud cable car was built back in 2012, for what purpose I couldn’t tell you. The 300-foot-high monocable is managed by TFL and connects Greenwich Peninsula with the Royal Victoria Dock across the River Thames. I can’t imagine any commuters choose to use it over the tube, but it makes for a fun activity with some stellar views of East London. I rode it once to get to a gig at the O2, however, it was in the middle of a horrible storm and was borderline traumatic, so I’d recommend waiting for a pleasant day. From the Greenwich side, it’s only a short bus ride to get to the Old Naval College, its beautiful Painted Hall and the park, which offers cracking views of Canary Wharf.

Eat / Drink: Head to Greenwich Market for local street food, or if you want to go proper British, try a traditional pie and mash (and even some jellied eels) at Goddards. I also love The Gipsy Moth Pub, which overlooks the Cutty Sark.

7. browse art at whitechapel gallery

London art galleries are the best. The Tate Modern, Tate Britain, and National Portrait Gallery are all stellar, but the Whitechapel Gallery shouldn’t be forgotten. Located just off Brick Lane on Whitechapel Rd, it hosts contemporary art exhibitions from creators from across the world. Plus, you can combine it with a spot of shopping in Spitalfields after.

8. go karting at mile end

Add adventure to your Sunday with racing at Revolution Karting in Mile End. This would be a great alternative birthday party idea, especially when endless bottomless brunches have become boring. The electric karts reach speeds of up to 40mph, apparently making it the fastest track in London!

Eat / Drink: Refuel with Pad Thai and Pints at the Rusty Bike Pub after. It’s located right next to the station and was one of our go-to haunts as university students.

9. explore the V&A east storehouse

The newly opened V&A East Storehouse is the latest addition to the city’s world-class offering. My sister and I visited only a few weeks ago, and made a day out of exploring Hackney Wick. Its opening aligns with a new £600 million investment campaign into the cultural offerings of the Olympic Park’s East Bank, including Sadler’s Wells East, new university facilities and another V&A museum which is set to open in spring of 2026. The storehouse is unlike any museum I’ve visited before; the character isn’t dissimilar to the Room of Requirement from the Harry Potter movies. The huge space is shaped by towering levels of glass walkways offering up close encounters with an array of unusual objects, art, and artefacts. My personal highlights were the suffragette stashes and entire recreation of a mid-century London flat.

Eat / Drink: Hackney Wick isn’t short of cool foodie pop-ups and bars. If the weather’s nice, you can sip on a pint canal side at Grow or CRATE Brewery & Pizzeria. We decided to treat ourselves to the most premium, slow-roasted birreria tacos at Lucia’s, a tiny Mexican restaurant with a focus on flame-cooked bites and speciality mezcal.

Follow me over on TikTok ↓

@by.beccamaehave you visited east london’s new V&A storehouse museum? I spent Sunday exploring this massive exhibition space which is home to over half a million works — one of the best things to do in London is to visit the major museums and art galleries because they are totally free. #london #londonthingstodo #travel #londonlife #traveluk

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10. get a curry on bricklane or whitechapel

Need I say anymore? The Bricklane curry. A cultural institution of not just East London, but the entire city. I can’t tell you which is best. I’ve wolfed down a sagaloo after far too many pints at Jasmines’, but I’ve also enjoyed a more leisurely dining experience at Aladdin’s with my parents. Rumour has it that the quality has decreased in recent years, so if you’re looking for a more premium experience, maybe consider Dishoom? But they certainly aren’t the same thing. Remember, it’s BYOB, so head to the offie first.

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