10 Best Things To Do In North London This Summer
Quick summary
- For families and shopping: under-12s can burn off energy at Topsy Turvy Soft Play, and you can shop for something new at H&M, M&S, Reserved, Mango, Anthropologie and Newbie at Brent Cross.
- If you feel like trying out something new: TeamSport's electric karting, bowling, arcades and pool tables can fill your afternoon, and then you can try one of the international restaurants in District at Brent Cross.
- And when you want to enjoy London’s sunny weather this summer, you can follow Camden's street art trails, visit Highgate Wood, explore the Kenwood House grounds and visit Alexandra Palace Park.
Are you looking for things to do in North London this summer that work for families, groups and quieter days out?
We've put together ten of the best summer plans across North London, covering go-karting, soft play, summer shopping, garden dining and several of the area's best parks: 👇
Race, bowl and play arcades at TeamSport Indoor Go Karting & Bowling
Location: Level 4 of the Red Car Park, Brent Cross Shopping Centre, London NW4 3FP.
If your perfect summer day comes with a little friendly competition, TeamSport at Brent Cross has you covered. With electric karting, ten-pin bowling, arcade games and pool tables all under one roof, it's the ultimate destination for action-packed fun.
The indoor electric karting track caters for both adults and children aged four and over, with dedicated sessions available for younger racers. But the fun doesn't stop at the finish line. Challenge your friends to a game of bowling, see who can top the arcade leaderboard, or head over to the pool tables for one last showdown.
When it’s time to take a break, settle in at the bar and recharge before diving back into the action.
Bounce, slide and burn off energy at Topsy Turvy Soft Play
Location: Outside Brent Cross, Prince Charles Drive, London NW4 3RW.
Topsy Turvy Soft Play is a playground built for under-12s with a lot of energy to burn.
A multi-tiered play frame handles older children with slides, climbs and themed play areas, while a separate padded zone gives toddlers and under-3s a safer space to play.
➡️ The whole site is fully padded and runs on a one-way flow, which makes it easier for parents to keep track of bigger groups and birthday parties.
Topsy Turvy is also open for birthday party bookings, which cover food and its on-site café that is open for parents during regular sessions.
💡 Do note that a 1.5 metre height limit applies across the site.
Refresh your summer wardrobe at Brent Cross
Here are six of Brent Cross's biggest names that can cover your summer wardrobe from holiday packing to wedding-season outfits:
H&M
Location: Lower Mall, Brent Cross, London NW4 3FP.
H&M in Brent Cross covers womenswear, menswear, kidswear and beauty across one floor, which makes it the easiest first stop for sundresses, linen sets, swimwear and lightweight knits.
Marks and Spencer
Location: Lower Mall, Brent Cross, London NW4 3FP.
M&S can cover your wardrobe refresh needs just as well as it can cover your grocery run.
The shop has a surprisingly large range of womenswear, menswear, lingerie, kidswear, gifts and homeware.
M&S also offers free bra fittings (covering first bra, maternity, post-surgery and sports), suit fitting appointments, Click & Collect and an on-site café.
RESERVED
Location: Upper Mall, Brent Cross, London NW4 3FP.
Reserved makes trend-led summer dressing easy for the whole family, with collections for women, men and children at prices that won’t break the bank.
Reserved also offers gift cards if you’re shopping for someone else.
Mango
Location: Lower Mall, Brent Cross, London NW4 3FP.
Mango brings a Catalonian take on summer clothing with dresses, tailoring and accessories that mix trend-led design with everyday fashion.
The brand also offers loyalty programmes, home delivery, gift services, and Click & Collect.
Anthropologie
Location: Upper Mall, Brent Cross, London NW4 3FP.
Anthropologie pulls together summer dresses, statement ceramics, and a large collection of candles and fragrances in one place.
Newbie
Location: Lower Mall, Brent Cross, London NW4 3FP.
Newbie offers Swedish-designed, sustainability-led baby and kids' clothing, accessories and homewares built to last.
The store also offers complimentary gift wrapping.
💡 Brent Cross’s parking is free, which means you can spend as much time as you need in fitting rooms.
Browse blooms at Florescenza
Location: Outside Brent Cross, Prince Charles Drive, London NW4 3BR.
Florescenza is a garden centre outside of Brent Cross, which is a nice summer stop for fresh blooms, potted plants, houseplants and seasonal florals.
Its team handles bouquets, floral design, event decoration and home delivery, with a loyalty programme running for regular visitors.
Grab a District takeaway feast and head to the parks
Location: Lower Mall, Brent Cross Shopping Centre, London NW4 3FP.
District in Brent Cross is a food destination that brings together 6 international street food spots, including:
- Pasta Remoli, whose menu runs from handmade pasta and Roman-style pizza through to starters like burrata and suppli, with vegetarian, gluten-free and kids' options included.
- Yaay Yaay, which serves Thai comfort food, including Kaprow chicken, rich Panang curry and its fragrant riceberry rice.
- Smatcha’s healthy drinks.
- Oshpaz with its signature plov that comes with lamb, chicken or veg and all the traditional sides.
- Three Uncles’ Cantonese-style roast meats, fluffy bao buns, and warming noodle bowls.
- Smokey Boys’ stacked burgers, saucy wings, loaded fries and shakes.
Catch a free contemporary exhibition at Camden Art Centre
Location: Arkwright Road, London NW3 6DG.
Camden Art Centre is an air-conditioned gallery full of contemporary art, which can be the rest you’re looking for when London feels too hot during summer.
The gallery cycles through exhibitions of emerging UK artists, international artists making their London debut and significant historic figures, with shows changing several times a year.
➡️ Local tip: the Bloomberg Connects app provides a free digital guide to the current exhibitions, so bringing headphones and a phone adds context across the visit.
Explore Camden's street art trails
Location: Camden Town, London NW1.
Camden's street art turns a regular walk into an open-air exhibition, with most of the major murals sitting within a 20-minute walk between Camden Town and Chalk Farm tube stations.
Standout walls include Hawley Street, Hawley Mews, Buck Street, Stucley Place and Castlehaven Road, with regular pieces by Camden-favourite Irony, Gnasher's striking animal murals and Otto Schade's ribbon-style work alongside international names like Dan Kitchener and Stinkfish.
Pieces are repainted often, sometimes within months, so the same walking route can look different between visits.
Lose yourself in Highgate Wood's ancient trees
Location: Muswell Hill Road, London N10 3JN.
Highgate Wood is one of the best places in North London to cool off on a hot summer day, with shaded paths winding through 28 hectares of ancient wood.
Wildlife on site includes foxes, bats, butterflies and over 70 bird species, alongside a sports field and a sizeable playground in the central area.
Free guided walks led by Highgate Wood's wood keepers run throughout the year, which cover wildlife, plant life and the history of the woodland itself.
➡️ Local tip: there's no on-site car park, and cycling isn't permitted in the wood, so the Northern Line to Highgate Station or one of the local bus routes would be the best way in.
9. Stretch out across the Kenwood House grounds
Location: Hampstead Lane, London NW3 7JR.
Kenwood House gives you 112 acres of free grounds to wander designed by Humphry Repton, with woodland trails, ponds, and gardens.
The house itself is also free to enter, with paintings by Rembrandt, Vermeer, Turner and Gainsborough on the walls, alongside historic furniture and a reproduction of the famous Dido Belle portrait by David Martin.
Walking trails through the grounds connect easily to wider Hampstead Heath, which extends the visit into a longer summer walk.
Take in views across London from Alexandra Palace Park
Location: Alexandra Palace Way, London N22 7AY.
Alexandra Palace Park offers some of the best free views in London, with 196 acres of hillside parkland looking out across Canary Wharf, the City and beyond.
On clear days, the south-facing viewing terrace at the front of the Palace looks across the full London skyline.
Entry is free, the park stays open from dawn to dusk, and there's a paid car park on site for visitors arriving by car.
Plan a top summer day in North London from Brent Cross
Whether you're racing electric karts at TeamSport, picking up summer pieces from M&S or laying out a District takeaway in Highgate Wood, North London offers plenty of summer plans across families, groups and slower afternoons.
Brent Cross is at the centre of it all, with multi-storey parking, the Northern Line at Brent Cross Underground Station and several bus routes all running to the centre. You can plan your visit to Brent Cross on our website to see all the ways to get there by car, taxi, train, bus or bike.
If you're driving in, our multi-storey parking is free, and EV drivers can also charge up at RAW Charging's network of dual chargers during the visit.
