Ticketdrop's focus is theatre, but a show is usually one part of a wider day or trip into London. The notes below are a practical starting point for building a visit around a West End night - what to see nearby, how to get around, where to eat before the curtain and how to do it all without overspending. Everything here sits within easy reach of the main theatre districts around Shaftesbury Avenue, the Strand, Covent Garden and the South Bank.
Planning a theatre day
The classic London day pairs a museum or gallery in the late morning, a relaxed lunch, an afternoon walk and an evening performance, with an early dinner slotted in around the show. Matinees, which usually start in the early afternoon, are ideal if you would rather keep the evening free or you are visiting with children. Whatever you choose, leave a comfortable buffer before curtain-up: West End latecomers are often held until a suitable break, so aim to be in your seat fifteen minutes early.
Within ten minutes' walk of the West End
- The National Gallery and the National Portrait Gallery on Trafalgar Square - free entry, with late opening on selected evenings.
- The Photographers' Gallery near Oxford Circus for changing exhibitions.
- Pre-theatre menus at the brasseries on St Martin's Lane and around Covent Garden, most served until around 7pm.
- Standing tickets at the Royal Opera House for the price of a coffee, if you want a taste of opera or ballet.
- Browsing the market and street performers in Covent Garden Piazza.
Half-day options
- The British Museum or the V&A in the morning, then theatre in the evening.
- Tate Modern followed by a walk along the South Bank to a National Theatre matinee.
- Greenwich for the Cutty Sark and the Royal Observatory, then a touring show back in central London.
- A river bus from Westminster to the South Bank, which doubles as sightseeing and transport.
Family days
- The Science Museum and the Natural History Museum sit next to each other in South Kensington; pair them with a matinee of a family show.
- Hamleys on Regent Street plus a Shaftesbury Avenue matinee.
- The London Transport Museum at Covent Garden plus a matinee on nearby Wellington Street.
Getting around
The theatre district is compact and very walkable, and most venues are within a few minutes of Leicester Square, Covent Garden, Piccadilly Circus or Charing Cross stations. A contactless card or phone is the cheapest way onto the Tube and buses, with daily fares automatically capped. For a late finish, night buses and licensed taxis run from the main squares, and the night Tube serves several lines at weekends.
Eating before the show
Chinatown, Soho and Covent Garden are wall-to-wall with restaurants, and many advertise fixed-price pre-theatre menus that are served early and timed to get you out before curtain-up. Booking ahead for a slot around 5.30pm to 6.30pm is wise on performance nights, when the area is busiest.
Doing it on a budget
London's major national museums and galleries are free to enter, which makes a full day out surprisingly cheap once the show is booked. For the theatre itself, midweek matinees, day seats, official lotteries and the TKTS booth in Leicester Square all cut the cost - our cheap tickets guide covers each route in detail.