Adventure and Adrenaline Activities in London
Whether you're a fan of the karting track or dream of blasting up The Thames like James Bond, we've rounded up the most exhilarating adventure and adrenaline activities for you to enjoy around London. With ideas to suit all budgets, why not book a Zipcar and try something new?
Thames Rockets
Ever wanted to see the sights but from a different perspective? Thames Rockets ranks as London's number one outdoor activity. Taking in no less than 20 landmarks along a stretch of water from the London Eye to the Thames Barrier, they offer various experiences, including Thames Lates and an all speed pursuit known as Break the Barrier. Even if you've lived in London all your life, witnessing Tower Bridge in all its glory as you whiz beneath it in a boat is guaranteed to have you grinning from ear to ear. As their website suggests, this is an experience licenced to thrill! Make like Daniel Craig and book yourself a seat on the Thames Rocket. Dinner jackets aren't obligatory.
Where? London Bridge, The London Eye.
Book via the website: Thames Rockets.
Hours: Monday to Sunday from 10:00 am to 6:00 pm.
From: Experiences from £41.95. Gift vouchers are available.
Indoor Skiing and Snowboarding
The days of getting your skis or snowboard caught on an abrasive dry ski slope while everyone watches are gone. Whether you're a beginner or a pro, The Snow Centre outside of London uses cannons to make snow overnight for their giant 160m long, 30m wide slope. The snow technicians monitor the air temperature to make sure things stay below zero degrees, ensuring you get the best possible quality snow to practice on. Freestyling sessions are available for those who want to sharpen their jump technique and try out the rails or boxes. Qualified instructors are on hand to offer encouragement, tips and advice. Skis, boards, boots and helmets are included with every session. Book your snow adventure and get there with Zipcar.
Where? The Snow Centre, Hemel Hempstead, HP3 9NH.
Book via The Snow Centre website and see online for more details.
Hours: Monday to Sunday - check the website for daily opening times.
From: A ski pass costs £29 for 1hr on weekdays and £39 on weekends. A lesson includes a slope pass. Spectators can attend for free.
Bouldering
Climbing is not only great for overcoming mental obstacles, but it's also one of the fastest ways to improve your fitness. As one of the growing sports activities in London, practising bouldering on indoor climbing walls is the gateway to eventually tackling the real thing for many people. For others, the convenience of training at a centre offers endless opportunities to develop technique and speed without the need to venture into the open. With wellness centres like Substation in Brixton and one of the original climbing studios, The Castle in North London, the capital has no shortage of places available for you to experiment. Sign up for an intro offer and earn the analytical and physical tactics needed to defeat any wall or overhang.
Where? Substation, Brixton, SW2 5DZ.
Book via the website: Substation Brixton.
Hours: Monday to Friday 7:00 am to 10:00 pm.
Saturday, Sunday and bank holidays from 8:00 am to 8:00 pm.
From: £14 per session (£11 student concessions).
Where? The Castle Climbing Centre, Green Lanes, N16.
Book via the website: Castle Climbing.
Hours: Monday to Friday, 8:00 am to 10:00 pm.
Saturday and Sunday from 9:00 am to 8:00 pm.
From: £13 per session (£8 off-peak).
Fly a Stunt Plane
Is flying a stunt plane the ultimate adrenaline challenge? We think this one tops the bucket list. How about taking to the skies under the watchful eye of an experienced instructor? Well, you can, at Goodwood. The name gives it away - Ultimate High's adrenaline experiences take 'flying to a new level'. Choose from aerial pursuits such as acrobatic manoeuvres with an ex-fighter pilot, where your instructor will demonstrate looping, the aerial roll, the Cuban Eight and stall turns before handing over the controls so you can perform the stunts yourself. There's the ultimate Top Gun Combat Mission for those looking to channel their inner Maverick. In a two-seater stunt aircraft, your instructor will introduce you to basics like close formation flying, then let you loose to tail chase and air combat against an opponent. We feel the need, the need for speed…
Where? Goodwood Aerodrome, Chichester, West Sussex.
Book via the Ultimate High website.
Hours: Monday to Sunday from 10:00 am to 6:00 pm.
From: Experiences start from £345 per person. Gift vouchers are available
Go Ape
Have you got a head for heights? If so, then seeing London from high above the ground might be your next adrenaline adventure. Few outdoor activities can claim to take you on a treetop adventure high above the ground. With locations across London, Go Ape offers fun and thrills enough to test your bravery limits on its canopy structures overlooking Battersea Park and Alexandra Palace. Choose your intensity level, then challenge yourself to conquer the wobbly bridges, crossings, and the fisherman’s net, before jumping on the zip-wire to swing through the trees.
Where? Go Ape - Battersea Park in South London, or Alexandra Park North London.
Book via the Go Ape website.
Hours: Tuesday to Friday from 10:00 am to 2:00 pm.
Saturday and Sunday from 9:00 am to 2:00 pm.
Activities start from £10 per adult (speed climbing).
Ziplining
If flying a stunt plane is just a bit too much of a stretch for your nerves, you could try ziplining. Tucked away in urban Kent 40 minutes outside London is the Skywire - the only zip-wire experience of its kind in the UK. Prepare to hang over 700 metres off the ground and travel at speeds of up to 60mph. The HangLoose centre is also planning to open its giant gravity swing and a skydive aerodrome this spring, offering endless opportunities to satisfy the daredevil in you. Book a Zipcar to get there.
Where? Hang Loose, Bluewater Parkway, Dartford. DA9 9ST.
Book via the HangLoose website
Hours: Opening April 2022, seven days a week from 10:00 am.
From £50 per person. Gift vouchers are available.
Wakeboarding
Wakeboarding is a 30-year-old sport with roots in surfing, skiing, and snowboarding. Traditionally, the rider balances on their board while towing behind a motorboat. Thankfully, the urban-friendly version of cable wakeboarding is available to try in London's Docklands. The WakeUp watersports centre offers sessions for both complete beginners and experienced wakeboarders. By all accounts, it's one of the most fun things you can do in a pair of boots. Stand up paddleboarding and hydrofoil experiences are also available at the centre.
Where? London Docklands, Royal Victoria Beach, Dock Road, London. E16.
Book via the Wakeup Docklands website.
Hours: Tuesday to Friday from midday to sundown.
ArcelorMittal Orbital
This incredible structure began life as a sculpture and observation tower in London’s Queen Elizabeth Olympic Park. Reborn as one of the most exciting adrenaline activity settings, the ArcelorMittal Orbital now lives on as a 115m high three-in-one attraction - a freefall abseiling venue, helter-skelter and skyline viewing platform. Enjoy spectacular views of the city like never before as you traverse the mighty structure.
Where? The ArcelorMittal Orbital, Queen Elizabeth Olympic Park, E20.
Book via the Queen Elizabeth Olympic Park website.
Hours: Fridays from 11:00 am to 3:00 pm.
Saturday and Sunday from 11:00 am to 5:00 pm.
From: Abseiling from £50 per session. Helter-skelter slide from £11.50 per person.
White Water Rafting
Did you know that you can go white water rafting on the same course used by athletes in the 2012 Olympics? Built to host the canoe slalom events, the course is set in the Lee Valley Nature Park. The watersports centre hosts a variety of water-related sports activities, including rodeo rafting, canoeing, and hydrospeeding. Each white water raft can host up to nine people, so there's enough room to accommodate whole groups of friends at a time. The Olympic standard drops of the rapids are all about speed. After the safety briefing, you'll get to harness the power of the water as you overcome the rollercoaster ride to navigate the twists and turns of the course. Expect to get very, very wet! Book a session and get there with Zipcar.
Where? The Lee Valley Centre, Waltham Cross, E9 1AB.
Book via the Lee Valley website.
Hours: Wednesday to Sunday from 8:00 am.
From: Activities start from £50 per session. Gift vouchers are available.
Go-Karting
A classic, we think you'll agree. Go-karting has come a long way since your little brother's eighth birthday party. While still as popular as ever, there are now a whopping ten tracks located in and around London to choose from. Pitting your driving skills against your mates is now reassuringly safer than ever - but that doesn't mean the fun factor is diminished in any way. Go-karting is one of those great adrenaline-fuelled activities that suit most situations - from a night out with your friends to team-building and bonding with your workmates. A few hours zooming around the 800m tarmac track will give you a great feeling of accomplishment, plus a welcome endorphin boost! It can be a sustainable way to have fun, too, with Team Sport Indoor Karting offering eco-electric karts with a top speed of 40mph. Start your engines…
Where? Various locations around London.
Book via the Team Sport website.
Hours: Daily - see website for session times and group hours.
From: £44 on weekdays, £48 on weekends.
What else?
If none of the above has got your pulse racing, why not check out these inspirational ideas for adrenaline and adventure activities in London?*
- Ice Climbing - not just reserved for holidays to Iceland. Check out Ice Factor’s ice wall featuring 500 tonnes of real snow and ice!
- Kayaking, canoeing and SUP - venues across London. Try MooCanoes in East London, or Edge Canoeing, Kew.
- Epping Forest Trail - has over 284km of trails across its 8,000 acres.
- The Dare Skywalk - scale the height of Tottenham Hotspur’s football stadium on a glass walkway almost 50m above the pitch.
- London Helicopter Tours - a selection of five-star rated sightseeing experiences around the capital.
* Check individual websites for details
