Things to do in Stratford

You can see the Queen Elizabeth Olympic Park from miles around, thanks to the soaring ArcelorMittal Orbit sculpture, which stands 376 feet high in its South Plaza. But if you fancy getting a little closer to the action, the park’s network of waterways, including residential canals and parts of the River Lea, are a fine way to do so. 

There are a number of ways to take to the water during the warmer months, usually between April and October. Hop aboard a swan-shaped pedalo at the London Aquatics Centre for maximum Insta appeal and a leisurely afternoon pootle around the park. Or cut through the canals in a canoe rented from Moo Canoes at The Milk Float bar by Hackney Wick station. Too much exertion for ya? Fear not: guided boat tours run most weekends through spring and summer, for expert commentaries and duck’s eye views of the park’s biggest hitters, including the stadium, Orbit, Carpenter’s Road Lock and legendary ‘Big Breakfast’ house.

A finely tuned ear might still be able to discern the distant roar of the crowd inside London Stadium, scene of many an Olympic triumph back in 2012. Or maybe that’s just the sound of East London traffic clogging up the nearby A12. Either way, here’s where you can relive any number of Olympic glories. Danny Boyle’s epic opening ceremony! Mo Farah, Jessica Ennis-Hill and Greg Rutherford each nabbing a gold medal on ‘Super Saturday’! Usain Bolt’s new 100-metre Olympic record! The Queen skydiving over the stadium with James Bond!

Now home to perennial Premier League underachievers West Ham Utd, the stadium runs tours that reveal the park’s rich history as well as a chance to get behind the scenes and visit the players’ tunnel and managers’ dug-outs. Pro-tip: the London Stadium tour is included with The London Pass®, which includes around 100 major London attractions, tours and activities, and could save you up to 47% on standard admission fees. Click here to find out more and choose your pass.

There are more than 200 shops inside the cavernous Westfield Stratford City shopping complex, only one of the largest malls in Europe. Not to put too fine a point on it, this place is a brand junkie’s paradise (and your bank manager’s worst nightmare), with megastores from Apple to Zara, and plenty more besides. Lose yourself in stores dedicated entirely to rubber ducks, bamboo bedding and Lego and have your brows shaped and nails shellacked in one of several glitzy salons. The 100-or-so places to eat and drink give new meaning to the phrase ‘spoiled for choice’, and there are bowling alleys, go-kart tracks, a cinema and even a Disney play zone to keep kids young and old entertained all day long.

There are something like 330 acres of grassland to explore in Hackney Marshes, located just north of the Queen Elizabeth Olympic Park. Stroll or cycle the peaceful trails that run along the banks of the River Lea, or find yourself a quiet waterside spot to indulge in the fine art of birdwatching. Hackney Marshes is a rich habitat for several species. Eyes peeled for the punky quiff of the red-breasted merganser duck, the similarly flamboyant great-crested grebe, and the leggy Eurasian oystercatcher.

Built for the London Olympics, this iconic velodrome is perhaps best remembered for the moments when Dame Sarah Storey and Sir Chris Hoy led their teams to cycling glory back in 2012. You can now ride the very same track they did, albeit perhaps not at quite the same speed. Beginners are welcome, with a one-hour track-cycling taster session available and all safety equipment provided. And that’s not all: you can also try road racing and mountain biking trails as well as performing your best jumps and tricks on the BMX track. All in all, wheely good fun. 

Ok, so Stratford-upon-Avon it ain’t, but Stratford London boasts a couple of fine theatres of which Shakespeare himself would surely approve. First up, the Theatre Royal Stratford East is a boundary-pushing Victorian playhouse that has hosted productions including A Taste of Honey, Equus and Benjamin Britten’s Noye's Fludde down the years. Over the other side of Queen Elizabeth Olympic Park in Hackney Wick, the diminutive Yard Theatre is set in a converted warehouse that seats just 110. This intimate urban space has staged reimagined classics including a gender-swapped version of The Crucible by Arthur Miller, and a production of Chekhov’s The Cherry Orchard starring a fully South Asian cast.

Check the links to find out what’s on at the Yard Theatre and Theatre Royal Stratford East.

Fancy a dip? You’ll be in good company at the London Aquatics Centre, another of the mighty Queen Elizabeth Olympic Park venues built specifically for the 2012 games. For here’s where Tom Daley picked up his first ever Olympic medal, and where some of the country’s top swimmers and divers continue to train.

The iconic venue, designed by prize-winning architect Zaha Hadid, now welcomes mere mortals into its hallowed waters too, allowing us to admire the dolphin-like grace of future Olympic athletes as we thrash around like blobfish in the shallow end.

Last but by no means least in our guide to the best things to do in Stratford, the mighty ArcelorMittal Orbit is Britain’s largest piece of public art. The sculpture, a 376-foot-tall masterpiece of looping red steel tubes was the brainchild of Turner-Prize winning artist Anish Kapoor, and incorporates viewing platforms some 260 feet above terra firma, from where you can spy many more skyscraping London attractions, among them Big Ben, The Shard and The O2 Arena.

Better still, there’s no need to take the stairs back down thanks to the Helix. This looping tunnel that snakes around the Orbit for nearly 600 feet is the longest and tallest slide on the planet, and will have thrillseekers back on the ground in a mere 40 seconds.

Looking for more things to do in Stratford and elsewhere around London? The London Pass® can save you up to 47% on standard entry prices for more than 100 London tours, activities and attractions, including the likes of the London Eye, St Paul’s Cathedral and a tour of London Stadium. Click the buttons below to find out more and choose your pass.