Things to do near Oxford Street, London

Oxford Street is one of London’s main arteries, and continues to hold the record as Europe’s busiest shopping thoroughfare, with around 300 stores that run the gamut from colorful souvenir joints to luxury department stores via flagship emporia from major high-street brands including Primark, Adidas, Marks & Spencer and the Disney Store.

Not many visitors to Oxford Street leave without first stopping by Selfridges, the cavernous department store that has served the street’s western end for more than a century, and where incurable shopaholics can feed their habit with perfumes, foods, fashions, homewares, toys and, well, pretty much anything else you can think of. But it’s worth visiting for the grand theatrical window displays alone, which have become as synonymous with the store as founder Harry Gordon Selfridge’s famous motto: “the customer is always right”.

But what other London attractions can you visit near Oxford Street? Follow us as we take the tour…

Fans of the London-based property-trading board game Monopoly will find much to enjoy on a wander of the tributaries that link to Oxford Street. And what will you discover on Bond Street, Regent Street and Piccadilly? That’s right: further adventures in exchanging cash for goods.

Hit up Regent Street for all your Apple gadget needs then cross the road to unleash your inner child in the magical (and frankly enormous) world of Hamleys, only the oldest toy shop in the world. Bond Street’s where it’s at for credit-card-melting designer brands including Chanel, Jimmy Choo, Louis Vuitton and Mulberry.

Peel off onto Piccadilly for the centuries-old chocolate-box emporium that is Fortnum & Mason, perhaps best known for its luxury food hall and Insta-perfect afternoon teas. Or hit up Liberty, yet another London department-store institution, this one set inside a cute Tudor-Revival building at the top of trendy Carnaby Street.

Oxford Street’s central location (and significant length) make it a great jumping-off point for some of London’s liveliest and most historic neighborhoods. Start with the bohemian mini metropolis that is Soho, where vibrant street markets, secret speakeasies, retro fashion boutiques and vinyl stores, and world-class dining are the order of the day. 

Work up an appetite with a wander down to Chinatown, a pedestrianized foodie mecca that’s heady with the tantalizing aromas of sizzling spices and roast duck. Or make for the old-school boozers of Fitrovia and Bloomsbury, just north-east of Oxford Street. These atmospheric pub and inns – including The Lamb, Ye Olde Cheshire Cheese and the famous Fitzroy Tavern – were once regular haunts of literary giants including Dickens, Dylan Thomas, Virginia Woolf, George Orwell and Patrick Hamilton.

Guided tours of these historic neighborhoods abound. You can save on access to many such tours, plus dozens more London attractions and activities, with a London Pass. Hit the buttons below to find out more and choose the pass that’s right for you.

One of London’s most perennially popular (and free!) attractions, the British Museum can be found in Bloomsbury, at the eastern end of Oxford Street. The museum, established in the 18th Century, is an absolute treasure trove of international artifacts, boasting the biggest collection of this kind anywhere in the world. That’s around eight million pieces, in case you were wondering, around 80,000 of which will be out on display at any one time.

Here’s where you can get up close to the Rosetta Stone hieroglyphs, ogle Ancient Egyptian mummies, say hey to a thousand-year-old Easter Island statue, and ponder the eye-popping Parthenon Sculptures (aka the Elgin Marbles), a controversial collection of 2,500-year-old pieces from the legendary Athens Acropolis.

Oxford Street a little overwhelming for your delicate tastes? Good news: the antidote – in the shape of magnificent Hyde Park – lies at its western end. This huge, sprawling oasis that’s been beloved of Londoners since it opened to the public way back in 1637. Opportunities for peaceful perambulation abound here, with pathways that meander to regal rose gardens, splendid fountains and, of course, the serene surroundings of the Serpentine, the beautiful boating lake at Hyde Park’s heart. In summer, you can pull up a deck chair to watch the world (and the ducks) go by, or even take a dip in its refreshing waters.

Pop by the Serpentine Galleries for ever-changing exhibitions that showcase cutting-edge contemporary art, or go old school in neighboring Kensington Gardens, with their manicured picnic spots, picture-perfect Peter Pan statue and elegant swan pond. And don’t miss the chance to eyeball the grandiose State Rooms and sweeping staircases inside Kensington Palace.

London’s West End is the equal of any theater district in the world (looking at you, Broadway), and you’ll find it mostly on (and around) glitzy Shaftesbury Avenue, just south of Oxford Street. Neon lights flash and twinkle as theater-goers shuttle from their pre-theater meals to iconic venues that include the Gielgud, Lyric, Apollo and Palace theaters, all looking forward to an evening of thrilling world-class entertainment. Catch the world’s longest continuously running play – Agatha Christie whodunnit The Mousetrap – at St Martin’s Theatre, directly opposite the legendary Ivy restaurant. Or go for a classic musical: you’ll find perennial faves like Les Mis, Wicked and Phantom of the Opera all playing here.

Read our tips for bagging bargain London theater tickets here.

Looking for more things to do near London’s Oxford Street (and beyond)? The London Pass has your back. Including nearly 100 top attractions, tours and activities, it can be used for up to 10 consecutive days of unlimited London sightseeing. Click to find out more.