Wimbledon is all about the most fabulous tennis, the extraordinarily talented players, fresh strawberries and cream, delicious sparkling champagne, English sunshine, all-white tennis clothing, Royalty, celebrities and those formal umpires and fast-on-their-feet ballboys. As a tennis fan, we are sure you’re getting excited especially if you’ve already purchased your tickets for Wimbledon 2020.
It’s a good idea to get things done early. Laying your hands on Wimbledon tickets is the most important thing to do, thereafter you need to focus on hotel accommodation and transportation.
Visitors book their hotel accommodation months (sometimes a year) in advance, so if you haven’t made plans, get into action.
Once you’ve got your Wimbledon tickets (and if you haven’t, here’s our exhaustive guide how you can buy your Wimbledon tickets) and your accommodation, you can start thinking about all the other wonderful things that Wimbledon has to offer. And it has a lot.
While a lot of the attractions at Wimbledon are centred around the tennis, like the Wimbledon Lawn Tennis Museum, there’s also fantastic art, theatre, food, walking, sport, shopping and sightseeing.
Here are some of our favourite things for you to do in Wimbledon, besides the tennis.
The Wimbledon Common
The Wimbledon Common is huge – over 1100 acres of beautiful and unspoiled heathland in London. You can spend hours walking, cycling and even horse riding here. The Common has several footpaths which you can follow, two stunning lakes, Lake Rushmere and Lake Kingsmere, and a few hours at the Common will leave you feeling healthy, energetic and ready for me!
The Wimbledon Common merges with the Putney Heath to the North and Richmond Park to the West and it’s pretty extraordinary to have all this space in the middle of a city. Walking is space, you can rent bikes, and if you’re into horse riding, seek out the stables.
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The Wimbledon Commons are spectacular in summer, when the tennis is on, but they are as spectacular in autumn when all the leaves are falling and the colours are changing. Spring is pretty beautiful too, with the flowers in full bloom.
- Windmill Rd, Wimbledon, London SW19 5NR, United Kingdom
- Tel: +44 20 8788 7655
The Wimbledon Windmill
The Wimbledon Windmill is an iconic Wimbledon landmark, loved by locals. It is not a working windmill, that may be a bit too much to expect, but it is quite brilliant to see. You’ve likely seen many a photograph of people, locals and tourists, taking their pics here.
It was built in 1817 and the building has been lovingly restored and turned into a museum. It’s well worth a visit and you can pop in to see the Windmill and adjacent museum, as you walk the beautiful Wimbledon Commons.
- Windmill Road, Wimbledon, London, England, SW19 5NR, United Kingdom
- Tel: +442089472825
Wimbledon Village Stables
How about a lovely horse ride through the English countryside? The Wimbledon Village Stables are quite beautiful and you’ll trot, cantor or gallop your way through fabulous English countryside. You can have riding lessons if you have the time, or join an organised ride, morning or afternoon, and get into the fresh air, enjoy some exercise and of course, ride and admire the horses.
Book in advance, and note, this is an adults-only equestrian centre.
- 24 a/b High St, Wimbledon, London SW19 5DX, United Kingdom
- Tel: +44 20 8946 8579
Wat Buddhapadipa, Buddhist Temple
The Buddhapadipa Temple in Wimbledon, home to Buddhist monks and nuns, was the first Thai Buddhist temple to be built in London, specifically in Wimbledon. Like any Buddhist Temple, it is a place of great peace, serenity and beauty. Visitors are welcome to visit, walk and wander around, as long as they are quiet and respectful of the space.
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The temple, grounds, gardens, orchard and ornamental pond, are all quite beautiful. If you plan in advance, you may be able to attend a ceremony or meditation. You do not have to be Buddhist to visit the War Buddhapadipa Temple, you only have to have a love for all things beautiful.
- 14 Calonne Rd, Wimbledon, London SW19 5HJ, United Kingdom
- Tel: +44 20 8946 1357
The New Wimbledon Theatre
When you’re in London, or Wimbledon, you have to go to the theatre; it’s just one of those cultural must-do things. It’s also one of those wonderful things to do! The New Wimbledon Theatre is a stunning historical building, the eight largest theatre in London and has a secret all of its own.
In the basement there’s a Victorian style Turkish bath.We cannot guarantee that you’ll get to the experience the bath, but if you book tickets for the Wimbledon Theatre we can guarantee you’ll get some great theatre. Right now Cinderella is on for Christmas, but you’ll find fantastic theatre, dance and music throughout the year, including those ab-fab Broadway musicals. Check in advance what’s on, and remember, theatre tickets in London sell out months in advance.
You can buy tickets online, and early, to avoid disappointment.
- 93 The Broadway, Wimbledon, London SW19 1QG, United Kingdom
- Tel: +44 844 871 7646
The Polka Theatre
This is a fabulous space for children. They host theatre and story telling, as well as holiday drama workshops. If you happen to time your Wimbledon visit well, and you have your kids with you, check what’s showing and like everything over that time, book early. Kids love the theatre and a little bit of drama and creativity is vital!
- 240 The Broadway, Wimbledon, London SW19 1SB, United Kingdom
- Tel: +44 20 8543 4888
Wimbledon Park
If just watching tennis is not enough for you, you may want to come to Wimbledon Park and enjoy some activity of your own. Wimbledon Park has beautiful landscaped gardens and one can walk, wander, picnic or partake in sport. There are tons of activities on offer, including tennis courts, beach volley ball courts, a water sports centre at the lake and a paddling pool for kids. It’s also where Wimbledon celebrates Guy Fawkes, with an annual fireworks display.
- Home Park Rd, Wimbledon, London SW19 8AU, United Kingdom
- Tel: +44 20 8545 3930
The Royal Wimbledon Golf Club
This is a members only golf club, attached to Wimbledon Park. If you do want to play a round of golf, you may know someone who knows someone who knows someone! So If golf is your sport of choice and you can somehow swing it, 18 holes at the Royal Wimbledon Golf Club is sure to be spectacular.
We’re not sure however, that we would arrange this on the day of the Wimbledon Men’s Finals, to be honest!
- 29 Camp Rd, Wimbledon, London SW19 4UW, United Kingdom
- Tel: +44 20 8946 2125
The Wimbledon Coffee Scene
Part of the fun of exploring Wimbledon is just hanging out in the town, window shopping, buying a few souvenirs, stopping for coffee and watching the world go by.You’ll find the franchise coffee shops like Starbucks and Pret A Manger, but you’ll also find the trendy, hip and stylish boutique coffee shops.
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Bliss Coffee, Cafe Nero, the Wimbledon Guild Cafe and Lu-Ma Cafe are just a few of our favorites. Like anywhere, coffee shops come and go but one thing is for sure – in Wimbledon, you will find plenty of fabulous one. Coffee and cake, strawberries and cream, a delicious sandwich or more. Eating and drinking are one of the best ways to explore and get to grips with a town.
Wimbledon Ice-Cream
If you are in Wimbledon for the Championship, it’s likely to be hot. By hot, we mean it’s weather for ice-cream. G for Gelato is on Wimbledon Bridge, Giovanni’s is downtown and Oddono’s is pretty famous too. You may feel obliged to get strawberry flavoured ice-cream, but actually, have whatever you want, in a cone, in a tub or in a glass. It’s hot, it’s summer, it’s Wimbledon. Enjoy!
Wimbledon Lawn Tennis Museum
You cannot exactly come to Wimbledon and not visit the Lawn Tennis Museum. Even the locals visit and this is probably going to be the first stop on your Wimbledon bucket list. Any tennis lover will be blown away by the Lawn Tennis Museum and if you’re a player, even more so.
You’ll find all the trophies here, learn about the championship tennis players and look at how tennis clothing has evolved. And not just clothing – balls and tennis rackets too. There are some interactive displays and you can watch a 3D film that features world renowned players, their coaches and partners, celebrities and stars, Royalty including The Queen, umpires and staff.
We often look at the Wimbledon courts without thinking about the care that goes into the maintenance – well, you can learn all about this at the Wimbledon Lawn Tennis Museum too. Depending on when you visit the museum, you can spend time at Centre Court, a huge highlight for most visitors.
- Church Road, Wimbledon, London, England, SW19 5AE, United Kingdom
- Tel: +442089466131
Mystery Cube Amusement Park
If you have kids you are going to have to spend time at Mystery Cube. As the name implies, it’s all a bit mysterious but the game involves teamwork, strategy and brainpower. You get locked into a room and working as a team, you need to make your way out. Can we tell you more? Not much, it’s all very secretive.
Play as a family, or join another team, and have fun being part of this top secret organization, even if just for a while!
- 19 Deer Park Road, London, England, SW19 3UX, United Kingdom
- Tel: +447486101523Wimbledon
Wimbledon Farmers’ Market
Everyone loves a Farmers market. It’s a great way to get to see local life, eat and enjoy wonderful fresh food, and to marvel at the size of those English pumpkins. The Wimbledon Farmer’s market is organic, seasonal and one of the best farmer’s markets in London. It’s based at the Wimbledon Park Primary School and takes place every Saturday morning.
- Wimbledon Park Primary School, Off Havana Rd, Durnsford Rd, London SW19 8EJ, United Kingdom
- Tel: +44 20 7833 0338
Some Other Places to Visit in Wimbledon
AFC Wimbledon Football Club
Cannizaro Park
South Park Gardens
Morden Hall Park
Merton Abbey Mills
Wimbledon is just 7 miles from London. If you are staying in London, it’s easy to get in and out of Wimbledon, either by train, bus or hired car. Give yourself a few extra days to explore Wimbledon, enjoy the countryside, the good food and the incredible hospitable people.
Of course, you will be exploring London too. Get yourself an underground pass for a few days and include all those London bucket list highlights – Buckingham Palace, St. James Park, Covent Garden, Knightsbridge and Harrods, Madame Tussaud’s, Big Ben, The Tower of London, London Bridge, the London Eye and of course, all the museums.
One can spend a week in London, and Wimbledon, enjoying all of this AND THE TENNIS! How can you possibly go wrong?