6 Quirky things to see and do around King's Cross

If you’re in King’s Cross as a stopover and you have a few hours to kill, what should you do? 

Ask any tourist what there is to do at King’s Cross and the first suggestion you’ll probably receive will contain the words ‘Platform 9 ¾’. If Harry Potter is your thing and you don’t mind queuing to hold half a luggage trolley stuck in a wall then great - have fun! It can make the time spent waiting for a connecting train pass a bit quicker. But if you’re in the area for a little longer than an hour, and/or are looking for something a bit different to try, check out some of these ideas of things to do in the King’s Cross area.
 

1. Relax at Camley Street Natural Park

It’s perhaps hard to imagine when you’re standing outside one of the busiest railway stations in the UK, but there is actually a little hidden gem of a nature reserve within a few minutes’ walk. Right next to Regents Canal, this is a little oasis of calm that’s been around since 1984. Catch sight of frogs, turtles, butterflies and damselflies; if you’re prepared with a bucket and a net, have a go at pond-dipping and see what little creatures you can find in the depths.
 

2. Bookworms rejoice at the British Library 

To a book-lover, is there anything more beautiful to behold than a well-ordered, supremely well-stocked library? You can loan books from the British Library just as you could from your local one, but many visitors prefer to use the reading rooms to review books, journals, manuscripts and maps that are only available for inspection. You can also just use the reading rooms to sit quietly or study - blissful peace and quiet away from the thrum of the city outside.
 

3. Go for a swing!

There’s a huge swing suspended from the top of what looks like a giant birdcage, which is lit up at night. Sounds surreal? It is. But it’s a lot of fun! Located just outside St Pancras station, it’s free to use.
 

4. Get wet at the Granary Square fountains

Fun for children and for adults who never really grew up - have a splash in the fountains at Granary Square and download the app to control the jets yourself! 
 

5. King’s Cross Skip Gardens

This began as a collection of vegetable gardens in skips and has evolved into a lovely spot for shopping, eating and even gardening. Have a look around, enjoy some freshly prepared food from the home-grown produce or take part in a workshop to learn more about sustainable living and growing your own food.
 

6. Get (weirdly) creative

There’s a cafe called Drink Shop and Do, where you can … drink, shop and do things. As well as serving cocktails, afternoon teas and bar food, they make tremendous cakes and in the evenings you can take part in any of their crafty activities. They have a schedule of interesting and unusual classes for you to choose from, such as making Lego robots, pimping your hip flask or creating a monster from papier mache. Have a go at something new!

Whatever you get up to in King’s Cross, make life easier for yourself by storing your luggage whilst you enjoy your day. It’s really very difficult to move around the crowded London Streets whilst carting a big bag! Putting your luggage into storage frees up your hands and saves you a lot of backache. Our King’s Cross store is 5 minutes’ away from the station, and we offer cheap left luggage lockers that are secure and easy to access.

Then you can pimp your hip flask, read an ancient tome or work on your green fingers without having to worry about where to put your bags!