Things to do in Fulham, London

For more than 15 years I called Fulham, London my home. It is one of the loveliest Boroughs in London to visit with a mix of Londoners and expats. It’s a real live neighborhood, and staying in Fulham will give you an idea of what it’s like to live like a local.

Everything is close by and you don’t have to head to the center for all the buzz if you don’t want to. A stay in Fulham will give you the best of both worlds. Here is some more great info if you want to spend some time around Christmas in London.

Check out these great deals on London hotels

Fulham is part of the Royal Borough of Hammersmith and Fulham area of London, and is located in Southwest London. It’s not as expensive as other Boroughs like Chelsea, Kensington or Knightsbridge, but Fulham is posh to a degree.

It’s a great place to use as a London base to explore London’s multiculturalism, but will also give you a true sense of what it’s like to live in a real London neighborhood. Here’s some handy information about how to get to Fulham, where to stay and things to do in Fulham when you come to visit.

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Fulham London Map

How to get to Fulham from London’s airports

Fulham is very easy to get to via the London Underground or the London Bus network. Fulham is on the District Line (green line) going in the direction of Wimbledon – yes, the tennis Wimbledon. You simply exit at the Fulham Broadway Tube Station and you are in the heart of Fulham.

The nearest major train station is London Victoria Station, which services Gatwick airport and much of southern England. There are also Imperial Wharf and West Brompton train stations which are part of the London Overground network.

To Fulham from Gatwick Airport

From Gatwick Airport, you take the Gatwick Express train into London’s Victoria Station. One way tickets are @$36 but you will get a 10% discount if you book online on the Gatwick Express website. Once you are at Victoria Station, take the London Underground District Line (Green) in the direction of Wimbledon and get off at Fulham Broadway. If you want to travel by bus, exit straight out Victoria Station and get on the 11 or 211 bus to Fulham Broadway. This is actually a lovely ride as it goes down the famous King’s Road in Chelsea and is cheaper than the Tube. One way bus tickets are @$2 when you use a contactless credit or bank card.

To Fulham from Heathrow Airport

You can either take the Piccadilly Line (Blue Line) to Earl’s Court and then switch to the green District Line south to Fulham Broadway, or you can take the Heathrow Express, which goes into Paddington Station. From Paddington, you catch the London Underground District Line (Green line) toward Wimbledon and get off at Fulham Broadway. The Heathrow Express will cost $32.50 one way or $42 round trip.

London Underground Tickets

If you have a contactless credit or bank card you’ll pay $3.10 for a one way ticket in zone 1. The cash fare from Heathrow on the underground is $7.75, so it’s substantially cheaper to use a contactless credit card or an Oyster Card. A taxi will set you back about $100.

If you plan to travel via the London Underground or bus network for a week, I suggest getting a London travel card. It will cost around $45 and you can travel the Underground and Bus network from Zones 1-2, which are the most central zones. I have an Oyster Card, which I simply put more money on when I need it for traveling.

Where to stay in Fulham – Fulham Hotels

There are about a dozen or so hotels in Fulham, and the closest ones to the center are the Millennium & Copthorne Hotel at the Chelsea Football Stadium, and La Reserve Hotel which is in-between the Millennium and Fulham Broadway tube station. There is also an Ibis, a Travelodge and a Holiday Inn Express, which will be your cheapest hotels in Fulham. There’s an upscale Doubletree Hotel near Imperial Wharf which I’ve stayed at many times. It’s right next to the Imperial Wharf Overground line.

Here are some other great tips on where to stay in London.

1. See a soccer match in Fulham – England Football at its finest

Fulham is a great place to be if you like English football. Not only do you have one major champions league team, but you have two: Fulham Football Club and Chelsea FC (football club). Tickets can be difficult to come by and you’ll have better luck getting Fulham tickets, but check in advance. You’ll also experience a lot of game-day-buzz when Chelsea is playing. Even if you don’t have a ticket, it’s fun to see all the pop-up vendors and the ticket touts trying to flog tickets. Just remember, the ticket touts sell tickets illegally. Don’t buy from someone on the street. Be sure you have a ticket from the box office.

2. Head to the cinema when it rains in London

London’s weather can be rainy at any moment, so keep the Fulham cinema in your back pocket when you need something to do. Right in Fulham Broadway Tube station you’ll find the Vue Cinema. They have 9 screens with more than 2,200 seats. General admission to the cinema is $9. This is a great thing to do when it rains in London! You’ll also find shops and restaurants at the Fulham Broadway tube station. Wagamama restaurant is a great before or after film stop for some tasty, quick Japanese bites.

3. Enjoy a picnic outside in one of Fulham’s lovely parks

Fulham has so many lovely parks and if the weather is nice, there’s nothing better than creating a picnic lunch and enjoying the outdoors. Head to the local Waitrose Supermarket in Fulham Broadway and grab a take away lunch. You can easily enjoy the green spaces of Eel Brook Commons, Parson’s Green and Fulham Palace Gardens. The English love their gardens and you’ll be in good company with humans and dogs alike.

4. See a show at the Hammersmith Apollo

If you fancy some live music, check out what’s on at the original Hammersmith Apollo, now called the Eventim Apollo. You’ll see contemporary artists along with many of your old favorites. Check ahead and you can see the likes of Eros Ramazzotti, Boys II Men, the Stray Cats, Todd Rundgren, Jerry Seinfeld, and George Benson to name a few.

This iconic art deco building opened in 1932 and has hosted the best in the music industry. Tons of rock stars have performed at the Apollo including David Bowie, Bruce Springsteen, Duran Duran, Kylie Minogue, Ed Sheeran, Black Sabbath and Queen.

The Apollo hold upwards of 5,000, or 3,600 seated! Ticket prices depend on the act, but the popular ones will run @$70 a seat. I love events here because it’s super easy to get to on the 211 bus from Fulham Broadway Tube, or take the tube to the Hammersmith stop, and you don’t have to schlep to Wembley or the O2 to see a great act. Plus while it holds quite a few people, it’s not massive like the other two.

5. Enjoy a Traditional Sunday Roast

If you’re wondering where to eat in Fulham, there’s nothing more traditionally London than a Sunday Roast. London’s pubs are some best places to eat. Head to any of the numerous pubs in Fulham on a Sunday, and they will have a roast. It’s usually beef, chicken or pork and many have nut roasts for vegetarians. One of my favorites is the Rose Pub which has a lovely, leafy garden where you can dine on nice days. They also have outdoor heaters. They do a lean, mean roast beef with horseradish sauce, mashed potatoes, Yorkshire pudding and mixed veggies. Definitely stick-to-the-ribs food.

Another iconic favorite is the White Horse Pub on Parson’s Green. This pub was also referred to as the Sloaney Pony in the days when Princess Diana and friends from posher neighborhoods used to frequent this locale. They have a lovely garden area and an outdoor grill. On Sundays, they offer beef, lamb and vegan options.

Otherwise, for one of the best places to eat in Fulham that serves all day brunch, head to Megan’s Fulham. I’m fortunate to have one literally a 3-minute walk from home. There is also a Megan’s on the Green near Parson’s Green park.

6. Ride a bike, cruise or walk along the Thames River

Luckily, Fulham is flanked by the Thames River and there’s a paved stretch on both sides that you can walk or ride a bike. If you don’t have a bike, it’s not a problem. There is a Santander Cycle Dock on Hugon Rd in Fulham just near the path. Santander Bank is the sponsor of the bikes, but the pickup and drop off is near the Thames and you can ride along for miles, then stop at a pub and then get back on. Otherwise, you can easily walk the trail and enjoy the activity along the Thames.

Cruising along the Thames is a great way to see London, and the dock is nearby at Imperial Wharf. You can choose to simply cruise, or to have an afternoon tea or dinner with jazz on board. It’s a super relaxing trip that heads all the way out to Greenwich. Check information ahead of time so you can save money on the London river cruise.

7. Ride the Number 11 Bus

If you want a cheap way to see the sights of London starting in Fulham, get on the Number 11 bus. It starts near Fulham Broadway on Harwood Road and will take you past Victoria Train Station, which is the stop for Buckingham Palace. It continues past Westminster Abbey, the Houses of Parliament and Big Ben. Then you ride past Horseguard’s Parade and Trafalgar Square, past Covent Garden, the Theatre District, Fleet Street, St. Paul’s Cathedral, the Millennium Bridge and on to Liverpool Street Station, where you’ll find Spitalfield’s Market. Then get back on and go back in the same direction ending back at Fulham Broadway.

One of the great things about this bus is that if you get on in Fulham, it’s the start of the line, which means you can sit up front, on top and see everything. It’s a great cheap ride and a lovely way to see London.

8. Head to North End Road Market

Fulham’s North End Road Market has been around for more than 130 years and it’s a great place to get some reasonably priced fruits and vegetables, and taste some unique street food. You might find some Thai food, Arancini from Sicily, olives from Greece, cheese from France – a bit of everything. The market is open Monday to Saturday and closed Sunday. Also, four times a year they host the North End Road Market Fair with music, food stalls and the entire road is closed off to traffic. Although the street is a big grungy, it’s a great day out. Again, it’s a real live neighborhood with Brits from the countryside coming in with their produce.

9. Fulham Shopping – go Charity!

I’m going to go out on a limb here – don’t expect much because it’s true. If you are looking for clothing, your best bet is to walk up New King’s Road to the famous King’s Road in Chelsea where you’ll find all the boutiques you want.

Fulham is more about shopping for the necessary and immediate, or the over-the-top designer housewares. There are numerous grocery stores, shops and bakeries along Fulham Broadway and Fulham Road. There are a variety of hardware-like stores and ‘off-license’ convenient stores, then you have high end bed and bath shops along the New King’s Road which is now slated as the Chelsea Design Quarter. Great stuff, but really pricey.

The best shopping in Fulham for me are the charity shops. The charity shops represent different organizations, like the Cancer Society, Heart Association, helping the homeless, the elderly… and when you shop in their stores, the surplus is supposed to go to these agencies. Kind of like St. Vincent de Paul…My father would have loved shopping in these. I find great old movies I’ve not seen or CDs, but there are also vintage clothes, and great men’s suits should you need one but don’t want to fork out a lot of money. Well worth a snoop.

Fulham is a great place to visit and feel right at home. It’s a true London neighborhood with a mix of locals and internationals. Give it a go!

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