5 things to in London in the winter

I often think of going to London in the summer but really in winter there is still so much to explore and do even if the weather is chilly.

Explore the Natural History Museum
A few hours in the museum is an utter joy to me, exploring and learning. Since I was 4 I've had a love of dinosaurs and I want to see the Museum's complete Stegosaurus skeleton. 2015 may see a renewed interest in dinos as Jurassic World (Part 4 in the Jurassic Park franchise) is out. The Museum has different galleries covering ecology and evolution to the earth processes and human biology. A free afternoon escaping the wind and the rain.

Visit Hyde Park
350 acres to stomp around and get some exercise. After the crowded Winter Wonderland is over after Christmas, the park is back to normal and perfect to explore the memorials and statues or have a coffee at the Lido Bar and Cafe.  If you're wide eyed on a Sunday morning, wander over to Speaker's Corner to be entertained by some free speech and interesting characters.

Eat and drink
Time spent in London must factor in lots of lovely food and drink to warm you up in the winter . I'm such a cafe person and the quirkier the better. From coffee shops in old Victorian toilets (the Attendant) to tea in a vintage inspired cafe with mismatched china cups and regular community evenings such as Barboot, a vintage/local artists evening market.

Be arty
The English Natural Opera (ENO) at the glorious Edwardian London Coliseum is a treat for music aficionados with Wagner's operatic comedy The Mastersingers of Nuremburg scheduled for performances during February 2015. Enjoy a few hours of fantastic theatrical production and a glass or two of wine whilst it's cold outside.

Family friendly theatre showings are something I'm interested in introducing to my son and on an winter's afternoon The Unicorn Theatre  - ballet, music, dance, puppetry and the biggest plus for us is that they host Relaxed Performances for children on the autism spectrum. Big thumbs up!

A walking tour
There are many organised walks in London exploring history, areas of interest and some just for pure fun. Plenty to see in the winter so pop your hat and scarf on and spend some time learning about mudlarking in the Thames, uncovering forgotten treasure or dare to go on a Jack the Ripper walk uncovering the gruesome past. There are walks everyday and at under a tenner, they really are great value. The Hidden London walk looks especially good, discovering secret parts of the city or one of the foodie walks. (London Walks)

Image source: London in the winter Shutterstock

Do you have any recommendations on what to do in London during the winter months?

This was a collaborative post with ENO