Things to Do in United Kingdom in February
February weather, activities, events & insider tips
February Weather in United Kingdom
Is February Right for You?
Advantages
- Shorter queues at major attractions - February sits in the sweet spot between New Year crowds and spring half-term breaks, meaning you'll actually get decent photos at the Tower of London and British Museum without elbowing through tour groups. Westminster Abbey wait times drop from 45+ minutes in summer to around 15-20 minutes.
- Theatre tickets are genuinely available and cheaper - West End shows that are impossible to book in summer actually have seats in February, and you'll find discount codes that actually work. Matinee performances midweek can run £25-45 instead of the £75-120 summer premium, and you're not competing with school holiday families.
- You'll see how locals actually live - February is when Londoners reclaim their city. Pubs have space to breathe, you can get weekend brunch reservations in Shoreditch or Borough Market without booking weeks ahead, and the Southbank Centre's winter festival brings out proper local culture rather than tourist attractions.
- Hotel prices drop by 30-40% compared to peak season - That £200-per-night hotel in Covent Garden? More like £120-140 in February. Book 4-6 weeks ahead and you'll catch post-January sales before half-term pricing kicks in late February. Airbnb hosts in Notting Hill and King's Cross are actually negotiable this month.
Considerations
- Daylight is seriously limited - Sunrise around 7:20am, sunset by 5:15pm means you've got roughly 10 hours of usable daylight. This matters more than you'd think when planning outdoor activities like Greenwich Park walks or Hampstead Heath hikes. That atmospheric twilight you see in photos? It's actually just 4pm in February.
- The damp cold penetrates differently than dry cold - At 2.8°C to 8.9°C (37°F to 48°F) with 70% humidity, it feels colder than the thermometer suggests. That persistent dampness gets into your bones during long walking days, especially along the Thames or waiting for buses. Americans from cold climates consistently underestimate how miserable 5°C (41°F) with British dampness feels compared to drier continental cold.
- Rain isn't dramatic but it's persistent - Those 10 rainy days aren't tropical downpours you can wait out. It's that fine drizzle that lasts hours, soaks through supposedly waterproof jackets, and makes outdoor markets like Portobello Road or Columbia Road genuinely unpleasant. You'll spend more time in museums than you planned, which sounds fine until you're museum-fatigued by day three.
Best Activities in February
West End Theatre Shows
February is legitimately the best month for theatre in London. Productions are in full swing post-Christmas, casts are fresh, and you're not competing with summer tourists or school holiday families. The weather actually works in your favour here - when it's dark by 5:15pm and drizzling, settling into a velvet seat at the Apollo or Gielgud feels exactly right. Matinee performances Wednesday and Saturday are particularly good value, and you can often snag returns for sold-out shows by queuing 90 minutes before curtain.
Historic Royal Palaces Tours
The Tower of London, Hampton Court Palace, and Kensington Palace are infinitely more manageable in February. Summer sees queues of 60+ minutes just to get through security at the Tower; in February you're looking at 10-15 minutes maximum. The Yeoman Warder tours at the Tower are actually audible without 80 people crowding around, and you can spend proper time with the Crown Jewels without being shuffled along. Hampton Court's Tudor kitchens and maze are atmospheric in the cold - that's when you actually feel the history rather than just photographing it. The 2.8°C to 8.9°C (37°F to 48°F) temperatures mean layering up, but indoor palace sections provide plenty of warming breaks.
Borough Market and Food Hall Exploration
February is when London's food markets feel like they're for locals rather than Instagram tourists. Borough Market is still busy but manageable - you can actually taste samples without being trampled, and vendors have time to explain their products. The cold weather means hot food stalls come into their own: proper pies from Pieminister, raclette that makes sense in 5°C (41°F) temperatures, mulled cider that isn't just a Christmas gimmick. Maltby Street Market on weekends is less crowded than summer, and the covered food halls like Seven Dials Market or Mercato Metropolitano in Elephant and Castle provide weather-proof alternatives when that drizzle sets in.
Museum Deep Dives
With 10 rainy days expected and darkness by 5:15pm, February is when you actually appreciate London's museum density. The British Museum, V&A, Natural History Museum, and Tate Modern are all free for permanent collections, and February crowds mean you can spend 20 minutes with the Rosetta Stone or Elgin Marbles without being jostled. Lesser-known gems like the Sir John Soane's Museum or Wellcome Collection are properly quiet - you'll have entire rooms to yourself. The Wallace Collection in Marylebone is particularly good on drizzly afternoons, with its French paintings and armoury collection in an actual historic townhouse. Special exhibitions require booking but aren't sold out weeks ahead like summer.
Traditional Pub Culture Experience
February is peak pub season in London, and this is when you understand why these institutions matter. When it's 4°C (39°F) and drizzling outside, a proper pub with a working fireplace, Sunday roast, and decent ale makes complete sense. The George Inn in Southwark, The Lamb in Bloomsbury, or The Holly Bush in Hampstead aren't overrun with summer tourists taking photos - they're full of locals actually using them as community spaces. Pub quiz nights on Tuesdays and Wednesdays are easier to join, and Sunday roasts are available without 2-hour waits. The 70% humidity means that warm, slightly fuggy pub atmosphere feels genuinely welcoming rather than stuffy.
Thames River Walks and South Bank
The South Bank walk from Westminster to Tower Bridge is actually more atmospheric in February grey light than summer sunshine - the London Eye, National Theatre, Tate Modern, and Shakespeare's Globe take on a proper moody quality. The 8 km (5 mile) stretch is doable in 2.5-3 hours with stops, and you can duck into the Southbank Centre, BFI, or Gabriel's Wharf when weather turns. Late afternoon around 4pm catches that brief golden hour before the 5:15pm sunset, when the city lights start reflecting in the Thames. The riverside markets and book stalls under Waterloo Bridge are less picked-over than summer. Just be realistic about that 2.8°C to 8.9°C (37°F to 48°F) temperature range and persistent dampness.
February Events & Festivals
London Fashion Week
Mid-February brings London Fashion Week, though actual runway shows are industry-only. What matters for visitors is the pop-up shops, exhibition spaces in Covent Garden and Soho, and the people-watching around Somerset House and the Strand. Street style photographers camp outside venues, and you'll see more creative fashion on the tube than usual. Some brands host public exhibitions or sample sales - worth checking Time Out London closer to your dates.
Chinese New Year Celebrations
London's Chinatown in Soho hosts one of the largest Chinese New Year celebrations outside Asia, typically falling in late January or early February depending on the lunar calendar. The main parade runs through Trafalgar Square and Chinatown with dragon dances, firecrackers, and performances. Genuinely worth experiencing if your dates align - it brings warmth and colour to grey February London. Crowds are substantial but manageable compared to summer events. Check specific 2026 dates as they shift yearly.
Pancake Day Racing
Shrove Tuesday in February features the annual Pancake Race in Covent Garden and other locations - participants race while flipping pancakes in frying pans. It's quintessentially British and ridiculous in the best way. Not worth planning your trip around, but if you're already in London on Shrove Tuesday, the Covent Garden race around noon is entertaining and free to watch. Date varies yearly based on Easter calendar.