Queen Elizabeth Olympic Park, Wembley Tours and parkrun in London

This guide is for people who have moved to London from abroad, with or without children, and want to stay active while getting to know their new city. It covers the sport venues at Queen Elizabeth Olympic Park, the different Wembley Stadium tours, and free weekly parkrun, and tells you where to check the details before you go.

• Getting to know Queen Elizabeth Olympic Park
• Swimming, cycling and playing at the Park
• Watching sport and joining in
• Wembley Stadium tours
• Free weekly parkrun
• FAQ

Getting to know Queen Elizabeth Olympic Park

Queen Elizabeth Olympic Park is in east London and hosted the London 2012 Olympic and Paralympic Games. The official Park website describes it as a mix of parklands, sport venues, food and culture. For a newcomer, the best part is that much of it is open space you can just walk into. The site has a park map, a getting here page and access information, including pages on Park mobility and safety. Look at these before your first visit, especially if you have a buggy or someone in your group has access needs.

For families, the Park lists several playgrounds, including Tumbling Bay Playground, plus gardens, waterways and the London Blossom Garden. Its own guides include things to do with kids, things to do under £10 and a plan for spending a whole day at the Park. These are useful if you are still building a weekend routine in a new country. Adults coming over after work will also find bars, cafés and restaurants listed, including riverside places along Aquatics Walk.

V&A East Museum is a recent addition. Its first major exhibition, The Music is Black: A British Story, covers over 125 years of Black British music, and it goes well with a morning swim or a long walk.

Swimming, cycling and playing at the Park

The Park’s sport venues are for joining in, not only for watching. Its Fitness section invites you to run, swim, cycle, take up a sport or try something completely new. These are the venues you can actually use:

• London Aquatics Centre. The Park says you can swim and dive in the pool of champions for the same price as local leisure centres. The main Park page does not give prices or session times, so check the venue’s own pages before you go.
• Lee Valley VeloPark. Road, track, BMX and trail bike courses are all available. This suits adults who already cycle and older children who want to try BMX. Check the venue’s own site for any age, height or experience requirements before you book.
• Lee Valley Hockey and Tennis Centre. Hockey and tennis on good-quality pitches and courts. It is a good option if you played either sport at home and want to keep going.
• ArcelorMittal Orbit. This is now home to Zip World London. It is more of a thrill-seeker’s day out than a workout, and any rules about who can take part are on the venue’s own booking pages.

The Park’s Community section also lists Community Sport Initiatives. If you live nearby, it is worth a look for local sessions that are less formal than booking a venue.

Watching sport and joining in

The Park hosts elite teams in football, basketball, netball and more. London Stadium hosts large sporting and cultural events. The Copper Box Arena, which the Park calls “the box that rocks”, is smaller and more intimate. In November, England Netball play Jamaica at the Copper Box over two days of international netball. Exact dates and tickets are on the Park’s what’s on listings. Netball is a good sport to watch together if your children are starting to play it at school.

Not everything active involves a ball. The Dance Floor at Sadler’s Wells East offers a range of free dance classes, workshops and events this autumn and winter. The Park’s what’s on page gives the end date. Later in the season, ZooNation’s Ebony Scrooge turns Dickens’ A Christmas Carol into a hip hop show, and the Park bills it as a Christmas treat for all ages. ABBA Voyage also runs on the Park and is more of a night out for grown-up fans.

Parents of school-age children should also keep an eye on East Ed, the Park’s learning programme. It brings together cultural, creative and education organisations to inspire young people. It runs free programmes during school holidays, and registration closes ahead of each one, so check early.

Wembley Stadium tours

Wembley calls itself the UK’s largest sports and music venue, and a tour is a good way to see where the cup finals and the big concerts happen. The official Wembley Stadium tours page lists four options:

• Wembley Stadium Tour. The standard tour takes you behind the scenes into areas usually reserved for the biggest names in sport and music.
• Exclusive VIP Tour. You get your own private guide and visit areas that the standard tour does not include.
• VIP Matchday Tour Experience. Wembley pitches this as a treat for a birthday, Valentine’s Day, an anniversary or another celebration, so it suits adults marking an occasion.
• Group and School Tours. These are designed to inspire guests of all ages. Group rates are available for parties of 25 or more, which helps if you are organising for a school, club or community group.

A word of caution: when we looked, the tours page still carried an old notice about taking bookings until the end of May 2022. Don’t rely on that date. Use the live booking calendar on the page to see what is available now. The page does not list prices or tour times, so check those when you book. For questions, the booking team’s email is wembley.tours@wembleystadium.com, and the page warns that replies can take longer than usual when demand is high.

Free weekly parkrun

parkrun is a free weekly event, and for many people new to London it becomes a regular habit. It is a simple way to meet neighbours, get outside and learn your local green spaces. You do not need to be fast, and walkers are a familiar sight at many events.

This guide does not include parkrun’s official pages, so we are not giving start times, course locations or registration rules here. All of these are set by parkrun itself. Go to parkrun’s own website to find the event nearest you and to register before your first run. If you are bringing children, read parkrun’s own guidance on young participants first. If you would rather run at the Olympic Park, its Fitness pages cover running there.

FAQ

Is Queen Elizabeth Olympic Park good for children?

Yes. The Park lists playgrounds, including Tumbling Bay Playground, along with gardens, waterways and a dedicated guide to things to do with kids. It also runs a guide to things to do under £10, and East Ed offers free learning programmes for young people in some school holidays.

How much does it cost to swim at the London Aquatics Centre?

The Park says swimming there costs the same as at local leisure centres. It does not give exact prices or session times on its main page, so check the London Aquatics Centre’s own pages for current details.

How do I book a Wembley Stadium tour?

Book through the official Wembley Stadium tours page, which offers the standard tour, an Exclusive VIP Tour, a VIP Matchday Tour Experience, and group and school tours with group rates for 25 or more people. For questions, email wembley.tours@wembleystadium.com, and expect replies to take a little longer at busy times.

Do I need to register for parkrun?

parkrun is free and weekly, but its registration rules, start times and course details are set by parkrun itself. Check parkrun’s own website before your first event, and read its guidance on children if you plan to bring them.

Official sources: queenelizabetholympicpark.co.uk · wembleystadium.com

Last checked: 30 October 2026 against the pages linked above. Prices, opening hours and programmes change; the venue’s own site always has the current details.