Paddington is a hub of cultural activity and a great place to stay when visiting London. Among the plethora of hotels near Paddington station, you are bound to find a stay that fits your bill. Prince William Hotel, a mere 3 minute walk from the Paddington Station, is a great option if your criteria includes comfort, convenience and charm! Staying close to Paddington Station has its own perks as there are plenty of fun ways to spend your day in Paddington that don’t require you to board a train or bus. Here are top 5:
- Indulge in Street Food
Where: Merchant Square
Distance from Paddington Station: 0.5 mile or a less than 10 minutes walk.
Merchant Square is like Paddington’s Hidden Gem in that it’s hidden and tucked away from the city’s bustle and it’s a TOTAL gem of a location. If you’re a foodie then this is easily the perfect venue to spend the day indulging in street food from around the world – there’s Mexican, American, Lebanese, Tibetan and more to discover!
- See a World Famous Bridge (or two!)
Where: Paddington Basin
Distance from Paddington Station: 0.2 mile or a 5 minutes walk.
Transformers fans are sure to love this unique bridge located at Paddington Basin. The Rolling Bridge uses a curling motion to roll-up and transform itself in order to allow boats to pass. Once the canal is clear again, the bridge can be seen unfurling again to allow easy-crossing of the small canal. And while you’re at the Paddington Basin you can easily hop on over to Merchant Square on the other side of the canal and find another unique engineering feat – the Fan Bridge!
- Eat, Drink and Be Merry
Where: Paddington Central
Distance from Paddington Station: 0.5 mile or a 10 minutes walk.
Culture, fitness, cocktails, dining out, live music and more awaits for you at this 11 acre, mixed-use neighborhood next to Paddington Station in London’s West End. There’s something for everyone at Paddington Central!
- Experience a Unique Puppet Show
Where: Little Venice
Distance from Paddington Station: 0.6 mile or a less than 15 minutes walk.
Head over to Little Venice for a beautiful stroll along the canal and then to your day up a notch find the UK’s only floating puppet theater – The Puppet Theater Barge! The Puppet Theater Barge has been putting on a programme of unique and magical puppet shows on a converted Thames barge for forty years and it’s surely a unique experience.
- Set on a Bear Trail
Where: Multiple
Distance from Paddington Station: Your journey starts right at the station!
You absolutely cannot be in Paddington and not pay your respects to Paddington Bear. Under the clock on Platform 1 of Paddington station is found a life sized bronze statue of Paddington Bear – the famous character of the popular children’s books and the movies based on the books. And this isn’t the only one to be spotted in Paddington. There is also a Paddington Bear plaque, bench, a dedicated gift-shop and some installations by the canal – a Paddington Bear Trail anyone?
