London Bingo: Spot 30 Typically London Things
Walk the streets, tick off the card, snap a photo of every typically London thing you can find. From a red double-decker to a black cab spinning around a roundabout, this is a 30-item London bingo that turns any walk into a treasure hunt. No fixed route. Just keep your eyes open.
Challenges (30)
Spot a red double-decker bus
Find a classic red double-decker on its route (the modern Routemaster or any TfL bus). Photograph it from across the road as it passes.
Spot a black London cab
Find a classic black Hackney carriage on the road or at a rank. Photograph the rounded silhouette with the FOR HIRE light on if you can.
Spot a red phone box
Find a classic red K2 or K6 telephone box. Most still exist in the centre (Covent Garden, around Parliament) even if barely used. Photograph one.
Spot Big Ben
Find a clear view of the Elizabeth Tower with the Big Ben clock face. Photograph it from Parliament Square, Westminster Bridge or the South Bank.
Spot a Union Jack
Find a Union Jack flag flying on a government building, a souvenir shop, a Burberry storefront or a tour bus. Photograph the colours.
Spot fish and chips
Find a plate of fish and chips at a chippy or pub, the battered fish with chunky chips and mushy peas. Photograph the plate.
Spot a pub sign
Find a hanging pub sign with a quintessentially British name (The Red Lion, The Crown, The George). Photograph the painted sign.
Spot a pint of bitter
Find a pint of British ale or bitter on a pub bar (London Pride, Doom Bar, anything with a hand pump). Photograph the glass with the head.
Spot a London Underground roundel
Find a red-and-blue Underground roundel at any tube entrance. Photograph the disc with the station name across the bar.
Spot a "Mind the Gap" sign
On any Underground platform find a yellow MIND THE GAP painted on the platform edge or a sign. Photograph the warning.
Spot Tower Bridge
Find Tower Bridge from the South Bank, the Tower of London or a Thames bridge. Photograph the two towers and the suspension chains.
Spot the London Eye
Find the London Eye Ferris wheel on the South Bank from across the river or below. Photograph the circle of pods.
Spot a Royal Guard
Find a Royal Guard in red tunic and bearskin hat at Buckingham Palace, the Horse Guards on Whitehall or one of the royal parks. Photograph the uniform.
Spot a Beefeater
Find a Yeoman Warder (Beefeater) in their red-and-gold uniform at the Tower of London. Photograph the costume from across the cobbles.
Spot a black taxi For Hire light
Find a black cab with its yellow FOR HIRE light glowing (meaning you can hail it). Photograph the light against the dark cab.
Spot a blue plaque
Find a round blue plaque on a London building (English Heritage marks the homes of famous past residents). Photograph the plaque close-up.
Spot a London pigeon on a statue
Find a London pigeon perched on a statue (Nelson on his column, any of the lions in Trafalgar Square). Photograph the irreverent gathering.
Spot the Shard
Find a view of The Shard, the 309-metre glass skyscraper south of London Bridge. Photograph the pointed top against the sky.
Spot the Gherkin
Find a view of 30 St Mary Axe (The Gherkin) in the City of London. Photograph the curved glass tower.
Spot a London bus stop
Find a red TfL bus stop with the digital timetable display. Photograph the bus-stop pole and timetable.
Spot a Banksy or street artist
Find a piece of London street art (Banksy original, Stik figure, or any Shoreditch wall). Photograph the work.
Spot a London phone box library
Some old phone boxes have been converted into mini libraries, defibrillators or coffee kiosks. Find a repurposed phone box and photograph the inside.
Spot a Sunday roast
Find a Sunday roast on a chalkboard or plate (Yorkshire pudding required). Photograph the roast.
Spot a pint of gin and tonic
Find a tall G&T in a globe glass with cucumber, juniper or a slice of citrus. Photograph the bubbles.
Spot a Routemaster heritage bus
Find a heritage Routemaster (the old open-platform red bus) on routes 15H or 9H, or in a museum. Photograph the open back platform.
Spot a Notting Hill pastel mews
Walk into Notting Hill (Portobello, Westbourne Grove) and find a row of pastel-coloured townhouses. Photograph the colour palette.
Spot a Camden punk
Walk into Camden Town and find punk fashion: leather, mohawks, Doc Martens, fishnet, the lot. Photograph the storefront or the look.
Spot a London zebra crossing
Find a zebra crossing in classic black-and-white stripes with the orange Belisha beacons (Abbey Road is the famous one). Photograph the crossing.
Spot a London Christmas wreath / Mayfair facade
In Mayfair or Marylebone, find a Georgian townhouse facade with a flower-box, wreath or ironwork. Photograph the elegant frontage.
Spot a Tube map
Find a London Tube map on a platform wall, in a carriage or a pocket pamphlet. Photograph the famous coloured-line schematic.
Frequently asked questions
The duration is up to the organizer when they set up the adventure. As a guideline, a focused day across Westminster, the South Bank and Covent Garden ticks off most of the easy items, and stretching across a weekend (with a tube hop to Tower Bridge and Camden) lets a determined group complete all 30.
Each of the 30 items is a camera challenge. When you spot the thing, take a photo and submit it; the bingo card tracks progress. Play solo, with friends or split into teams and race to tick off the most items.
Some items (a black taxi with the FOR HIRE sign on, a Royal Guard) require timing. Sweep Westminster for the easy items, head to Borough Market for food, Camden for street art, Soho or Notting Hill for the pubs and red phone boxes.
Westminster (Big Ben, Parliament, Royal Guards), the South Bank (Eye, Tate Modern, Globe), Covent Garden and Soho all hit dense clusters. Add Tower Bridge for the obvious shot and Borough Market for British food classics.
Yes. Kids love spotting red buses, phone boxes, the Royal Guard and Paddington Bear; adults enjoy hunting blue plaques, pub signs and a proper Sunday roast. No alcohol stops are required and London weather rewards a brolly in the bag.