- Words Notion Staff
We’ve comprised a list of what there is to do this April and it’s almost as if things were normal.
Everybody stay calm! This is not a drill! Things are starting to change, and stuff is happening!
It’s all a little confusing but government regulations are changing for April. By now, we’ve all exhausted walks in our local parks but now it’s time to plan for some different activities outdoors. You can now go on a boating adventure, take a refreshing dip in a pool, get arty again and best of all…beer gardens are back.
As the world begins to open up again, we’ve picked the best things to do this April in the UK and beyond.
Activities
GoBoat is now open for groups of up to six, following government guidelines and social distancing rules. With locations in London Paddington and Kingston, GoBoat offers an experience to charter an electric picnic boat for 2 to 3 hours, without the need for a licence. Children and dogs are welcome aboard, and alcohol can be consumed on the boat, but limits apply, and the captain (driver) must always remain sober.
If you prefer to have fun in the digital world then we suggest checking out a crazy game show-thrill ride coming to NYC this month. Opening at midtown’s Lightbox, Game of 1000 Boxes uses 360-degree digital projections, the game takes players through high-energy party games that tap into teamwork, reaction time, puzzle-solving, trivia, social strategy and more to bring teams to a mystery box.
Outdoor Swimming
Just in time for some Spring sunshine, outdoor swimming pools and lidos are reopening. Whether you’re looking to get some laps in or up for a more relaxed time, refresh the mind, body and soul in one of these outdoor swimming spots.
If you want something heated, check out:
London Fields Lido, Hackney
Oasis Sport Centre outdoor swimming, Covent Garden
Charlton Lido, Greenwich
If you fancy braving the refreshing natural waters, check out:
Hampstead Heath swimming ponds
Beckenham Place Park wild swimming lake
Art
We’ve all been stuck behind are screens for too long. It’s time you gave your eyes a much needed break from the virtual world and got some culture back into your life. Whilst many art galleries have seen their spring 2021 plans pushed back, there is still a lot to see this month.
If you’re up for the perfect mix between getting some fresh air and learning a thing or two, look out for Alison Milner: Decorative Minimalist. Yorkshire Sculpture Park presents an exhibition exploring human relationships between buildings, landscape and wellbeing.
There’s many exciting things to look forward to at The Tate so why not get back through those doors as soon as you can? The EY Exhibition: The Making of Rodin at Tate Modern opens towards the end of the month. Working at the turn of the 20th century, Auguste Rodin broke the rules of classical sculpture to create an image of the human body that mirrored the ruptures, complexities and uncertainties of the modern age. This major exhibition is the first to focus on the importance of plaster in his work.
For those across the pond looking for something a little different, how about checking out Geometric Properties in New York City. This new immersive art show from Dutch artist Julius Horsthuis will take you on a journey through fractal dimensions. On the west coast, the Yoshitomo Nara exhibition has been waiting to welcome visitors for about a year now. But finally, the Los Angeles County Museum of Art (LACMA) is set to reopen on April 1 and this exhibition along with it. The museum is assembling 30 years of works from the wildly popular Japanese artist (known for canvases of fiendish, wide-eyed children and animals) and examining them through the lens of his longtime passion for music.
Culture
Continuing on the theme of culture, why not discover London’s most iconic open-air theatres with a Guided Tour of Shakespeare’s Globe. Hear the story of the original 1599 theatre, how the Globe battled to survive plague, fire and political oppression, and how one man’s vision saw it rise again after 400 years. Wonder at the craftsmanship and imagine how thousands of Londoners would once have packed in to see the greatest actors of the day.
Whilst we still wait for theatres to fully open, there are still some intriguing shows that you can watch online. One in particular that caught our eye is Rooms by contemporary dance company Rambert. You can now buy tickets for the live online performances in which there is 17 dancers, 36 scenes, 100 characters, 1000 costumes. “Like passing-by miniature scenes through a train window, or cycling through the streets and peering into apartments, we all love to glimpse into other lives, and the homes they’re lived out in.”
Beer Gardens
As the weather’s picking up too, what better time to head outside and grab a long-overdue cold pint? If you’re in North London, why not try The Terrace at Alexandra Palace? The historic venue may not be able to host gigs just yet, but they will be opening a huge outdoor area. Or there’s the White Hart and The Faltering Fallback with their quaint outside seated areas.
In East London, spend an afternoon in the park and then head to the pub for a few drinks once the sun goes down at People’s Park Tavern or Pub On The Park. Or for the perfect indoor, outdoor set up try out Night Tales and their large terrace space. If your ends are a bit more south, we recommend The Prince, The Tankard and The Crabtree for a more civilised garden experience.
Outdoor Parties
Anyone else’s group chats an absolute mess of overlapping plan suggestions right now? If the one thing you can agree on is that you’re all absolutely gagging for a return to the club then prepare yourself, because you may be able to meet your needs sooner than you thought. While you’ll have to wait until June 21 (or later) for actual dancing inside clubs, the outdoor seated clubs we learned to love in lockdown can relaunch in mid-April.
Some of the first to announce a return to parties were Costa Del Tottenham and The Brixton Courtyard. They have a list of parties over the course of April. From welcome cocktails to table service, you can enjoy the pure excitement of being out the house and feeling all the vibes of the club.
