London Bridge City is an area along the River Thames in the South Bank that incorporates office…read morebuildings, retailers, private residences, restaurants, bars, street food vendors, the London Bridge City Pier terminal, the permanently moored HMS Belfast, a nice pedestrian area with great views of the London Bridge, Tower Bridge, the Tower of London, and river life. There is also The outdoor London Bridge Summer Festival (June 1-October 31, 2016) with free entertainment such as music, dance and fitness classes, and movies. The Scoop is a 1000-seat sunken amphitheater for theater, music, and film events. www.lbcsummerfestival.com, www.londonbridgecity.co.uk and www.london.gov.uk. @LDNBridgeCity

Opulent. Grandiose. Magnificent. Picturesque. Historic. A must visit to this iconic structure when…read morein London. Not to be confused with the very basic and plain London Bridge the Tower Bridge is the real deal. We stayed at a hotel, The Dixon, which was next to the entrance street to the bridge and had the joy of walking over it many times during our stay. Plus, running across it during the London Marathon was a highlight. It's just brilliant with screaming crowds on each side cheering us on. The views are terrific across the Thames River, the architecture and colors are wonderful, plus you can take a self guided tour up through it's columns where on each level there are artifacts, tidbits of information on the bridge, photos, and more to learn about its history. Its like a museum within the bridge itself. Also, on top you can walk across a glass bottom offering views below, very cool. I've seen this bridge in TV shows and movies, and it lives up to its hype in person. At the base of the bridge are places to eat and shop also offering amazing views. Such a great bridge and area for picture taking. Stunning and a must see when in London.

Walking across the Tower Bridge is an exciting must-do in London. Tower Bridge is the stuff that…read morefairy tales are made with red double decker buses crossing the ancient suspension construction. The bridge was designed by Horace Jones in a similar Victorian Gothic style as the nearby Tower of London. Construction took four years to complete and the bridge opened in 1894. I honestly couldn't get enough of the bridge. I photographed it from the river, from London Tower, from the South Bank and from the Bridge itself. I did not take the ride up to the bridge towers or the tour, because the day was dreary and I wanted to go up on a clear day. There is no charge to walk across the bridge. Plan about 30 minutes to walk across and back.

There was once a lonely bench, where I go when I'm sad…read moreand my fists I clench. I look at its bright colors and illustrations and forget about my past frustrations. The drawings seem to tell Shakespeare's story, but I'm not a poet, forgive me, I'm sorry.

Probably one of the cutest benches in London (or...the world?!)…read more This amazing little bench is to be found along the promenade by the water on Bankside, just outside Shakespeare's Globe. Sit there, have your tourist photo taken there or just have a look at this nice little detail as you walk along the water. To walk here is one of my favorite things to do in London - and this neat little bench makes me like it even more.

Here ye, here ye. Let this be the second review of Southwark Public lighting art…read more Do you remember lite-brites, those toys from the 80's? They were a black board with hole and you'd put little light bulbs in the holes in the shapes of unicorns or robots or starts or whatever the little Rorschach of your brain's thoughts transmitted. No? Well then you need to brush up on your childhood nostalgia. Yes? Then you know what I'm talking about... ...and, you know how amazing this display of lighting is. This bit of light art is light a giant lite-brite. HUGE. You can't move the lights and they don't make a design, but they're probably what Murakami or Gonzales-Torres might make if they were 5 and playing with a lite-brite. Every time I walk through this underpass I am filled with bubbles of unending joy, as though the good witch Glinda was floating through the air. Best you go at night to appreciate the full effect.

I came across this thing by chance. I had just left Tate Modern and was looking for something to…read moreeat other than a sandwich. Walking aimlessly I found myself under this bridge. I'm sure it looks nicer at night, however I was there during the day so the lights weren't as vibrant as they look in the other picture on this listing.

Sky Garden was closed for maintenance while we were visiting. This was recommended as an…read morealternative and was lovely. If it weren't such a windy day, we would have stayed longer to enjoy the views and beautiful garden which was serene.

The Garden at 120 is such a hidden gem in London! Free entry, no booking needed, and you can just…read morewalk right in, which already makes it less stressful than Sky Garden. The space feels open and calm, with lovely landscaping, water features, and plenty of spots to enjoy the view. The views themselves are great. You get a close look at the Gherkin, Walkie-Talkie, and St. Paul's. It's not as high up as Sky Garden, so you don't get quite the same feeling of being above the city, but it feels more like a genuine garden in the sky rather than a bar/venue with plants. Only downside: it's all outdoors, so weather really makes or breaks the experience, and seating is limited. I unfortunately experienced this in the rain. For a relaxed, less crowded alternative to Sky Garden, this place is fantastic. Definitely recommend on a clear rain free day!

After a long day of visiting the Tower of London, we stopped at the Sargent's Mess. It's located at…read morethe base of the London Bridge and has a great view of the Thames River. Although we were all hungry, we were drawn in by the sign that said "Happy Hour, 2 for 1 cocktails". We sat on the patio with a view of the water, people passing by and the London bridge. The tables were large and spacious, relaxing to just have a seat and enjoy a nice meal as a family. We started off with a couple cocktails - sharing the deal of the 2 for 1, my sister and I opted for margaritas and my aunt and mom had the pornstar martini. With our cocktails, we ordered a scotch egg to try. I never had one and wanted to see what a traditional one was like - we split this amongst the adults, the kids weren't having it. To eat, we ordered a variety of items including the regular burger, a beet burger (plant based), roast chicken with salad and for the kids - macaroni and cheese. We also ordered a few orders of fries and the mushy peas. Mushy peas became our London comfort food favorite and everywhere we went we wanted to try them. The Sargent's Mess is a good place to stop and enjoy a meal amongst your travels and sight seeing. Not too expensive and a nice relaxing place on the water.

Lovely food in a mess hall atmosphere. You have to exit the Tower to get here though, so be sure…read moreto get a reentry validation.

I love this spot, and make sure to walk past it every time I'm in London. Very close to Borough…read moreMarket. Worth the side trip. Great for photos. Other neat street art in the area.

If you're even thinking about doing a Jack the Ripper tour in London, do it. And if you can, go…read morewith Martin Cheng. Martin strikes a balance that is honestly hard to pull off. He is personable and funny, but not in a trying-to-be-a-comedian way. Just naturally engaging. And incredibly knowledgeable, but not in that dry, reciting-facts-at-you way. He actually knows the material. You can ask questions, go off script a bit, and he will meet you there. What really stood out to me was how he handled the group dynamic. He quickly clocked that one person in our group knew a lot about the subject, and instead of shutting that down or letting it derail things, he brought them into the conversation in a way that made the whole experience richer without losing the rest of us. That is a skill. He also pulls in insights from past tour takers, like forensic scientists or even members of the Freemasons, which adds an extra layer you do not usually get on a tour. And importantly, he does not just talk at you. He asks questions, invites participation, and lets you feel like you are part of unpacking the story, not just listening to it. The setting, of course, is modern Whitechapel, so there are limits to how much you can step back in time. But it still works. The storytelling is strong enough that you feel the history of the place and the weight of the events tied to the Jack the Ripper murders. The vibe struck the right balance too. It felt safe and comfortable, with just the right amount of ominous given the subject matter. Our group was about 10 people, which felt perfect. My wife and I grabbed a pint afterward at a bar where Jack was rumored to have stalked his victims, and we were still debating theories the entire Tube ride home. I learned a lot, had a great time, and walked away still thinking about it, which for something like this feels exactly right. Highly recommend.

This was easily one of the best walking tours we did while in London. Our guide Matt was super…read moreknowledgeable, friendly and considerate. With only 8 people in the group, we spent 2.5 hours walking around to all of Jack's murder sites, where we got an awesome history lesson and fun facts about the time period and location. I'm also convinced Matt's theory about who Jack the Ripper was is correct. I highly recommend checking it out!

How could I NOT be enamored with the idea of skating at the Tower of London! I went with my…read moreboyfriend and it was one of the best things we did on our whole backpacking trip around Europe! It was so much fun - there were tons of people just having fun at their own pace with friends and family. There weren't TOO many people so there was enough room to let loose. I hadn't ice skated in years but I didn't feel like too much like the experienced skaters would kill me (except once... but the guy fell 2 seconds later... poetic justice!). It was a tad pricey but it was totally worth it. Afterwards we had some snacks there which were VERY fairly priced. The hot chocolate was AMAZING -- it was made with magic and fairy dust or something cuz it made me feel all warm and yummy inside. The whole thing in general was just much fun and has been one of my favorite stories to tell about my trip.

Combine one of the most iconic images of London with skating on the ice with friends and family, it…read moredoesn't get much better than this as a cool thing to do in London. The Tower as a back drop sets the scene as you whizz, or in my case stumble around the ice to the sound of a brass band playing Christmas favourites. Hot chocolate is available, as are warm mince pies all adding to starting Christmas off with a bang. There were people of all ages and talents so no need to be a pro, and if you fall on your bum, like I did, then the ice marshall's will come to your rescue and help you up, with some added tips to improving your skating technique. All in all, a fantastic experience that leaves you wanting more, once the bruises heal that is.