Some of the best London attractions near the London Bridge are great for kids while others aren’t at all appropriate for families with kids.
To help you create a London travel plan that suits all members of the family, we created a list of London attractions near London Bridge that aren’t good picks for children. No one knows your children better than you, but this information should help you make smart decisions when building your itinerary.
London Attractions Near the London Bridge That You May Want to Skip with the Kids:
London Bridge Experience
Don’t confuse the London Bridge Experience with the London Bridge Exhibition. The Exhibition is a family-friendly attraction that explores the history of one of London’d most historic bridges. The Experience is an interactive tour that happens underground and walks you through 2,000 years of history.
The London Bridge Experience includes live theatrics and unsettling stories of the biggest dark headlines from the city’s past. It includes stories of Jack the Ripper and other characters that are unsettling if not downright terrifying for most kids and even some teenagers and young adults.
This experience is one of the scariest attractions in London. While it does have educational and historical components, they aren’t the stories you want to share with young kids.
Clink Prison Museum
This unique prison museum explores the history of London’s notorious Clink Prison. It stands on land that was once occupied by that prison and features many exhibitions related to social justice, crime, and punishment. The historical content often transcends local history to include relevance for prisons and justice systems around the world.
While local schools often plan educational visits to this museum, we’re including it on this list because it isn’t the best option for families visiting London with small children. The recommended minimum age is seven years old, so you may not want to try visiting with younger kids.
If all of your children are at least seven years old, you may consider visiting the prison museum and scheduling a group tour. Some kids do find the topics interesting, but keep in mind that you will hear stories about how some prisoners were once treated within the Clink Prison.
Winchester Palace
Constructed in the early 13th century, this palace once served as home to the Bishops of Winchester. It was a palace of incredible power and relevance in London culture, and you can explore that history by visiting and touring the palace as it stands today.
The problem for families traveling London with kids is that the palace doesn’t offer much entertainment for young children. Kids who aren’t interested in London history can easily find the visit boring, so parents should make it a brief stop or go with one of the more kid-friendly attractions in the area.
HMS Belfast
HMS Belfast is a real Royal Navy warship that served in the Second World War. While some older children enjoy exploring the ship and going through the small museum to learn more about its history, it’s not a site that presents a lot of entertainment for younger kids. They may get excited to see a large ship, but the interest often dies rather quickly. You can try signing up for the private tour to explore the ship as a family, but there’s a good chance the historical focus will fail to hold the interest of the littlest family members.
That doesn’t mean you should bypass the HMS Belfast entirely. If other members of the family are interested in London history or just want to see a Royal Navy warship, you can stop off between other London Bridge area attractions. There are so many kid-friendly places of interest within minutes of the bridge, including the colorful Unicorn Theatre.
Visiting the London Bridge
London Bridge is one of the most iconic attractions in London, and you don’t want to miss out just because your kids may not understand its significance. We recommend every family book their tickets for the London Bridge Exhibition online. That allows you to experience some of the more entertaining aspects of the bridge, including staring through the glass walkway to see the River Thames and city life flow beneath your feet.
If your children aren’t into the bridge, pay your respects then head out to explore some of the kid-friendly attractions near London Bridge. While there are some nearby attractions that families with children should avoid, there are also some fun attractions in the area that kids of all ages do enjoy.