Many visitors see the bridge on a tour of London, whether it be a guided evening cycling excursion, a cruise down the River Thames, or a hop-on hop-off bus tour. Some travelers also traverse the famous bridge on a walking tour or on their way to the London Bridge Experience and London Tombs, top attractions in the area (and included in the London Pass scheme). However you plan to explore, get your London Bridge tickets early, as tours in this area are usually well-attended.
The London Bridge Experience, situated within the still-standing vaults of the old 19th-century bridge, brings visitors on an interactive tour through time, with costumed actors enacting episodes from the bridge's two-millennia-long history. As part of the experience, the London Tombs tour guides take travelers to a former plague pit to relive some gruesome incidents from centuries past.
Bring a camera to take photos of the HMS Belfast, the Tower of London and Tower Hill, and the City of London's skyscrapers—the bridge offers views of these top attractions in London.
Visit at night to see the shimmering lights of London reflected on the River Thames.
Bring a raincoat to protect yourself from London's frequent downpours.
If you plan to visit the London landmark, take the tube to Monument station (via the District or Circle line) at the north end of the bridge or to London Bridge station (via the Northern or Jubilee line) at the south end. London Bridge also serves as a rail station, with routes running across greater London and beyond.
There are no opening times to worry about at London Bridge—it's always accessible to pedestrians and traffic. It's best to avoid visiting during the morning and evening rush hours, when commuting city workers crowd the sidewalks. Mid-mornings and mid-afternoons are quieter.
Perhaps the most famous story associated with this icon is one of mistaken identity. In the 1960s, the crumbling 1831-built London Bridge was purchased for a tidy sum by American businessman Robert P. McCulloch, who—according to rumor—believed he had secured the much more magnificent Tower Bridge. Either way, McCulloch had the last laugh, relocating the 19th-century bridge to Lake Havasu City, Arizona, where it's now a major tourist draw.
