London's Most Overrated Attractions (and what to do instead)

London is filled to the brim with incredible attractions and landmarks that are well worth a visit, but this also means it’s full of attractions that we think aren’t worth visiting. In this article, we’ve picked some of London’s most overrated attractions and suggested alternatives that we believe are much better and way more worth your limited time and money. If you prefer watching a video instead of reading an article, watch the one below…

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(WA = Wheelchair Accessible)

This is an image of an Uber boat gliding underneath a bridge. The city of London can be seen behind it. A hop-on-hop-off bus is one of London's most overrated attractions. Try Uber Boat instead.

It’s a NO: Hop on hop off buses

Our first inclusion on our list of London’s most overrated attractions is those big red hop on hop off double-decker buses you see sitting in traffic around the city centre. Most major cities have these, and while they might seem like a good idea if you want to see all of the city’s top sights, they’re kind of a very expensive version of our regular London buses – expect to pay £37 for an adult ticket.

Alternative: Regular buses and Uber Boat

The stops on the Hop on Hop Off buses are strategically located around all the major attractions, but so are some of our regular bus routes (WA), like the 139 bus, which only costs £1.75 for multiple journeys within one hour (as do all of London’s buses). This is also capped at £8.10 (including tube travel), meaning you can enjoy hopping on and off your choice of any local bus for no more than this each day. This particular bus takes you to loads of the main sights, like Abbey Road, Selfridge’s, Covent Garden Market and more. It’ll also drive through Trafalgar Square and Piccadilly Circus if seeing the big flashy screens is important to you.

The number 12 bus is another popular route that drives across Westminster Bridge. There’s also the number 35, which goes to loads of cool London markets, and the number 9, for those who want to see some of the city’s best museums. Want more routes? There’s a page on the TFL website that highlights all the cool bus routes tourists can take. By opting for these regular buses, you’re not only saving money but also experiencing the city like a local.

If you prefer to be on the water, there’s also Uber Boat by Thames Clippers (WA). It stops at 24 piers along the Thames between Barking Riverside Pier in the east and Putney Pier in the west throughout the week, from early morning until late. You can pay with your contactless debit or credit card, mobile pay, Oyster, or the Uber app. There are also ticket machines where you can purchase them directly at the pier, but this will cost more than the other options (a hefty 24% more). A breakdown of prices and zones can be found on their website, but you should definitely know that rides on the Uber Boat are much cheaper than the tourist boats. Also, the boats and just about every single pier are fully wheelchair accessible!

This is an image of a big colourful wall in the middle of a green space. It is considered contemporary art. Madame Tussauds is one of London's most overrated attractions, try the Serpentine Gallery instead.

Image Courtesy of Serpentine Gallery via Facebook

It’s a NO: Madame Tussauds

You might’ve heard of Madame Tussauds since it’s a popular tourist spot in cities like London, New York, and Hong Kong. Inside are lifelike wax sculptures of celebrities and historical figures, which, when you think about it, is actually a little strange. While it offers a chance to get close to famous faces, it’s actually one of London’s most overrated attractions due to high fees, long lines, and overly crowded rooms. Also, we just really don’t get it??

Alternative: Serpentine Galleries

Trust us, traipsing around places like Madame Tussauds is time wasted unless you enjoy navigating through crowded rooms and jostling for the perfect selfie with your favourite wax figure. Instead, London has so many amazing galleries worth a visit , including the Serpentine Galleries (WA) in the heart of London’s leafy Kensington Gardens. This contemporary art gallery showcases a range of art forms, from painting and sculpture to multimedia installations and performance art, across its two galleries, located only five minutes apart on either side of the Serpentine Bridge.

This is an image of a woman looking through glass cases at the Science Museum.

Image Courtesy of the Science Museum London via Facebook

It’s a NO: Shrek’s Adventure

Shrek’s Adventure is another one of London’s most overrated attractions. It might bring the beloved characters from the Shrek movies to life, but it’s tacky, commercial, overpriced, and busy. We appreciate that it can be hard to find places that are wheelchair—and pushchair-friendly and places to take the kids, but London has so many other cool, accessible spots that are way better worth your time and money.

Alternative: The Science Museum

Instead, try The Science Museum (WA), one of the best in the world. It’s free to visit and is particularly exciting for kids – it even has a café, so if it’s pouring with rain, you don’t even need to leave to grab a bite to eat. Inside, it’s packed with eye-catching displays and activities for all ages, many of which are interactive. You can learn all about climate change, aircraft history, space, and plenty more while getting stuck into activities and exploring all the nooks and crannies the museum has to offer. It’s also fully accessible.

This is an image of the whale skeleton hanging in the middle of the Natural History Museum. Going to free museums is a budget hack to use when visiting London.

It’s a NO: The London Aquarium

Sea Life London Aquarium is not only ethically controversial but also one of London’s most overrated attractions. This tourist trap is busy and overpriced, and frankly, it’s depressing to see penguins and marine life cooped up in an enclosure. For these reasons, we say avoid it and opt for something way more exciting and an attraction that won’t make you question your moral compass.

Alternative: Natural History Museum

The Natural History Museum (WA) may be one of London’s most famous landmarks, which many tourists love to visit, but all of us locals also love it, and for good reason. Not only is it housed in a striking Victorian building, but it’s also chock full of some of the greatest natural items ever to be found on our planet – 80 million to be exact. See taxidermies and extinct species up close, including the pigeons that helped Charles Darwin develop his theory of evolution, as well as dinosaur and blue whale skeletons. It’s a magical day out, not just for children but for adults, too.

This image is of old London relics at the Tower Bridge Museum.

Image Courtesy of Museums London

It’s a NO: The London Dungeons

The London Dungeons is another one of London’s many tourist traps. It aims to immerse visitors in the darker aspects of the city’s history through interactive exhibits, live actors, and special effects. It recreates gruesome events and characters from London’s past, such as Jack the Ripper and the Plague, but many people have actually found it lacking in historical accuracy, not to mention being a bit tacky and overpriced.

Alternative: The Tower Bridge Museum

London has loads of amazing museums that will teach you all about the city’s fascinating past, and it’ll be factually accurate. Tower Bridge has its own museum within the bridge, that’ll teach you all about the captivating history and engineering of this iconic London landmark. You’ll walk through the upper levels of the bridge, taking in the views from 42 metres above the Thames before descending through the South Tower to read stories about those who’ve worked on the bridge since it was completed in 1849, including facts about the construction and moving tales about the workforce who helped build it. It’s super interactive and educational and provides valuable insight into London’s history. Time your visit so that you also catch the bridge lifting in action – the times can be found on the Tower Bridge website.

It’s a NO: Harrods

You might’ve heard about the world-renowned department store Harrods, mostly known for its variety of luxury goods and opulent decor. This means it’s also usually full of tourists walking around looking at things that are far too expensive to buy. Plus, you wouldn’t find any local Londoners hanging around here; it’s just not very cool. Sure, it’s Instagrammable, and there are toilets inside –something that’s pretty tricky to come by in London, but trust us, there are many better alternatives for you to spend your time in.

Alternatives: Liberty London, Brick Lane and East End Prints

Firstly, there’s Liberty London (WA), a beautiful, old Tudor-style department store with loads of colourful flowers out front, famous for its luxury products and amazing fabrics. For something a little more local, head to Brick Lane, located in one of the most creative slivers of London. It’s full of galleries, markets, vintage shops, bars, cafes, restaurants, we could go on. You could easily spend an entire day here. If you want to stock up on souvenirs to take back home, East End Prints is also a lovely independent shop offering unique prints and wall art from local and independent artists.

This is an image of Primrose Hill. There are people sitting on the green grass and you can see London's skyline in the distance. It is day time. The London Eye is one of London's most overrated attractions, try Primrose Hill instead.

It’s a NO: The London Eye

While the London Eye has become an iconic landmark perched on the River Thames in the South Bank, some would say it’s also one of the city’s most overrated attractions. Sure, you can get great panoramic views of the city from the top, but you can also get this at many other places around London, and many for totally free. The London Eye will set you back £42 if you walk up and purchase on the day or £33 in advance, which we think is a LOT.

Alternatives: Primrose Hill and Horizon 22

We have many favourite alternatives for this one, including plenty that are free. Head to the top of Primrose Hill for pretty views across London. It’s a popular picnic spot located just north of Regent’s Park, surrounded by stunning Victorian houses. You can see sweeping city views from the summit, including many of London’s legendary landmarks, like the Shard, the London Eye and St. Paul’s Cathedral. It’s also a really picturesque sunset spot. If you don’t fancy being outdoors, there’s also Horizon 22 (WA), London’s highest free viewing platform with 300-degree city views.

This is an image of the view you get from Sky Garden of London City. There are lots of buildings and plants around.

Here are a few more alternative attractions we recommend when you’re planning your London itinerary:

Shakespeare’s Globe (WA) – for theatre performances, including many of Shakespeare’s works.
Sky Garden (WA) – a free-to-visit plant-filled viewing platform, bar and restaurant with great views of the city.
The Barbican Conservatory – a plant-filled atrium home to more than 2,000 species of plants and trees.
London Transport Museum – a museum highlighting over 200 years of London and its transport history and the stories of the people who have travelled and worked in the city.