18 Fun Things to do near Tower Bridge on a London Workcation

Learn about fun things to do near Tower Bridge in London. Explore places to visit around Tower Bridge on a London Workcation.

Now that business travel is starting to begin again, I had the opportunity to travel to London to speak at a conference taking place at the ExCeL Centre as part of my "day job". We decided to plan a London workcation around the conference. 

It turns out that the area around Tower Bridge offers easy access to the ExCeL Centre on public transportation in less than 30 minutes so we decided to stay in Bermondsey and centre the first part of our London workcation there. 

We discovered that there are many things to do near Tower Bridge and this post shares the scoop on all the nearby attractions including those that are well-known and some hidden gems. 

Read on and discover all the cool places to visit around Tower Bridge.

Getting to Tower Bridge

If you are visiting London from out of town and planning to stay near Tower Bridge, fly into London City Airport and then take the DLR (Docklands Light Rail) to Tower Gateway. Tower Hill Tube Station is served by the Circle and District Underground Lines. 

London Bridge Station on the South Bank of the Thames is served by the Northern and Jubilee Line as well as Southern Thameslink and Southeastern overground train services. 

You can even take an Uber Boat from different points along the Thames from Putney in the west to Greenwich and Woolwich in the East. 

Google Maps will also surface bus routes that serve the area around Tower Bridge. We took advantage of some of the buses traveling along Tower Bridge Road in Bermondsey. 

Use an Oyster Card for ease of travel around Central London. Note: Oyster cards are typically used only by tourists. Locals know that you can simply tap a credit card or pay with your phone using Google Pay, Apple Pay, and the like. Tap and pay is definitely a time saver!

Tower Bridge History

Tower Bridge dates back to the end of the 19th century and is one of London't most iconic landmarks. People often get Tower Bridge and London Bridge confused. 

In the 21st century, Tower Bridge is the fancy one and London Bridge is simply a utilitarian bridge for vehicles and pedestrians (more on the history of London Bridge later in the post). 

Tower Bridge is a drawbridge that can be raised to let river traffic pass and that was a crucial part of the design: how to enable crossing the Thames without interfering with boat traffic.

What is Considered to be Near Tower Bridge?

London is vast and it's relatively easy to get around on public transportation. That said, this post is about things to do near Tower Bridge. 

What is near for purposes of this article? This post will cover things to do around Tower Bridge that are within a 30 minute walk. 

You may be able to take public transit to visit these same places and walk less although in some instances taking transit may take longer than just walking. 

Keep in mind that you often have to walk quite a bit to get from the entrance to the track if you travel by London Underground.

Things to Do Near Tower Bridge at a Glance

Let's take a look at things to do around Tower Bridge in London at a glance. I've included the approximate time it takes to walk to each destination from Tower Bridge in parentheses to help you plan your visit.

1. Walk Across Tower Bridge (0 min)
2. Circumnavigate the Tower of London (less than 5 min)
3. Try Out A Different Local Coffee Shop Each Day (5-15 min)
4. Walk Along the Thames in Bermondsey (less than 10 min)
5. Experience Preserved History on Shad Thames (less than 10 min)
6. Drink the Bermondsey Beer Mile (10-15 min)
7. Sip a Pint at a Craft Beer Local (about 15 min)
8. Browse for Snacks on Bermondsey Street at Bermondsey Corner (about 10 min)
9. Eat Dinner at Lokma Turkish Grill (about 10 min)
10. Go Door Hunting on Bermondsey Street and Around (about 10 min)
11. Take a Bermondsey Photowalk (10-20 min)
12. Stop by Hays Galleria (less than 10 min)
13. Browse Borough Market (15 min)
14. Socialize with Friends Over Brunch at WatchHouse Coffee (less than 5 min)
15. Tour the Historic Churches on the Thames (less than 15 min)
16. Enjoy a Pint in the Shadow of Monument (about 15 min)
17. Eat Your Way Through Brick Lane (about 30 min)
18. Pop into Old Spitalfields Market (about 25 min)

Map of Things to Do Near Tower Bridge

Click on the image of the map below to open up an interactive version in Google Maps to explore the various things to do around Tower Bridge and understand how they relate to one another to help you plan your London workcation.

Things to Do Near Tower Bridge in Detail

Now let's dive in and explore all the things to do and great places to visit near Tower Bridge in London. There is more than enough here to keep you busy you for a week or more on your London workcation.

1. Walk Across Tower Bridge

The first and most obvious thing to do near Tower Bridge is Tower Bridge! Rain or shine, it's still worth traversing Tower Bridge, especially if you need to catch the DLR anyway like we did. 

Admire the colorful decorations including striking blue and red paint. Walk across on the footpath facing west to admire views of Central London, the Shard, and the Tower of London. 

If you're up for it, you can also take a tour of Tower Bridge which includes climbing the iconic towers. It will cost you 10.60 GBP at the time of writing. If you are lucky enough to live in Southwark, Tower Hamlets or the City of London you can tour Tower Bridge for just one pound.

SIDEWALK SAFARI SPOTLIGHT: Looking for the best spots to photograph Tower Bridge? Head for Horselydown Lane and enjoy peek-a-boo views of the bridge.  Queen Elizabeth Street where it meets Dutchess Walk is also a great spot to photograph Tower Bridge.  Tooley Street at More London Riverside offers fantastic colors and the contrast of viewing Tower Bridge against a modern backdrop.

2. Circumnavigate the Tower of London

I took the long way around to get from Tower Gateway DLR station back to Bermondsey and was rewarded with awesome Tower of London and Tower Bridge views along the way. Circumnavigate the Tower of London for spectacular photo opportunities. 

In just a few months time, the moat at the Tower of London will be filled in a spectacle of 20 million wildflowers called Superbloom to commemorate the Queen's Platinum Jubilee.

The Tower of London has a rich history that dates back to William the Conqueror in 1070. The palace was home to Medieval monarchs and featured many an intrigue including the murder of Henry VI. 

The Tower of London was also a foreboding prison during the Tudor era. Anne Boleyn, one of Henry VIII's 6 wives spent her last days here before she was executed. 

Today the Tower of London is home of the Crown Jewels. The Tower of London is one of the top tourist attractions in London. Admission to the Tower of London is an eye-watering £29.90 at the time of writing. 

I visited the Tower of London years ago on our first trip here so decided to simply admire this historic attraction for free from the outside this time. You'll find a cool art installation near the entrance of the Tower of London including wild cats sculpted from what looks like chicken wire. Very life like! 

The sculptures are a nod to the menagerie of exotic animals that were kept here until the 19th century.

3. Try Out A Different Local Coffee Shop Each Day

My favorite part of a workcation is exploring the neighborhood I'm staying in on a morning walk. Those walks are always centered around finding great coffee. 

The area around Tower Bridge in London is full of great places to enjoy a coffee to fuel your work. We enjoyed a cozy morning coffee at WatchHouse. 

WatchHouse has a few locations around Tower Bridge, but the one in a 19th century graveyard watch house in Bermondsey is truly a unique setting. We enjoyed an amazingly well-crafted oat milk cappuccino. 

On another day, we stopped in for a well-crafted oat milk latte at The Lantern Coffee House in Bermondsey London. This is a great place to fuel up before a walk along the Thames. 

Morning coffee at Hej on Bermondsey Square is another excellent choice for a well-crafted oat latte to accompany our London walk.

 

4. Walk Along the Thames in Bermondsey

Coffee in hand? Where should we go from here? One of the nicest things to do near Tower Bridge in London is to walk along the Thames in Bermondsey. 

We crossed St. Saviours Dock from China Wharf to Butler's Wharf pier. There is a handy footpath shortcut so you don't have to detour around the canal.  

5. Experience Preserved History on Shad Thames

After our walk along the river, we detoured onto Shad Thames, a well-preserved lane in the London Docklands that still maintains the overhead bridges between warehouses that would have been common in the area's heyday with workers carting goods from place to place. 

You'll feel like you're transported back in time. 

6. Drink the Bermondsey Beer Mile

There is a train bridge that runs through Bermondsey with different stalls below. Many of these stalls have been converted into bars and breweries nestled under the train tracks on Druid Street in Bermondsey. 

This area is known as the Bermondsey Beer Mile and for good reason! During our London workcation around Tower Bridge, we tried a few of the craft beer bars along the Bermondsey Beer Mile.

London Beer Factory Barrel Project was a fabulous stop featuring 24 taps. We tried Sour Solstice blood orange and cranberry sour, Chikka Cherry Cola dark sour (my favorite), Dawn blonde wild ale (also sour) and a Day Dreamer session IPA (a little jarring after the sours). 

For dessert, we tried ZIA Tiramisu Imperial Stout. It was sweet and syrupy while packing a punch at 9.2% ABV. This was definitely the concoction to end with. Sample more at London Beer Factory by ordering 1/3 pints. 

On another occasion during our stay near Tower Bridge, we walked back to Druid Street and followed the train tracks a bit further this time. 

We grabbed a sneaky pint of Coffee Vanilla Porter (No. 10) and a hoppy West Coast IPA (No. 3) at Brew By Numbers (BBNO), a fun laid back spot along the Bermondsey Beer Mile. 

Stake out a couch and get ready to start the weekend! Brew By Numbers also does takeaway cans. We picked up a BBNO Chocolate and Orange Stout (No 8) to take home for dessert.

7. Sip a Pint at a Craft Beer Local

There are also some great pubs near Tower Bridge that are not on the Bermondsey Beer Mile that are worth checking out on a London workcation. 

We discovered a fun local for a pint of English craft beer called Simon the Tanner in Bermondsey. Simon the Tanner serves some food and does a Quiz Night if you want to hang out with the locals and test your British trivia knowledge.

8. Browse for Snacks on Bermondsey Street at Bermondsey Corner

We ordered dinner for pick-up and took a walk on Bermondsey Street while we waited. Bermondsey Street is a popular artery with parts of the street pedestrianized. 

You'll find plenty of shops and restaurants lining this stretch near Tower Bridge. Pop into Bermondsey Corner for local artisanal products like orange blossom and almond Biscuit Town cookies, savory breaking bread crackers, plus gin infusions and cocktails to go.

SIDEWALK SAFARI SPOTLIGHT: Looking for ideas of other places to spend a workcation in the UK? Why not: Explore things to do in South Kensington, London including a detour to the area around Covent Garden or places to visit in South West London Discover fun things to do in Belfast in Northern Ireland Plan a city break in York Explore the most fun places to visit near Bath England Experience the best of summer in Edinburgh Scotland including a stroll in the Edinburgh Royal Botanic Garden or a walk along the Water of Leith Get off the beaten track with these things to do in Chester Get to know Birmingham things to do and the best of Birmingham food and drink Celebrate the rich history of Cardiff, Wales

9. Dinner at Lokma Turkish Grill

You can't imagine the intoxicatingly good aroma when we walked into Lokma Turkish Grill and Bar to pick up dinner. We enjoyed amazing kebabs and schwarma wraps served with just the right amount of spicy chili sauce. 

So good and highly recommended for a bite to eat during a London workcation around Tower Bridge.

10. Go Door Hunting on Bermondsey Street and Around

If there is one thing I love, it's doors. Another great thing to do near Tower Bridge is go on a door scavenger hunt on and around Bermondsey Street. 

Grab a coffee and keep your eyes open for great photo ops. I've included a photo of my favorite doors spotted in the neighborhood. 

I thought about cropping out the bag of trash, but decided to leave it in. It's part of the tableau and contributes to the urban authenticity of the shot.

11. Take a Bermondsey Photowalk

If doors aren't your thing, there are still plenty of things to see and photograph around Bermondsey. We had a wander around Bermondsey on the small residential streets on both sides of Tower Bridge Road venturing a bit further south and away from Tower Bridge than we had on past walks. 

Tabard Gardens and smaller Hankey Place Gardens were quiet spots for an off-the-beaten track photo walk in London. Make sure to walk past The Roebuck. This pub is situated in a classy setting and has really good bones that are just begging to be photographed.

Pretty much everywhere you go near Tower Bridge in Bermondsey is dominated by the Shard. Make sure to include some unique Shard compositions in your shot list for a Bermondsey photowalk. 

You can climb the Shard for a birds-eye view over London, but it will cost you 30 GBP for the privilege. We preferred to save our money and check out the Shard from a distance.

12. Stop by Hays Galleria

Hays Galleria is a covered yet open air shopping centre featuring some interesting restaurants and bars near Tower Bridge. One end joins up with London Bridge Station, the other spills out onto the River Thames. 

Hays Galleria features a whimsical metal sculpture of a ship. You can also admire (or visit!) a real ship from there. The HMS Belfast is parked along the Thames just outside Hays Galleria. 

13. Browse Borough Market

Borough Market is one of my absolute favorite things to do near Tower Bridge in London. Go early on a Saturday to avoid the crowds. 

We started the day with a flat white at the Colombian Coffee Company. During our leisurely stroll through Borough Market, we picked up coconut cardamom cashew butter and almond cashew and Brazil nut butter from Butter Nut of London. 

We also grabbed some spices to cook with on our London workcation. We did, however, manage to resist the lure of rainbow bagels.

Just outside the main Borough Market hall, we spotted the Rabot Estate and popped in for some chocolate. They had adorable chocolate mousse cups on display and we couldn't resist going in. 

We ended up buying some left over dark chocolate Christmas trees for 70% off. After tasting them, I wish we'd bought more -- so good! 

Borough Market has all sorts of foods, flowers, and crafts on offer. We even spotted some recently hunted game. 

The fruits and vegetables were just bursting forth from the tables. One stand sold focaccia and it looked so delicious. 

We opted for a healthy veggie burger for lunch. Muffins growing in flower pots made me smile. We chased our veggie burger with a flax-based energy bar. We were still hungry and tried a free range chicken wrap with sweet chili sauce. 

One of the things I really enjoyed about Borough Market was a historical sign which highlighted pricing and appropriate behavior for the venue.  In particular, prices and tolls for things like raspberries were explicitly called out.  

It seems like it was quite a regimented operation back in the day. We popped out of the ornate entrance to the market after our amble. 

14. Socialize with Friends Over Brunch at WatchHouse Coffee

A big part of the fun of travel is meeting awesome people. We took the opportunity to meet up with our blogger friends Roaming Required for brunch. 

We met Roma and Russell via Twitter and then in real life when we were visiting Basel about 7 years ago. Today we met them on their home turf in London for brunch. 

WatchHouse Tower Bridge on Shad Thames is the spot for Sunday brunch near Tower Bridge. We fueled up with fantastic coffee and breakfast. 

We enjoyed a fantastic oat and rye porridge with oat milk and nut butter, Bircher muesli, and a delicious banana bread. 

Note that there is a 90 min table limit during peak hours on Sunday morning. You may have to queue and wait for a table.

15. Tour the Historic Churches on the River Thames

We felt so fortunate to get an insider tour of things to do around Tower Bridge with Roma and Russell. They are simply an encyclopedia of knowledge about London City! 

Things I learned that day: how to tell a Protestant from a Catholic Church... The cock on the tower. Catholic churches have crosses, Protestants have cocks...as in roosters. 

All Hallows by the Tower adjacent to the Tower of London is the oldest church in London. 

Pay homage to Samuel Pepys, the famous diarist, whose bust is stationed nearby. Pepys climbed nearby All Hallows By The Tower where he witnessed and documented London burning in the Great Fire.

Visit the plague cemetery at St. Olave's Church. You can tell a cemetery is associated with the plague by the skulls at the entrance.

We learned about a London hidden gem from Roaming Required: St. Dunstan's in the East Church Garden. St. Dunstan's was destroyed during World War II (WWII) and the ruin is now a public garden popular for a lunch break during the work week. 

St. Dunstan's gets bonus points for its atmospheric views of The Shard.

We made one final church stop along the Thames. St. Magnus the Martyr features a diorama of the original London Bridge inside and a few stones and an ancient wooden stave outside. 

London Bridge today is pretty nondescript, but in Medieval times it was heaving with shops and commerce.

16. Enjoy a Pint in the Shadow of Monument

Time for a cheeky pint with Roaming Required at the Hydrant by Monument. I learned that Monument was a failed science experiment (too much traffic caused pendulum vibrations). 

If you were to lay Monument on its side, the tip would reach the bakery on Pudding Lane where London's Great Fire started in the 17th century.

17. Eat Your Way Through Brick Lane

Brick Lane is absolutely one of my favorite places to visit near Tower Bridge. Keep an eye out for 'The Gherkin' peeking out from between older buildings. 

Located in London's Shoreditch area, Brick Lane is simply an awesome assault on the senses and in my opinion is one of the best food markets in Europe with amazing street food.  

Let yourself be swept up into the crowd past a series of fragrant Indian restaurants. We bobbed along to the Backyard Market. 

Inside, we discovered a treasure trove of fun and funky clothing, jewelry, and other handmade items. Expect the Sunday Upmarket to beckon you inside. 

More clothing, arts, and crafts were on offer. Further up Brick Lane, we discovered a modern looking mosque built into a historic facade. 

We peeked into an open doorway and were amazed to find an array of food vendors from around the world. These included Venezuelan, Burmese, Ethiopian cuisine and more. 

We opted for a vegetarian Ethiopian meal. Brick Lane's Backyard Market was crowded and there was no place to sit so we took our plate our back and ate standing up in the sunshine. 

Continuing on, we passed fun street art. Another vendor sold cups of amazingly fresh looking fruit. I was intrigued by the Mr Spicy Jamaican Jerk Chicken stand but alas we were too full to give it a go. 

Beigel Bake Brick Lane Bakery had a queue out the door.  Apparently, this was a purveyor of old school delicious bagels and sandwiches.  We made a note to give them a try next time. And try them next time, we did! 

We are connoisseurs of New York bagels and were curious to try some in London. Beigel Bake's price was right at half a dozen for about 3 GBP.  

The beigels themselves were chewy, soft, eggy, and a little bit sweet.  They were totally different from what you'd get in New York but quite delicious nonetheless.  

We took home several to pop into the freezer and would pull them out to enjoy periodically and transport ourselves back to our trip to Brick Lane. 

On a different visit to Brick Lane, we were talked into Brick Lane Brasserie (surprisingly, an Indian restaurant) by a fast talking lad at the door.  They were offering a starter, main, and rice or naan for just 7.95 GBP (Great value!)  

Of course, the deal was set to expire in about 15 minutes so we had to act fast. We rewarded his good salesmanship and were ushered to a table by the window looking out over Brick Lane. 

Deep fried cauliflower and nut cake started things off. A huge portion of naan and heaping bowl of rice were brought to the table anticipating the arrival of our mains. 

Two steaming bowls of spicy curry helped to fortify us on a chilly, drizzly afternoon. Stomachs full, we continued our walk down Brick Lane passing a myriad of street art. 

While you're in the neighborhood, stop for a craft brew at one of the local breweries. We tried Shoreditch Brewery. There is always so much going on on Brick Lane that you never know what you'll find!

18. Pop into Old Spitalfields Market

Old Spitalfields Market is one final thing to do near Tower Bridge that I recommend if you are in London. Did you know that Old Spitalfields Market is adjacent to a priory that was founded at the end of the 12th century? 

The very first market here began in the 13th century making it over 800 years old. Today, Old Spitalfields Market is a great place to browse and have a bite to eat in London's East End. 

We popped into Old Spitalfields Market and I got excited when I saw a pile of scarves for 1 GBP each.  Somehow I managed to tear myself away.  I love scarves but have way too many at home. 

Where to Stay Near Tower Bridge if You're Visiting London

If you are visiting London and want to explore all the great things to do near Tower Bridge, I can personally recommend the Residence Inn by Marriott London Bridge on Long Lane. 

Residence Inns give you a bit more space to work and include free breakfast every day. This particular Residence Inn was not as spacious as others I've stayed in, but it was modern, comfortable, and relatively economical (by London standards). 

We paid between 149 GBP and 203 GBP a night during our stay.  

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