Rick Steves Says To Skip This Overpriced, Overcrowded London Attraction

In any city, you'll encounter a few tourist attractions that don't offer much in terms of unique travel experiences, leaving you to wonder who's actually visiting them. Maybe it's people who did zero research before planning their trip or parents who are utterly exhausted. From a local museum of illusions wedged between kitschy souvenir shops to virtually any Ripley's Believe It Or Not museum, some tourist attractions simply aren't worth visiting.

Enter Rick Steves, our go-to expert for all things travel, who recently identified the biggest tourist traps in Europe and one London attraction you must remove from your itinerary. Although it has over 18,000 Google reviews and gets four stars on Tripadvisor, Steves urges travelers to skip the London Dungeon, calling it "gimmicky, overpriced, and a terrible value" on his website. Besides noting the lengthy lines, Steves doesn't go into great detail about why this attraction has earned his ire, but it's not hard to figure out. 

First, London Dungeon isn't an actual museum, so visitors shouldn't expect curated exhibits or a dedication to historical education. As one Tripadvisor reviewer put it, "It's not so much that you learn about torture, just experiencing this attraction is pure torture." One of nine The Dungeon branches in Europe, the London location urges visitors to "scream and laugh" through the city's darkest criminal history – a tall order considering many of the experiences are about actual murders. Expect crowds, interactive shows with live actors, and a $32-sized hole in your wallet. 

While some places smell like a sewer by no fault of their own, the London Dungeon recreates the putrid smells of decay and Plague-era London. Though undeniably an interactive experience, many visitors report that the smell lingers in the halls combining with body odor, mildew, and other unpleasant fragrances. One Tripadvisor reviewer noted, "The attraction smells of urine which is probably a genuine feature of London dungeons but you can get the same effect elsewhere for a lot less money." Still other visitors complained that the smell made its way into their clothing and stunk up their hotel rooms. 

If the smell isn't enough to put you off, other unsatisfied guests described long queues in cramped corridors between each scene. Even guests who enjoyed the overall experience became fed up with the long lines. "A good attraction spoilt by clueless staff and ridiculous queues," as one Tripadvisor reviewer put it. It's also worth mentioning that the halls are quite dark and the feeling of pushing and shoving can become overwhelming for anyone who experiences claustrophobia. 

Finally, Steves is right to call the London Dungeon "gimmicky." Think jump scares, bawdy jokes, a bit of hammy acting, and plenty of audience participation — a true highlight for many visitors. However, the price-value ratio is ultimately what disappointed many. As one contributor shared on Reddit, "I put it in the same category as Madame Tussauds. Enjoyable enough, but not worth what it costs."

Fortunately for us, Rick Steves has a whole list of ways to have the best vacation in London on a tight budget. From visiting lesser-known churches to witnessing the Changing of the Guard at Buckingham Palace, tons of activities are low-cost or entirely free. 

By far our favorite Steves-approved activity (and, the best thing to do if you only have a one-day trip in London) is taking a walking tour with London Walks. These aren't your overpacked tours led by a 20-year-old on a gap year. Instead, an expert in the field with true passion leads a highly specialized tour for small groups. For example, take the Jack the Ripper walk guided by an acclaimed crime historian or join the Shakespeare's London walk led by an actor in the Royal Shakespeare Company. Expect to pay between $18 and $24 (or, about $6 for kids) per walk, which is an incredible bargain considering how much you get out of it.

Of course, many of London's top museums are free, including the National Gallery, Tate Modern, the Museum of London, and the Natural History Museum. However, if you only visit one place, you can't miss Steves' favorite — the British Museum. Discover the intricately carved sarcophaguses in the Egyptian Wing or the 2,000-year-old Rosetta Stone in the Egyptian Sculpture Gallery. And, when your eyes start glazing over at the museums, head to one of the city's many parks.