South Bank, London

Includes: Elephant & Castle.

Anchored by the famous London Eye Ferris wheel and offering some of the most spectacular views of the Thames and London Bridge, South Bank has a well-deserved reputation as a magnet for tourists.

As a result, there are a plethora of chain bars catering to out-of-towners and featuring reheated fish and chips and overpriced British ales, especially along Gabriel’s Wharf, a collection of shops and stores right on the Thames and touted as a riverside oasis that’s rarely visited by locals.

But the area is also home to the South Bank Centre, where major institutions like the Royal National Theatre, Queen Elizabeth Hall, and several major galleries attract sophisticated Londoners who stop by to catch a show and mingle with the local student population before settling in for drinks at one of the area’s high-rise cocktail bars. Vast undeveloped sections of the Centre – collectively known as the under-croft – were the epicenter of London’s skateboard culture as far back as the 70s, and though much has been developed since the UK’s own Dogtown heyday, efforts by local skaters seek to maintain at least a few blocks for riverfront grinding.

Though the club and pub scene grows along with the continued development, South Bank will probably remain best known for its views, making it an ideal spot to spend a few hours and maybe catch a show before moving across the river.