The Southbank Centre on the river Thames is buzzing with culture, art and experiences, all within close proximity of each other. There is always something going on. Regular highlights include performing arts, such as contemporary music or orchestral concerts, as well as festivals such as the Udderbelly festival, which hosts a variety of comedians, musicians and live performances. Even just walking along the bank next to the Centre, you will be greeted by street performers and buskers, all offering different talents or skills.

Other nearby attractions that are available all year round include the London Dungeon, which recreates various gory events from London’s history using live actors to make the experience as frighteningly realistic as possible. The dungeons consist of three rides, 18 shows and 20 actors; their job is to educate the visitors, as well as scare them using an array of costumes and special effects.

There is also the London Eye, Britain’s iconic landmark, which provides some of the best views you will ever see of the city, second only to The Shard. Perhaps when you’re done with that, you could take a visit to the SEA LIFE London Aquarium and stroke some rays. This aquarium is home to one of Europe’s biggest marine life collections, which now includes penguins. You don’t just get to observe the fish at this aquarium you can even get in and swim with Sharks; they have several species including Tiger sharks, Black Tip Reef sharks and Browns sharks. The best thing is, you don’t need any diving experience to take part. If swimming with sharks isn’t your thing, then maybe a trip to the arcade could be for you. They have all sorts of traditional arcade favourites, such as bumper cars and bowling.

Feeling hungry? Luckily for you, there are several restaurants around the area with all sorts of cuisines to pick from. At Wagamama, they make Japanese dishes that are growing in popularity across the United Kingdom. If your group can’t decide where to eat, then why not stop by at Giraffe? Here, you can order food from several different countries so you don’t have to all agree on what to eat. There’s also a McDonalds next to the aquarium for something quick and familiar, or maybe a Nandos if you’re in the mood for chicken.

So there you have it, the Southbank has something for all the family – it really is a great day out.