Going to London for 3 days, alone

[LondonAloneAmIOk]

DC (aged 9) will be away for the week with Scouts, so was planning to do the middle 3 days in London. Which is about 250 miles from me.

I was super excited, leisurely train down there, wander around once I’ve dropped my bag at the hotel, eat wherever I want at whatever time I want. I can have the spicest food or fish if I want it (neither of which my DC eats).

Then back to the hotel to watch Netflix on my laptop and have a long leisurely shower. Sleep.

Have breakfast in the hotel, head to some museums and art galleries, eat wherever I want again. Maybe catch a matinee or evening show. Back for a shower and a sleep before heading back home again after breakfast the next morning.

But my parents keep telling me it’s unsafe to do it alone, and I should take a friend or one of them. But that means changing dates or compromising what I do. They keep saying it's unsafe to be a lone female in such a big city and I should consider a hotel closer to home or going down by bus because someone will know I'm there and I'm missing if I go missing.

If I want to spend 3 days not talking to anyone but hotel staff I can or if I want to stroll back to the hotel at 10pm (I probably won’t) I can, or if I want to sleep in until 10am I can. If I want to forget to brush my teeth or wear the same clothes as the day before I can, because I won’t have a 9yo watching me.

I very rarely get so long away from my DC. Last time I got this amount of time away from them I was still with their dad and they went away together for 3 days/2 nights.

I am happy to share my hotel details with them, and I will turn location settings on on my phone which my sibling knows how to use and track, but I really want to go alone but now I'm doubting myself and thinking I might be better off not going.

Download Citymapper which is a great app for journey planning and enjoy!

@Derrygoat Thank you I definitely will!

I vote for this, as well.

Oh my god. I lived alone in London for a decade. It was absolutely fine. Ignore your parents and go for it!

Your parents are idiots - of course it's not unsafe. I do exactly this 2 or 3 times a year, and it's pretty much my favourite thing ever. What's not to like about galleries, museums, food and theatre? Even in a chain hotel, you can just enjoy having a room to yourself, as well as doing whatever you want to do. Enjoy!

London is great on your own. When I'm walking about with my OH I feel like I'm on my own as he's always trailing behind me - quite annoying - he walks so slowly.

Oh, and I would never allow anyone to track my location, for a start. When I go to London, I don't think my husband even knows where I'm staying - I only mention it vaguely. An adult woman does NOT need other people to constantly follow their movements - just go off grid and then you can do whatever the hell you want.

Huh? I spent quite a bit of my early 20s going to random European cities alone. Are your parents always so over-protective?

You are a grown woman, staying in a hotel, in a city where you speak the language.

I was staying in hostels or AirBnBs, partying with strangers in countries I was visiting for the first time and it was great fun!

I was there for a week alone, a week ago, my 5th time since September, I always have an amazing time.
Nothing bad or even close to it has ever happened.

I go around london on my own all the time! Be sure to check out show tickets from the booth on Leicester Square. I once got a top ticket for £20 as I was solo, people either side would have paid hundreds of pounds for their seats.

Be careful not to stand around with phone in hand though, pop into a shop or similar if you need to check things on your phone.

You'll be safe as long as you don't stand on the left while using an escalator or try to start a conversation on the tube. 😆

If you're in a pub or restaurant (particularly sitting outside) keep an eye on your bag, though. Under the table is best.

The only crime I've seen in the past 20 years in London was someone next to me having her phone snatched out of her hand in broad daylight in the City by some wazzock on a bike. So it is sensible not to wave your phone around on the street. But I'm in London a few days a week for work, often staying into the evening and haven't witnessed any other crime in 20 years.

I'm on train home right now after having 3 days in London alone. I loved it. Visited Columbia Street flower market, Brick Lane, the Rosseti exhibition at Tate Britain, the British museum, Brixton and the market, China Town. I stayed in greenwich as I like it and explored it all today, went to the art house cinema on my own, bought food from world food markets. I had a ball. Its also made me feel confident as I found my way around London even when trains were cancelled. I used buses, tube and trains. Enjoy!

In London all the time it's fine. My daughter does evening shows on her own a lot no problems just like anywhere you obviously are aware of who's around you but it's no different to your local town. ....sign onto today tix and look at rush tickets for shows.

I'm so jealous! I'd love time on my own!!
I worked in London for 10 years. Would happily go out for after dinner drinks and then travel back home on my own. Have a great time!!!!

There was a murder in a village near here recently. Tell them that villages are very dangerous for lone women.

I’m well travelled and consider London to be one of the safest cities in the world. Just go and enjoy every blissful minute.

That sounds amazing! I love Greenwich too

I'm so glad you're excited again OP, and good luck with trying to narrow down your choices - you're so spoilt for choice! I've walked around very late at night after a concert or show and you have to go to some pretty dodgy areas to feel alone or unsafe. Everything is well lit and people are always around, in a good way. And you'll get a big bed all to yourself and choose what to eat, when to go to bed and get up, what to watch or whether to watch at all....It's going to be wonderful

Just go!

Don’t walk anywhere deserted on your own. Use Ubers if you need to.

Loads of women travel to London alone for work and stay over all the time!

Oh yes, that’s the other thing people like OP’s parents don’t understand. London at night is full of respectable older people on their way home from the likes of Sadlers Wells, the Royal Opera House and all the theatres. They’re no doubt imagining hordes of hoodie-wearing teenage delinquents roaming the streets like herds of wild animals.

I feel a bit sorry for people like these parents who choose to restrict their lives because of irrational fears. Until they try to impose their restricted life on other people and try to scare them - I have no sympathy with people who do that.

I had a few days by myself in London a couple of years ago. I had a great time and I loved it so much I'm doing it again next month. Off you go, OP!

Oh your solo getaway sounds perfect, I am sooooo jealous! Personally I'd take the exact same precautions as I would anywhere in the UK - which as a female aren't nonexistent, but nothing more. EG. If walking somewhere secluded (in central London, though??) no earphones in, use a secure crossbody bag, etc. The usual stuff..?

Have a wonderful time.

I live in London and frequently go out alone and come home at all hours. You need to be sensible like being out at night in any big city, but your plan sounds like a lovely one!

I've lived in London for about 20 years. Never been mugged or attacked. Only ever had one thing stolen from me but that was in the suburbs. Take the normal precautions you would in any city like don't wave expensive stuff around late at night and you'll be fine. If you are staying centrally then you won't be encountering the fun of late night transport (which can sometimes be a bit lively but I've never actually encountered an issue). Also it sounds like you're planning to do classy activities so I would have thought your risk is pretty low. The V&A and Royal Opera House etc are very safe, worse thing that will happen is your shock at the cost of tea and cake 😂

If you're in a pub or restaurant (particularly sitting outside) keep an eye on your bag, though. Under the table is best.

My mother had her bag stolen when she put it under the table in a cafe somewhere around Covent Garden. She said it was very crowded and someone sitting nearby must have been able to reach under and swipe it.

If you must put it under the table, keep it between your feet, with the strap around your ankle.

But I agree with everyone else, London is very safe. Opportunist crime like pickpocketing, bag dipping, phone theft etc is the biggest risk, and that can be reduced by taking sensible precautions.