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.

Plenty of Londoners live alone. I bloody loved it when I was younger and lived alone and pretty much did what you’re suggesting. I mean I had to throw quite a lot of work into the mix too, but I could just go to a club or a play whenever I wanted.

Go! I did London for five days on my own. It was really fun. You just have to be sensible - stay in well populated areas at night, walk with purpose, use directions with ear buds if you get lost.

OP, London is wonderful at night, please don’t shut yourself in the hotel with Netflix!

The South Bank is fabulous in the evening, lots of places to sit, have a drink in one of the bars in the National Theatre or the Royal Festival Hall. Go to a West End show, see what galleries open late.

The buses and tube are really safe at night.

London is a 24 hour city. Think about it: Every one of the thousands and thousands of women who work in theatres, bars, restaurants travels home on their own on public transport.

Have a brilliant time!

Are you sorted as to how you pay to travel these days? Use the same contactless card all day (it registers your one card and stops charging you once you reach the daily cap) don’t forget to ‘tap out’ even if the barrier is open (or you get charged for the longest potential journey from your starting point) . You don’t tap out on buses though.

Unsafe? You do know lots of people actually live in London? There are plays on every night, lots of lovely pubs.

Your trip sounds fantastic! Enjoy!

We could do you a Mumsnet chaperone schedule if you like, all the Londoners can take selfies with you to show your parents all the lovely Londoners

@BeverlyBrook 😂

I go to London all the time for work alone.

As well as working I will eat out, got to the theatre, go for walks alone.

It's just as safe as the city in the UK
I which I live.

Go and enjoy.

PS if you fancy cheap theatre tickets load up the TIX app.

Can I be on your rota? With a copy of that days Times in the photo. I’ll go to Govinda’s in Soho with you. Cheap, spicy, and shuts early so I can go to bed and pass you on to one of the clubbing MN.

Well I live here and go out and about all the time so I'm afraid - in the kindest terms - your parents are nuts. It's a safe city. And there's so much to do.

Some ideas include going to Tate Britain n Pimlico - lovely collection and Jess touristy than Tate Modern, then you can get the Uber clipper to Battersea Power Station and enjoy sone nice eats places and a walk in Battersea Park and then get the Uber clipper back down the Thames as far as you want really past Westminster etc. nice to get off near South Bank and wander along the bank there. Plenty of nice cafes, bars and food trucks to get a drink or a snack.

Other nice places National Gallery and National Portrait Gallery (recently renovated). The Royal Academy (the Summer Exhibition is on at the moment) and then a walk down through St James to the Mall and Westminster or alternatively through Hyde Park to Kensington Gardens. Maybe pick up a Lime Bike to your the park.

Coal Drop Yard in Kings Cross is great for food and shopping and the Hockney at the Lightroom is wonderful.

Ignore them and GO! London is one of the safest cities in the world - just be sensible, and alert to pickpockets and scammers.

I'm very jealous, I would LOVE to have a few days alone in London.

Definitely go to the Southbank in the evening. There are outdoor bars, a food market, events. Lots of couples and families socialise there on summer evenings. It's perfectly safe.

They are being beyond ridiculous. Go to London, do what you planned and enjoy yourself 💐

its not bloody aleppo, you will be fine.

let us know cuisine types and maybe we can give some nice restaurant reccos

Good god, go! Reading your post made me want to come too!

That's hilarious. Many of us women have lived our whole lives, often single, in London, and spend most of our time alone.

The only dangers here at the moment are the bloody delivery cyclists (Deliveroo etc.), who speed through the lights, so you have to be extra careful crossing roads now.

Otherwise it's fine. I live in Touristland Central. I don't recommend any of it as I avoid it all because of the tourists everywhere, but if you like being a tourist in crowds, central London is beautiful. Personally I'd wander down the quieter side streets and soak in the beautiful architecture, small, niche museums and hidden garden squares. Also, street markets!

Oh, but don’t put your phone on the table in a pub or cafe. Some thief will come along and pretend to need directions, or ask you something, and put a map or the newspaper on top of your phone. They’ll then pick map/newspaper up with your phone. Barstards!

Yes! I live in these places and I recommend The Book Boat on the canal at Kings Cross. Also the tiny graphic design museum in Soho with all the Harry Potter designs, begins with M, I think, if you're into Harry Potter. It's beautiful.

FFS, why are people so weird about London? I live here (as do millions of other women) and walk alone at night regularly without any issue. Tell them to get their heads out of their arses - you’ll be absolutely fine.

Your plans sound wonderful and very very safe.

Sounds absolute bliss. I'm well jel!
Have a great time.

I'm just back from a week there alone. Its fantastic. You'll have so much fun.
Yes it's scary sometimes. But it's an adventure.

You will have a wonderful time. Go and enjoy yourself.

Kindly, I would say to not let them project their fears onto you. They are telling you that they wouldn't feel brave enough to do this.
Go confidently & prove everyone wrong. Imagine how many women stay over in London (or abroad) for work. Go & enjoy your alone time. Send them regular updates or the odd photo to reassure them, but go & enjoy your solo adventures.

Your parents are being extremely silly, as you know. The only thing I’d suggest is that you make a detailed itinerary in advance because there is too much to do if just winging it (speaking as someone who habitually wings it).

I go to London regularly alone - sometime for
work and sometimes for pleasure.

if I took your parents attitude about travelling alone I would be sacked!!!

your Parents are completely out of touch and treating you like a child.

Covent garden is amazing to walk around in the evening - go to a show - explore the neighbourhoods. The tube is brilliant and you can go anywhere cheaply and quickly (if you don’t mind the sweaty crush!)

It sounds total bliss, do it. I had a fantastic weekend in London on my own few years back. Daytime happily mooching in Brick lane market, eating bagels and random shopping, visit to a couple of galleries, an evening cinema showing, early nights and lots of sleep. So relaxing. Go for it!