Where to in London for a solo trip?

[FizzyStream]

I've got the opportunity to go for a solo trip for 2-3 nights child and DH free and I'd like to go and have a mosey around London. I'm not massively familiar with it and have only been 6-7 times in my 42 years but I'd really enjoy some time to visit some historic places / palaces without anyone whinging at me!

Does anyone have any recommendations in terms of where to stay? Where to visit? Where to eat so I don't look odd being on my own?!

Budget isn't huge so can't stretch to Michelin starred restaurants or 5* hotels but would prefer something better than a Travelodge.

I'm not into loud, trendy, city type places so if there is anywhere that's quieter or quaint (if there is such a thing in the capital) then that would suit me nicely. Anything with a bit of history attached. I'm prepared to bob around on the underground so quite happy travelling about to visit places. I want to fit in as much as possible!

TIA

If you fancy a theatre trip, I would really recommend the Globe. There are tickets at £5 for every show (standing) and even the more expensive tickets are a lot cheaper than the West End. DD and I have seen quite a few things standing and it is absolutely fine (and a proper bargain).

Pop into the Wallace Collection on Manchester Square. It's a hidden gem.

I have stayed in Brixton a few times but I would not feel safe as a solo traveller going back after a show at night. It's the last stop on the underground and can be quite isolated. It's just a few minutes walk from the underground but not something I would do alone at night.

100% this. You can walk from Bankside east and west and see a lot in a few days. Also loads of nice restaurants in the area that wouldn’t be weird to visit solo. We stay at the Premier Inn Tate Modern but if I was on my own I’d stay at The Hoxton.

I've booked a premier inn hub (nicer than a travelodge) in Shoreditch for £46 a night for Feb.

I go all the time and I've never paid more than £90 a night for accommodation.

I work in London and often have to stay overnight. I find perfectly nice Airbnb rooms in a flat with a single woman or family for £40-80. You absolutely can stay quite cheaply still in London if you aren’t going for big chain hotels or super central touristy like Russell Square. I personally really like Greenwich but I don’t tend to stay there.

As for things to do, I always try to have food I can’t get at home when I have a meal out. So really good Japanese, Korean or South Indian.

I really want to go to the Gardening Museum. I love a wander along the Southbank too.

Restaurants where you can eat at the bar are my favourite for solo dining. I recommend Barrafina or Miznon in Soho or any branch of Sticks & Sushi. Brasserie Zedel and Bob Bob Ricard are great fun and very atmospheric.

An art gallery would be on my list and the Sir John Soane museum is worth a look. In Holborn, free entry. It's an incredible treasure trove of antiquities.

I would also spend a morning in Hatchards.

You will get best value for money if you airbnb or stay south of the river.

I am so jealous! Have an amazing time!

I absolutely love to go to Hampton court Palace for the day as a big history lover. You can easily spend hours there. It's a short train from central.

Tower of London is also great for quite a few hours pottering around.

I used have an Art Pass and the little book that comes with it is brilliant for ideas.

I like to mix up big name museums and galleries with more obscure ones that I hadn't heard of like the fan museum (I think that was near Greenwich), the comic museum and the gallery with a load of Heath Robinson artwork (I can't remember where that was but it was a nice little place in the middle of a park, somewhere on the outskirts).

Check out the V&A Museum in South Kensington. It's free although there is a charge for some of the exhibitions.

If you go to the Tower then do the Beefeater tour - I normally prefer to wander round places on my own but this one is totally fascinating and free!

Would second the recommendations for Sir John Soane's museum & Dennis Sever's House.

If you like art they is immersive monet experience just off brick Lane, it rotate artist and it's lovely to visit. Loads of places to eat around there too in Spitalfields.

Dennis severs house is interesting if you love history too.

If you want pure relaxation try aire roman spa bath off the strand

Go and see Operation Mincemeat!

Also Standing at the Sky’s Edge

Travel: Just make sure you use the same card all day so that it stops charging you at the daily cap.

West Hampstead is a good call. It's nice and has fantastic transport links. It's fun and interesting to walk to Hampstead from there.

Free - V n A, Natural History Museum, British Museum, National Gallery, Portrait Gallery, Wallace Collection, Imperial War Museum (great exhibition Spies, Lies and Deception), Tate Modern and Tate Britain. Covent Garden, Borough Market.
Maybe take a boat down the river from Westminster to Greenwich.
Don’t go to Harrods but Fortnums and Masons is nice for a walk round.