London by myself- what should I do?

[User050105]

I'm going to London next week with dh, but he's working during the day. Usually we go with kids and meet up with family with kids and do kid friendly things. The highlight of our last trip was Airthrill in Catford and looking at the outside of Brentford football stadium.

But this time it's adult only, we're staying really centrally. So grown-up London is my oyster.

I like reading and knitting, so any great shop recommendations?

I'm interested in history, social history in particular. I might visit the foundling hospital, is that interesting? Is there anything to see around Woolwich Arsenal? I had ancestors there. But I can't work out if there is any sort of museum, I suspect not?

I like interesting buildings, I think I'll visit the Tate Modern, but I'm not madly interested in modern art so will mainly just look at the building.

Nice areas to wander round and drink coffee and read books? Covent Garden?

Should I take a day trip somewhere further afield, is Hampton Court Palace worth a visit?

I still have a notion to visit the dinosaurs in Crystal Palace. I realise they're probably not very interesting but I'd like to see them all the same.

Oh and maybe nice cocktail bars. I'm not that interested in shopping.

Any suggestions welcome. I've wanted kid-free time in London for so long and now I have it I don't know what I want to do with it.

I've only got 3 days as well.

Okay I'm definitely going to swim. Duck poo or not. I live near the sea and we're always getting warnings about water quality so I'm hardy.

And I'm definitely going to the dinosaurs. Even if they're not very exciting. And I'll wander round the museum. I'm pretty good at tuning out other people's kids when I don't have my own with me so that doesn't matter.

I'll fill in the time round those with some of your other suggestions of walks and coffee shops. I've visited Brompton Road cemetery before and enjoyed that so maybe Highgate Cemetery.

Then I still have 1 day to fill. Maybe Hampton Court.

@User050105 Crystal Palace Park itself it's fascinating/bizarre. Full of headless statues.

Outdoor swimming recommendations
https://thenudge.com/collections/outdoor-swimming-pools-london/

https://www.houseandgarden.co.uk/gallery/outdoor-swimming-london#:~:text=Our%20favourites%20include%20the%20Hampstead,the%20middle%20of%20Hyde%20Park.

Best to book. The Lidos get v busy.

@User050105 I’d definitely agree with Beckenham Place as mentioned by someone else - it’s not too far from Crystal Palace (although from memory 2 buses) and has “wild” swimming (as wild as you get in that bit of south London, anyway).

Yaaay @User050105 Dinosaurs! You won't regret it. They are a brilliant piece of history in and of themselves. A Victorian idea of dinosaurs. Anatomically wrong, but brilliantly so. I've got a book about them and everything.

The park itself is great with an interesting history, a people's park. One of my favourites. Sits between several boroughs so always on the edge of chaos. If you like breakfast, get one at the park café Brown & Green.

The Museum of London has been closed for the last three years. It will be reopening in a couple of years at Smithfield.

The site at the Barbican is being demolished unless a local pressure group gets its way.

Not read all the suggestions but I’d suggest Sir John Soames museum, Eltham Palace or Leighton House. Much of the Horniman is closed for updates at the moment. Also the Wallace Collection, but you said you’re not so into art, a lovely place for a grown up lunch you can go to without seeing the collection.

Eltham Palace is fascinating. The Henry Vlll bit and especially the fabulous Courtald family extension. Interesting social history!

The Hornimann is definitely not at its best, being refurbished, lots closed and missing. And the cafe isn’t conducive for an adult experience.

@RedRosie will you be my friend? Can I read your book?

I recently read a book by Tracey Chevalier about Mary Anning and all the new discoveries that were happening at that time. It must have been so amazing. That made me think again about the dinosaurs.

I'll walk around pretending I'm an awestruck victorian seeing these amazing creatures for the first ever time.

@User050105 100% Kenwood Ladies Pond for swimming (the mixed ponds are not as nice). It doesn't feel dirty - it's fed by fresh springs.
Need to be a confident swimmer as it's deep all round, no place to stand. There are some floating rings dotted about to hold on to.
Beware there is no phone signal by the ponds, so check your travel plans ahead of time.
Between 7am-11am no booking is required, after that it's recommended to book as soon as tickets are released (I think its on a Monday, but check the website).
Kenwood House has nice views too, and a lovely cafe with outdoor seating.

The cocktail bar up on the top floor above Waterstones Piccadilly really is NOT nice. Grubby seating, awful drinks, just had a very run down vibe to it, very disappointed I was.

I think you mean Columbia Road for the flower market.

Founding Museum is really moving but quite small. You wouldn't spend long there. If you go there you could also wander down lovely Lamb's Conduit St or wander through Russell Sq to British Museum. The Foyles on Charing Cross Rd is near the British Museum and is a great place to to explore if you like books.
If you're going to Tate Modern, you could get the Tate to Tate boat along to Tate Britain. From there you can walk along the river to Battersea Power Station.
If the weather is nice, you can't beat the big parks: Hyde Park, Green Park, St James Park, Regents Park Hampstead Heath.
It's nice to get out of the centre. A day mooching round Primrose Hill, Hampstead, Highgate etc is lovely.

One bus- the 227 from the Penge end of CP park, and then get off by the church in beckenham from which it's about a 15 minute walk. It's hot, so you'll need to book for a lake swim. You can get a fast train from beckenham junction back into town.

I went to this show on Saturday morning - Violas room- it was fantastic !

The garden cinema for a mid afternoon film

Go up Horizon 22 in bisphopsgate great view over London. Free entry, try just turning up bookings on line always full

Seconded. It is a truly magical experience. Could also combine with Highgate Cemetery and/or Keats’ House.

If you’re interested in social history, https://dennissevershouse.co.uk/.

I would do theatre and nice lunches. Also a swimming pool, has your hotel got one? If not try Battersea art’otel or The Ned club rooms for a London rooftop pool experience

Museum of Childhood, Wallace Collection & V&A
I would do a boat trip
I love both Hampton Court & Kew Gardens as they remind me of all my childhood summer holidays when we would visit both - if I could only do one and the weather was good it would be Kew

Earlier this year I did a behind the scenes tour of the Royal Opera House - it was so interesting - we finished with drinks outside on their roof bar overlooking Covent Garden which was a nice spot

Covent Garden in general & around Chelsea

Libertys
We went last week to London and went to Fortnums but it was very busy

Just a walk through the London parks or maybe BuckinghamPalace with tea after in the gardens

Hampton Court is a brilliant idea. You can get there by train or boat. It's a long boat ride from central London but you could go to Kingston or Richmond by train or tube ( Richmond only) and pick up a boat there. Alternatively you could go to Kew Gardens. You can easily spend a day there.

Woolwich Arsenal: I visited last year (I also have family connections from there) - sadly the museum is no longer there but you can walk around and see the historic buildings. There is at least one cafe and sometimes there are guided tours - https://www.woolwich.works/events/tour-of-woolwich-works. There is also the Woolwich ferry across the Thames, a short trip which would have been familiar to people living in the area.
Crystal Palace dinosaurs - I would love to visit these myself. They feature in ‘The Enchanted Castle’ by E. Nesbit.
Dr. Johnson’s House in Gough Square (off Fleet Street) is open from Tuesdays to Saturdays.

If you go to Crystal Palace Park, as well as Hornimans and Beckenham Place Park, Dulwich Picture Gallery is also nearby. Dulwich Village is a nice area to walk around, as well as Dulwich Park. Crystal Palace triangle is good for restaurants and bars for a lunch whilst out. It also has a bookshop.

Museum wise I'd recommend the V&A. We ended up in there accidentally as couldn't get tickets for the science museum or natural history museum- it's great.

Hampton Court Palace is a great day out, I'd highly recommend. Do the audio tours. Super interesting, beautiful grounds.

Oh and another tip - don't try and cram too much in, focus on one or two things - do a morning thing, nice lunch, afternoon thing.

Hampton court is easily a whole day.