To go on my own? Looser?

[itsrainingandpouringgg]

I'm in my 30s and I've never been anywhere on my own overnight.
I really want a night away somewhere.
I've never been to London in over 16 years.
I really want to go for 2 days /1 night and just do some sightseeing /shopping
Would I be a looser to go alone?
I've found a return fare from Newcastle for £30 and hotel for £59 (copthorne Tara)
Do I just go ?
Would you go?
Is this a bad time due to covid ?

I've decided not next week but the week after I will go for it.

Do it. Do it. Do it. Do it.

I'm here now. It's bloody lovely. Much quieter than normal but I like that.

Hope you have a lovely time. Please come back and update us all xx

I always go to places on my own, if I didn't I'd never go anywhere. Just spent a week in Cornwall on my own. It was great.

Another one saying do it! Sounds blissful. Quite jealous

The only thing that puts me off going anywhere alone is not having anyone to discuss things with.
So if you go to USA and see the statue of liberty I'd want to discuss with someone - like oh wow it's bigger than I thought. Or the theatre I would want to talk about it afterwards.

Does anyone find the lack of discussion difficult?

Doing things solo is amazing - I had a fab trip to Vancouver last year and while I was there, decided to head to San Fransisco for an overnight visit. Love being able to make and change plans without having to take others’ opinions into account! I often take weekend breaks and theatre trip solo if non of my friends are available or want to see the same show.

@Sunrise234 keeping a diary is good for that.

Plus what you lose in live discussion you gain in having more attention bandwidth to notice things you wouldn't otherwise. And you never know who you might get into conversation with.

Oh my god do it! You wont regret it. If you are worried about the evening take a good book/tablet for something to watch and have a lovely bath. Or relax on the bed with loads of snacks if baths arent your thing. You'll love it!

Oh God, go! Pre-COVID, I travelled the world for work and whenever time and logistics allowed, I would book a day or two for a mini break in a cool place. Loads of people upthread have pointed out how easy it is to be anonymously alone in a big city - it’s pretty liberating. And fun! And you can please yourself. Definitely not a loser - once you get a taste for it you’ll never look back. (I say this wistfully, having not been anywhere properly on my own since March and longing for my next work trip 😂)

@Palavah That is a great idea!!

Do it! I've done it and it's fine.
You won't be the first or last customer staying there on your own

I'm going to do it.
I can't wait.
Do you think Leicester Square is a good area to stay in ?

One of my favourite things to do is to go shopping in London on my own, I don't enjoy it as much with someone else. Tbf I don't stay over as I only live an hours train ride away. I get the earliest off peak train, head for Oxford Street and shop. I stop for a nice lunch and treat myself to wine or cocktails. I just get the train home once the shops have closed. You have made we want to go and do some sightseeing and a show with an overnight stay now though op. Enjoy!

Where do you especially want to go? Leicester Square is very central and well connected for tubes. Will you train come into kings cross? If so it’s a very short journey to the hotel to drop luggage and then walkable from Leicester Square to Covent Garden or Oxford street / Bond Street for shopping, or a short tube journey to Knightsbridge if you’re more in the Harrods / Harvey nics price bracket.

Leicester Square is also in the heart of theatre land - you don’t mention wanting to see a show but there’s several returns kiosks round there if you want to take a chance and see something (I think theatre is reopening? Not sure on individual shows).

Russel square has a number of big hotels and is handy for kings cross / Euston and it’s got the British museum if that’s your kind of thing.

The kings cross area itself has had a real uplift in the last few years. Granary square area has some street food type stalls and some quite good shopping.

Most theatres arent open again yet

I’m just back from London. It’s so much quieter that it ought to be, which is nice in some ways, but also a bit sad. Some bars and cafes are still closed, maybe for good. If you must go to Buck Palace (personally I find it a bit dull peering through the bars a a posh house) make sure you walk through St James park and take some nuts for the squirrels!

Covent Garden is nice in the evening, stroll along the South Bank, maybe a museum, though you will have to book in advance. Take plenty of masks and sanitizer. Have fun!

Sounds amazing! How liberating. Go for it and have a great time.

@Hobbes8 I would have loved to see a show but not sure what's open at the minute.
I was thinking Leicester Square as I can walk most places from there and won't need to be on the tube as much.

Do it I went to many of music concerts with over night stays on my own when I was in my mid twenties.
I really wanted to see bands that non of my friends liked I didn't want to miss out on the opportunity to see them live so I built up the courage to go on my own instead and to this day I'm still proud that I did something like that rather than let things pass me by or worry about what people May think.
And I would still do the same now in my 30s I would happily go off and do something on my own if no one else wanted to join me.

@Struckbylightning thinking about it I'm not sure I will do Buckingham palace.
I'm not sure if there's any point.

God no. Just do it. I often fantasise about leaning the kids with dh and just going to hotel alone for some me time.

I was thinking of just doing a day trip but it would be a long day I think.

@itsrainingandpouringgg I wouldn't bother going into Buckingham Palace but if you're confident navigating then you can walk through Hyde Park and down the Mall and see it from the gates.

London is very quiet at the moment - Covent Garden was almost empty on Tuesday. Not quite ghost town vibes, but far from a normal summer. That does mean you don't get the buzz from just wandering around that you'd normally get (no street entertainers, for one thing), but all the shops and restaurants are open and the market is always worth a look.

I wouldn't bother with the Tower of London if you want to do other stuff, it takes hours to get around.
If you don't get seasick you could go sightseeing on a Thames Clipper boat