Best of London Dec. 3rd

I really don't know of a way to connect in advance other than posting the way that you did and hope someone looks.

I did want to mention that if you haven't already looked for/purchased "Christmas at Kew" tickets for one of your free evenings on tour, do it now. This is absolutely the nicest Christmas light display I have ever seen. My comment was, "I feel like I am in a Hallmark movie." Tickets can sell out so check your tour itinerary and then see if you can snag a ticket. It looks like day 3,4,5 are all free for you to make your own evening plans. It is easy to get to Kew via the Tube and then it is a 5 minute walk down a street filled with other pedestrians doing the same thing. No safety issues for a woman alone. They have various food booths along the course that you walk through the gardens.

Wholeheartedly agree about going to Kew Gardens.

BTW I’ve done 2 RS Tours solo. Istanbul and Florence. Both memorable excursions. You’ll have a great time.

London is my favorite city on the planet. Been visiting for nearly 50 years. Always changing yet always the same.

Be sure to attend theatre.

I enjoy pub lunches. Especially in Winter months. Wonderful soups, pot pies and stews to ward off the chill.

Yes, single women can enjoy solo dining in pubs. Pubs are not like American bars. You’ll find mothers and grandmothers seated with babies in prams, entire families, dogs, an occasional cat in pubs.

In the city center I like the gorgeous Viaduct Tavern.
On the River Thames path The White Cross in Richmond. Can’t beat the Hoop and Grape which escaped the London Fire. Lastly, I still dream of the pumpkin and sage soup I had at The Dove pub in Hammersmith.

I also like stoping in a Tesco or Sainsbury for a meal deal and finding a park bench to sit on as I eat my sandwich and crisps. Great for people watching while resting lower back and feet.

A few other Christmas traditions to enjoy:
Check to see if there’s a Santa Run scheduled that you can watch.

Look for choral presentations in churches.

Walk into an open church and look for Christmas cards boxes that are for sale.

See the Christmas lights on Oxford, Regent and Bond street. Visit the Southbank.

Are you a book person? Word on the Water is worth a gander then walk along the Regents Canal path.

Visit Liberty. Unique and nicely decked out for Christmas.

Wander about Spitalfields. Got my Christmas cards there last year. Plentiful food booths and artisans. www.spitalfields.co.uk

Finally, don’t forget museums are free. You could spend an entire day in the V & A or British Museum.

Personal favs: Sir John Soanes, Horniman Museum, Museum of Steam and Water, and The Cinema Museum.

London is great city. Have a wonderful time.

If you have questions PM me. Happy to share intel.

RSE policy's been to keep the group's contact information private as most people prefer. During the tour, someone (RS can't initiate) might circulate a sign-up sheet where people can share email info, so people can share photos if they want.

Thanks for the ideas! Really appreciate the input

We are on the same trip as you! Sent you a private message.