Solo in London

jennyv1968, welcome to the forum. Here's some planning advice from the Rick Steves' website, under the Explore Europe link: london itinerary
It sums up a lot of stuff better than can be related in a thread. But the real answer depends on what your interests are - art, history, shopping, theater, etc. You might want to look into one of those quick and dirty sightseeing tours that will cover a lot of the main attractions.

I love last minute trips! Whenever I saw a fare sale, I used to grab them and go for long weekends since it’s so easy to do from JFK. I miss those days!

When is your trip? There is a ton to see & do so I think it’s best you look at a London travelbook and decide for yourself what interests you and create your schedule that way. If you love the theater for example, look online to see what is being performed in the West End and buy a ticket. You can pick your seat. Have a great time!

My first trip abroad was solo to London in 2011; I have since returned 3 times, so there's no end of things to do in this glorious city. Depends on your interests, really, but for my 5 day trip I went to the Tower of London, V&A, Tate Modern, British Library, Portrait Gallery, Portobello Road for the Saturday market, Westminster Abbey, Churchill War Rooms, a guided day trip to Windsor Castle, Cambridge and Stonehenge, and took the train to Edinburgh for a day.

Subsequent trips included Buckingham, Kensington and Hampton Court palaces, British Museum, tour of Parliament (one of my favorite tours, fascinating), London Transport Museum near Covent Garden, day trips by train to Greenwich, Bletchley Park, Brighton, Bath, and Canterbury, Camden Market and a guided day trip to see Highclere Castle and other Downton Abbey sites.

I'll always add new places, but each trip has included time at the Tower to see the ravens, Saturday at Portobello Road and the V&A because they always have some wonderful special exhibits.

Should have stated this in my post. I’m currently in Europe for 3 weeks. London is the last leg of my trip. I’ll be there 9/20-9/25.

@christa thank you for so many helpful suggestions!! I think I’ll try to duplicate your itinerary.

I am in London right now! I did allot of research and was so glad that I did. I have been having to juggle my itinerery because of the effects of Queen Elizabeths death. Having all the links in one place has been nice. If you want to see my itinerery spreadsheet...https://docs.google.com/spreadsheets/d/1A4cKLif-0sGMSnc16-szf3rizkH_o-P1hVpI8S60H88/edit?usp=drivesdk

You’ve received good advice so far. Here are a few other options depending on your interests.

You may want to check out London Walks. The tours last 2 hours and are quite informative and interesting. They offer a variety of options. You should book online in advance.

https://www.walks.com/

Borough Market is a fun place to visit for lunch and to see a variety of shops.

http://boroughmarket.org.uk/

It appears that Westminster Abbey will not be open to the public until Sept. 23. You should book online in advance if you want to see it. Also, if you can book for an early time slot, then sign up for a Verger’s tour once you arrive, it’s well worth it.

https://www.westminster-abbey.org/visit-us/prices-entry-times

If you want to see any plays or other types of performances, check out this site to see what’s playing,. You can book through the site or go to the theatre website.

https://www.whatsonstage.com/

It’s worth it to enjoy walking through some of London’s parks, especially as a break between indoor tours and museums.

All the best,

Raymond

If there’s availability at this late date definitely try to book tickets to the Tower and Westminster Abbey.

Absolutely see theatre. Check online to see what productions might be offering 1/2 tickets.
https://officiallondontheatre.com/tkts/

Interesting spots:
St Brides Church for Evensong
Brick Lane, Spitalfields and the wall murals in Shoreditch
Design Museum
Walking In Richmond Park or the Hampstead Heath
Have lunch at The Dove pub or the Angel and The Crown in Richmond
London Wetland Center
Walk along the Thames path
Visit Leadenhall Market
Watch crew on the Thames
Visit Syon House and Gardens

Lots to explore and experience in London: check out whatsonstage, TimeOutLondon, the Londonist, LondonXLondon, and a Girl In London websites.

My favorite city on the planet. Enjoy!

I too will be traveling solo in London come November. I just received the new RS London book yesterday and I will be diving into that book to understand which sites I will need to book online in advance so I'm prepared as much as I can be. Also I purchased a good map which is essential to understand where all the sites are located. Also I've used the RS audio tours many times and have found them truly helpful.

Good luck and Happy Travels

I second fcraymond76's suggestions of Borough Market and London Walks.

I've done both solo, and enjoyed the Walks slightly more than I did with a companion.

You have received great suggestions from everyone, and great lists from Christa and Claudia.

Take a look at Rick's Pocket London guidebook, which is a good bit smaller than the full size guidebook.
It's 4 1/2" x 6", 1/2 " thick and weighs only 9 oz. ($13)
Perfect for slipping into your purse. It's full of good information and has a fold-out map.
https://store.ricksteves.com/shop/p/pocket-london

You will need an adapter for your electronics.
This can be purchased at the Rick Steves shop (link above).

I agree with the suggestions for London Walks.
Take a look at the walks here at their website and see what interests you:
https://www.walks.com/

Borough Market is an open-air food market on the south side of the river in Southwark.
Worth a walk around if you have time.
These are food stands, dozens of them, and vendors selling everything from fresh from the farm vegetables to cut flowers and wines.
Good place to grab a sandwich, but most eating after you purchase will be while you're walking.
There are vendors selling cheese, where you can grab a sample; barbeque sandwiches, chicken sandwiches, bakeries; lots of choices.
There are few places to sit down--some picnic tables behind Southwark Cathedral, but those have always been occupied when I've been there.
It can get congested on Saturdays--actually packed elbow to elbow.
Perhaps go on Friday to avoid those crowds.

Do make a bit of a plan, otherwise you get overwhelmed and just wander around, not even knowing what famous residence, or important historical place, you are walking past. I like to walk past old residences of people I have read and heard about. Jimi Hendrix' old apartment for example (which you can apparently visit). You can't do everything there is, but certainly at least one museum is in order. I would NOT go to the Victoria and Albert Museum, although a lot of it is free: it is just massive, and you would waste a lot of time. But that is just me... A boat trip down to Greenwich is a good way to spend a day though. You can bus it back. It puts the city in perspective.

My suggestion about booking in advance is this.....if there is something you really want to see, and it is known to get crowded, book it in advance.

I believe the RS London guidebook says which sites need to be booked ahead of time. Follow its suggestions.

In regards to "what to see," you have been given a lot of suggestions. But what matters is what interests you. If you have no interest in something dont go just to please someone else.

As an example, in Dublin, not London, on my first two visits, I forgot to book a visit to the Kilmainham Gaol. I couldn't get in. On my third visit, I did book ahead of time and had no problem seeing it.

Sometimes, booking ahead saves you time.

Cerastez, that is quite a spreadsheet! And yes, useful in making changes and staying organized during this visit in particular, I would think.

I went on the RS southern England tour solo and spent 3 days in London before the tour. It was my first time in Europe and I found London’s public transportation very easy to navigate using the Citymapper app. I love the flexibility of traveling solo. I hope you have a wonderful trip!!