First Solo London Trip

Colleen I don't have much advice on details, like where to eat, ( I just never remember and tend to eat randomly where ever I am at the time I am hungary) but will say that London is a good choice for a solo first time visit, no language issues to worry about !
As for places to see, I love museums and galleries, it may not be every ones cup of tea, but I thoroughly enjoyed the Portrait Gallery( seeing portraits of many historical figures I have read about) , and I loved the Victoria and Albert Musuem. Of course one pricey but well worth every penny site is the Tower of London, I have gone twice and spent hours there, do join the included free tour done by the Beefeaters, its informative and humorous. I have stayed at places with little kitchenettes, so I also enjoyed cruising through some of the grocers and Marks and Spencers, great take out food, some you don't need to heat up , so great place to get cheap(er) food for lunches etc. I don't know how long you have in London, but great daytrips to do on your own are Bath and Hampton Court.. there are of course tons more which I am sure others will chime in with.

Do you have a copy of Rick Steves London? If not, get one (2013 edition). Even though London is not Rick's favorite place, and it shows in the book to some extent, he still has wonderful details of how to get around, and what to see and do, made simple and easy to follow for a first-timer. Once you've looked at that, you will want to look at other books and web sites for more ideas. A board like this (or TripAdvisor, Fodors, etc) is much better for specific questions that a book can't answer. "What should I see in London" is too broad. But for a question like "I'm particularly interested in British Navy history - are there any places I should look into?", travel boards are invaluable.

I was sort of like Rick in that, at first, it was not my favourite destination. That has changed and London has really grown on my. Most recently we were there over New Years. Some off-the-top-of-my-head advice: London is pretty big. Make it a goal to become comfortable navigating the underground. Get yourself an Oyster Card, which makes taking public transit so much easier. It's fun. If you like outdoor markets and chatting with vendors and nibbling your way through the morning, I highly recommend Borough Market. Very atmospheric. If you like bargain hunting at a hip/funky outdoor/indoor market, go to Spitalfields Market. Bonus points: it is where many of the Jack-the-ripper murders took place. It was once a seedy neighbourhood but is now young and happening. Plenty of good eats. Try the curry. Catch a musical on the West End. Well worth it. Its famous for a reason. Lion King & Les Mis were both very good. I second the Tower of London recommendation. My daughter is a huge Harry Potter fan, so we took her to the warner brothers studio tour, the Making of Harry Potter. It was well done, if you are into HP. Advanced booking recommended.
Food: London is packed with good pubs and we rarely went wrong with the pub grub. Order a pint of bitter and eat some comfort food. Just writing this has made me want to go back. Have a good trip!

Hi Colleen. What are your interests? Why are you going to London? I'm asking because my interests may not be the same as yours. I love museums and went to about one per day during the week that I was in London (British Museum, National Gallery, Tate Modern, Victoria and Albert Museum). That may be overkill for some people. I went on the Eye (pricey, but I love looking down on a city); took a daytrip to Canterbury to see its cathedral and castle; went to Portobello Road Market; visited St. Paul's (again, pricey, but it was a priority for me); went to the Tower of London complex. The Tube was a bit confusing for me and it took me a couple days to really understand how it works. Buy a Tube map now, along with a good street map (one that show EVERY street, because you will need it!) and study them starting now. I took the Eurostar from Paris so I can't help you with how to get to the city from LHR. And like Pat, I'm not a big foodie so I can't recommend any places to ear. I had a room with a kitchenette so I bought food at a grocery store and ate only one meal out a day, to save money. Pay attention to the weather and DRESS ACCORDINGLY!!! I don't get very cold but when I was there in September, the first 2 days I was there were rainy and windy and a chilling mid-50s. I didn't bring appropriate clothing so I was wet and freezing. My umbrella blew inside-out so much that it broke. Watch the weather, bring a lined, waterproof jacket and a sweater, and have fun!

Sarah is so right, I froze when I went mid march one year, it was sleeting, rainy , windy, I had brought a wool thigh length pea coat, but no gloves or hat, had to go buy some. The cold there is bone chilling because its so damp.

The Corinthia Hotel is near the Embankment tube station. From LHR, take the Piccadilly line to Hammersmith. At Hammersmith, exit the train and walk to the other side of the platform and take a District line train to Embankment.

I really enjoyed London walks, they have a great variety of walks to chose from.

Thank you everyone for the great tips so far! Laura thank you for the directions from LHR, do you think the tube is best or should I do a cab?

Don't forget waterproof walking shoes! They may not look too stylish, but if your feet get wet/cold, your day can be long and miserable. Smartwool socks are also great; the medium cushioned ones provide warmth and comfort for all the walking you will probably do. Socksaddict.com has this brand at somewhat discounted prices. Pub food is great and cheaper than a restaurant. Even though you've probably been to a Hard Rock cafe somewhere, the London one is the ORIGINAL. The food halls at Harrod's are amazing, and you can wander to your heart's content without buying anything. If the weather should be nice enough, grab take away and eat in Hyde Park or St. James Park. St Martin in the Fields (church w/ website) has concerts at more reasonable prices. If you go during the day, their crypt has a great cafe and bookshop and you can do a brass rubbing if you're interested. If enjoy musicals, you should have no trouble picking up a single ticket the day of a performance, even a half hour or so before the show opens. This is easier to do at the theater than waiting in line at the 1/2 price office in Leiscester Square where the price may not be 1/2 off.

Transport to your hotel is your choice. Cabs are enjoyable and your cabbie will be happy to share insights with you. Then again, getting use to riding the Tube is also an ideal way to experience London. Use Google Maps satellite view. Type in the address of your hotel and you'll see how ideally you are located to see Parliament, Westminster Abbey, The Eye, #10 Downing, The Thames, Horse Guards, and Trafalgar Square. ALL within easy walking distance from where you are staying. London is a walking town but if you tire the tube or busses provide excellent transport. Share a little of what you like to do when you travel and this collective will be happy to offer ideas. GREAT city to explore.

Take a cab from the airport ONLY if you want to spend lots of money. It will cost you more than you think. The Tube is easy to use and not daunting at all, unless you take alot of luggage. London is a great city with lots to do. It is also a fairly easy city to get around in. Wear comfortable, supportive shoes- you'll walk more than you think. We sometimes did 8-10 miles a day. Be sure to explore the markets if you have time. London also makes a good base for many day trips. I wrote an article for AAA Carolina's "Go!" magazine a few years ago about some of our favorite places in London and favorite/easy day trips by train. I modified it and posted on TripAdvisor at http://www.tripadvisor.com/Travel-g186338-c176673/London:United-Kingdom:London.And.Day.Trips.html We've been to London more than 40 times and still I still would go back at the drop of a hat (or a plane ticket.... lol). I think you will enjoy this trip.

Before you proceed to cross any street, look to the right and to the left to see the direction of traffic. Traffic flows opposite to the direction that traffic flows in the U.S. and most of Europe.

Colleen,
Hey. Hope you are well. I was in London this past December, and I did travel alone. Of course traveling with a partner can be cheaper, but you can do what you want when you want. From the airport I just took the subway & it was quick & very easy. Now if your arriving around the morning or evening rush hours.. I would sit & have cup coffee in airport. That's what I did. Oh make sure you go on the London Eye it was AMAZING & well worth the money. I hope you have a great time.

Depending on how long you are spending in London, you might like to take some day trips out of London by train. So many choices. We loved Brighton.

Tower of London and Hampton Court Palace are my top two must sees.

Hi Colleen... How exciting! I made my very first trip across the pond by myself, too! The Tube is efficient and cheap from LHR, but I used the hotel airport bus. It is SO much more exciting to arrive in the city above ground your first visit. I brought my husband along the next trip, and we arrived by tube, which was not the same. You might consider doing this, and it would be cheaper than a taxi. Alas, the hotel bus no longer uses the double deckers anymore. Just note I mean a HOTEL bus, not the local public bus. You could just go home via Tube. I second visiting Hampton Court. And if you love gardens, visit Kew. It should be beautiful in April, and it's a nice trip out of central London. If you have time, you might go to Windsor Castle, too. I hope you have Rick's book. You didn't mention how long you'll be there, but consider the flat rate Oyster card for the Tube. I would manage to get off on the wrong stop on occasion, so it's better than having to spring for extra fares if you do the same! (I did virtually all my travel by Tube, so it was worth it.) Have a wonderful trip. :)

The advice about using the underground is very accurate. It is easy to use and makes it possible to see more with less wear and tear. London is a large city. My favorite foods are the pub grub and fish and chips. I second the advice about a West End show, but also suggest a visit to the Globe Theater. If you do not want to see a Shakespeare play, a tour of the theater is still fun. American actor, Sam Wanamaker was instumental in its building. Not sure about using the tube with luggage. There is a shuttle bus service that is not too expensive that I have used. Not as fast, but easier to manage after that nasty trans-atlantic flight.

Colleen, London is a great city. You'll love it. Getting into the city from Heathrow: You have several options. The Tube's Piccadilly line, the Heathrow Express train, the Heathrow Connect train, a car service (like a personal taxi you book in advance), a bus or a taxi. My choice here is to take the Heathrow Express, especially after a long day of overnight travel getting there. It's about a 15 minute nonstop trip to London's Paddington Station, fronm where you cab grab a cab or take the Tube to your hotel. Cost: $18 dollars for me in 2011. The Tube and the Heathrow Connect are cheaper,but take longer and make more stops. (The Tube has no bins for luggage, but he Express does.) Cabs or a car are about 3 times the cost, and a bus is... well, it's a bus. All I want to do when I get to London is get to my hotel and collapse, so it's the Express for me. What to see in London: Depends on personal tastes and how much time you have, obviously. But, do not be swayed by stereotypical tourist recomendations. If something bores you at home, it will bore you in London. I'm a river fan and enjoy crossing Westminster Bridge and walking north along the South Bank and beyond until my feet ache. So, do your research. Also, check the weather forecast just before you pack. London is, umm, north of Florida.

I spent 3 days in London as a solo traveller on my first overseas trip. The first thing I did after checking into my hotel, was hop on the tube to Piccadilly Circus. From there I caught the hop on hop off bus. It was a beautiful warm evening. I sat up the top and for the next hour or so, soaked up all these amazing sites and landmarks. It still ranks as one of the most memorable and exciting moments of any of my overseas trips. I know there a lot of forumers who don't do HoHo buses, but I still think it is the best way to get an overview and feel for a city. Don't know if the Garfunkle Restaurant chain still operates, but I had dinner there a couple of times. It suited me fine. London Pubs are also a great place to eat.
I have caught a shuttle bus into London. On another visit, used the Heathrow Express. Tube is great if you don't have to haul a large bag up and down stairs.