I often travel with my family, but I just went to London by myself for the first time. It's the perfect city for solo travelers.

11.12.2024 - 11:15 / insider.com

I didn't grow up in a family that traveled. The first time I vacationed outside the US was on my honeymoon, and just a few years after getting married, our first child was born, significantly slowing down our travels. It's only been since my kids got older that I've been traveling to spots I've always wanted to visit, like Italy and Mexico's Baja California peninsula .

London has always been on my travel bucket list, but flying a family of four to Europe can be pricey. I'm 44 years old and have accomplished a lot over the last two years, from losing 100 pounds with the help of weight loss surgery to breaking up with alcohol and celebrating a year of sobriety. Recently, I decided to do something outside of my comfort zone and traveled to London all alone. As it turns out, it was a lovely city to visit on a solo trip.

Sure, I've read about the London Underground (the tube) in books and seen it in movies, but actually landing at Heathrow Airport and hopping on the tube to get to my hotel felt surreal. I fly often, so the long plane ride from Florida didn't feel much different than other travels, but there something about stepping onto the tube was empowering. I realized I'd arrived in London and was about to go on the solo adventure of a lifetime.

To my relief, the tube was surprisingly easy to navigate. I found the line needed to get to my hotel and settled in to watch London roll by through the windows as I traveled.

I stayed in the Stratford neighborhood of London at a fairly new Yotelpad hotel location. I flew direct from Miami to London and stayed at a Yotelpad in Miami, too, both before and after my flights. If there's one tip I'd give solo travelers , it's to stay at a hotel chain that's the same during every stop on your trip, as I found it comforting not to be disoriented by getting used to a new hotel as I changed locales and time zones.

After checking in, I spent the day exploring the area — including seeing the Olympic-sized pool built for the 2012 games — which came in handy later when I needed to hop onto the tube or grab a morning cup of coffee.

From eating Indian food on Brick Lane to seeing Big Ben to shopping (and eating) my way through Borough Market, the trip allowed me to check off many things I've only dreamed about doing. And it was incredibly empowering to do them independently, even though I missed sharing the experiences with my husband and kids.

Would I recommend London to other solo travelers? Absolutely. Not only is the city easy to navigate between the tube, buses, and walking, but every Londoner I met was incredibly kind and helpful. Minus a few warnings about pickpockets, I never felt unsafe walking around or riding public transportation.

My only regret is