London

After years of traveling to London for personal trips and having people tell me "you should be a tour guide" I finally decided to put fingers to keyboard and do it.

The nuts and bolts about me:  Since 2002, I have traveled to London 20 separate times.  Only ONE of those trips was not alone.  London is a fantastic city for solo travel since it's safe, for the most part, offers excellent public transportation (even though it is also very walkable) and has a bustling, energized pace that keeps even anyone from every being "lonely."

I also have stayed in various parts of Central London: Mayfair, Knightsbridge, Kensington, Earls Court, Whitehall, Southbank, Southwick, Holborn, Fitzrovia, Bloomsbury, Aldwych, Victoria, St. James, Westminster, Marylebone, and Covent Garden.  I have only stayed at the same hotel twice, since I like to change up the area of London I am in, or at the very least, the change to a different part of the same area.  I feel that staying in a place gives you the ultimate feel of what it is like in the small section of streets that you call your own for the time you are there, whether it long or short.  You get to know where the closest pub is, pharmacy, food store, etc.  You become part of that area, even if only for a matter of days.  Though, in a large city like London, maybe people do not spend much time near their hotel, I do.  I like to wander around where I am staying, getting my bearings and acclimating to the environment.  I also like to be close to my hotel after 9pm or so (unless I have a show or performance) since I can have a pint or two at the local pub and not worry about a long walk or Tube ride home.

The purpose here is to share what I have learned by visiting and by the extensive research I have done over the years.  I am a librarian at heart and much of my pre-trip time is spent researching the area I have selected to stay in.  When I get there, I already have pretty much the lay of the land.

I can help you find the perfect area to make your home base.  Again, London is a very walkable and easy city to maneuver since they have a state-of-the-art public transportation system, as well as thousands of taxis.  But, I have found it nice to make my home base an area of town that provides me with the most conveniences and options.  Each district of London has a different vibe and flow so you want to make sure that you find a part of town in which you will feel comfortable.  London hotels are FAR from cheap so you want to make sure that your money is well-spent on where you position yourself in one of the greatest cities in the world. 

This blog will cover the general basics, but also each section of London.  Like any large metropolitan city, London is compiled of many districts/areas, all of which together give the city its flavor but separately, have an identity of their own.   For each area, I will speak of the general feel, things to do, transportation (Tube stations, bus routes, etc.), shopping, entertainment (concert/music venues, theatres, etc.), food and drink and accommodations.