I love London! This city has a lot to offer in terms of culture, food, nightlife, shopping and more. Additionally, it’s also a great home base for doing day trips to parts of the English countryside if your travel schedule allows. You’d really need multiple trips here to see and do all London has to offer, but below you’ll find my list of favorite things I’ve found so far. I’ll be adding much more to this Girls Guide to London as I visit again.
I wrote this post as a guide for creatives and solo female travelers to quickly find activities that cater to them. As a busy creative executive, I didn’t always have the time to source things out. I’d always wonder if I had missed out on an experience. My hope is that you will use this guide to quickly find activities that are of value to you. I will add my reviews here of new experiences as I do them, so check back often for the latest.
I’ve also found Candace Abroad to be a great resource. She’s an expat living in London, and she mentions a lot of wonderful hidden city gems in her blog.
(This is a pretty meaty blog post, so use the table of contents below to jump around to your favorite sections.)
THE GIRLS GUIDE TO LONDON
- THE GIRLS GUIDE TO LONDON
- ACTIVITIES
- Handsome Hats
- CREATIVE WORKSHOPS AND TOURS
- London Street Art
- Night Photography
- TOURIST LANDMARKS
- Piccadilly Circus
- Tower Bridge
- Carnaby Street
- Neal’s Yard
- Red Phone Booths
- Day Trip To Stonehenge
- Stonehenge: Solstice Tours
- FOOD
- Good Life Eatery
- Sketch London
- Borough Market
- FOOD TOURS + DINNER CRUISES
- COOKING CLASSES
- AFTERNOON TEAS
- ADDITIONAL TOUR INFO
- London Literary Tours: Your Favorite Books
- London Musical Tours: Your Favorite Bands
- Seasonal Tours: Fall + Christmas
- Day trips From London: Harry Potter Studio Tours
- Day Trips From London: Avebury, Brighton, Dover + Cotswolds
- Day Trips From London: Stonehenge
- London Boat + Bus Tours
- London Attractions, Bike + Walking Tours
- LINKS
- MAP
ACTIVITIES
Handsome Hats
Before heading to London, I did some research to see if there were any unique experiences I could find. This one caught my eye – it’s called Create a Custom Fascinator Hat over High Tea.
Like the name says, it’s a fun activity where you can create a fancy fascinator hat while sipping some delish tea and snacks.
Note: You should know how to sew before booking this experience as you’ll be sewing all items onto your hat. I loved this experience, it was well worth the investment and I love my fascinator!
CREATIVE WORKSHOPS AND TOURS
In addition to the sewing experience mentioned above, there are several workshops for creatives listed on Get Your Guide. Many of these are on my list to try on my next trip to London. I will update this guide once I try them and post a review, but I wanted to list them out here for creatives or women crafters who are looking for activities to build their skills.
London Street Art
I loved walking the different neighborhoods in the city and taking in the beautiful murals and street art. If you venture out to East London you can find some in Shoreditch and Hackney, as well as scattered throughout the city. If this is your thing, I found this blog to be a good resource.
One of my favorites was the Shakespeare mural located near 227 Clink Street near Borough Market.
I also stumbled upon this really neat musical sidewalk light installation in front of Mug House in the Montague Close tunnel (linkedin in Map below – you can see them on Google Street View). There are a bunch of blinking lights that synchronize to the tune of “London Bridge is Falling Down” that play as you walk by.
I couldn’t find any blogs or places online that mention it, so this is a little gem discovered by me. Check out the video above to see them.
If you’re looking specifically for street art tours, I’d check out the ones listed below. Several guide you on a tour of London’s street art, and let you participate in making street art as well!
Night Photography
London is absolutely beautiful at night! If you get a chance, walk around the city and take in the different light installations.
Some of my favorite night spots are Carnaby Street (near the sign), Piccadilly Circus, and the areas near the Knightsbridge metro station.
If you’re a photographer or looking to up your photo game, there are a few London tours specific to photography. They offer specialized areas like night photography or capturing colorful parts of the city. These are linked below if you want to check them out:
TOURIST LANDMARKS
Piccadilly Circus
As I mentioned above, Piccadilly Circus is a great spot to photograph at night. It’s also like the Times Square of London, with lots of street performers, entertainment, and theaters nearby.
It’s also a stone’s throw from a nearby health food store. So, if you’re traveling with food allergies like me, you’ll likely be able to find better options for meals and snacks. Most of the brands here are UK brands, but I was able to find substitutes for things I needed (almond milk, etc.)
Tower Bridge
This iconic landmark on the Thames river is worth a stop on your trip, and it’s fairly close to other tourist attractions like the Tate Modern museum and the Tower of London.
The closer you get to the bridge the harder it is to get all of it in your photo. Therefore, I’d recommend starting from further back near London Bridge and working your way towards Tower Bridge.
There is a beautiful walkway alongside the Thames River, and it’s nice to just walk along and enjoy this part of the city. The shot above was taken on the south bank near the HMS Belfast.
Carnaby Street
This vibrant, pedestrian-only shopping area in the Soho section of London is just a 5-minute walk from Oxford Circus and the Piccadilly Circus Tube stations. It’s great to experience it at night and in the daytime.
The 14 streets of Carnaby Street host everything from signature British brands, boutiques, and global chain stores, to over 60 independent cafes, restaurants and pubs with cuisine from all over the world.
There are also lots of artists and street performers here bringing a playful vibe to the area.
Neal’s Yard
This colorful corner of London is a haven for organic and sustainable shops in a hidden corner of Covent Garden.
Hues of Delahaye has a great write-up on the history of the area and how it was transformed into a holistic village community.
Stop by Neal’s Yard Remedies for natural skincare, try the cheese at Neal’s Yard Dairy, or grab a bite from one of the clean food restaurants in the courtyard like 26 Grains.
Red Phone Booths
London is known for its signature red phone booths, but since everyone uses cell phones now they don’t get much use.
We were actually warned by locals not to go in the phone booths, because people pee in them, and they smell strongly of pee. (I’m looking out for you in this girls guide to London, kay?!)
If you want to take photos, it’s better to stand in front of them, and not go inside.
Day Trip To Stonehenge
I did a lot of research, and the inner circle Stonehenge tour is the best because it offers a private inner circle tour of Stonehenge after it closes to the public (meaning you get to hop the rails and walk amongst the stones). So if this is something you want to do, make sure you search for “inner circle tour” when searching for Stonehenge tours.
Some options let you choose a sunset or sunrise tour (I opted for sunset), which is prime golden hour for taking photos.
Get Your Guide offers a few Stonehenge inner circle tour options. The tour I chose included the Stonehenge Inner Circle and stopped in the town of Bath, where we got to spend some time walking around and touring the Roman Baths. Additionally, we stopped in the quaint village of Lacock, where we had lunch at a cozy pub.
Plan to devote your entire day to the tour, as the pickup is early and you’ll need to conserve your energy for all the activities. Remember to bring cash for gratuities for tour guides, and money to purchase meals.
I got some amazing shots on my camera, and it was such a beautiful experience to walk amongst the stones. I even saw a rainbow on the ride there!
These tours often sell out, so I will list a few options below and more options without the inner circle access down below in the Day Tours section.
Stonehenge: Solstice Tours
If you happen to be visiting the U.K. in June, you may want to opt for the special Summer Solstice event at Stonehenge. This is a special time of year when the sun perfectly aligns with Stonehenge and rises directly over the Heel Stone, illuminating the center of the monument. You can see a few options below in case one is sold out:
FOOD
Good Life Eatery
Traveling with food allergies makes it very difficult to find places that have food options I can consume, and most hotel menus have little if anything I can eat on there which makes travel stressful for me.
I was lucky to find this cafe chain, Good Life Eatery, which has 4 locations in London, and has a healthy, sustainable menu that gluten, dairy-free, and vegan folks can enjoy.
They have a line of cold-pressed juices, smoothies, bowls, salads, and snacks to cater to healthy eaters. I’m partial to their gluten-free avocado toast.
With locations in Notting Hill, St. John’s Wood, Chelsea & Marylebone, it was an easy walk to one of them when I was staying in Knightsbridge.
Sketch London
The trendy spot is actually four separate restaurants in one, each with its own design and ambiance. It’s a favorite on my guide to London!
There is a tea room called The Gallery where you can reserve high tea from 11:30 – 4:30 PM. Additionally, they have the Lecture Room & Library where you can have a Michelin Star meal. The Parlour is their patisserie by day and a bar by night. Lastly, The Glade is more like a cocktail and appetizer lounge in the evening. If you are just looking for a cocktail, they also have the East Bar to service you.
It’s best to book in advance as the reservations fill up fast. When we came the Gallery was full, but they were able to seat us as walk-ins in The Glade and we enjoyed some drinks & appetizers there. It’s decorated like an enchanted forest, and I enjoyed the ambiance and food.
Borough Market
Borough Market is London’s oldest food market (since 1276!) with many options to satisfy your food cravings.
London has a great international food scene, and you can sample dishes from all over the world from the food stalls at Borough Market – from chorizo rolls, cheese toasties, moong daal dosas (India!), to Ethiopian beef stew and more.
Additionally, if you want a more structured or hands-on experience with British food, I’ll link some options below. London is famous for its international food scene! They have some of the best International cuisine. (I had amazing Lebanese food at Mamounia Lounge!)
FOOD TOURS + DINNER CRUISES
If you’re wanting to sample a lot of different British foods, a food tour may give you the most value for your money. As I mentioned above, London is well known for its international cuisine. I’ve linked out several options below:
COOKING CLASSES
If you’re more of a chef, here are some options for cooking classes where you can learn to make traditional British foods like scones.
AFTERNOON TEAS
I live for a good high tea service. A trip to the U.K. would be incomplete without experiencing a traditional British afternoon tea. Here are some options, and I will link more reviews in this section as I sample more tea services!
ADDITIONAL TOUR INFO
If you are looking for more day trips out of London or experiences, I’d recommend checking out Get Your Guide. I’ve done several of their tours across Europe and had a great experience with them. They have some cool features in their app, like the GPS locator that helps point you to the meeting spot for your tour which gives me peace of mind.
I know what it’s like to be a busy creative executive with little time to research activities, so I’ve gone through and reviewed all the London activities I think would be great for creatives, solo-female travelers or anyone looking for a fun girls day out. These are sorted by activity type, so hopefully you’ll be able to skim quickly to find what you need and save some time in your travel activity search. Several of these are on my list for my next trip to London. Happy Travels!
London Literary Tours: Your Favorite Books
From Shakespeare to your favorite children’s books like Harry Potter, Mary Poppins and Winnie the Pooh, London inspired many of their authors. Several landmarks in London served as the backdrop for the film adaptations of some of Britain’s most famous literature.
I haven’t seen any other city offer the amount of literary-inspired tours that London does — this is definitely something unique to this area. If books and their film adaptations are your fancy, check out these tours listed below:
London Musical Tours: Your Favorite Bands
Seasonal Tours: Fall + Christmas
Day trips From London: Harry Potter Studio Tours
Day Trips From London: Avebury, Brighton, Dover + Cotswolds
Day Trips From London: Stonehenge
Most day trips to Stonehenge include stops in other cities and landmarks. I’ve listed out all the options below and you can choose the one that best matched the areas you want to see.
London Boat + Bus Tours
London Attractions, Bike + Walking Tours
LINKS
I hope you’ve enjoyed this Girls Guide to London! Here are all the links for what I’ve mentioned above and a map to help you navigate your travels.
If you want to see some art inspired by my travels, check out my shop here.
Activities:
Stonehenge Tour:
- Get Your Guide Stonehenge Inner Circle Tour
- Get Your Guide London Tours
- Stonehenge Website
- Roman Baths
- Lacock
- Bath
Landmarks:
Food:
Resources:
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