Things to do on a solo date in London

Dates aren’t just for couples! Why should you have to be in a relationship to enjoy the fun activities often reserved for dating?

You should be the most important person in your life – even if you’re in a relationship, you should treat yourself to the occasional solo date. Treat yourself to your favourite activities, spend time in your favourite places, and spend time on yourself.

We’ve put together a list of solo date ideas for you to try in London.

Visit a museum

Often free to visit, London’s museums offer a host of scientific and historic artefacts to whet your cultural whistle. 

The majority of museums and art galleries in London are completely free to enter and host a range of historic, prolific, and mysterious artefacts from around the world.

For an even more unique solo date, look out for which exhibitions are available before you visit. There may be an exhibition of your favourite artist’s work, a niche subject on show at the Natural History Museum, or an immersive experience at the Science Museum. Checking in advance is beneficial, as you may need to book tickets if there’s an exhibition on show that has high demand.

Watch a show at The Globe theatre

Got a passion for theatre, but not sure who would want to come and watch some Shakespeare with you? Just go by yourself!

Tickets to shows at The Globe Theatre start from just £5, and feature among the finest actors and directors in the country, all within the open air historic setting. 

Newbies to solo dating might think they’ll feel self conscious – like everyone is noticing they are by themselves – but it’s unlikely anyone will be looking at you when you’re standing or sitting in a crowd of people all focused on the action on stage.

Go vintage shopping

Vintage shopping is the perfect solo dating activity. With no one to slow you down or put doubts in your head about more adventurous vintage purchases, there’s nothing stopping you from enjoying all the vintage shops London has to offer (and there’s a lot of them!).

Get lost within the maze of Brick Lane Vintage Market (open every day of the week). Offering fashion delights from across the last century, there’s guaranteed to be a stall that caters to your tastes. 

Buy yourself some flowers

As Miley Cyrus taught us all with her hit song, you can buy yourself flowers! Why wait on someone else buying you a bouquet, when you can treat yourself?

Buying your own flowers means you can tailor your bouquet to your tastes, with all your favourite blooms included. Take yourself on a date to Columbia Road Flower Market (you might want to get up early to avoid the busier periods) and stroll down the road, considering the many varieties on offer.

Once you’ve taken your flowers home and put them into a vase, place them somewhere predominant in your home, where you’re likely to see them often. Not only will the small slice of nature inside provide a little mood boost, but a reminder of the time you put yourself first and know yourself better than anyone.

Try out a pottery or painting class

It can be hard to nurture your hobbies when you’re in a relationship, or even just if you’re a busy person. Treating yourself to a solo date is a great way to realise hidden passions for crafts. 

Whether you’re looking to retry something you enjoyed in the past, or try your hand at something new, it’s a great feeling to know that you planned the activity for yourself.

Revel in your own company and become immersed in creativity, or make friends with like-minded crafters. You’ll get to bring your creation home at the end of it too!

Take a swing at Swingers

It can be hard to stop being self-conscious when you’re alone, but a night out at Swingers provides the perfect distraction, and a great base for making new friends.

Take a whirl around one of our courses – you won’t have to ruin your flow by having to wait for anyone else, and can trust there won’t be any tampering with scorecards.

If the idea of a solo game of mini golf intimidates you, don’t worry – we’ve got a great bar serving delicious drinks, as well as mouth watering street food available. 

People come to Swingers to have fun, and there’ll be plenty of others around looking to socialise. It’s the perfect spot if you’re looking to make new friends.

Be a tourist in your own city

You might live in London, but how often do you stop and take in the historic sights around you? People travel from around the world to observe the delights London has to offer – what’s stopping you from doing the same?

We’ve all heard of Big Ben, Buckingham Palace, and the Tower of London, but have you ever taken a trip to go and see them and learn about their history? A solo date to go sightseeing in the town you live in is a great opportunity to pick up some knowledge and learn more about your local area.

Go for a walk

You don’t need to spend money or plan anything elaborate in order to treat yourself. 

There are a number of picturesque walks in London, whether that’s through one of the many parks (Battersea Park, St James’ Park, Hyde Park to name just a few) or tied into your sightseeing tour of the city.

Getting your steps in and getting out of the house can not only improve your physical health, but can also improve your mood.

Just as you might go on a picnic date with a romantic partner, you can also have a picnic by yourself, so take some snacks to enjoy while you sit and take in your surroundings.

Kew Gardens

Living in London can have you feeling like you need to go and “touch some grass” at times. Getting out into nature is a great grounding technique – if you’ve been stressed at work, or having issues in your personal life, the natural world can help you realise your problems might not be as big as you feel they are.

Kew Gardens is a beautiful, quiet destination to take yourself on a solo date. Combine fresh air with exercise as you walk around the plant-lover’s paradise. 

There are a number of different greenhouses to explore, laden with plants from various climates around the world. If you’re looking for a different perspective on things, take a walk along the tree walk (you might have to overcome a fear of heights for this!). You can even buy yourself a plant in the gift shop as a reminder of the trip.

Take a food tour

Going out for dinner by yourself might be too scary a prospect (although don’t let that stop you if you’re determined to visit your favourite restaurants by yourself!). A nice way to ease into dining alone is by visiting food markets.

Going to a food market is a less intimidating prospect as they’re often crowded places, with no formal seating – you can even perch on the edge of other people’s benches if you’re worried about taking up space by yourself. There aren’t any waiting staff around to ask “when will your date be arriving?”, or make you feel self conscious about eating by yourself.

There are a number of food markets around London, all offering delicious food from a variety of cuisines from around the world. Borough Market, Seven Dials, Mercato Metropolitano, Camden Market are just some of our favourite options around the city.

Treat yourself to a pamper

Nothing gets more “self-care day” than a good old fashioned pamper session! Whether you choose to get your hair done, go for a massage or facial, or get your nails done (or multiple treatments) – you’ll finish the day feeling your best self.

Make a real day of it and feel like the belle of the ball – you’re on a date, after all! A common phrase used after being pampered is that “you’ll feel like a new person” – but perhaps the day of self-care will leave you feeling your true self.