Everyone needs to solo travel at least once in their life. I cannot emphasize this enough. My solo trips have resulted in some of my favorite memories and have allowed me to meet the coolest people. This post is not only to inspire you to solo travel but also give you some practical advice on how to solo travel. I took my first international solo trip to London from the United States when I was just 17 years old and have been learning how to do it better ever since!
When you travel with someone else or in a group, you naturally close yourself off from meeting other people. You already have someone(s) to go to dinner and converse with, and so you typically won't strike up conversations with strangers. By going solo you'll make so many new friends and have experiences that you would have never thought to do in a group. One time in Belgium on a solo trip I struck up a conversation with the waiter at the restaurant I was eating at and ended up drinking wine with the whole kitchen staff after the restaurant had closed. They even took me to a "locals only" bar afterwards and I met all their friends. It is one of my favorite travel memories and I would have never spoken to that waiter so in depth had I been with someone else at dinner.
Plus, I truly believe you experience so much self-growth and build confidence and competence when you travel solo. You have to navigate unknown situations on your own making you resourceful and quick thinking. These skills apply to all other aspects of your life. After moving to Paris solo, I grew so much in my career, from being the person who was too afraid to speak up to someone fearless to voice her opinion, all because I learned to be fearless in other aspects of my life.
All that said, here are my top tips for traveling solo:
#1: Start Small
Take yourself out on some solo dates before taking your first trip. Get comfortable doing things alone. Go out to dinner, take a pottery class. Grab a coffee and don't bring your laptop or your phone. For your first trip go somewhere domestic or within driving distance of where you live. Stay one or two nights, even a day trip for your first trip! Explore this foreign town on your own and understand how to navigate a new city. Ask strangers for recommendations, dine alone, meet new people.
#2: Making Friends
This is SO much easier than you think it is. I find that people who are out exploring the world just like you tend to be friendly and welcoming. Locals love to show off their city and give recommendations. Waiters will strike up a conversation when they see someone dining alone. Other solo travelers are looking for the same thing you are.
Another great way to meet people while traveling (including other solo travelers) is by booking an experience through GetYourGuide. I have met so many other solo travelers while participating in an experience booked through either of these programs. They have something for everyone - cooking classes, guided hikes, bar crawls, wine tastings, food tours, art tours, bike tours, safaris, etc. The tour guides are almost always locals and are the sweetest! I've found tour guides are the best people to ask for recommendations on what to do and where to eat. Especially if you are looking for cheap (but delicious!) spots.
#3: Affording Solo Travel
Obviously when you are not traveling with someone else, trips become much more expensive, mainly due to you bearing the entire cost of the accommodations. Hostels are a great way to save money. These are usually the cheapest accommodation. If you don't feel comfortable sleeping in a room with strangers, hostels usually have an option for a private room. These tend to still be much cheaper than hotels, especially in the scenario where you have a communal bathroom. Check out Hostelworld and read reviews so you know exactly what you're getting!
If hostels aren't for you, then learn how to use your credit card points for booking hotels. Marriott Bonvoy has a great credit card offer that allows for 3 free nights through the intro offer, and one free night every year thereafter. I also use hotwire.com to book cheap hotels (check out my reel on the exact steps on how to use it here). If you're concerned about safety then I recommend a hotel because that will give you better peace of mind, plus the staff on hand is usually available to help with any issues 24/7.
#4: Picking the Right Destination
Once you've settled on how far you're willing to travel for your solo trip, you've got to pick the exact place. Some of my favorites are: Paris, Copenhagen, Bruges, Mexico City, Santa Teresa (though a bit more difficult to get to), San Francisco, Seattle, Denver, and New York. All of these cities have such friendly people and younger crowds, so I found it easy to make friends with other travelers. Of course it will depend on where your home base is and how long you have to travel. I also like to look for somewhere that is walkable or has public transportation so that I can save money on Ubers, as they get quite expensive when you don't have someone to split them with!
#5: Researching Your Destination
This may sound obvious, but do the research! Your trip will always go smoother if you stay in the right area and have an idea of what you want to do ahead of time. Book a couple activities in advance or at least sketch out an itinerary so you have some things to look forward to + have a plan in place. It can be overwhelming after a solo travel day to try and then make a plan.
Make sure the place you're staying is safe, and I always like to pick somewhere central and walkable if possible so that I can spend less money on transportation. If you're not staying at a hostel is can be nice to be near a hostel because it is a great place to meet people and they are usually centrally located.
Make sure you book tickets in advance for anything that is needed! One of the best parts about solo traveling is you can literally do whatever you want. Another great thing is that as a solo traveler you can usually get into most restaurants without having to wait. So, even if there are some things you want to do that are sold out online, it could be worth swinging by the place when you arrive to see what they have available. This happened to me in Cadaques, Spain, where the Dali house is usually sold-out days in advance but I was able to get a single ticket upon arrival! But I still recommend booking one or two things in advance, as I mentioned above.
#6: Be Flexible
As with any trip, things will not always go according to plan. And sometimes that can be more stressful when you're by yourself and you have to figure out how to navigate an unexpected situation on your own. When something goes wrong, take a deep breath and remember that panicking will only make it worse and you CAN figure this out, and don't be afraid to ask for help! People are almost always willing to help.
And, all of that said, some of the BEST experiences come out of unplanned situations. So go with the flow and embrace the unknown. You will be so glad you did.
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