An Explorer’s Handbook To Solo Travel Destinations And Adventures

“Travel only with thy equals or thy betters; if there are none, travel alone.” — Buddha

Dreaming about traveling after the pandemic? Now is the time to think about who you want to travel with. But wait….maybe I should go alone?

Why not? It is one of the fastest growing segments of travel. There are so many advantages when traveling solo. When you go with others you will have to compromise around everyone’s likes and dislikes. If you do not want to travel completely alone, check out our guide on the best pet-friendly travel options to explore with your dog or cat.

Center Your Trip Around Yourself

The best reason to go is that it is all about you! You set the pace and you set the schedule. YOU decide if you want to run around seeing attractions in a city or relaxing and experience a slow travel vacation. Do you want to join a tour where they select where you go each day or do you want to make decisions each morning about how your day will go? If you meet people there you will be flexible to change your itinerary and hang with them.

Meet New People

No matter what decisions you make as a solo traveler, there is a very good chance you will meet new people and fellow travelers. You are more open to meeting others when you are alone. I cannot tell you how many friends I have made traveling solo. A great way to meet people is to offer to take a picture for them. You can also ask people to take a picture of you. Selfies never turn out to be a nice picture. Take a look at the app TRIPR. It lets you see and match with travelers who will be in the same place at the same time as you.

Discover Yourself

You may discover things about yourself when you are a solo traveler. You may uncover strengths or weaknesses about yourself. Are you a suitcase person or a backpack traveler? You may not consider yourself outgoing. Traveling may involve problem-solving due to unexpected circumstances during your trip. You also learn to be comfortable alone. You may learn what pace you enjoy. Fast moving where you see as much as possible or you may just want to soak in a couple of activities and see what develops and allow for surprises.

Learn New Skills

This may be the opportunity for you learn a new skill on your trip like a group scuba diving lesson in the Caribbean, sign up for a golf lesson on one of the beautiful golf courses in Scottsdale, joining a photography tour, taking a local cuisine cooking class in Italy or learning the Salsa in a Latin American country. I ended up going to a couple of Improv comedy shows in Chicago and now I am hooked on it. Second City is the mecca for Improv and now I take classes from them virtually because I went to see it.

Get Outdoors

No matter where you decide to go, you can look into a walking tour on day one. You will get a good orientation on your destination right away and meet fellow travelers. It may lead to meeting up for lunch or a drink later in the day with someone you meet on that tour.

Sometimes I mix it up. If I know someone, even if it is an acquaintance or a distant relative, in a destination I am heading to, I spend some time with them and also split off for some time alone exploring. Great to get some local flavor with someone who lives there.

Be Sure To Stay Safe

There are definitely some measures you can take to make sure you are safe traveling alone. Be careful if a stranger offers to buy you a drink. If you accept one make sure your drink is always in your sight. Make a plan with someone back home like a close friend or family member where you have regular check-ins. Maybe text them to say you had a great day and that you are safely in your accommodations for the night. If you plan on spending overnight with someone make sure you are telling someone where you are prior to going. Same goes for an evening date.

Leave A Digital Trail Wherever You Go

You may feel completely safe but being alone it is always good to leave a trail of where you go. It may not be a good idea to share a taxi with a stranger. Don’t walk alone late at night. Better to UBER or hop on public transportation. None of this is meant to scare you but it is just smart planning and traveling. It is better to be careful so you have a fantastic solo trip. Speaking of planning your trip, it is probably best to arrange an arrival into your destination during the day. Try to avoid a late evening arrival, especially if you plan on public transportation and being unfamiliar with the location.

Here are some options for you to look at to give you additional peace-of-mind as a solo traveler…….

• BSAFE:  it will alert pre-selected people back home of a problem. It offers SOS alerts, location and tracking details, live streams a recording, you can request someone to walk with you when you are alone by tracking your walk, and it even offers you a “fake call” at a preselected time if you are out with a stranger on a date. There is a free version or a premium version of the app. In order to access all the different features you can choose from $ 2/month, or $ 20 dollars/year www.getbsafe.com
• Another one to look at is CIRCLEOF6. You can add up to six people for contacts, they can call you to interrupt something or if you just need to tell them something. Choose people who realize they need to pick up quickly if you are contacting them. www.circleof6app.com

Be Prepared For Emergencies

Whether you are planning a solo travel journey domestic or abroad, you will need to be prepared for any emergencies. Start off by making copies of all the credit cards and documents you will need during your trip. At the same time, save the address of your accommodations in a place other than your mobile phone. This way, you can always know where you are going if your device dies. To further prevent this, consider purchasing a portable battery to get your smartphone travel ready for your trip. Furthermore, you may want purchase a local SIM card if you are planning on traveling internationally. Needless to say, this will be imperative to make emergency calls without relying on WiFi connection. By following these precaustions, you can stay safe and avoid the common travel mishaps on your solo travel journey.

Dining For One

Solo travelers sometimes feel anxiety about mealtime and eating alone. Choose the restaurant you want to go and eat at the bar. There are always people who want to talk there. Some restaurants offer a great Happy Hour menu that is only served at the bar. Another great option is to eat outside at a café’. It is a great place for people watching. If you choose not to be approachable, especially if you are a female, put a fake wedding ring on for your trip. You can also check out EAT WITH. Join a group for a meal, cooking class, or a food tour. www.eatwith.com. If you are looking to experience new foods on your next travel journey, there are plenty of authentic, cultural options to choose from. Be sure to check out our Native American travel food guide to learn more.

Where To Stay

When you are traveling alone, you should stay open to shared accommodations options. Lets face it, a single occupancy hotel, B&B, or apartment can be both expensive and incredibly lonely. Staying in local hostels or AirBnBs are an excellent way to reduce your expenses and meet new people. These shared housing options make communications with your hosts and fellow travelers much easier. In many cases, you will feel like you are being welcomed into someone else’s family. After a long day of exploring the city, these housing accommodations can feel as if you were coming back home. Even better, these reduced rates help you keep up with your value travel ambitions.

Start Off Early

To maximize your solo travel experiences, be sure to start your day off early. The sound of going to nightclubs or bar hopping alone does not sit well with many solo-travelers. Therefore, why not be an early bird instead. Especially in large, bustling cities, there are dozens of completely safe opportunities to sightsee by yourself. In many cases, getting up early can help you avoid the large crowds surrounding popular destinations. Before you plan your trip, consider the benefits of starting your solo travel journey off early.

Experience A New Type Of Travel

Of course, solo travel journeys empower you to experience a new form of travel. Consider soaking up the beach with tropical, French Polynesian spa treatments. If you are looking to experience historical, cultural travel on the other hand, consider partaking in Native American travel experience or slavery education tourism. At the same time, you may even want to explore food travel, solo stopovers, or nightlife getaways. Other popular excursions include self-reflection, road trip, and solo camping travel. Certainly, solo travel journeys empower you to experience a new type of travel.

There are several easy travel tips to prepare for your solo travel journey. First, there is a very good chance you will meet new people and fellow travelers. Secondly, you may discover things about yourself when you are a solo traveler. Even better, this may be the opportunity for you learn a new skill. No matter where you decide to go, you can look into a walking tour on day one. At the same time, there are definitely some measures you can take to make sure you are safe traveling alone. Needless to say, you will need to be prepared for any emergencies. You should additionally plan out dining ahead to avoid feeling anxiety about mealtime and eating alone. Moreover, you should stay open to shared accommodations options. Finally, be sure to start your day off early. Follow the points outlined above to learn about the top tips for solo travel destinations and experiences.

“Don’t be scared to walk alone. Don’t be scared to like it.” — John Mayer