Your Guide for Having a Great Solo Travel Experience

If you’ve never taken a solo trip in your life, it’s something you should seriously consider! Traveling solo is an eye-opening experience that gives you the opportunity to learn about yourself, challenge your comfort zone, and do everything that is exactly what you want to do when you’re on the go. If you’ve been wanting to take a trip by yourself but are feeling overwhelmed or don’t know where to begin, then you’ve come to the right place. We created this guide of everything you need to know before embarking on your life-changing solo journey!

Your Guide for Solo Travel

Immerse Yourself Like a Local

Whenever you’re visiting either a large city or a quaint small town by yourself, try immersing yourself into that place as if you’re a local. Do some research about where you’re heading and check out some of the best local spots such as cafes, bars, and restaurants. Here, you can strike up a conversation and likely meet some long-time locals that will have a plethora of great suggestions regarding activities, what to potentially avoid, and other locally owned establishments you should stop by during your time there. By immersing yourself in this way, you’ll also get to see your destination through the lens of a local and not so much as a tourist, which can help you have an all-around better solo travel experience.

Try New Things

If there is ever a time to step out of your comfort zone as much as possible, it’s during a solo trip. Maybe you’re in a completely new-to-you place where there are adventures and experiences available that aren’t in your hometown. If you live in a land-locked state or a super flat one without any mountains, this is the perfect chance to explore these new environments and potentially discover a new favorite hobby. Whenever you’re presented with the opportunity to try something new that intrigues you, always go for it!

Prioritize Safety

While having as much fun as you can and trying new things is a must, safety is without a doubt the most important aspect for any solo traveler. It will be impossible to enjoy a trip if you don’t feel safe or if you end up in a dangerous situation. We have a whole article dedicated to safety tips when solo traveling, which you can check out here. It’s vital to always be aware of your surroundings, plan your accommodations ahead of time at places that are reputable, and always check in with a trusted friend or family member once a day, especially when you change locations.

Consider Shared Accommodations

Just because you’re solo traveling, doesn’t mean you can’t have fun meeting new people and sharing experiences with them – this is often one of the best parts about traveling! There are tons of Airbnbs, hostels, and small hotels throughout the country that make the process of meeting new and like-minded people a breeze. You may even make some wonderful new friends that you’ll keep in touch with long after your travels, too. Plus, staying in shared accommodations is typically significantly cheaper – a much-welcomed added bonus!

Take Plenty of Photos

One thing is for certain, you will want lots of photo evidence of the travels you’ve taken by yourself. Snap pictures of all the beautiful places you go, the exciting adventures you go on, and the memories you create with the friends you end up making along the way. You’ll undoubtedly be grateful to have the visual evidence of your travels, and your friends and family will be ecstatic to see all the things you got to do and see, too!

Remember That it’s All an Adventure

Traveling solo, especially for the first time, can be a daunting thing to undertake. It might help to keep in mind that it’s all an adventure – just like anything else in life. There will be ups and downs and times of uncertainty when things don’t go exactly as you planned, but it’s okay. Things generally have a way of working themselves out when we travel, and oftentimes for the better!

Traveling alone is good for the mind, body, and soul. There are so many benefits to it aside from just visiting a new place and gaining new experiences. Solo travel is a prime way to build confidence, to really trust in yourself and your intuition, to open your mind, and to learn invaluable lessons. If the opportunity to travel alone presents itself and it’s something you’ve always considered trying out, go for it! You never know what you may learn about the world and yourself.