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When it comes to the concept of solo travel, there are two camps of people: those who travel alone most of the time and absolutely love it, and those who are excited by the concept but a little weird about packing a suitcase and head. On their own to a new city.
For most of my 20s, I fell into the latter camp. I didn’t grow up traveling around the world like many of my college classmates did, and while I was studying abroad in England as a teenager, I didn’t do solo exploration. After college, I contented myself with annual girls’ trips and weddings that encouraged me to come to a new city—with BFFs by my side, of course.
It wasn’t until 2018 that I finally, at age 27, took my first solo trip. I’ve been itching to see Charleston, South Carolina, a short drive from my home in Washington, DC, so when an affordable, well-timed flight popped up, I decided to give it a try! I’ve always loved walking around my own city by myself and consider myself a chatterbox by nature, so why not start a little in a new-to-me area in the friendliest known territory?
Source: Unsplash | Cameron Stewart
After that first solo trip, I was hooked. It was a blast to explore Charleston, try new restaurants, take in the local culture, and of course, shop. Although the plague put a damper on my travel plans for a few years, I have since visited many other cities on my own: London; los angeles; Palm Beach (twice!); Portland, Maine; San Francisco – just to name a few. Some of these trips were more adventurous than others, but I had such a great time on all of them. Now that I’m well versed in solo travel, I wanted to share some lessons and solo travel tips I’ve gleaned after many adventures on my own. I hope these inspire you to book a ticket!
1. You can spend your trip however you want.
One of the best things about traveling solo is that you get to do exactly what you love and not have to cater to someone else’s preferences. Maybe you don’t want to visit that crowded museum, but you’re dying to see an antique show near you. Or your idea of a nice afternoon includes lounging by the hotel pool with a cold drink and a stack of magazines. No matter what activity you choose, no one will stop you!
2. Creating a schedule is key
Even if you’re more of a traveler, it’s helpful to create a comprehensive list of places you want to see, restaurants you want to try, and neighborhoods you want to visit in a city. Having a loose itinerary means “No, where do I go next?!” It helps to prevent Feeling. Also, when you’re traveling with a group, someone else can step in with suggestions on what to do next. With solo travel, it’s all up to you!
I like to create a big to-do list so that I have a few opportunities to choose from each day. Even if you plan to spend an entire afternoon sitting on the beach, add it to your schedule! Maybe this is my Type A side talking, but I like to schedule it on my Google Calendar or my Notes app so it’s easy to refer to throughout the trip.
3. Everything moves faster when you are alone
Solo meals, for example, generally take half, if not a third, of the time it takes to eat with others. This can be a good thing or a bad thing! If you’re like me (not much of a foodie but just want to try some interesting places), fast food joints can be great. I love that I can attend the local food scene but be in and out of a restaurant in half an hour, leaving me more time for other activities. It’s also easy to sit at a bar or small table without any space.
On the other hand, you may find more time in your schedule after eating alone, which is where a to-do list comes in handy. Consider browsing your list for places that look good but aren’t at the top of your list. If an unexpected free moment pops up, you’ll have something fun to look at right away. It also never hurts to keep a lightweight book or e-reader in your bag if you’re after dinner and before a show and don’t want to go too far.
Source: Sarah Lyon
4. Eating alone is not scary.
Some people hesitate to travel alone because of this, but I really don’t mind eating alone. If I sit at the bar, I can happily chat with the bartender or other people sitting near me—I meet a lot of interesting people that way! When I sit down at the table, sometimes I’ll flip through a book or call a loved one, but more, more often, I don’t mind unplugging and simply taking a few seconds to eat a nice meal in peace.
Maybe it’s because I’ve lived in both Washington DC and New York City where you see solo diners all the time, but going to a restaurant alone doesn’t really bother me. You may feel a little self-conscious at first, but if you are in a major tourist city, you will definitely not be the only person eating alone. And, if for some reason you’re the only one at the first table, I guarantee most people will focus on their own dining experience and not think much about your situation!
5. Budgeting is easy.
Another good thing about solo travel? You don’t have to meet anyone else’s budget but your own. Maybe you’d rather skip the high-end hotel and save on cheap meals. Or maybe you’re just too excited about the food scene and not too picky about accommodations. Maybe your spouse usually likes to walk everywhere, but prefers to spend a little more money on an Uber. You can decide how to spend your vacation fund, and that’s freeing. Plus, if you’re short on cash at the end of the trip, you don’t have to worry about disappointing someone else by taking it easy. On the other hand, if you’re looking to treat yourself, you can spend an entire day shopping or spa treatments without feeling like you’re screwing up your crew. The world is your oyster!
6. You can take advantage of cheap flight deals off-peak
I’m currently self-employed so I can easily take Monday to Wednesday off, for example – I’ll easily work weekends early. But even when I work a traditional 9-5, I find it easy to snag airline deals when traveling alone. Just because my boss was willing to let me take PTO on certain days of the week doesn’t mean the same goes for my nine friends. In fact, many of my trips have ended up solo simply because I didn’t want to deal with the back-and-forth of coordinating schedules with friends—especially when there was an amazing, limited-edition deal on the line!
Source: Unsplash | Braden Colum
7. You can turn business trips into solo trips
Some of my solo trips happened because I found myself in new-to-me cities for work and wanted to explore a little more. My previous company was very flexible with return flights, as long as we were on budget, I could take the occasional day off without paying for a cross-country flight myself. In San Francisco, for example, after work I checked myself into a nice B&B for one night and did a bit of sightseeing before flying home on Saturday. All I had to pay for one night was accommodation and food for the day, which made for a very affordable mini-trip!
Feeling a little insecure about taking a trip on your own? They sincerely love it! Start small, keep these solo travel tips in mind, and remember that you’ll never regret venturing a little outside of your comfort zone.
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