Ten Tips for a First-Time Solo Traveler
A quiet morning on a recent solo trip to Riomaggiore, Cinque Terre, Italy
Planning Your First Solo Trip
Traveling alone can be one of the most liberating and empowering experiences of your life. It’s an opportunity to discover more about yourself and your identity, give yourself space to process and reflect on various parts of your life, meet new people, and explore the world at your own pace.
While I’ve traveled alone for work, I took my first large solo international trip — totally free of anyone else’s plans or structure — in my 30s.
If you are planning to hit the road solo for the first time, here are some tips to make the most of your journey:
1. Embrace the freedom
Traveling solo means you have complete control over your itinerary. Embrace the freedom of changing your mind last minute. If you’re no longer up for it, skip the museum tour you had planned and spend the afternoon reading a good book at a cafe. Pop into that store you walked by the day before and browse for as long as you’d like. Spend the day doing something as mundane or niche as you want. No compromises, no debates, no judgment.
2. Celebrate yourself
Solo travel is not always glamorous and easy. While the freedom to follow your dreams and pursue things that bring you joy may be fun, you’ll also have to navigate uncertainty and challenges alone. I remember the anxiety of trying to navigate a conversation in another language with someone and then the relief of finally understanding what they were saying. Give yourself permission to celebrate your wins — however big or small — along the way, and be proud of how much you accomplish by yourself.
3. Do your research
A little research before your trip can actually help set you up to chase the spontaneity you’re after. Do some basic research about your destinations — local customs, safety tips, language, weather, transportation options, and popular attractions. A little prep will help build your confidence in navigating the unknowns and making decisions by yourself. After all, you want more time lounging on the beach instead of sitting in your room looking up train tables. Working with a Travel Advisor can be a good way to get expert and insider advice, and help get you quickly up to speed with the basics of your destination.
4. Pack light
Packing light can help you be slightly more discrete than hauling around a bunch of oversized suitcases when traveling alone. It will give you a bit more flexibility for last-minute changes in plans if you aren’t bogged down with heavy luggage. Chasing the feeling of “freedom” while solo traveling can quickly be shadowed by having to look after a bunch of material things. I often get asked about my favorite things to pack as a solo traveler, so I put together a list of my top five favorite purchases.
5. Stay connected
Even if you are an introvert and looking forward to solitude, you may still find yourself lonely while traveling solo. I found that posting some content on my Instagram stories, and texting friends and family back home, was a helpful way to stay connected while traveling alone. It also helped me get recommendations from friends along the way every time I posted in a new city.
Safety tip — If you are traveling alone, I recommend adjusting your privacy settings on social media so only people you actually know and trust can view your content if posting in real-time, or only posting locational information after you’ve left for your next stop.
6. Put yourself out there and talk to people
I found that meeting new people while traveling alone was a lot harder to do in my late 30s than it was as a student or budget traveler in my early 20s. One of the advantages of solo travel is that it gives you the opportunity to be much more present with your surroundings — so put down your phone. Group excursions, tours, and classes can be a great way to meet new people. If you run into other solo travelers, you can strike up a conversation by asking them where else they’ve been, recommendations for the city you’re in currently, or simply asking them to take a picture of you in front of a sight (and return the favor).
7. Embrace solitude and slow down
Solo travel is a great opportunity to slow down and check in with yourself. With endless demands on our time, it’s sometimes hard to pay attention to how we’re feeling. Your trip can be an incredible opportunity to learn more about yourself and explore your identity. While it might be fun to meet others while traveling — particularly if you tend to be someone who constantly fills up your schedule back home — be sure to also spend some of that time alone with your own thoughts. I recommend bringing a journal with you so you can reflect on your journey.
8. Stay flexible
Something unexpected is going to happen. Embrace the beauty of unpredictability and stay flexible. If you are an over-planner, my best recommendation is to plan far less than you might want or normally do when traveling solo. By not having an overly packed schedule, you are less likely to ruin your blissful solo travel vibes by something going wrong.
9. Capture memories
Take pictures, write in a journal, get on TikTok, create art, keep a scrapbook, etc. Any type of solo travel can be really meaningful for personal growth, so capturing memories can serve as a treasure trove of stories to share and cherish for years to come.
10. Have fun!
Last but certainly not least, savor this experience and don’t forget to have silly, joyful fun! Allow yourself to fully embrace that main character energy — this is 100% your time.
