How to Get Comfortable Traveling Alone
New Year Goal: More Solo Travel!
Traveling alone is such a rewarding experience. It requires us to be content in our own company outside of the isolation of our homes. Discovering a new place is exhilarating when done with others but takes on an introspective element when done by ourselves. It pushes us outside our comfort zone - whether dining alone or joining a group tour without a buddy. It’s an opportunity to plan an entire trip around what is most important to us, around what we’re most interested in — no compromising or going for tacos when we want pasta. There’s no argument over when to wake up or how much to cram into the day. You get to explore at your own pace, no questions asked. Along the way, you’ll more than likely discover something new about yourself, whether it’s learning you are capable of something you hadn’t considered before or having a moment of self-awareness that leads you to a new level of growth.
Solo travel isn’t a new concept. Many of us have taken a trip alone at least once. For anyone new to solo travel or who haven’t gotten comfortable with it just yet, we’ve put together our top advice to become more comfortable with the concept. For the seasoned pros, these are great reminders to ponder before jetsetting in the new year. Solo travel teaches us to enjoy our own company. It pushes us to engage with the world, have conversations with strangers, and listen to their stories. Traveling with people is wonderful, but staying within a bubble of familiarity is easy. Being on your own invites the world around you to penetrate that bubble so you can experience it up close and personal. These are the truly transformative trips. Why wouldn’t you want more of that?
Make A Plan. There are three types of travelers: the one who plans every moment down to bathroom breaks, the one who flies by the seat of their pants, and the one who has a rough itinerary. If solo travel is new to you, it’s good to be somewhere between a rough itinerary and a hardcore plan. Research in advance to determine what’s most important, purchase tickets or make reservations where necessary, and plan the rest from there. A good rule of thumb is to explore by location to avoid wasting time getting from one point to another. Create a map using a tool like Google Maps and save things to do in different categories (Restaurants, Bookstores, Coffee Shops, Historic Sites, etc). This is a great way to create your own city guide to encourage free exploration without needing a specific schedule. If it’s comforting to have more structure, decide beforehand what you will visit and in what order. If you’ve broken into solo travel but are not a seasoned pro yet, give yourself more breathing room with your itinerary and see how it goes. The more comfortable you are with wandering alone, the more you’ll learn what you like best while traveling without anyone else to consider.
Be Confident…even if you’re lost. Generally, always act like you know where you’re going and what you’re doing. This is something you can practice anywhere, even at home. One of the easiest ways to make yourself a target is to look lost. Whether it’s a cab driver taking you for a ride or a pickpocket distracting you with “kind” advice as your wallet gets snatched, it actively puts you in a vulnerable position. Make it a point to forge ahead at full speed, even if you think you took a wrong turn. Think of it like this. When driving, do you stop mid-traffic when you realize you missed a turn or took the wrong one? No! Of course not. That would inevitably cause an accident. You keep going until the GPS updates with new instructions, or you find a safe way to turn around. The same principle applies to walking through a new city. Turning in circles will cause a sidewalk traffic jam and put a spotlight on you and your discombobulated state.
Know your destination before getting in a cab, and instead of an exact address, share the cross streets. Confidently sharing where you’re going and showing familiarity with the location gives the impression that you could be a local or, at the very least, understand the destination. Hold your head up when you’re walking. Everyone has their phones out nowadays, so having directions on your phone doesn’t stand out as much as it used to. Be aware of your surroundings and enjoy the sites around you by running through your route before leaving.
Most importantly, put away the fear and step outside confidently. Even if you go off course, treat it as if it happened on purpose and see where you land. Hold your head high and keep moving forward. In the worst-case scenario, you duck into a cafe to recalibrate. It’s all part of the adventure.
Think Like a Local. Something that can help with the “confidence” tip is to immerse yourself in a destination’s culture and embrace what it is to be a local! One of the easiest ways to do this is by understanding the city’s or town’s “dress code.” In most American cities, anything goes. Some cities are more casual than others, and some are more expressive. Los Angeles tends to be more fashion-forward unless you’re near the beach, and in NYC, you can wear anything from sweats to couture. Visit cities outside of the US, and it gets more specific. Italians dress well all the time. You won’t see a pair of yoga pants on a local anywhere. In Paris, style is more modest and simple. Neutral colors are embraced, whereas Italians aren’t afraid of color. Visiting Edinburgh, being stylish is welcome, but staying warm in the colder months is essential. Meanwhile, wearing a light dress over a swimsuit in Bali is ideal. It doesn’t mean you must spend money on a new wardrobe for every trip. Just be mindful of how you’re presenting yourself.
Another way to embrace local culture is to adapt their mannerisms and practices. An easy example is Americans in France. The French are respectful of people around them, whereas Americans tend to be seen as loud. While this isn’t necessarily an issue in Italy or Spain, where the people are more excitedly vocal, places like Paris don’t appreciate overly expressive conversations. In Spain, siestas are taken seriously, supper is later in the evening in much of Europe, and proper chopstick etiquette is important in many Asian countries. These small details are essential to genuinely embracing and respecting the local culture. A quick search while researching for your trip of “what not to do in CITY NAME” is all it takes to educate yourself.
Start With Breakfast or a Drink. Eating alone tends to be one of the more intimidating elements of solo travel. This is something easily practiced at home to help you get comfortable gradually. Start with breakfast, or grab a drink at your favorite bar. Dining alone in the morning or for lunch is much more common since many people take this time alone if they’re away for work. As far as grabbing a drink, think of all the times you’ve ordered alone while waiting for a friend. You’ve probably dined solo more than you realize. Enjoy a quick bite in the morning or a glass of wine after work a few times in preparation for any upcoming trip and gradually build up the experience. Get lunch next week and enjoy it slowly while reading a book or watching people walk by. Order a cheeseboard or appetizer with your glass of wine. The more you become content with your own company while eating and drinking at home, the easier it will be to do the same anywhere else.
Take A Tour. Tours are an excellent opportunity for beginner solo travelers or anyone who needs a gentle push to explore. The key is to book tours earlier in your trip so that it helps break your shell. Tours are a great introduction to a new destination and often come with great inside tips from locals. It’s also a wonderful opportunity to meet fellow travelers and interact with people with similar interests. Plus, since you’re participating in the same activity, it takes the awkwardness out of any introductions.
Be Smart. There are a lot of articles geared toward female solo travelers with warning messages for safety concerns. The truth is, beginner solo travelers don’t need them any more than seasoned pros. There are general rules to protect yourself if you are alone anywhere, even at home. Don’t walk home alone in dicey areas, particularly at night, and definitely not if you’ve been drinking. Stick to areas that are more heavily trafficked. Don’t accept drinks from strangers. Ask for help if someone is following you. These are smart practices for life.
Take it a step further when you’re traveling alone. If you’re in a country where English isn’t well known, learn basic questions and sentences before leaving. A few things to get started are how to ask for directions and how to ask for help or medical attention. Be aware of the local laws and customs. Is J-Walking legal? Are there curfew regulations? Is a dress code suggested for religious or historical sites (ex. Covering the head and shoulders, taking off shoes)? Does the town shut down after a specific time, or does it come alive? Familiarize yourself with the standard way of life, whether you’re going to NYC or Barcelona. It’s a good practice for any travel - alone or in a group - and can prevent misunderstandings and easy mistakes.
Prepare for a Digital Catastrophe. Solo travel is great for everything except having backups via a buddy. If technology fails for whatever reason, you’re on your own. Therefore, it’s best to plan for a Y2K-style event (kidding, sort of). Apps have made traveling more effortless than ever. Pulling the boarding pass up on an airline app is much more convenient than finding where you placed that paper ticket. It’s all fun and games until your screen won’t turn on, and all the ticketing information is in your email or the app, and you have no idea what your account number is since it’s saved in a digital note. Sure, the gate agent might be able to help, but here’s an easier way to go about it – print everything and make copies of the necessary documentation.
This used to be a standard travel practice, but with everything moving digitally, we have gotten away from this simple task. Before leaving, have at least one or two copies of identification and insurance cards. Print out tickets for any mode of transportation, booking confirmations, and anything else. Also, have a written or printed list of emergency contacts. Safety is a priority. Remember, it’s better to have it and not need it than need it and not have it.
The Early Bird Gets the Worm. Crowds as a solo traveler can be overwhelming. The best way to avoid them is to start the day early. Any sites on the itinerary with regular crowds should be put at the top of the day. It’s the best chance to experience things with the least amount of people. Research in advance to know when the areas you’d like to visit are the busiest and work around them. It’s also helpful to look into any downtime.
Enjoy Doing Things Your Way. Contrary to the previous suggestion, who will stop you if you would rather sleep late every day? The best part of solo travel is not having to consider anyone else. Want to eat pasta every night? Done. Dying to spend hours wandering an art museum you’ve always wanted to visit? Go for it! Looking to leisurely stroll through neighborhoods until you find the perfect coffee shop to relax in with a book you bought around the corner? No better time than the present!
Don’t Forget to Have Fun. Nothing is more disappointing than a wasted trip. You won’t love every destination you visit, but the experience isn’t wasted if you give it a shot. Being alone can make it easy to slow down, sometimes too much. While we’re all for finding a cozy cafe and curling up with a good book, try to get outside and wander. Pick a neighborhood that sounds good at random and see what it offers. Walk into weird shops, give the hole-in-the-wall diner a chance, and take the ghost tour. Indulge and do the things that might feel silly for a change. Look at the sites with your eyes open instead of through your camera lens. Embrace this time and enjoy every moment while creating as many memories as possible.
