Perfecting the Art of Solo Travel: How to Wander Alone (and Where to Go)

Traveling alone is one of the most rewarding experiences that adventurers can undertake (and also one of the most challenging). It can be scary when there’s no one but yourself to rely on, but it’s also incredibly gratifying for the same reason. Wandering alone will inevitably present you with challenges: language barriers, navigating foreign streets that you’ll certainly get lost in, missed plane and train connections, and more. But the beauty of the whole thing, as frustrating as these challenges can be at times, is the strength you’ll find within as you respond to them—a strength that, in retrospect, you’ll realize couldn’t have developed any other way.

If you’re looking to test the boundaries of your resilience by jetting off on a solo adventure, keeping these tips and tricks in mind will help you to make the most of your time alone. We’ve also got you covered with a few suggestions of where to go for that first solo trip.

Tips and Tricks for Solo Travelers

Do Your Research

In all travel doing research before you depart goes a long way, but especially with solo adventures. Learn about the culture and customs of the place you’re going, especially if it’s foreign, and familiarize yourself with the general lay of the land. If you find yourself lost, knowing the main streets can save your butt and having a couple of backup ideas for places to stay in case your Airbnb reservation falls through at the last minute can save you headaches later—especially when you don’t have a co-traveler to problem solve with.

Opt for Community Accommodations

Speaking of Airbnb, even the introverts out there should consider community accommodations. Whether that’s in the form of a room in a family’s home (an excellent way to learn a local language) or a dorm room in a hostel, you’re guaranteed to meet more people in places like these than you will sequestered away in a hotel room all on your lonesome.

Make Smart Transportation Choices

There are a few extra things to consider when you’re going to be hitting the road by yourself when it comes to transportation. While nabbing the cheapest flight or train ticket is always tempting, if it has you arriving in a strange city in the middle of the night with limited taxi options, it’s probably not the safest way to go. Spend the extra money and try to arrive in the middle of the day with plenty of time to get to where you’re going—you’ll avoid rushing to beat the daylight clock and stay safer while you’re at it.

Have a Mission in Mind

The key to solo travel is feeling purposeful while wandering. For some, simply exploring is enough, but for others, a few days of aimless wandering can quickly lead to listless boredom and nagging questions about what the heck you’re doing there in the first place. This is why having a mission is critical to solo travel—it doesn’t have to be big and fancy, just something to give your adventure a purpose.

Your mission could be as simple as running every day, reading a book that’s been on your list for a while, or making time to journal. It could also be something more intense like learning to surf or getting certified to teach yoga or scuba diving. The greatest joy of solo travel is that the adventure is entirely yours to craft!

Let Loneliness Happen

You’re going to get lonely and that’s okay, especially if you’re traveling for a long period of time and the rush of the new adventure begins to wear off. Don’t fight it. Give yourself permission to be lonely and remember that it’s going to pass. Try to make the best of it—there’s a lot you can learn about yourself if you can dig deep into what makes you blue.

Step Out of Your Comfort Zone

Everyone who travels alone will tell you to get out of your comfort zone, but it’s with good reason: there’s nothing like being entirely on your own in a new place to try new things and push your boundaries. If things like going out to eat or to a movie alone scares the bejeezus out of you at home, solo travel time is a chance to give those things a try with no one around to judge. Strike up conversations with shopkeepers and bartenders, especially if you usually avoid small talk like the plague—there’s no better way to get information about where you are and what you should do than straight from the mouth of a local.

Take Baby Steps

You don’t have to dive off the deep end right away and sign yourself up for six months of solo travel abroad. Go somewhere with just your dog for a long weekend or tack on a few extra days for solo explorations before or after a group outing. It doesn’t have to be all or nothing!

The Best Places to Wander Alone

Not all places are created equal when it comes to solo adventures. Of course you go anywhere your heart desires, but some places are better for solo travelers than others.

Guanajuato, Mexico

If you’re worried about getting bored, Guanajuato is the place to go. An unbelievably charming desert locale, this mid-sized city is bursting at the seams with cool restaurants and coffee shops, theaters, museums, art galleries and more. A huge bonus is that, by and large, the people in Guanajuato are impeccably kind, helpful, and welcoming to travelers.

Zion National Park, Utah

Not only is this national park breathtaking when it comes to beauty, it has plenty of traffic, but without feeling crowded—a perfect spot for a solo traveler to embark on safe and independent adventures in the outdoors.

Barcelona, Spain

Beaches, tapas, and tons of tourists from around the globe all add up to plenty of opportunities to not only meet other solo travelers, but to easily fill your days with sunshine and tiny plates of delicious food while brushing elbows with people from all corners of the globe.

Dublin, Ireland

For English speakers who aren’t ready to tackle a foreign language, Ireland is a great option. There’s plenty of unique culture to explore without having to fret over communication. Plus, settle in at a bar somewhere for a Guinness or two and you’re practically guaranteed to come away with several new Irish friends.

Originally written by RootsRated for Craghoppers.

Featured image provided by Zach Dischner