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Alright, so you wanna start traveling solo? Eyyy, welcome to the club, sis! I always rejoice and celebrate when another badass lady boss decides she’s ready to step out there solo. Why? Because if you’ve never read my story, you’ll know that solo travel is totally my thing and I’ve spent over eight years doing it. It has changed my life. Traveling alone has so many advantages. For example, you can be the boss of your trip, discover more of who you are, and gain confidence. The advantages of solo travel totally outweigh the disadvantages and once you start, you’ll be hooked.
I can understand how scary and challenging it may seem, especially if you’re only accustomed to traveling with other people or for business. If it’s your first time traveling alone but have no idea where to start or how to gain the courage to do it, this post is for you. I’m a type-A, Enneagram 1 freak of nature. So this is a comprehensive and thorough guide filled with everything you need for your first time traveling alone. So, grab a glass of wine, pull up a chair, and let’s have a chat.
Hey lady! Looking for more info on solo travel? Here are a couple of posts that might just tickle your fancy.
- The Powerful Benefits of Solo Travel
- The Best Destinations in the United States for Solo Female Travel
- 6 Outstanding European Cities for Solo Female Travelers
Table of Contents
Tips for Your First Time Traveling Alone
First things first. I’m sure right now, you’ve got a long list of places you wanna go and you’ve already scrolled your thumb to death on IG looking at all of these amazing women who are solo traveling every inch of the world. You may look at them and believe that that’s what you should be doing. Please don’t. Please don’t do that. You’ll definitely get there for sure, but if you’ve never traveled solo before, we must walk before we crawl and go over the basics first. This leads me to my first tip: Start small.
Tip 1: Start Small
If it’s your first time traveling alone, I encourage you to start small. Begin by doing little things alone like eating out, going to the movies, or visiting a museum. A lot of people have an interest in solo travel but in the same breath will say that the idea of going to lunch alone makes them nervous and uncomfortable. Well, I have to say it, if going out to lunch alone makes you feel uneasy, imagine how it will be in a different city, with a different language and culture. Right. I’ll let that sink in.
Please understand that this isn’t to shame anyone or burst bubbles, because I truly believe that if you want to solo travel, you can do it. But I’m not gonna sugarcoat anything. Everyone is different. We all have different personalities, interests, fears, dreams, likes, dislikes, etc. It may take one person longer than someone else to adjust to doing things alone. Try to remember that everyone starts somewhere. But my suggestion is always to start small so that you can ease into spending time by yourself and enjoying it.
Tip 2: Take a Solo Trip to a Destination Within Your Home Town
Once you’ve practiced doing things alone it’s time to take another baby step. Try taking a small trip within your home country or immediate area. This can be a staycation, a day trip to the next town over, an overnight trip to the next state or province. You can even spend a weekend in a city across the country. If there’s a town within your country that you’ve always wanted to visit but never have…now’s your chance. Staying within your country or area allows you to practice solo traveling while still maintaining some familiarity.
Another reason for doing this is that it can do is help you decide if solo travel is something you even want to do. Traveling alone has exploded over the past year or so, which is all good and great, but I think a lot of people like the idea of solo travel more than actually doing it. Solo travel is not for everyone and that’s totally okay. But the quickest way of finding that out for yourself is to take a short, close trip.
Tip 3: Research
Traveling solo means you get to be the boss of your own trip; however, this also means that everything falls on you. If it’s your first time traveling alone you’ll soon find out that research and preparation are key elements to traveling effectively. Doing the right research will also help you feel less anxious and more prepared. Make a list or keep a notebook and start thinking of where you’d want to go. Once you’ve figured that out, you’ll want to do a deep dive into that place.
Talk to friends and colleagues, read blogs, books, and newspaper articles. Google is your friend. Find out which documents are needed, the cultural and societal norms, the language, food, neighborhoods and areas, common modes of transportation, etc. Get as detailed as possible and leave no stone unturned; the more you know, the better. If you’re looking for information on how to stay safe when traveling solo, click here to get my top safety tips.
Tip 4: Think Positively
Not everyone is going to be on board with your solo travel ambitions. Trust me. To this day, even after living and working abroad and traveling alone for more than eight years, I still have tons of people questioning why I travel solo or projecting their anxieties onto me. Most of the time, this comes from a place of love and ignorance. It’s hard to understand something that you don’t know or haven’t experienced for yourself. And while your mom may be emailing you stories with headlines like “Woman Attacked While on a Solo Trip to Coconut Town—The Destination of Her Dreams,” try to keep in mind that they are only concerned.
The best thing to do in these situations is to try and stay positive and show your loved ones that you’ve done your research and are ready to do this. Sharing your travel information with them is a good idea and could also ease some of their worries. Be aware that not everyone’s council is good or worthy of your time.
Once while traveling solo in Porto, my sweet Airbnb host incessantly asked me about my boyfriend and questioned why I was traveling alone. She also tried to discourage me from going to certain places and told me to come back again with my boyfriend—I had no boyfriend. These things happen. Take them in stride and keep positive vibes around you.
It’s so easy to immediately go to the negative and think about all the bad things that could happen or go wrong on your trip. This is especially true if it is your first time traveling alone. The truth is, things could go just as wrong traveling with people. It is just how the cookie crumbles. But I’m a firm believer that whatever you water will grow, so water the garden of positivity. Instead, think about how you’ll get to do all the things you’ve wanted to do or how much you’ll grow and discover instead of thinking about all the hiccups you could have.
Tip 5: Practice Packing Light
When you travel solo, it’s just me, myself, and I. This means that you’ll want to pack light. Yes, even your first time traveling alone. You never need as much stuff as you think you do and lugging a giant suitcase around while simultaneously guarding your stuff and trying to figure out an unfamiliar metro system will get old. Just landed and gotta pee? Yes ma’am, that ginormous bag is like a toddler and will be going into the bathroom stall with you. Another good thing about packing light is that if anything goes down like a robbery in your hotel room or bedbugs, you can dip out without being burdened with a ton of stuff. So again, pack light—you’ll thank me later.
Planning Your Trip
Once you’ve practiced doing things on your own and have taken a couple small, close solo trips here and there (Which by the way, is all solo travel.) you may be feeling ready to go further, longer. Before doing this, there are a few things you’ll want to think about.
What Kind of Trip Do You Want?
The first thing to think about is what kind of trip you want to take. We all travel for different reasons. Perhaps you’re working and living in a small town but you’re really a big city girl and want to take a solo trip to live the hustle-bustle life for a few days and see how you feel. Or maybe you’ve been working overtime for a few weeks and could use some good R&R on the beach.
Google, Pinterest, and blogs are your friends. Scroll and pin pictures, Google, and read tons of blogs for travel inspiration. Write down everything or keep a notebook to figure out what kind of trip you’re interested in taking.
Choosing a Destination
Once you’ve decided what kind of trip you’re looking for, start investigating different areas and cities. Go back to tip #3 to help you. I’m going to risk sounding like a broken record here and say again that research is key. If there’s a particular beach town that keeps calling your name or you’ve decided that you want to have a historical trip to learn more about the past…those are good places to start.
Now is a good time to figure out what is easiest and what works best for you. Perhaps your days off are limited. Or maybe you have a tight budget? You’ll want to take these details into account. Need a little help choosing a destination? Check out my picks for the best destinations for solo female travel in the United States and Europe.
Logistics and Planning
After you’ve worn yourself out from all the awesome research you’ve done, it’s now time to get down and dirty with logistics. You’ll need to figure out things like how to get to your destination, how you’ll get around once you’re there, where you’ll stay, and all the things you want to do. Ask yourself questions like “Can I drive there or do I need to fly?” “Do I need to rent a car or is public transportation sufficient for me?” If you need help finding cheap flights, check out my ultimate guide here.
Review your budget and read reviews of hotels, Airbnb’s, and hostels when deciding on accommodation. Don’t wait to plan fun things to do either. Try to plan things as far in advance as possible. Doing this will help cut back on costs and give you more options and control. You don’t need to plan every single detail but for example, if there’s a popular museum in your destination, booking early will ensure that you get your foot in the door and don’t miss out.
What to Expect
Hopefully this post has been helpful so far. Whenever you’re doing something new, starting is always the hardest part. The learning curve is steep during those first days or weeks of a new job. When you’re adjusting to a new diet and lifestyle, those first few pushups or miles can seem brutal. Solo travel is no exception.
Society is really out here trying to have us believe that being alone and being lonely are mutually exclusive, but I’m here to tell you that they are not. If you find yourself getting worried about what other people think or feeling anxious when it’s time to go to dinner alone, just remember those mini solo trips you took. Remind yourself of why you’re doing it to begin with and the fear will slowly begin to melt away. You CAN do this if you really want to.
Don’t forget to congratulate yourself! Solo travel is not for the faint of heart. It takes true gumption. And if you’re brave enough to do it, all I have to say is YOU GO GIRL! Good on you for not waiting around for other people and stepping outside of your comfort zone. Please pat yourself on the back and be proud of yourself. Believe me when I say that this is a big deal. I can’t tell you how many times I’ve heard someone say “Oh, I’ve always wanted to go to Hippopotamus town, but I never went because I didn’t have anyone to go with.” So again, *rises with the slow clap while wiping tears* Cheers to you, my friend!
My Favorite Solo Travel Tools
Before I leave you to go and plan your kick-ass solo trip, here are a few of my favorite solo travel tools that I never leave home without.
Packing Cubes
Packing cubes have changed the way I pack…for the better. Long gone are the days where I widely fling clothing out of my suitcase just to find that one item I was looking for. These cubes come in all different sizes and can hold anything from socks and wet bathing suits to jumpsuits and basic tees. They’re compact and are super helpful for organizing your belongings.
Travel Backpack
Let’s just say that my Fjallraven backpack and I are attached at the hip. I love it so much that it’s become my go-to travel bag. We’ve been to the beach together, go hiking together, and I’ve even been able to stuff everything I need for a fun-filled solo weekend.
TSA Approved Master Locks
It’s always a good idea to lock your luggage, especially if you’re staying in shared accommodation like a hostel or want to keep your things secure on the metro or bus. These are my favorite because not only are they lightweight, but they’re TSA approved so you can walk through security with ease. I have at least 4 or 5 of these locks!
Portable Phone Charger
Between snapping photos and using GPS, your phone battery can get drained pretty quickly, and trust me— a dead phone is neither safe nor fun. As solo travelers, it’s important for us to stay safe on the road. Even more so when you are traveling alone for the first time. Therefore, a portable charger is a must-have. It’s an easy way to juice up your phone so that things like safety apps and GPS are still at your fingertips.
Universal Adapter
Between snapping photos and using GPS, your phone battery can get drained pretty quickly, and trust me— a dead phone is neither safe nor fun. As solo travelers, it’s important for us to stay safe on the road, so a portable charger is a must-have. It’s an easy way to juice up your phone so that things like safety apps and GPS are still at your fingertips.
Noise-Cancelling Headphones
I always travel with a good pair of noise-canceling headphones. They drown out the unwanted noise and help me sleep like a baby on flights. If you’re looking for a cheap option, these are a great and inexpensive option.
Doorstopper
There’s no such thing as too many safety precautions when it comes to solo travel. A door stopper is great, but this one takes it to the max with a 120-decibel siren. It jams inward opening doors and gives you time to call for help or escape if need be.
Whistle or Personal Alarm
When you’re exploring a new city, you never know where the roads will lead. Always follow your gut and if you’re ever in an uncomfortable situation, whistles and personal alarms can help you attract help or scare off unwanted attention. I love these personal alarms because they’re waterproof and have a flashlight. Clip them to your bag or keychain for easy travel.
Portable Clothesline
Got a trip where you packing is limited, like a weekend getaway or a month-long city hopping? I can’t say enough good things about this nifty clothesline. It’s also a great way to dry your bathing suits on a beach trip. You can hand wash your clothes and dry them pretty much anywhere. Plus it’s inexpensive and doesn’t take up tons of luggage real estate.
Are you traveling alone for the first time? Which tips did you find helpful?
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