Why You Should Travel Solo and How to Stay Safe

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Traveling solo wasn’t something I sought out, but when I started traveling for work, it came with the territory. While I love traveling with my sister, husband, and friends, I actually don’t mind traveling solo. Since my first solo trip, I have learned a lot about myself, my preferred travel style, and some tips to help you travel solo safely.

Today I’m going to discuss some of the reasons you should give solo travel a try. I will also review some basics to stay safe while you travel alone. Let’s dive in.

Why You Should Travel Solo and How to Stay Safe - Astonished Abroad — A hike I did in Denver with a group of new friends

Why Solo Travel

Have you ever wanted to travel somewhere but your friends, family, or significant other didn’t want to join you or couldn’t? Maybe they weren’t able to take the time off of work. Perhaps that “girl’s trip” was discussed at length but never left the group chat. Shit happens, I totally get it.

Whatever the reason, you shouldn’t miss out on a trip because you have no one to travel with. While these are probably the most obvious reasons to travel alone, there are a few others you may not have considered.

Although I’ve always been pretty independent I’ve found that traveling solo takes it to another level. You are forced to make decisions based on things you want without the influence of others. If you’ve ever traveled in a group, you know what this can be like. The “what do you want to do” and “whatever you want to do” back and forth is just not a thing. You can do whatever it is you want to do or not want to do for that matter!

Whatever it is you want to see, do, and eat, you can without conflicting desires. If you want to get up early and hit the road early, go for it! Want to sleep in because you had an extra glass of wine last night, by all means! Do you prefer a morning run but your travel partners are ready to hit brunch? While I’ve had some absolutely amazing travel experiences with friends and family, I’ve had similar, unforgettable experiences on my own as well.

More Reasons to Travel Solo

I’ve found that when traveling solo, I tend to meet people from all walks of life. I’ve had some of the most exciting conversations over the past year since I’ve really started traveling by myself more. At first, you may be timid about dining alone or enjoying coffee alone, but I promise it will pass. You’ll eventually find that other solo travelers as well as couples and groups of friends can be super chatty.

Dining alone may seem intimidating at first but I promise it is actually a beautiful thing. Even if you aren’t ready to book a solo trip, I recommend taking yourself out on a date!

While I would consider myself an extrovert, even if you prefer to keep to yourself, you may find you are more extroverted when traveling solo. Or perhaps you are outgoing but want some quiet time to yourself. The best part of solo travel is that you can do whatever you want! You can sit somewhere and quietly read a book or go out of your way to meet people.

I’ve definitely found that more people are willing to start a conversation when I am not with a group of people. It makes sense, maybe it is less intimidating for someone to approach a group rather than an individual. Whether I am getting coffee shop recommendations from the hotel bartender in Raleigh or striking up a conversation with a bachelorette party in Boston. I’ve found that people are often so nice when I’m traveling alone.

You can also book group tours if you are interested in meeting people. Sometimes you may not want to do something alone. For instance, while visiting Denver solo, I didn’t want to hike solo in an unfamiliar area so I booked a group hike. It was a great experience and I got to meet people from all over the world!

How My Travel Style Evolved

Since traveling solo, the way I travel has evolved quite a bit. I am less concerned with the chance of travel delays and other issues than ever before. Some things are out of your control when traveling and being prepared is half the battle. Embracing last-minute changes and staying neutral has helped me while traveling solo but also has a great impact when traveling with others! I’ve even written a post about how to deal with unexpected travel issues.

Packing only what I need in a carry-on only and not overpacking is also something I’ve grown to love from solo travel. I’ll discuss this a bit more below.

Tips for Traveling Solo

Plan ahead: make sure you research an area of town that you’ll feel comfortable in. Plan how you will handle transportation and how to avoid petty crimes and other scams which often target tourists.
Choose an appropriate accommodation: whether you are staying in a hostel or an Airbnb, be sure to do your homework to ensure the level of privacy you want is what you get. If you are wanting to stay around other people, consider a shared Airbnb accommodation or hostel if that is your style. I tend to stay at Marriott hotels when traveling solo. I feel safe in a hotel and find having the hotel staff super welcoming. If I am staying in an Airbnb solo, I am sure to connect with the host to get some insider tips on the area and staying safe. They are also likely to share some of their local recommendations and who doesn’t love that?
Be alert: being alert and aware of your surroundings should be apparent wherever you go but especially while traveling solo. If you are traveling overseas, I would recommend researching the culture. You’ll want to ensure you are being culturally sensitive especially when it comes to clothing choices. Carry a crossbody bag and be sure to keep it in front of you. Don’t be afraid to be brash when needed. For example, in Paris, there is a popular dropped ring scam. The scam typically takes place in tourist areas such as near the Eiffel Tower. Someone will come up to you pretending you dropped a ring. When you proclaim it isn’t yours, they will try and sell it to you or an accomplice may try and pick-pocket you. Just walk away if this happens to you. Having an idea of the typical scams in the location you are traveling is always a good tip. Very simply, don’t engage with people if you don’t feel comfortable.
Don’t speak loudly in English: In non-English speaking countries, I would also recommend not speaking loudly in English. This can put a target on your back as a tourist in non-English speaking areas and may make you look like an easy target.
Carry-on only: packing light is something I would recommend for any trip. However, I would absolutely recommend this when traveling solo. Nothing worst than rolling two large checked bags through a cobblestoned street. Talk about not blending in! Check out my guide to packing for one week in a carry-on for tips and tricks. If you’ve never packed carry-on only, this guide will show you how!
Purchase a tripod and camera remote: if you want to take photos to document your solo trip, I recommend purchasing a camera remote with an optional tripod. I have traveled with the small tripod shown here, but it is the remote that makes it worthwhile. Get creative with the types of photos or content you are creating. While it is easy to have someone snap a picture of you, taking travel photos on your own is all about creativity and can give your photos a fun sense of style.