How to not feel alone while traveling solo
I LOVE solo traveling. I don’t do it often, but I know that I can. Honestly, that’s the hardest part - knowing that you can enjoy solo traveling. I first visited New Orleans somewhat solo. My dad lives down there part-time and I went down to visit. He worked all day so I wandered the French Quarter alone, but did have someone to eat dinner with, which can be a tough time when traveling solo. I do love eating alone though, so that wouldn’t have been a problem for me. However, I was nervous about walking around a city by myself without any friends. Since this trip, I’ve truly appreciated my alone time on trips.
When I ask people why they don’t travel, I often hear, “I don’t have anyone to travel with.” When I ask, “why don’t you travel solo?” They often say, “I’m too scared.” Which is valid. But there are ways to make solo travel safe, enjoyable, and not feel so lonely.
Here are my tips on how to be alone while traveling solo.
Be safe - I have a post on how to safely solo travel. Start there. You can solo travel and still feel confident that you will be safe.
If the idea of being seen alone makes you uncomfortable and embarrassed, bring things to keep you distracted.
Books - I have a kindle e-reader and also have the kindle app on my phone so I’m never without books. Some books I recommend while traveling are:
Harry Potter, obviously
The Alchemist by Paulo Coelho (this book is more spiritual, but such an adventure all the same. It has a lost shepherd, visions, mystics, oases, magis, and the Great Pyramids. Top 3 favorite books of mine of all time).
Bridget Jones’s Diary by Helen Fielding (this whole series makes me L O L. It’s an easy read and you will feel like Bridget is an old friend).
Any Robert Langdon books (Da Vinci Code, Angels & Demons, etc.) by Dan Brown (A wild ride from start to finish on all of these. Lots of history and real locations within them. If you visit Rome, Florence, or Paris, I highly recommend reading these).
Kindle or other tablet - you can download shows and movies onto your tablet and watch them. I do this for plane rides or long train rides.
Crossword puzzles, Sudoku, or word searches
One thing that I have had to work on in my everyday life is the idea of being alone vs being lonely. When I first moved out on my own, I lived in a tiny studio in Midtown Memphis. It had a cockroach nest in the wall, among other things, and life was TOUGH. I often told my therapist how lonely I felt since I didn’t have my parents around me all the time and my friends were working or in class. She tasked me to think of it differently. Being alone does not have to equal feeling lonely. So when traveling solo, don’t think of it as “I don’t have anyone to travel with me, I’m so lonely.” Think of it as “look at this amazing adventure I’m taking myself on. I can’t wait to share my experience with my friends, significant other, family, when I get back.”
If you want to go on a solo trip, but don’t want to be solo the ENTIRE time, I totally understand that. Join a travel page (facebook or reddit) and ask if anyone lives there and would like to meet up. You may get a new friend out of it! I’ve found that women especially are willing to meet up with female solo travelers when visiting their country. You can also start your trip with a tour so you are around people and you may make friends to spend time with on your trip!
Get excited at not having to worry about anyone else! This can be getting excited to go to a spa for a whole day, getting to eat and drink what you want, going to specific museums you want to see, ANYTHING. Get excited!!!
I have an autoimmune that acts in a similar way to food allergies/UTI symptoms, so I can be difficult to travel with even when I’m not being psychotic with schedules and itineraries. I enjoy solo traveling so I don’t have to worry about being a wet blanket on someone else’s fun.
Similar to above, but your schedule is YOUR.SCHEDULE. What an incredible feeling! I know for me, my days usually revolve around meetings, workouts, dinner plans. All scheduled out for me. I personally LOVE to have a scheduled trip, but sometimes it’s nice to have no schedule and not have to worry about anyone else on your trip. If you want to go to an art museum, you can go! If you want to skip that art museum and go to the museum of medieval torture, you can do that! If you want to skip both and just drink all day at an Irish pub, do you boo. Your solo trip is all about you!
Know that you will feel like Superwoman after your trip. Knowing that you visited somewhere by yourself is so incredible. You feel invincible! It will be one of the best things you can do for yourself.
FaceTime others on your trip - Like I said, just because you’re alone, doesn’t mean you have to feel lonely! Even if I’m not solo traveling, I still FaceTime my mom, dad, boyfriend, and grandmother on all of my trips to show them the beauty I’m seeing. This is a great way to check in with your people and feel some form of connection if you haven’t yet on your trip.
One of the most uncomfortable experiences for some women is to eat alone. Why is this?! I made myself eat alone in college and realized how much I enjoyed it. I still will go to restaurants alone and eat. If you get nervous eating alone, here are some tips.
Figure out why you don’t like eating alone. Practice at home before your trip. Go to a restaurant that is chill and practice eating alone.
Bring a book if you are nervous, but try to enjoy the atmosphere! You’re traveling! You’re experiencing new cultures and new foods and new atmospheres. Bring a book as a back up, but don’t go in ready to finish a few chapters.
I promise no one is looking at you thinking you’re weird for eating alone.
I hope this will encourage some of you to solo travel! If you have any other tips, feel free to drop them in the comments below :)