Demystifying Solo travel
At the Hyatt Hotel in Barcelona, Spain on my solo trip in Europe.
I distinctly remember an evening in my early 20’s after a long work day I was scrolling through my Instagram feed per my usual nightly routine and I came across a post that confused me. A woman I had gone to school with shared pictures from her first solo trip to Europe.
?????
“That seems sad…”, I thought, why would she want to go on a trip alone?
At that time the concept of solo travel was so foreign to me and it went against my paradigm of what I felt travel SHOULD look like.
Traveling should be reserved for trips with friends or a significant other. It’s not safe to be alone and you will be bored!
Or so I naively assumed.
It took about 5 years from seeing that post to having my first solo travel experience. It was then I truly realized how completely wrong I had been. I was making an unfair judgement on something I knew nothing about. Once I took my first trip, it was like a secret code I had not been privy on that I had now gained access to!
In hindsight, instead of me pitying the girl I went to college with, she could’ve fairly pitied me.
I had made an assumption and was actually putting off amazing experiences because I felt like they had to look a certain way. Now that is actually sad.
Taking my first solo trip was like opening a secret chamber. I had no idea the freedom and experiences I had been missing. I had never felt so empowered in my life. It became addicting.
I remember after one of my first solo trips a friend questioned me asking…”So did you ask people to come and nobody was available or what”? LOL. The cycle continued of people looking at solo travel as something to be pitied.
Except this time the comment did not offend or make me question my choices because I actively chose to travel this way. They had not accessed the code yet!
3 years and MANY COUNTRIES later, traveling solo has become a personal preference. I will still go on a group trip for certain occasions, but honestly there can be a lot of opinions and stress associated with traveling in big groups that can sometimes take the fun out of it for me. I also am single so traveling with a partner is not an option at this point.
But spoiler alert….
You can also meet a romantic interest while traveling….(maybe another post for another day)
Anyway back to the point at hand…..sure the pictures, cute outfits and tours are all fun but I believe traveling alone can have much greater benefits that can apply in all aspects of your life.
Being in a new space and navigating challenges alone is not only a major confidence booster but also can serve as a reminder that you have agency over your life and your decisions.
It is very easy to get ‘lost in the sauce’ and caught up in the monotony that life can sometimes become. It is easy to become comfortable when everything around you is familiar and you know what to expect at all times. Traveling to a new place alone puts you outside of your comfort zone.
It gives you space to rediscover or even discover parts of yourself you may not have known or experienced simply because you haven't been in the environment for it. When you wake up somewhere and all of the choices for what you will see and what you will do are all on YOU, creates a sense of freedom.
Now obviously there can be cons, such as not being able to split costs with someone else or maybe you don’t like having to make all the choices all the time, but my belief is that the benefits outweigh the cons and it is worth trying at least once.
Still on the fence? I wanted to debunk some of the myths I hear around solo travel that I have learned over the years as a woman traveling alone to over 7 different countries.
Myth 1: Traveling alone is not safe.
When I see blanket statements like this it always makes me cringe because it is such a huge generalization to make not based in fact or data.
My face everytime I hear someone talk about solo travel being unsafe…
The fact of the matter is we cannot guarantee our safety ANYWHERE. Things can happen.
But scary things can also happen right in your hometown. None of us know what tomorrow brings.
When people start saying traveling alone is not safe they have either read an article, watched a news segment or heard of a friend that had a safety issue traveling. While this is possible, it is also a hasty generalization that leads to confirmation bias. Now since you heard that one scary story you will seek out information to support it. But at the same time it is also just as possible that you travel somewhere and you have an amazing time and there is issue.
While there are definitely places that would be considered unsafe for a solo traveler, there just as many, if not more places where you would be more than welcome. You must do your research.
Ultimately, I think it comes down to general street smarts and having confidence in yourself that you can navigate unfamiliar situations.
I went to Mexico City last year and so many people were scared for me. Some of the same people who made comments had also never even been to Mexico City.
Now if I listened to them and had not gone, I would've missed out on an incredible experience. I felt completely safe there and had an amazing time.
Don’t let people who are letting fear hold them back from new experiences keep you back too.
I’m not saying dismiss everyone but keep your mind open. If someone tells you that a place isn’t safe, dive a little deeper and ask them why they feel that way. Ask for specific examples and get other opinions as well.
I also will say I grew up in Atlanta, GA and lived in Washington, DC for 11 years. In the grand scheme of things, these are not considered the safest cities in the world. I’ve noticed as Americans (and yes, I am including myself in this) we sometimes have a bias to think that other places are not as safe, when in reality we have scary things happening here everyday!
Honestly, I felt safer walking the streets of Italy at night than I do in Atlanta and Atlanta is my home!
From my travels, I have come to accept that people are generally kind. The world has its evils but not everyone is out to get you and it can be heavy to hold on to that energy everywhere.
My advice: If traveling somewhere alone out of the country seems too daunting initially, try a domestic trip!
You don’t have to go to an extreme for the first experience. My first solo trip was to Arizona and it was perfect. It can be overwhelming navigating a new space, with different languages and customs when you are on your own, so getting your feet wet in a place where you can communicate easily and understand the customs is a great start.
Some other tips I suggest for ensuring your safety while traveling solo:
Share your location with 2 or 3 close friends or family back home while you’re gone. Also be sure to share the address of where you will be staying with a loved one as well.
Don’t share your precise location or where you are staying in real time on social media. (I typically share that I am traveling but I will not share my airbnb/hotel name until after I have left)
Purchase travel insurance.This will give you peace of mind in the event an emergency happens on your trip.
Don’t walk out at night by yourself.
Register with the state department/embassy so in the event of an emergency your home country knows how to contact you.
Keep a printed copy of your passport and airbnb/hotel address on you at all times.
Keep an open mind and have a great time.
Myth 2: Solo Travel is Boring and lonely
I believe that all trips are exactly what you make it. This is where the ‘having agency and knowing you have a choice’ piece I mentioned above comes into play. There are so many ways to connect with others and not be bored when traveling but you have to be open to them.
One of the beautiful things about social media right now is the power to connect with someone across the world in an instant. I have learned to utilize facebook groups and hashtags to find people in the place I am visiting AHEAD of my trip. There is typically a facebook group for every place.
For example, I joined the “Black In Portugal” Facebook group before I landed in Portugal and instantly connected with so many people before I even landed. I also am part of the Nomadness Travel Tribe Facebook group which is a large group of black and brown travelers from all over the world. When I visited Florence, Italy I posted in the group asking if anyone was in Florence and ended up connecting with someone and having lunch the next day! Don’t overestimate the power of social media to connect.
Having pizza at the Florence market with my friend who I met via the Nomadness Travel Tribe Facebook group.
I also suggest free walking tours. I always sign up for walking tours within my first few days in a city as a way to learn my way around but to also connect with others. There are usually a ton of travelers (some in groups and some solo) who you could meet.
Depending on your travel style, you may prefer hotels but if you are looking to connect with others co-living or hostel situations can be an options.
Staying in a co-living community can completely alter the experience of a place and takes the work out of having to go out and meet people. I stayed in two co-living communities while I was in Colombia earlier this year and I am so glad I did. I met people from all over the world and being about to go out of my room to the kitchen and have conversations with people from another country and culture was such a unique and special experience. I even signed up for salsa dance classes with one of my housemates.
Some co-livings even offer organized activities such as yoga or game nights and some are more independently run. It’s best to do your research and read reviews before booking but I do suggest them if you are worried about being alone. (Check out my recap of one of my coliving experiences here.) You never know who you could meet. =)
I also shared on my Instagram story highlights a thread of all of the people I was able to connect with on my sabbatical trip in Europe in 2022! Check it out!.
Myth 3: It’s too Expensive to travel solo
Contrary to popular belief, traveling does not have to be expensive. I believe the work/hustle culture in America has conditioned us to think that anytime away from work has to be this luxurious, expensive experience when it truly does not. There is no reason why you have to spend ALL of your hard earned money on one lavish vacation a year. (But if you want to that’s your prerogative).
Once I realized travel was a priority to me, I started making choices that aligned with that lifestyle. While traveling in groups can cut the cost of a trip, there are still ways that you can get deals and make adjustments so a solo trip doesn’t have to break the bank.
Sign up for travel credit cards: I currently have 4 credit cards I use for travel that help me collect points that cover flights, hotels, etc.. Now if you don’t have a healthy relationship with credit cards I don’t suggest this, but if you are okay with it, I HIGHLY suggest it. I have saved thousands of dollars with my cards. My favorite card is my Chase Sapphire Preferred. (I have a referral link here.)
Consider hostels/colivings: I talked about this above, but staying in a shared living accommodation, even a bed and breakfast, can be a great way to save money and also meet others.
Start a monthly travel savings account. Back in 2018, I started a separate account with the Digit app (Now called Opportun) that automatically pulled money from my account every month. I set a goal and deadline for how much I wanted to save and never touched it again. This helped greatly with building up a travel fund. We prioritize what is important to us. So if traveling and staying somewhere nice is important to you, have that reflected in your budget!
Sell things you no longer need on Facebook Marketplace or Poshmark: When I was planning for my sabbatical. I probably sold $600 worth of items on Facebook. It was not a huge amount of money but that can certainly cover a flight somewhere!
Consider Volunteer/Work Exchanges: This is something I have yet to do but I meet many people on my travels who are actually volunteering or bartering services like yoga, fitness, etc in exchange for housing. A great site to explore this option is Workaway.com.
Consider housesitting: This is also something I have yet to do but I personally know people who do it and love it! The caveat here is you have to be comfortable with animals. Youtuber, Stephanie Perry talks a lot about house sitting and she is a great resource to learning the ins and outs.
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I hope this has helped debunk some of the myths and fears surrounding solo travel. Traveling solo has been one of my greatest gifts I have given to myself. I could talk for hours on all the reasons why you should consider it. So I’m curious, have you traveled solo? Would you consider it? Let me know in the comments!
