How to Travel Solo: 50+ Tips

On one of the many canals in St. Petersburg – the Venice of the North.

I first published these fifty tips on solo travel when I started my blog way back in 2009. Well, I’ve learned a lot since then so I figure that it’s time to update the information.

Here you go…

Before you leave.

• Research so that you understand the basics. At minimum, you need to know about any passport and visa requirements, the currency exchange and where you will stay the first night.
• When planning your accommodation, consider a homestay, hostel, B&B or small pension as they usually offer more access to friendly locals.
• Consider a destination where you can stay put, not constantly move from place to place, and still
  good variety of day excursions. This way you save money and get to know the locals.
• Pack light – one carry-on if possible so that you can handle your luggage with ease. Read Bare Minimum Packing.

Concerned about being lonely? Here’s how to meet people as you travel solo.

• Take advantage of local tour guides. Read 8 Ways to Find a Free Local Tour Guide.
• Learn how to talk to strangers. Read Travel Solo and, Yes, Talk to Strangers.
• If you’re in one place for a while, connect with others by taking language or cooking classes. Whatever interests you.
• Visit the same café, fruit stall, restaurant… every day. You’ll get to know the people there.
• Be curious. Ask questions of locals and other travelers. People love to talk about their country, city, thoughts… when given a chance.
• If you want to meet other travelers, go off the beaten path. Travelers that find each other where there are few tourists, are more inclined to talk to each other. Plus, you will likely have something in common.
• Break up long trips with organized tours. You’ll enjoy the company and a chance to let someone else take care of all the details.

Travel solo by day  – including the often dreaded dinner hour.

• Give yourself a full day to really land in each new destination. I find that it takes that amount of time to feel comfortable.
• Establish a routine. Find a place to have coffee every morning or to buy fruit for your day. People will get to know you and it will be nice to be known.
• Bring photos with you to make your temporary home a home.
• Carry the essentials with you when you head out for the day. Have the name of the place you’re staying in the local language. Have a copy of your emergency contacts and your documents on you.
• Always keep your most important items in the same place and have a simple check. For me it’s passport, wallet, camera and phone. Those are the items I check when I feel the need.
• Enjoy dinner as a solo traveler. You can:
  • Go to restaurants with communal tables. Read this Dining Solo Post for info on how to find them.
  • Go to coffee shops that are the hubs for freelancers. These are social places that also offer free wifi to stay connected with home.  Read: Finding the Freelance Hub
  • Take a book. It will not only occupy you but also signal other soloists that you travel alone.
  • Ask people who are alone if you can join them. Worst case… they say no.
  • Dine in the same place regularly so that you become friendly with the staff.
  • Take your main meal at noon when the romantic crowd aren’t out and the prices are lower.
  • Eat at the bar – this is my choice as I usually meet other solo travelers there.
  • Read 5 Ways to Enjoy Restaurant Dining- Solo and “Eat Alone and Meet New People“.

Travel solo by night.

Safety first

• Taxis there and back are important for safety.
• Leave a note in your room saying where you are going and with whom AND inform your hotel where you are going and when you expect to be back.
• Stay sober. Drink very responsibly so that you have your wits about you.
• Ask your concierge whether the place you’re planning to go to is fun and safe.
• Know where your purse is – or better yet, don’t carry one.

Have fun…

• Consider dinner/show combinations where you know you’ll be seated with other people.
• If you’re going to a small club, arrive early to ensure that you get a seat at the bar.
• If you’re going dancing and there’s a line up outside the club, look for a group of tourists that you read as safe (they’re not usually too hard to spot). Read How to Crash the Club Scene Solo
• Leave a club if it doesn’t feel right.
• Chat with the bartender so that they care about you.
• If a conversation starts with another patron, introduce yourself with your first name only.
• Leave by yourself and by taxi and don’t tell people where you’re staying.
• Read Clubbing and Pubbing Solo.

Getting Around

1. Local transit

• A half-day tour can be great for getting oriented. After that, walking and local transit give you the best feel for a city.
• If you are going to a non-English-speaking country, research how the system works before you get there or ask the people where you’re staying before you head out.
• Look for daily or weekly passes and other special deals for tourists.

2. Train

• Overnight trains are efficient if you are traveling with time constraints.
• If traveling overnight by coach in North America, try to get a double seat to yourself. A carry-on is about the same height as a train  bench so you can use it to widen one of the benches and curl up.
• If you can, select your seat so that you are sitting near people who you consider safe.
• Always know where you luggage is.

3.    Planes

• Travel with one carry-on so you don’t have to wait in long lines for check-in or wait to pick up your bag. Plus, your luggage won’t get lost.
• Board early so you have no trouble putting your carry-on luggage in an overhead compartment.
• At check-in, ask if the flight is ‘full’ or ‘light’. If it’s light, you may be able to jockey for a better seat.
• If you have a connecting flight, get all the information you need before boarding your first flight to make the connection easily.
• Bring light snacks with you. If there’s turbulence there won’t be service during the flight. Ginger snaps are a good snack and they settle the stomach.

4. Car

• Check in advance what the driving license requirements are for the country you’re visiting.
• A GPS is a fabulous tool but don’t rely on it. Have a map and compass when road-tripping solo.

There are dozens more tips throughout this site on how to travel solo. These are only the beginning.

Part of knowing how to travel solo is knowing how to do so safely. In addition to reading this post, please read the Solo Travel Safety post to ensure that all goes well with your travels. You can also check out The Best of Solo Travel page as it has lots of solo travel stories.

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