Ten Reasons to Travel Solo After 50

Hi there,

Hmm. Looks like you enjoy warmer climes. There are so many possibilities. I would suggest that you explore farther afield and try the Algarve of Portugal or Costa Brava, Spain. There’s also a hotel in Crete, the largest of Greece’ islands that has catered to solo travelers for a few decades. Here’s a link: http://www.singlesincrete.com/

Have fun,
Janice

I just began perusing this site—most of the reasons mentioned above seem to apply to the mainstay of western cultures…. at 50 I travel solo mostly because early on in my 20s I lived in a part of Canada that while in university money was definitely hard to come by—money was for survival not travel.

At 50, I still have a job that is tenuous at best but since the regular mainstream underpinnings don’t apply I have let loose on various adventures. In the Canadian context now, most people in their 20s have far more disposable income(or access to–read–credit, family, employment) than I had (a regional disparity no doubt). By the time I finished university, saddled with debt I could once `travel` in Canada to the more economic prosperous regions to look for gainful employment to stay a float and pay down my university debt.

I travel solo from the get go because all my friends became attached in the traditional way—jobs, partners, domesticity….I kind of buck that trend. I love traveling alone but do miss companionship sometimes. It is easy to meet people but often in the hostel set up they are mostly quite younger and while one can tolerate that it becomes who stands out. You just cannot make yourself `fit in` with 20s as they text with wild abandon while trying to engage in a conversation!!

Having said that I plan 5 weeks in Argentina and will of course start at a hostel and see what is what. It usually is not hard to gravitate towards a fellow traveler near my age as we will often be on a similar wavelength in certain areas. That is not to say that that we will get along–that is why i travel alone!!!- but I enjoy younger people as well… All in all I accept that my friends will never travel with me—such is life BUT that means I challenge myself to keep on seeing the world as much as possible. fred

I love solo travel. It was very scary at first but I just tried and I love it. I did my solo travel the first time to Mexico City when I was 45, it’s fantastic, after that I did it again to Puerto Rico, Ocean City.

Terrific article, Janice! I will definitely share it with my coaching clients, many of whom are 50-ish and either already travel a lot or dream of traveling more. For many of them who are exploring ways to “renew” themselves, some solo travel would definitely be just the thing.

Go Janice!
I would add one more: By traveling solo, you immerse yourself much more deeply in your environment, meeting local people and being in the moment. Traveling with others it’s too easy to retreat to private conversations and well-worn tracks.
Great piece. I’m going to post a link to it on my blog, Roads Less Traveled, at http://www.tracybarnettonline.com.

Excellent thoughts, so many reasons to venture out n your own. Though I have always thought about travelling just for me, the only true solo travelling I have done is extensive independent business travel. On these trips the best were those when I could carve out time to go exploring on my own.
Your post inspires consideration to head out somewhere exciting completely on my own.
Susan

I really liked this post. It’s got some perspectives about solo travel I don’t usually see. I’m going to post about it at boldlygosolo.com in the next few days.

As always, you are spot on, Janice. I’m closing in on 62 and travel solo on a regular basis. In fact, if I’m really honest, it is my preferred way to travel.

I work with a lot of coaching clients, especially women, who are in transitions of one kind or another. For me it is always an exciting moment when they discover, for themselves, that solo travel is what will help them to really discover themselves. No matter their age, their is something magically freeing and Self inspiring about heading off someplace all by yourself.

My heart is singing just thinking about it. I’ll definitely making this fabulous posting available to many of the women in my contact sphere.

You are such a gift to the world, and to women seeking more, in particular.

Gwen McCauley