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Planning your first solo trip? Inspired by the movie “The Way”, I set out my first adventure traveling alone – walking the Camino de Santiago. If you’re thinking about solo travel, here are my best solo trip tips for making your trip exciting, safe, and budget-friendly!
What made going out on a solo trip for the first time easier, was having chosen a place (or in my case an adventure) I was really passionate about. When thinking about where you might want to go for your first solo trip, think about what’s driving you to take one in the first place. Have you always wanted to try something or go somewhere? Have you been waiting for “someone” but you don’t want to wait anymore? Have you spent the last 10 years working non-stop and you want to experience something new? Whatever your reason, HAVING a reason will make it easier to jump off.
After I successfully soloed the Camino, my next trips were various Caribbean and Mexican resorts – Bahamas, Cancun, Puerto Vallarta, etc. While I am always happy to sit on a beach and people watch, another challenge of solo-ing, is how to fill your solo time.
It really helps to have day plans. Whatever this looks like for you – Louvre tickets, a 22 mile hike up a mountain, the walls of the Old City in Dubrovnik, or a roundtrip day tour to the black sand beaches in Iceland. The day time is likely going to be when you do the “thing” you set out to do. Night time, can be a little harder…
Solo Travel and Socializing: Why Staying in Hostels is a Game Changer
Traveling solo is really exciting and gives you freedom and adventure without having to compromise or wait for your roommate to wake up to start the day (or letting you wake up whenever you want without holding up the group!). But there are times when it can be lonely and I have always found that to be true at night. Hostel life is a great fix for this!
Staying in hostels is not only more affordable it also creates endless opportunities for social interaction (unless of course you find an empty hostel with only 1 other guest, which happened to me in Zagreb – but it was a quiet night’s sleep!). Hostel life will generally find you with like-minded adventurers and travelers, and typically age appropriate peers (and probably even some other travelers on their first solo trip). A love and passion for travel brings you together – and often leads to unexpected adventures and company on planned outings – and at night, company for night time ghost tours, late night movie marathons, and new drinking buddies (and games). Plus, there are some really cool hostels out there and each with their own identity!
Check out Hostel World to book hostels, well, around the world! I’ve used them in London, Iceland, Poland, Panama, Croatia, and more!
Essential Tips for Your First Solo Trip: Feel Safe and Confident on Your First Adventure
Your first solo trip will be an unforgettable adventure! With these travel tips, you can feel comfortable traveling alone. Have you taken a solo trip yet? Drop your thoughts in the comments – I’d love to hear your experience!
Do Your Research
Check out blogs, Pinterest, and TripAdvisor to see what types of activities, restaurants, and “must sees” you’ll find on your trip. You can also use guidebooks – Frommers, Rick Steves (love me some Ricky!), and Lonely Planet all have great and trustworthy guides!
Book Key Things in Advance
When I walked the Camino, I had my first 2 nights of hostels booked before I arrived based on info from my guidebook. This gave me one less thing to worry about while I was trying to navigate where I was going, how I was getting there, and all in a language I didn’t speak! After those first 2 nights, I felt more comfortable “winging it” when I arrived in a new town each night.
Pack Smart and Light
You’re likely carrying your life on your back and life can get heavy! Check out my post on Multi-day Backpacking in Europe for tips on what to bring!
Get Travel Insurance
World Nomads offers great plans that cover you around the world and can put your mind at ease about not just health but the less fun parts of traveling like flight delays and lost luggage.
Budget Solo Travel: How to Save Money When Traveling Alone
- Stay in hostels (HostelWorld can help you find unique, inexpensive, and safe places to stay).
- If you’re staying in a city for a few days, always look for a free walking tour! – It’s a great way to get the lay of the land, you’ll have a local giving you advice on where to go, eat, and what to see, plus… it’s free! (Don’t forget to tip your guides, though!)
- Make friends at the hostel – Your new friends will have tips for you, experiences to share that can help you, and you can split taxi fares and more with them!
- If you’re a student, bring your ID – a lot of museums have student prices (this worked as a teacher, too).
- When solo tripping in Europe, check out “Rick Steves’ Audio Europe” app for free audio tours of some of the most famous places in Europe! (Don’t forget your headphones!)
