How to Plan a Solo Trip

After last week’s family travel tips, I’m happy to be back to something I have a lot more experience with: solo travel.

 So, you want to plan a solo trip?

Here’s my top five tips for planning solo travel.

1. How to pick a destination for your solo trip.

Depending on what you like to do when you travel, any destination can be great for solo travel. However, if you’re new to solo travel, here’s three things to consider when picking a destination. First, do you speak the language, or understand it fairly well? Being able to communicate is both one of the most fun parts of solo travel and the most important for safety. Second, how far out of your comfort zone would it be? I believe that enjoyable solo travel lives in the gray area between bring totally comfortable and totally out of your comfort zone. Third, is it in your budget? Remember, you’re not splitting the cost of taxis, hotel rooms or other expenses, unless you pick up a travel buddy along the way.

2. Decide how you’ll travel solo to get there.

This is about budget and comfort. Plane or train tickets cost the same with a group or alone, but keep in mind that you’re picking up the whole tab for rental cars and taxis. Consider how comfortable you are flying or driving alone to the destination. If you think you could navigate restaurants and hotels in a foreign language, also plan ahead for navigating airports and roads (if you’re renting a car) in a foreign language. It’s very important to look at layovers in foreign countries and see if there’s a way to get a direct flight. My first trip to Asia I flew through Taipei and was completely unprepared for the challenge of finding my connecting flight in an airport where signs are in Chinese.

3. Plan how you’ll get around on your solo trip. 

You’ll be even more on your own for getting around in your destination than you were for getting there from home. I’ve rented cars all over the world, but it’s always been in a country where I speak the language, like Mexico or Chile, of where I lived, like Türkiye or Bangladesh. I would have to do a lot of research before I’d rent a car in, say, Vietnam.

I love using public transportation (read my public transportation travel tip) but it’s very difficult in places where I don’t speak the language. I will always advocate for public transportation but for comfort and safety it’s best to use apps that give you the driver’s information and let you share your ride with somebody who can help in case of a problem. This saves you from trying to give the driver directions and from negotiating the fare.

4. Research lodging for solo travelers.

There are advantages to all different kinds of lodging, so consider what’s most important to you. Hostels aren’t just for backpackers in their 20s and are a great place to meet other solo travelers at any age. A good hotel concierge can help with just about anything you need on a solo trip, but you have to be willing to pay for an expensive hotel – or use credit card points. A good Airbnb host can help with tons of insider and local information but check reviews to see how available and helpful the host really is. If you prefer all-inclusive resorts and cruises, you don’t need to worry about any details. (Check out how much I loved my Amazon River cruise with Delfín). Small, family-run hotels can have many of the same benefits of a good Airbnb host but always check the reviews first.

5. Pick solo travel activities. 

Think about the kinds of things you like to do alone, but also the kinds of activities that are likely to introduce you to new people. I love hiking in the mountains and walking in parks alone, but I think that solo activities are such a personal preference that I can’t advise you to do more than pick activities you like to do on your own. My favorite part of solo travel is meeting new people, both locals and other travelers. I think the best ways to meet other travelers are walking tours and group tours that have a lot of other solo travelers. Ask if the group has other solo travelers when booking but first read my tips for booking group tours.

Want more solo travel tips?

If you haven’t seen my previous solo travel newsletters, check these out: Tips for Solo Travel at Any Age, Top 5 Safety Tips for Solo Travel, Top 3 Reasons to Travel Solo, and Resources for Solo Travelers.

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