First off, congratulations for deciding to take your first solo trip. It’s a big step! To help you navigate your first solo trip and come out the other side a more confident version of yourself I have a few tips for you. Here are my 15 pieces of advice for first time solo travelers:Â
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1. PICK AN EASY DESTINATION
For your first trip, you want to choose a place where you can easily communicate, has good local transportation, and where you feel safe. And if you’re not ready to go international just yet, that’s fine too! Your first destination may be a weekend or day trip to someplace more local. The point is, don’t make your first solo trip any harder than it needs to be. You can even go someplace you’ve been to before but just haven’t traveled to solo. By making things as easy as possible, you’ll feel more confident and minimize some of those first trip jitters.
2. PLAN AT LEAST YOUR FIRST NIGHT’S ACCOMMODATION
When traveling by yourself for the first time, it’s best if your first night at your destination is completely booked and confirmed before you leave home. Now is not the time to try and just “wing it.” You should also know how you’re going to get there. Does the hotel offer shuttles from the airport? Will you be able to walk there from the train station? Will you take a taxi or Uber? Reach out to the hotel or look on their website for the best way to get there.
3. GO LITE ON THE ACTIVITIES THE FIRST DAY
I don’t recommend booking any tours or scheduling activities that first day. Allow yourself time to settle in and adjust to your new surroundings. Especially if you’ve come off a long flight or are in a foreign country, you’re going to appreciate having the day to just ‘be.’ The first thing to do when I arrive at a new destination is to simply go out and walk around. To explore what’s immediately around me. To get a feel for the city, the people, the culture. It really helps acclimate me to all that is different.
4. DOWNLOAD ALL THE APPS BEFORE YOU LEAVE
If there is an app for any of the airlines, trains, or hotels, download them to your phone before you leave. Then make sure you’ve set up your account and can easily pull up any of the tickets, and reservations that you’ve made. Download the apps for any rideshares, too. You can access so much information through the apps. Boarding passes for flights, platform numbers for trains, digital room keys for hotels and so much more. In most cases, if there’s any change to your reservation, the app will be first to notify you. It’s also a good idea to download any books, podcasts, or movies that you want to watch or listen to while on your flight.
5. ARRIVE TO YOUR DESTINATION IN THE DAYTIME
When you arrive in the daytime, your body has a better chance to adjust to the new time zone. The daylight will help regulate your circadian rhythm and you’ll overcome any jet lag much quicker. When you arrive in the dark, you’re going to feel more vulnerable being by yourself, and you will be. You’ll be more prone to making mistakes or to being scammed. This is especially true if you’re travelling internationally or to a country that doesn’t speak your native language. My first solo trip to Indonesia, I knew that I was supposed to take a Bluebird Taxi from the airport. Well, I arrived in the dark, completely exhausted after 35 hours of travel, and ended up being scammed into taking a different taxi and paying triple what I should have. Now I stay the night in an airport hotel when I arrive in the dark.
6. PRACTICE DOING THINGS ALONE
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Taking your first solo trip is going to push you outside your comfort zone, and that’s a good thing. But you shouldn’t wait until you’re traveling to start stretching those boundaries. In fact, you should start at home by doing something that nudges you just a little beyond what feels familiar.
So, grab a bite to eat alone. Go to the movies alone. The more you practice doing things alone at home, the easier it will feel when you’re out exploring the world on your own.
7. TAKE THE HOTEL BUSINESS CARD
When checking into the hotel, grab their business card with an address, or drop a pin in an offline map. Either way, just be sure that you have something other than simply the hotel name of where you are staying. In the event you get lost and need a taxi, the driver may not be able to find the hotel easily by name alone, especially if the hotel has a few different locations. You don’t have to worry about that though if you can hand them a business card or show them the location on the map.
8. BRING A PEN
When you travel internationally, usually the flight attendants bring you customs declaration forms to fill out prior to landing. They never have pens. And if you don’t have your own pen, you’re left with asking to borrow someone else’s or hoping that there will be a pen at the arrival hall. My ex always carried a pen wherever he went, not just on a plane either. I would always tease him about it too. Well, wouldn’t you know, I took my first solo international trip and didn’t have a pen with me. Now, it’s the first thing I throw in my carry-on bag.
9. PACK LIGHT
Just because you can squeeze a bunch of stuff into your suitcase doesn’t mean you should. Bags get heavy, quick! Are you able to lift your bag and place it in the overhead bin of the airplane? Or lift it up onto the luggage racks of a train or bus? You can’t depend on someone else to do it for you. I remember one trip I took to Indonesia, I had two bags with me and I regretted it the whole time. Lugging two bags in and out of buses and trains was a nightmare and let’s not even talk about trying to take two bags into an airport bathroom. Never again.
10. ALWAYS TAKE AN EMPTY WATER BOTTLE
One of the most important things to remember when traveling is to stay hydrated. Dehydration leads to headaches, sleepless nights, and leg cramps. Nobody wants that when they go on vacation. Bring an empty water bottle with you, take it through airport security, and then fill it up once you’re on the other side. You’re also going to save a few bucks by not having to shell out $5 or whatever ridiculous price airports charge for bottles of water now.
11. LEAVE PLENTY OF TIME BETWEEN CONNECTIONS
If you’ve never traveled by yourself or booked your own flight before, you may not have given much thought to connections. When you don’t have a direct flight to your destination, you’ll have a connection at the airport. Some airports are more challenging to connect through than others. Make sure you give yourself enough time to get to your gate. At a minimum, try to give yourself about 90 minutes for a domestic connection and two hours for an international connection. It also helps to have a longer connection if your flight arrives late. It’s no fun having to sprint from one gate to the next to catch your next flight.
12. THINK ABOUT WHERE YOU SIT ON THE PLANE
The absolute worst seats on an airplane are the middle seats. No access to the aisle and no window. Just you, sandwiched between two people who chose better seats. In an aisle seat, you can stretch your legs or use the bathroom without having to climb over anyone. An aisle seat also feels more spacious since you’re not tucked in against the window. You also have direct access to the overhead bins. In a window seat, you’ll have some scenic views and fantastic photo opportunities. You also control the window shade and can lean against the window to help you get some sleep. Ever since I started traveling solo, my favorite seats have become the aisle seats. They just feel less claustrophobic to me. It also doesn’t hurt that it’s easier to get up and use the bathroom. Oh, the joys of getting older.
13. BRING A BOOK
A book is one of the best things to bring along on a solo trip. It does more than just give you something to read – it can be surprisingly practical.
Take a book to a restaurant so that you have something to do while you wait for your food. It will make dining alone feel less awkward. It may even help start a conversation with someone.
Plus, if you need to use the restroom, you can leave your book on the table so the server doesn’t think you’ve left and start to clear the table.
14. GO WALKING
Arriving in a new country can be overwhelming. You’re in an unfamiliar culture and all your senses are on high alert. One of the best ways to adjust is to go for a walk. Let the dust settle, so to speak. Going for a walk in the area around my hotel is the first thing I do every time I travel. It helps me feel grounded, mentally and physically. At home, have you ever had to “take a walk” to clear your head and process everything that happened during the day? Same thing.
15. GIVE YOURSELF GRACE
If this is your first time traveling solo, be kind to yourself. Know that it will be overwhelming at times. Allow yourself to have the emotions. Know that something will not go as planned. Allow yourself to screw up. It’s ok. It really is. Travel is full of highs and lows for everyone. What matters is that you are out there on your own. That you are stepping out of your comfort zone. That you are learning how to do something new. Through all the ups and downs, YOU ARE BECOMING A CONFIDENT SOLO TRAVELER!
Resources to Book Your Trip
Flights I like using Skyscanner to find flight deals. It searches hundreds of airlines and booking sites so you can compare prices, dates, and even airports in one place.
Accommodations Booking.com is my go-to for hotels, guesthouses, and apartments. I like that you can filter for free cancellation and check reviews before you book.
Activities For tours and experiences, I recommend GetYourGuide and Viator. Both have everything from walking tours to day trips, plus instant booking and mobile tickets.
eSIM I’ve used Airalo and Saily for internet access when I travel. You can install the eSIM on your phone before you even leave home and there’s no need to swap physical SIM cards.
Airport Pickups If you want a stress-free ride from the airport, check out Welcome Pickups. Your driver will meet you inside the terminal, help with your bags, and take you straight to your hotel.
Car Rental Discover Cars makes it easy to compare rental companies so you get the best rate. You can see all the options and book in advance for peace of mind.
