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First off, congratulations for deciding to take your first solo trip – it’s a big step! Looking for tips for first time solo travelers is exactly what you should be doing right now and I’m here to help.
Traveling solo for the first time is such a rewarding and transformative experience. You have the freedom to explore at your own pace, make your own decisions and, in the process, you’ll discover more about yourself.
It is also an intimidating experience. The unfamiliarity of the destination, culture, language, and customs can be overwhelming. Throw in the fact that you are alone and well, it can be a lot to deal with.
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:
Table of Contents
1. PICK AN EASY DESTINATION
There’s a whole world out there but not every place is easy to travel to by yourself. For your first trip, you want to choose a place where you can easily communicate, has good local transportation, and where you feel safe.
Don’t make your first solo trip any harder than it needs to be. You may even want to choose a destination you’ve been to before but just haven’t traveled to solo. Heck, just go someplace nearby for a weekend away if that’s what’s best for you.
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
Allowing yourself time to adjust to your new surroundings can go a long way in making you feel safe and comfortable as a first time solo traveler.
I don’t recommend booking any tours or scheduling activities that first day either. You don’t need the added stress of having to be anywhere by a certain time, especially if you’re in an unfamiliar place.
Take the time to settle in and get to know the city. My favorite 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.
My goal is to be able to find my way back to my hotel without using my phone. I never want to appear lost. So I look for landmarks that would give me a visual cue for direction. Turn left at the cafe with the cute courtyard, or head in the direction of that really tall building, that sort of thing.
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.
Do the same thing for any books, podcasts, 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.
If you’re unable to avoid arriving late at night, you should consider staying the night at a hotel INSIDE the airport, if one is available.
6. PRACTICE DOING THINGS ALONE
Taking your first solo trip is going to push you outside your comfort zone—and that’s a good thing. But don’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 at home, the easier it will feel when you’re out exploring the world on your own.
7. TAKE THE HOTEL BUSINESS CARD
Grab the hotel’s 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 a hotel name.
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. AVOID OVERPACKING
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.
By bringing an empty water bottle, you can take it through security without any problem. Once on the other side, just fill it up from the water fountain. 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’s no fun having to sprint through the terminal trying to get to the gate before it closes.
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. Nobody purposely chooses a middle seat. Where you sit on a plane has tremendous impact on your comfort during the flight.
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.
When the seats are configured in a 2-3-2 pattern, I prefer one of the three seats in the middle, but on the aisle. I can get up to use the restroom without bothering anyone. I have plenty of personal space and nobody has to climb over me since they can get out on the other side.
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.
Books make great conversation starters. Whether you’re waiting at a café or relaxing in a park, having a book in your hand is a great conversation starter.
Bringing a book to a restaurant also gives you something to do while you wait for your food, which can make dining alone feel less awkward. 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 clear the table.
14. GO WALKING
Arriving in a new country is 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 just happened. 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!