WELCOME TO THE SOLO SOLSTICE

MEET DEMARCUS

Hey, friend! My name is DeMarcus (call me Marcus or Marc if you want) and I am a 20-year-old self-proclaimed solo travel enthusiast.

There’s never a monent that passes where I’m not at least thinking about going on a trip, let alone spending hours putting together an itinerary.

I like to focus on tourist destinations like Chicago (my favorite!), Washington DC, Seattle and San Francisco, as you’ll quickly learn while exploring my blog. Learn more about me on my About Page.

WHAT IS THE SOLO SOLSTICE, AND WHO IS IT FOR?

The Solo Solstice is, you guessed it, a solo travel resource dedicated to guiding you to become a better person through independent travel experiences. I created this blog because I’m inexplicably passionate about traveling and personal development, and wanted a platform to merge those interests.

You’re in the right place if you’re:

a 9-5 worker who doesn’t have unlmited PTO to use for travel
a broke college student who wants to see the world
adament about giving back to the communites and places you visit
on a journey to reconnecting with yourself
interested in learning everything about solo travel

WHAT YOU WILL FIND HERE:

Travel content rooted in personal, first-hand experience. Nowadays, it’s easy to do a few quick Google searches and throw together a “3-day Paris itinerary” or “best hotels in New York” guide. Rest assured that I never, ever write about a place that I’ve never been because, well, what’s the point? There are no unique perspectives or planning tips that I could give you by doing this.
Travel advice with real-life blockers such as money and time in mind. Let’s be real. Not everyone has thousands of dollars, unlimited PTO, or countless companions to travel with. As nice as that sounds, it’s simply not the case, so I teach you how to travel with these constraints because you still deserve to see the world — even if that means going alone. Because going alone or even going without tons of money is miles better than missing out on an experience of a lifetime.
An emphasis on domestic travel. As much as I love an international trip, I equally like traveling in the United States. I feel like domestic travel is a perfect way to slowly get into the solo travel lifestyle.
A positive community of solo adventurers. Community is one of my BIGGEST values, and I think it’s especially important to foster it when talking about solo travel. You’ll find various ways to engage in our community, including the newsletter and (growing) Facebook Group.
Travel tips dedicated to anxious, introverted and first-time travelers. These kinds of travelers like to be as prepared as possible, so I aim to give you all the information you need to plan the best trip possible. This also happens to describe the kind of traveler that I personally am!
Transparent details showing that travel isn’t always pretty or life-changing. Yes, travel can be an exhilarating experience, but it doesn’t have to or always will be. Sometimes just taking a few days to explore a new city can look calm. I want you to embrace mistakes because they ultimately make you a better traveler with each trip you take.
Resources to help you become a better traveler overall. Yes, I have all kinds of destination guides, but I really want you to use my systems and resources to strengthen your travel personality. I feel like there aren’t enough first-timer traveler resources and I definitely could’ve benefitted from them when I first started traveling, so I’m proud to say I create the kinds of guides I wish I had.
Elements of slow travel and personal betterment sprinked everywhere. Even on a shorter or more fast-paced trip, there are still ways to slow down and practice self-care.
A healthy balance of touristy and less popular activities (including free things). As a first-timer, you’ll probably want to see the hype around popular places like Fisherman’s Wharf in San Francisco or the Statue of Liberty in New York City. But you also might be interested in some non-touristy things as well, and my travel guides include those, along with free activities (because those are sometimes the most enjoyable things – plus, solo travel isn’t particularly cheap).

WHAT YOU WILL NOT FIND HERE:

AI-generated content. While using AI platforms like ChatGPT and Gemini can make travel-planning easier, and I do sometimes use them to outline (NOT write) my blogposts, you absolutely will not find any entirely AI-generated travel guides here. Every guide you see on The Solo Solstice is written by humans, for humans. It’s as simple as that. Look elsewhere if you want AI-generated slop (yes, my opinion on this is FIRM).
The same old travel content regurgitated from the internet. There are hundreds of guides out there that recommend the same ‘ole tourist attractions and experiences. While many of them are worth it, I do like to highlight things that you won’t typically find anywhere else.
Promotion of irresponsible tourism, including any form of discrimination. In our community, we’re always striving to become more responsible travelers. We travel during shoulder season, support local businesses, and try to keep a low carbon footprint, along with other efforts to travel responsibly. We also value diversity and inclusivity, welcoming everyone into our community.
Bland writing that doesn’t have much personality or uniqueness. You’ll quickly learn that my posts get quite long (usually about 2,500-3,500+ words), and they’d be difficult to read if they sounded soulless. Even if I tackle a more serious topic like safety or loneliness, I still try to keep it lighthearted and informational.
Fast-paced, unrealistic itineraries. Unlike other creators, I like a more moderate approach so you don’t feel exhausted halfway through your trip, but still make good use of your time and money. Want proof? Just check out one of my itineraries!
Anti-tourism. Look, you’re a tourist. It’s okay! Embrace it. You don’t always have to scour the internet for all the “local gems,” especially if you’re visiting a destination for the first time. Of course you’ll want to see the Eiffel Tower in Paris, the Space Needle in Seattle, or the Bean in Chicago. Touristy destinations and attractions are popular for a reason, so don’t feel like you need to skip them just to be “cool.”
One-size-fits-all travel content. The Solo Solstice specifically exists for solo, time-bound & budget-conscious travelers who like to maximize their resources while traveling and practice responsible travel when possible. If that’s not what you’re looking for, sorry! There are tons of other amazing travel blogs out there.

WHAT IS THE SOLO SOLSTICE’S TRAVEL PHILOSOPHY?

I created a clever acronym, CARDS, to describe The Solo Solstice’s travel philosophy. I want you to keep this in mind when planning a solo trip!

Confidence: I want you to travel with confidence, meaning you’ve done all the research to visit a destination.
Affordability: travel isn’t always cheap, but don’t let that discourage you from exploring the world. There are a number of ways to travel on a budget.
Realism: some travelers like to stuff their itineraries to the brim, and that’s fine. But at TSS, we like moderately-paced itineraries for that perfect balance of exploring and rejuvenating.
Discovery: travel is a means for discovering new cultures and environments, but it’s also the perfect opportunity to discover and strengthen your relationship with yourself.
Safety: solo travel sometimes gets a bad rep for being unsafe, but we don’t subscribe to that notion. We take the proper precautions to stay safe when traveling alone.

NEXT STEPS

Alright. You’re ready to take action, aren’t you? Check out some of the destination guides and travel tips that I’ve shared:

I also wanted to highlight that I have something called the TSS Freebie Library, which is a growing collection of free travel resources including cheatsheets, interactive maps, PDF itineraries and more. Click here to access the library (and join my weekly newlestter where I share exclusive travel advice + destination guides)

NEW TO THE IDEA OF SOLO TRAVEL?

If solo travel is a foreign concept to you, don’t worry; was in your shoes at one point, too. Since my very first solo trip, I’ve fallen alone with traveling alone — so much that I now teach other people like you how to do it realistically, affordably, and confidently.

As scary and isolating as solo travel may sound, I promise it isn’t. It’s an extremely freeing, liberating, and educational experience I believe everyone should try at least once in their lives. If you’re interested in what that journey looks like, The Solo Solstice is the place to be.