The Beginner’s Guide on How to Travel Alone: Planning Tips, Navigating Anxiety and Loneliness + More

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I strongly, wholeheartedly believe that traveling alone is one of the best, most life-changing things anyone can experience. And no, I promise I’m not saying that just because I have a solo travel blog or travel solo ninety-five percent of the time.

I took my first solo trip to Miami (click here to read about that experience if you want) and that completely changed the way that I travel and see life.

Since then, I’ve learned to lean even more into my independence — which is my favorite thing about myself — and change some of the not-so-positive mindsets I had about traveling in general.

But something I didn’t realize until now is that, while I have a rather extensive library of 50+ travel guides, I have yet to create a detailed guide on how to travel alone — until now.

I think it’s crucial that I not only share all kinds of destination guides, but tell you exactly how to get into the solo travel lifestyle. I hope you’re ready, because we’re about to go all in!

By the time you’re done reading this post, I want you to feel outrageously empowered, inspired and prepared to embark on your solo travel endeavors. Stay tuned for the end, as I give you a free five-day solo travel course!

THIS POST IS ALL ABOUT HOW TO TRAVEL ALONE.

WHAT IS SOLO TRAVEL? WHAT ARE SOME PROS & CONS?

To travel solo means to travel entirely on your own. It means that you fly or take the train alone, check into your hotel alone, eat alone, indulge in fun activity alone — everything.

You might also hear terms like “independent travel,” “traveling on your own,” or “traveling alone.” They all, along with “solo travel” mean the same thing.

Please don’t get this confused with what a lot of people are doing online nowadays: semi-solo travel. I often see people flying to a destination alone, but competing the rest of the trip with other people.

That’s totally fine, but I just want you to know it technically isn’t solo travel.

My absolute favorite part about traveling alone is that I can do whatever I want, on my own time.

Most of my travel companions — such as my brother Calebb and my cousin Kiara — don’t really care for museums, so I’m usually not able to visit any when I travel with them.

I seriously don’t think I’d be able to travel nearly as much as I do if I had to wait on people to be ready.

Something else I love is that I can freely make mistakes. If I get lost, I don’t have to worry about anyone getting upset with me. If I realize I booked a reservation for the wrong restaurant, I don’t have to deal with my hangry brother.

If you’re looking for more advantages, check out this guide where I share ten of my favorite parts about traveling independently.

On the flip side, something I don’t love about solo travel is that every expense lands on you.

Why? Because you don’t have anyone to split expenses like transportation, accommodations, or food with.

I don’t personally struggle with this, but some people don’t like that all of the planning falls on them when traveling alone. They’re used to having help, so coordinating logistics and finances on their own can be tedious and time-consuming.

If you’re looking for more disadvantages — for research purposes, of course — check out this guide where I share twelve cons of solo travel (and more importantly, how to address them correctly).

IS SOLO TRAVEL LONELY?

Loneliness is definitely a major concern among first-time solo travelers.

And it makes sense — if you’re used to traveling with other people, it can feel really unfamiliar and uncomfortable doing things on your own. Especially if you aren’t exactly the kind of person who enjoys their own company (we’ll go deeper into this in just a second).

The good thing is that feeling lonely doesn’t have to ruin your solo adventures.

I have a guide detailing my tried-and-true ways to prevent and navigate loneliness. Make sure you read it when you get a chance!

WHY SHOULD YOU TRAVEL ALONE? WHAT ARE SOME SIGNS THAT SOMEONE IS READY FOR SOLO TRAVEL?

I kind of touched on this in the previous section, but I think the main reason you should travel alone is that it shapes you into a more independent person. The kind of person who doesn’t need help every step of the way and knows how to enjoy their own company.

I must also add that solo travel teaches you to budget more strategically. Like I said, solo travel is more expensive, so you have to be a lot wiser about your budget.

For example, you might have to save for an extra two months to ensure every expense is covered.

To answer the second question, here are some traits that I think the most avid solo travelers have (including myself):

• Adaptability: this is such an important skill to have as a solo traveler because things will almost inevitably go wrong, and you need to be able to think quick on your feet without getting stressed, overwhelmed, or frustrated.
• They don’t wait until they’re ready: instead of waiting years and years until they’re finally “ready” to travel alone, they simply get up and do it, regardless of whether they feel anxious or unsettled.
• They enjoy their own company: while you can totally join group tours and do all kinds of things with other people on a solo trip, you’re probably still going to be on your own for the majority of the time. If you’re going to travel independently, you need to be comfortable doing things alone.

Great — now that we’ve covered the basics, it’s time to get into the nitty gritty. I’m about to share my what I believe is the best process to start traveling alone.

HOW TO TRAVEL ALONE: A STEP-BY-STEP GUIDE

STEP #1: THINK ABOUT WHY YOU WANT TO TRAVEL SOLO

Have you been seeing tons of solo travel content online? Are you looking to become a more independent person? Are you trying to learn more about yourself? Do you need some time to yourself? Do you simply want to see what it’s all about?

Before you even start planning your first solo trip, you need to think about why you want to do this in the first place. This way, when it comes time to actually go on your trip, you can keep your “why” in mind.

STEP #2: GET SOME PRACTICE SPENDING TIME ON YOUR OWN

I think one of the best ways to ease into solo travel is to simply practice doing things on your own. Think experiences like going to the movies, attending a concert, or taking yourself out for dinner.

This way, you’re kind of already used to being independent. I’d recommend starting this about three months before your first solo trip so you have enough experience on your belt.

STEP #3: PREPARE FOR THE PROS AND CONS OF SOLO TRAVEL

Next, you’ll want to start teaching yourself about the advantages and disadvantages of solo travel. I want to put an emphasis on the disadvantages because you really need to know them beforehand.

As I mentioned earlier, solo travel loneliness is a major concern for first-timers, so make sure you do your research and prepare.

I’m an introvert who spends an admittedly unhealthy amount of time in my bedroom, and I still had a considerable wave of loneliness on my first solo trip.

STEP #4: LEARN SOME WAYS TO STAY SAFE ON YOUR SOLO TRIP

I don’t necessarily want to say that solo travel is dangerous, but you definitely need to exercise extra caution — especially as a POC, queer, or female traveler.

While this is a slightly heavier topic, you need to think about it before your first solo trip. These are some of my top tips for staying safe when traveling alone:

• Don’t go out late at night
• Don’t go hiking when nobody’s around
• Always be aware of your surroundings
• Don’t wander too far away from the touristy areas
• Always keep your belongings close to you
• Make sure a trusted individual has your updated itinerary and location

If you’re looking for more solo travel safety tips, check out this guide. I go into detail about the 20 best things you can do to stay safe as a solo traveler. I apply all of these tips on my solo trips, so you know they work!

STEP #5: RESEARCH IDEAL DESTINATIONS FOR SOLO TRAVELERS

While I believe the majority of tourist destinations are accommodating to solo travelers, there are definitely some that are particularly good choices.

A solo-friendly destination should be safe, diverse, budget-friendly, easy to get around (preferably walkable), and full with numerous attractions + restaurants to choose from.

If you’re traveling in the United States, here are some of my top picks. All are walkable, safe and possible to visit on a budget:

• Chicago, Illinois
• Philadelphia, Pennsylvania
• Seattle, Washington
• San Francisco, California
• Boston, Massachusetts

I would advise against visiting New York for your first solo trip because there is SO much to do, eat and see. I know that sounds kind of twisted, but I don’t want you to be overwhelmed.

I’d also steer away from Los Angeles because it’s a fairly car-dependent city, and I think you’re better off using public transportation or waking if it’s your first time traveling alone.

As far as international destinations, here are some amazing options worth considering:

• Lisbon, Portugal
• Denmark, Copenhagen
• Dublin, Ireland
• Athens, Greece
• Madrid, Spain

I’d avoid Tokyo for your first solo trip essentially for the same reason as New York. I’d also generally advise against visiting any more than one country. That’ll just cost extra money and time.

Something I’ve found to be extremely effective is to not only travel somewhere you’re already familiar with — like a destination you’ve visited with family in the past — but to also keep your trip relatively short.

With you traveling somewhere you’ve already been, you get to bypass the common fear of navigating a completely new place. And traveling for a shorter period time makes things way less overwhelming (and less expensive, too, must I add).

STEP #6: FINISH THE TRIP-PLANNING PROCESS

Now that you’ve done some proper research and figured out where you’re going, it’s time to finish the trip-planning process.

Complete tasks like securing a hotel, figuring out how you’re getting around the city, creating a realistic budget, deciding where to eat, packing, and, of course, putting together a spectacular itinerary.

Because I have a dedicated guide where I show you my exact step-by-step guide for planning a trip, I decided to not to go into too much detail on this step. So be sure to check that guide out when you get a chance!

7 HELPFUL TIPS FOR A SUCCESSFUL FIRST SOLO TRIP

Before I (literally) let you go, I wanted to give you some ways to deal with uncomfortable feelings and thoughts before your first solo trip, along with some more general pieces of advice.

• Plan things and expect the unexpected. I find that having at least somewhat of a plan calms me down because I know what to do if and when a problem arises — and, let’s be honest: we’re talking about travel, so some kind of roadblock, big or small, is bound to happen.
• Include intentional down time in your itinerary. This is something I only recently started doing but, man, I sure do see the difference! It’s cool (?) and all to spend the day hopping from one stop to the next, but at some point you’re going to run out of energy (and possibly money as well). Even if you only set aside two or three hours, you will feel so much better — especially if you’re like me and have a rather small social battery that constantly needs recharged.
• Keep a journal. You already know how I feel about journaling if you’ve read any of my blogposts on The Starform, which is my personal development blog that I’ve had for quite a few years now. I frankly don’t know if I could travel without my journal because it acts as something that I can dump all of my thoughts into, without judgment. No matter what uncomfortable feeling I’m feeling, I can write about it in my journal and always feel a weight lifted off my shoulders when I’m done writing what often feels like a short story because, for some reason, I cannot stop writing (kind of like what you’re reading right now). I’m soon writing a post full of journal prompts, so stay tuned for that!
• Consider bringing a backup phone. I’m not telling you to shell out a thousand dollars for a brand-new iPhone, but what I am saying is that if you happen to have a spare phone lying around, consider bringing it. As a solo traveler, I feel so much safer having an extra phone just in case something happens to my main one — whether it breaks, gets lost or stolen, or loses connection.
• Prioritize group activities and experiences. Because it’s your first time traveling alone and you may not be used to doing things on your own, I recommend participating in a few activities along with other travelers. Think things like cooking classes, city walking tours and boat cruises (my favorite!). This will make you feel far less alone.
• Don’t try to fight loneliness if it hits. I, for better or worse, can’t guarantee that loneliness will hit you, but I must say even as an introvert, it certainly hit me on my first solo trip. I think it’s important that rather than fighting it, you just let it pass. Why? Because if you immediately seek some kind of remedy like binge-watching solo travel content, comparing yourself to others, or letting your thoughts consume you, the feeling will probably only worsen.
• Don’t hesitate to reach out to your loved ones. Just because you’re exploring alone, that doesn’t mean you can’t call the people you love! I actually don’t think I would’ve gotten through my first solo trip if it weren’t for me being on the phone with my brother and mom half the time.

FINAL THOUGHTS: HOW TO TRAVEL ALONE

In this post, I taught you how to travel alone. Solo travel is one of the BEST things you can do, so I hope this guide helps you confidently begin that journey.

Now that you have all of this information, I want you to utilize my website as the ultimate solo travel resource. And no, I promise I’m not just saying that because it’s my blog. I take great pride in creating the kind of the content I wish I had when planning my first solo trip.

Feel free to spark a conversation in the comments. Here are some discussion topics:

• After reading this guide, are there any questions you still have? Send them my way and I’ll do my best to answer them.
• Is there anything you’d do to strengthen this guide? I always aim to make my content as helpful and practical as possible, so don’t hesitate to reach out with suggestions!

I’d love to hear your thoughts! If you feel more comfortable chatting with me directly, shoot me a DM on Instagram or email me at demarcus@thesolosolstice.com.

ABOUT DEMARCUS

DeMarcus is a Midwest-based travel content creator and the founder of the solo travel blog, The Solo Solstice. He began his solo travel journey in December 2025 and since has been creating practical, in-depth travel guides for a like-minded community of first-time solo adventurers.

Visit the About Page to learn more about DeMarcus, and visit the Ethical & Responsible Tourism Page to learn more about his efforts to promote responsible tourism.