5 Helpful Tips for Traveling Solo with Social Anxiety (from an Introvert)

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Are you a socially anxious person & having trouble with solo travel? In this guide, I share 5 helpful tips for traveling solo with social anxiety.

I want to begin this post by saying that this will be my most vulnerable and transparent post so far.

I deal with a little something you might know: social anxiety. And it didn’t just pop out of nowhere — I’ve been a socially anxious and odd person for as long as I can remember. I mean, I used to have my younger brothers order food for me at restaurants because I was too shy to do it myself.

And even nowadays, I still consider myself a very socially anxious person who avoids any and all human interaction whenever possible. I know that sounds rough, but it’s the truth.

As much as I hate it, these feelings and behaviors tend to show up during my solo travel adventures also. While I am still very early in my independent travel journey, I’ve learned and begun to incorporate a few strategies to feel less socially anxious.

I want to share them with you in case you either also happen to be a socially anxious solo traveler or are having uncomfortable feelings & emotions before your first solo trip. Because even though these feelings can be intense at times, it’s still possible to have a good time!

Alrighty. Now that we’ve got the formalities out the way, let’s get into the good stuff! As always, I’m going to try to make this guide as detailed and helpful as possible.

THIS POST IS ALL ABOUT TIPS FOR TRAVELING SOLO WITH SOCIAL ANXIETY.

TIPS FOR TRAVELING SOLO WITH SOCIAL ANXIETY

START SMALL & KEEP PRACTICING

Your first solo trip doesn’t have to require this 20-hour travel day, hopping from country to country in Europe. You can simply take a 5-hour road trip to a city you’re excited about!

Start small and slowly work your way toward those farther destinations. The more you do it, the less anxious you’ll feel!

HAVE A PLAN FOR EVERYTHING, AND MAKE IT AS LOOSE OR RIGID AS YOU WANT

I think one of the best ways to address solo travel social anxiety is to have a plan. But the thing is, this looks different for every person.

I like a more moderate approach, as you might know from all of the destination guides I’ve created. Because yes, having a plan is awesome and I seriously don’t think I could function without one, but at the same time, making it too rigid — like planning every minute of the day or not scheduling any intentional downtime — leaves virtually no room for mistakes or mishaps.

And let’s be honest: we’re talking about travel, so those things are basically bound to happen.

So that’s how I like to do it. But if you prefer a stricter schedule, that’s fine! Whatever works best for you, I want you to do it. This is your trip after all.

CREATE & MEMORIZE SHORT SCRIPTS

I don’t do this too often, but I know it works pretty well. What you’ll want to do is sit down and take about twenty minutes thinking about all different kinds of scenarios or interactions you might encounter.

Once you’re done with that, you’re going to create some scripts. Here are a few examples to get your mind thinking:

• What am I going to do if I miss my flight? I’m going to remain calm, walk up to a gate agent, and politely explain my situation. Together, we can get the problem solved.
• Exactly what should I say while I’m placing my order at a restaurant? Say something like, “Hello, may I have [menu item]?”

To put it simple, you need to turn your “what-ifs” into “what will I do ifs.” It’s all about having a plan and being prepared.

KEEP A JOURNAL

This is another one of my tried-and-true ways to combat social anxiety as a solo traveler. I’m a huge fan of journaling because it gives me a space to dump all of my thoughts and emotions. And the great thing about it? Nobody will see any of it!

I like to keep a digital journal in my Apple Notes. For my travel journals specifically, I’ll title them something like “TRAVEL JOURNAL: SEATTLE 2026” and write my heart away. I like to give timestamps because, I don’t know, it feels nice to do so. See a real-life example below from my recent Seattle trip (please excuse the typo — I often type quickly and without actually looking at my phone so I can, you know, stay aware of my surroundings).

Similar to your daily schedule or itinerary, you can be as specific or as simple as you like. I personally try not to go too much into detail because I know if I do, I’ll spend at least thirty minutes writing — and my trips are relatively short most of the time, so I have to prioritize being a tourist!

Also, my journals are a bit more specific and include things to remember for The Solo Solstice. However, yours obviously won’t include this information (unless you also happen to be a content creator!).

DON’T FORCE YOURSELF INTO SOCIAL SITUATIONS

Look, I know it’s important to face your fears. So I’m not necessarily saying that you shouldn’t ever put yourself in social situations. However, if that kind of stuff makes you uncomfortable, then steer clear of it.

I, for example, usually stick to takeout and don’t book a group tour unless it’s safer or cheaper to do that than to do the activity on my own (like hiking, for instance). And even when I eat takeout, I place it for pickup rather than ordering in-person since that’s one less/shorter conversation I have to deal with.

SCHEDULE INTENTIONAL DOWNTIME

You already know about this if you’ve read any of my advice about creating a travel itinerary. If you don’t, though, I always suggest that you schedule intentional downtime in your itineraries.

This is great for everyone, but it’s particularly a saving grace for us socially anxious solo travelers because it gives us time away from, well, humans. Talking, for me, is exhausting, so it’s imperative that I save space in my itinerary to just relax on my own.

FINAL THOUGHTS: TIPS FOR TRAVELING SOLO WITH SOCIAL ANXIETY

In this post, I shared some tips for traveling solo with social anxiety. This is definitely more of a serious topic compared to some of my other guides, so I hope I was able to address it correctly. I admit it’s a bit shorter than usual, but I do plan to keep updating it.

Now, friend, it’s your turn. I’m opening the floor for you to start a conversation in the comments. Here are some discussion topics:

• Are you planning your first solo trip? Which one of these strategies do you plan to use?
• Are you a socially anxious person? What’s your go-to strategy for staying calm?
• 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.