Is Solo Travel Lonely? 32 Tips to Overcome Loneliness When Traveling

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One of the biggest, most common concerns with solo traveling is dealing with the often discomforting, unfamiliar feeling of loneliness. That deep, unsettling state of being alone and not knowing how to healthily navigate it.

It’s kind of frustrating watching those solo travel vlogs on YouTube. You know, the ones where people bravely travel hours and hours away from home and make it look so easy? Yeah, those can be difficult to watch because they look incredibly joyous yet you’re feeling the exact opposite.

And I’m not saying those people are faking it. But when you see them having the time of their lives, you can sometimes grow envious that they know how to enjoy their own company.

As an introvert, I really appreciate my time in solitude. I’ve found it’s pretty easy to enjoy my solo adventures. However, I can acknowledge and understand that this unfortunately isn’t the case for everyone.

In fact, there are tons of people who either don’t know how to be alone or simply dislike it. And I get it. Sometimes being alone can feel really uncomfortable or unfamiliar — and those feelings are 100% valid.

The thing is, though, you can’t rely on other people to bring you happiness or satisfaction — even during an experience as exciting as a trip! As an adult, I think it’s crucial that you learn how to enjoy being alone.

Because that alone time teaches you to enjoy your own company and become comfortable not relying on others to be fulfilled.

So in this post, I’m going to teach you how to travel alone. Like always, I’ll give you a bit of context so everything feels more natural, logical, and connected.

Here’s what we’ll discuss:

• What it really means to travel alone
• What kind of person is most likely to experience loneliness when traveling
• An interesting discovery I’ve made about loneliness
• A personal story about my experience with loneliness when traveling
• How to avoid + deal with loneliness when traveling
• Coping strategies + mechanisms to AVOID when loneliness strikes
• Final thoughts + community engagement

Brace yourself — it’s a good, long one (I mean, what else is new?). I hope you’ll get some serious value from it.

Ready, friend? Let’s go!

THIS POST IS ALL ABOUT OVERCOMING LONELINESS WHEN TRAVELING.

THE INTERESTING THING ABOUT LONELINESS

I’ve discovered something really interesting about loneliness: you could be surrounded by a crowd of a thousand people and still feel alone.

That tells me that loneliness isn’t always a physical thing or experience. Sometimes even when you’re surrounded by others, it’s the mental shift that takes a massive toll on you.

And the thing is, it feels even more intense when you travel to a big city with constant movement and energy. I haven’t exactly cracked the code on why this happens. It’s just food for thought until I have an answer.

WHAT DOES IT REALLY MEAN TO TRAVEL ALONE?

Is solo travel lonely? What does it actually mean to travel alone? What’s the difference between feeling physically and socially alone?

I feel like you might be having a hard time understanding this concept because you’re approaching it the wrong way.

You see, being “alone” doesn’t seem very compelling because it often ignites negative emotions. What I mean by this, is when you think about being alone, you generally look at it as a bad thing — possibly even something you try to steer away from as much as you can.

But here’s the thing: being alone doesn’t have to be synonymous with loneliness.

Being alone simply means being on your own. Being independent. Not being surrounded by other people. That, in essence, is what being alone actually means.

WHAT KIND OF PERSON IS MOST LIKELY TO FEEL ALONE WHEN TRAVELING?

Extroverts and deep-thinkers are more likely to feel alone when traveling. I say this because extroverts tend to thrive on social interaction and, from personal experience, deep-thinkers usually spiral when dealing with such an intense emotion.

Introverts can also experience loneliness when traveling, but because they’re used to enjoying their own company, it typically doesn’t hit them as hard or as often as it would someone else.

REASONS YOU FEEL ALONE WHEN TRAVELING

Before we go any further, I want to discuss some reasons you might be feeling alone in the first place. Hopefully knowing these can sort of help you begin to brainstorm some ways to cope.

Some common reasons you may feel alone while traveling are:

• You’re traveling to a destination you’re never visited before.
• Your itinerary doesn’t include enough opportunities to engage with other people.
• You’re an extrovert and thrive on social interactions.
• Your itinerary doesn’t have any intentional space for you to reflect.
• You’re traveling alone for the first time.

HOW TO AVOID LONELINESS BEFORE YOUR TRIP

Finally, we’re getting to the good stuff. In this section, I’ll share tips for avoiding loneliness when traveling. Now, when I say “avoiding” loneliness, I don’t necessarily mean you should pretend as if it doesn’t exist.

Because no matter how hard you try, it could backfire and hit you when you least expect it. Instead, these tips exist to help you reduce the chance of feeling lonely before you embark on your journey.

REMEMBER THAT SOLO TRAVEL ISN’T THE ONLY CHOICE

Remember that solo travel isn’t the only choice. Yes, I’m aware that you’re reading a blog dedicated to solo travelers. And I’m a huge solo travel enthusiast.

But you may have to stop and consider traveling with others every now and then.

You can totally still consider yourself a solo traveler even if you don’t make every single trip a solo experience. I think it’s very healthy and reasonable to throw a couple of family or group trips in the mix as long as you travel with the right people.

And when I say the “right people,” I’m referring to the people whose travel personalities and styles align with yours. It’d be a pain to travel with someone who wakes up at 6AM everyday or doesn’t care to try the local cuisine somewhere, wouldn’t it?

STAY IN A COMMUNITY-FOCUSED ACCOMMODATION

Stay in a community-focused accommodation, like a party hostel or social hostel. When you stay somewhere more private and secluded like an Airbnb or hotel, you tend to feel more isolated.

So if you want to avoid feeling alone, I suggest staying somewhere that has more of a communal feeling! Hostels aren’t as common here in the US, but if you’re traveling Europe or elsewhere, there are loads of options.

Even if you don’t feel comfortable staying in a dorm with other people, there are still many opportunities to connect and socialize.

Simply stay in a private room. These do cost more than shared rooms, but it’s totally worth it if you don’t like the idea of sharing a room with complete strangers.

Participate in the activities offered by the hostel. These will usually be posted somewhere in the common areas, so it be easy to stay in the know. Or you can just ask — I’m sure they’d be more than happy to inform you!

FIND AN ACCOMMODATION IN A BUSIER AREA

Find an accommodation in a busier area. Just a second ago, I suggested staying in a hostel to avoid loneliness. And while that’s a great idea for international trips, it not very realistic for domestic trips.

As an alternative, I’d suggest staying in an area that’s more lively and doesn’t get too desolate outside of business hours. Avoid staying downtown, as the city center typically dies down after 5PM in most places.

When looking for accommodations, you’ll want to specifically search for places that are in these more lively neighborhoods and areas. You can do this by searching something like, “most lively neighborhoods in Miami.”

If you were curious, the answer would be South Beach and Wynwood!

BOOK GROUP TOURS

Book group tours. This is a bit more of an obvious strategy for avoiding loneliness when traveling. But hey, it works — so why not mention it?

As you’d expect, booking and participating in group tours is an excellent way to feel less alone. Not only are you surrounded by others who are interested in the same experience, but it’s a great opportunity to chat with them if you want.

What’s awesome is that nearly all of them are tourists just like you, so that’s another thing you have in common. You can (safely) share your travel plans with each other during the tour.

GetYourGuide and Viator are my favorite places to find group tours. Definitely check both of them out (I do find that Viator typically has better offerings).

BOOK WALKING TOURS

Book walking tours. This is technically a group tour, but a specific type. I think this is an excellent idea if you want to be around others, but prefer a calmer, more peaceful experience.

As an introvert, I love walking tours because they make me feel included but push me too far out of my comfort zone. They’re also a great break-in activity for your first day in a new destination.

All around, I think walking tours are some of the best things to do for solo travelers.

MAKE ROOM IN YOUR ITINERARY FOR SOME EMOTIONAL DOWNTIME

Make room in your itinerary for some emotional downtime. You will hear me talk about this ALL THE TIME because most beginner travelers fret to include intentional rest time in their itineraries.

Then they’re upset when they’re halfway through their adventure and feel like they need a vacation from their vacation. That seems pretty counterintuitive, doesn’t it?

I recently started doing this and, man, it really makes a difference. I find that it’s particularly useful for first-time solo travelers because it acts as a dedicated time to slow down and process those intense emotions you’re likely experiencing.

I already know what you’re thinking. Don’t worry — you are NOT wasting your trip by doing this. If anything, you’re making it even better because you’re planning to solve a problem before it even happens.

And, um, that’s one of the smartest things you can do as a solo traveler!

Halfway through your trip is a smart time to schedule this. You’ll want to anticipate when you think you’ll need it. This could be based on your physical or mental energy, or even your budget!

The longer your trip, the more rest days you’ll want to schedule. For instance, if you’re traveling Europe for ten days, you’d probably want to schedule two rest days — one during the first half your trip and another during the second portion.

CONNECT WITH LOCALS & OTHER TRAVELERS

Connect with locals and other travelers. There are several apps like Meetup and Facebook that are great for connecting with others while traveling.

Meetup is more of a local app, but it’s still an amazing resource for finding community activities nearby. And Facebook has countless groups dedicated to bringing like-minded travelers together.

I also like to follow a couple of destination-specific accounts on TikTok and Instagram. They often posts tons of events in the city, and the locals will be there having a good time.

Some of my favorites are @312chicago, @alanainwonderland, and @choosechicago on Instagram. If you can’t tell, these are all Chicago-based accounts, and they spread the word for all kinds of events that are happening.

I actually used some of these to plan my 2026 summer Chicago trip, and I can’t wait to see how everything turns out! There’s no way I would’ve known about certain things if it weren’t for these accounts.

TAKE SHORTER & FAST-PACED TRIPS

Take shorter, more fast-paced trips. I’ve found that loneliness is less likely to creep up on you when you have a shorter trip and a more rapid itinerary. And by the time it does hit, your trip is likely already almost over anyway.

This happened to me on my first solo trip. On that last day during the final activity, I started feeling overwhelmingly alone. But thankfully since I was returning home the next morning, it didn’t hit as hard as if I had a few more days left on my trip.

I think it’s also nice to have a fast-paced itinerary. This way, you keep yourself busy and avoid feeling lonely.

If you’ve been here a while, you’d know I wouldn’t usually recommend falling into the doing-something-every-hour trap. But in this specific scenario, I actually think it could benefit you — at least until you get the hang of things.

KNOW YOUR COPING STRATEGIES IN ADVANCE

Know your coping strategies in advance. One of the best ways to prepare for loneliness (I know that sounds odd, but trust me) is to determine in advance how you’re going to tackle it.

Of course, this will look different for everyone. I personally like to write in my travel journal when I feel alone. It really helps to get those thoughts out my head and onto my phone.

You, on the other hand, might prefer to connect with your family for a bit. Whatever works for you, have it prepared ahead of time! It’s so nice to do this so therefore you already know what to do when that emotion strikes.

PRACTICE SOLO LIVING

Practice solo living. I feel like people who live alone have a lower chance of feeling alone when traveling because they’re used to doing things on their own.

So even if you don’t live alone, practice doing few things alone every now and then.

For example, you can attend a concert, take yourself out to dinner, or take a stroll in a nearby park. I personally don’t live on my own yet, but I’ve done all of these, and I really think they’ve eased the transition into taking trips alone.

KEEP PRACTICING SOLO TRAVEL

Keep practicing. Just like with anything else, practice equals consistency and growth when solo traveling.

I know the typical phrase is, “Practice makes perfect,” but if you’re a reader of The Starform — my personal development blog — you’d know I don’t subscribe to that notion. Like, at all.

You may never perfect solo travel, and that’s okay! Please don’t make that your end goal.

The whole point is to continue to grow and get better at it with each trip. That’s my philosophy, and I think it should be yours, too. I don’t want you to reach the point where you feel 100% comfortable and never step out of your comfort zone or do something you’d otherwise avoid because it’s unfamiliar.

Where’s the fun in that?

Keep putting yourself out there, stepping out of your comfort zone, and taking (calculated) risks. This may just be the number-one thing that will help you avoid feeling lonely when traveling. If you don’t take any other advice from this post, let it be this.

CHOOSE SOLO-FRIENDLY DESTINATIONS

Choose solo-friendly destinations. You might feel alone when traveling because you chose the wrong kind of destination for solo travelers. I like to think that some places are better than others for us.

A solo-friendly destination should satisfy the following criteria:

• the destination should have a multitude of solo-friendly activities such as museums, beaches, parks, sights and events
• the destination should have good public transportation
• the destination should be generally safe

TRAVEL DURING PEAK OR SHOULDER SEASON

Travel during peak or shoulder season.

Look, I’m completely aware that off-peak / low season is appealing to budget travelers and people who dislike crowds.

This can be a great idea, but not for first-time solo traveler. I’d hold off until you have a bit more experience traveling alone.

During a city’s low season, it can be pretty uneventful, to say the least — especially in the less popular destinations. There likely won’t be that many people out exploring and the weather is usually, um, unfavorable.

Opt for peak or shoulder season instead. During these times, there will be noticeably more tourists, which will make you feel less physically alone.

HOW TO NAVIGATE LONELINESS WHEN IT HITS

In this section, I’ll share strategies to overcome this loneliness when it strikes.

TRY SOMETHING YOU’RE FAMILIAR WITH

Try something you’re familiar with. As I mentioned earlier, one of the most common reasons you feel alone when traveling is that you’re in a new, unfamiliar environment.

And when you combine that with doing it all on your own, loneliness can hit like crazy.

So, to combat this, I suggest trying something you’re already used to doing at home. Some ideas include going to the cinema, attending a sports event, or attending a concert.

I regularly do these things on my own, so doing it in a new city makes me feel more at ease.

DON’T HESITATE TO CONNECT WITH YOUR LOVED ONES

Don’t hesitate to connect with your loved ones. I know a lot of people don’t reach out too often when traveling, but I’d strongly advise against that.

Especially if you’re traveling alone for the first time and are feeling some really intense emotions.

It’s completely fine to reach out and express your emotions to a loved one, whether it’s your mother, father, cousin, grandparent, or close friend.

Not only can they help you navigate these feelings, but they can also provide you comfort and security — both of which can really help when you feel lonely.

Feel free to contact them as much or as little as you want. On my first solo trip, I connected with my family multiple times a day.

As I progressed through my solo travel journey, I started calling them less, but it was really helpful having them there when I needed them for emotional support.

DON’T IGNORE LONELINESS

Don’t ignore loneliness. I think this is one of the most important tips I can share.

You see, a lot of people tend to avoid or immediately cope with these big, intense emotions. And while it may work in the moment, it isn’t a permanent or healthy solution.

Instead of ignoring it, I encourage you to feel the loneliness. Don’t try to assign it any kind of meaning or search for the root of it. Just feel it as it comes.

Not to get all preachy or anything, but that’s simply one of the best things you can do anytime a strong emotion overcomes you.

DON’T BE QUICK TO LABEL IT AS LONELINESS

Don’t be quick to label it as loneliness. One mistake first-time solo travelers make is labeling loneliness as soon as they experience it.

I think the problem with this, is that sometimes it isn’t actually loneliness that you’re feeling. Sometimes you just feel uncomfortable because you’re in a new environment all on your own.

So instead of immediately labeling it as such, sit with it. And if you later discover it is loneliness, that’s fine. I just don’t want you to rush to label it because, like I said, that isn’t always the case.

WRITE IN YOUR TRAVEL JOURNAL

Write in your travel journal. Ah, come on — you knew I’d mention it sooner or later! I absolutely love my travel journal. I consider it my travel companion because even as a solo traveler, it’s still nice to have some kind of emotional support item to confide in when you need it.

And I’ve got to say, my travel journal serves its purpose very well. I seriously don’t think I could travel without it.

If you’re curious, I keep it in the Apple Notes app since I don’t need an internet connection to access it. Plus, I can view it on all my other devices like my iPad or MacBook. This is really helpful when I’m creating my city itineraries.

In my travel journal, I usually write real-time updates about my trip. This includes things like, “It’s currently 3:40PM and I’m headed to lunch” or “I just got back from the museum and I totally loved it.” But it’s also a nice place to write my feelings away — especially, you guessed it, loneliness.

SIT AT THE BAR IN RESTAURANTS

Sit at the bar in restaurants. As you know, you usually have a few seating options when eating at a restaurant: a booth, a table, or the bar.

I suggest sitting at the bar if you’re feeling lonely. You’ll likely feel far less awkward, and it’s much easier and more natural to spark a conversation with someone sitting near you.

Even if it’s the bartender! They can not-so-surprisingly hold up a good conversation if you need someone to talk to.

PUT YOURSELF OUT THERE AND BEFRIEND SOMEONE

Put yourself out there and befriend someone. Please don’t hesitate to do this! I’ve heard several stories where solo travelers meet each other while traveling.

It’s a lot easier than it sounds — especially because you’re both there for the same reason: to check out the city!

Before you just, you know, walk up to someone, scope the crowd. Scan the environment and look for someone sitting alone. Or generally someone who looks like they’re in the mood to chat.

If you’re a woman, you’d probably feel more comfortable approaching a fellow solo female traveler. If you’re Black or queer (like myself), you might feel inclined to befriend a fellow traveler who shares the same identity.

Basically what I’m trying to say is, find someone who you’d feel comfortable talking to. It’ll make for a far less awkward conversation and you’ll be more likely to achieve the goal of becoming friends.

PRACTICE MINDFULNESS

Practice mindfulness. Any time you’re experiencing a strong emotion, it’s a good idea to engage in some physical or mental activities to calm yourself.

Two of my favorite mindful activities are meditating and going on a serene walk. And, um, I feel like these are perfectwhen traveling because you have so many opportunities!

APPRECIATE THE SMALL INTERACTIONS

Appreciate the small interactions. Sometimes you don’t feel like engaging in a full-blown conversation with someone.

Sometimes you just want a nice, quick interaction to avoid going hours without uttering a word (which is painfully possible if you let it happen).

Find joy in interactions like:

• Checking in to your hotel
• Ordering coffee at a local cafe
• Getting your train ticket scanned
• Going up to get your museum pass
• Asking someone for help if you get confused or lost

GET INSPIRED FROM OTHER SOLO TRAVELERS

Get inspired from other solo travelers. Let’s end this section with a good ‘ole full circle moment. Remember how I said that watching those overly positive solo travel vlogs on YouTube can be challenging sometimes? Well, they don’t always have to…

Instead of comparing yourself to them, I want you to flip that switch in your brain and look up to them as an inspiration. Analyze the confidence, joy, and happiness they exude in their videos.

I think doing this when you feel lonely can inspire and help you realize that you, too, can experience those same positive emotions. Because, in reality, you can!

WHAT NOT TO DO (COPING STRATEGIES TO AVOID)

I promise we’re almost done, hehe. Finally, I want to share some things you should avoid when loneliness strikes.

These are considered unhealthy coping mechanisms because they either have you AVOID loneliness or combat it in a way that could create a domino effect.

ANYTHING YOU NORMALLY WOULDN’T DO

Don’t do anything you normally wouldn’t do if you were in a healthier state of mind. Such intense emotions can make you want to do things you normally wouldn’t.

But, like any other self-help blogger (yes, I have another blog — the one I mentioned earlier) would say, you really shouldn’t allow yourself to get to that point.

When I say “anything you normally wouldn’t do,” this can literally be anything from having a public crash-out to wasting hundreds of dollars at the casino. If you wouldn’t do it at home, you dang-sure don’t want to do it in a whole new city.

That just isn’t smart, is it?

COMPARE YOURSELF TO OTHER SOLO TRAVELERS

Don’t compare yourself to other solo travelers. I know I touched on this earlier, but I wanted to expand on it now.

Earlier, I mentioned that you should get inspired from other solo travelers. And while that’s an amazing idea, I don’t want you to get the wrong idea.

Try not to get to a point where you envy them because they seem to be having a much better, more positive experience than you.

Because then, not only are you lonely, but you’re envious — and those two do NOT go well together. Trust me, I’ve been there before and it isn’t exactly the best predicament to be in.

DOOM-SCROLL ON YOUR PHONE FOR HOURS

Don’t doom-scroll on your phone for hours. I’m aware this could be a very familiar coping strategy, but I’d advise against it. Once again — it feels good in the moment, but you’re really just avoiding loneliness instead of tackling it.

Just keep this in mind: when battling loneliness while traveling, you really want to focus on combatting it directly. All of those passive coping strategies don’t work because you’re not addressing the root problem.

Instead of resorting to six-inch screen brightly illuminating your face, stick to something that doesn’t require your phone.

Consider taking a walk, going to the beach, or spending some time at a local bookstore. I think it’s important to get the heck off your phone and enjoy some real-life activities so you don’t get caught up in some fake reality.

GIVE UP ON SOLO TRAVEL

Don’t give up on solo travel. As a solo travel enthusiast, I hate to hear the idea of giving up on traveling independently. Sure, it may not be for you, but you really can’t draw that conclusion from one not-so-great experience. Please try it at least one more time before making your final decision.

CUT YOUR TRIP SHORT

Don’t, for the love of God, cut your trip short. As you know, traveling is only getting more expensive, and I’d hate for you to throw your hard-earned money down the drain.

Not only that, but imagine you leave a day early when your final day could’ve been the best day of your life. You would’ve missed such a special experience just because you cut your trip short.

💭 LIFE TIP: Act on logic, not on emotion. If you act on your emotions, you’re a lot more likely to make some not-so-smart decisions that you’ll regret later down the line.

OVERBOOK THINGS TO STAY BUSY

Don’t overbook things to stay busy. This is another thing I mentioned earlier. I said that you should keep yourself busy by having a relatively fast-paced itinerary. I still stand by this, but I don’t want you to overexert yourself.

Because if you do, you’ll likely fall into the trap of avoiding loneliness rather than navigating it directly. And sure, avoiding it may feel good in the moment. But it’s certainly no temporary solution.

ASSUME IT WILL LAST THE ENTIRE TRIP

Don’t assume it will last the entire trip. Just because you’re feeling it right now and it feels really strong and uncomfortable, that shouldn’t mean you need to assume it will last.

There’s a very good chance it will only last a few hours, and then you can happily enjoy the rest of your adventure.

FORCE YOURSELF INTO UNCOMFORTABLE SOCIAL SITUATIONS

Don’t force yourself into uncomfortable social situations. I’m sure you’d think, “I’m feeling alone so I’m going to step really far out of my comfort zone.” Welp, you’d be wrong!

I’d advise against this because what you’ll end up doing is making yourself feel worse. You’ll be both alone and uncomfortable, which is a combination you really don’t want to deal with.

FURTHER ISOLATE YOURSELF

Don’t further isolate yourself. Please avoid locking yourself in your hotel room if you feel lonely.

I know, in theory, this sounds like a good coping strategy. But I promise it isn’t. At all. Suppressing your emotions and making yourself feel even more lonely is NOT the move!

MY EXPERIENCE WITH FEELING ALONE WHILE SOLO TRAVELING

Like many other first-time solo travelers, a turbulent wave of loneliness hit me on my first solo trip. And because I was so excited about everything, I hardly expected it.

If you didn’t know, my first ever solo trip was to Miami in December 2025. It was a quick trip, but I really enjoyed those few days traveling on my own and exploring Florida for the first time.

For the most part, I didn’t feel lonely. If anything, it just felt a bit awkward because the things I did — like visiting a museum and going on a boat ride — are things I’d usually do with my fellow travel buddies. And even then, that was easy to get over since the trip was already so short anyway.

But then it hit me.

I was on this party boat tour (in retrospect, I don’t know why the heck I did that… a traditional boat ride would’ve been a much smarter idea) and we’d only been on the water for about ten minutes before I started feeling extremely alone.

Like, so alone that I immediately questioned whether solo travel was realistic for me. I wanted to go home, reunite with my family, and completely disregard the idea of traveling solo.

I don’t know if it was the party aspect or what, but it hit me strong. Looking back, I can’t exactly pinpoint whether I was feeling lonely or overwhelmed.

After all, it was my first solo trip, so I was dealing with just about all the typical emotions you’d feel during something like that.

It got to the point where I started getting teary-eyed, which really says something because I am NOT a crier. And the more I tried to self-medicate, the more emotional I became.

I wrote my feelings away in my travel journal and I’m SO grateful I thought about it because it prevented me from looking like a complete emotional wreck.

So why the heck am I sharing this story with you?

Well, I want you to know that, even though this is a solo travel blog, I dealt with — and still deal with — loneliness when traveling.

Thankfully, I don’t experience it that often or for too long, but I’m not oblivious to it… even as a homebody whose social battery drains faster than one of those remote control cars my siblings and I used to get for Christmas.

FINAL THOUGHTS: IS SOLO TRAVEL LONELY?

In this post, I shared some of my go-to strategies and methods for overcoming loneliness when traveling alone. If you made it to end, thank you so much! Let’s finish this thing off strong with some community engagement.

Here are a few topics for discussion:

• Talk about your first solo trip. Did you experience loneliness? If so, how did you overcome it? What changes and mindset shifts did you make in preparation for your next solo adventure?
• Share your feelings about your upcoming solo trip if you’re a first-timer. Are you afraid you’ll feel lonely? Are you planning a healthy balance of solo and group activities?
• Are you more of an introvert or extrovert? If you’re an introvert, do you usually feel more at ease while traveling alone? If you’re an extrovert, does it feel uncomfortable to travel on your own?

If there’s one thing you take away from this post, I hope you acknowledge that loneliness isn’t synonymous with solitude. Even if the lines blur and it feels like they are the same. The entire mission with The Self Discovery Project is all about living life in solitude and embracing internal + external growth.

And please remember that the emotions you’re feeling are completely normal — especially for a first-timer. You’re likely going to feel this way at some point in your travels, so patiently cope with it rather than trying to avoid or immediately escaping it.

I really want you to make this mindset shift if you haven’t already. That could very easily be the number-one thing that helps you overcome solo travel loneliness and enjoy your trips to the fullest.

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.