First Time Traveling Alone? 10 Tips Solo Travelers Need

Are you thinking about traveling alone for the first time, but don’t know where to start? This blog post is for you!

Thinking about leaving the comforts of home to venture across country or around the world all by yourself sounds really scary. 

Stepping into solo travel for the first time can feel intimidating, no matter your age or experience. 

Maybe you’ve never had the chance to travel at all before, and you don’t know where to start.

Maybe you used to travel with a friend or partner, but now if you want to travel, you’ll have to go solo.

Maybe you just really need some time alone, but you’re not sure how to get started. 

Don’t worry, nerves before a first solo trip are universal, whether you’re 22 or 62. It’s never too late to build your confidence and head out on a solo adventure! 

This blog post is packed with helpful solo travel tips and strategies to help feel confident making solo travel plans and have a safe and rewarding trip!

What is solo travel?

First, let’s talk about what “solo travel” means for you. There are two ways to travel solo. 

Truly solo

The most obvious definition of solo travel is to actually travel all by yourself.

You might meet up with new travel buddies along the way, but primarily you are your own company.

In this case, you are responsible for all the decisions and all the arrangements. If anything goes wrong, it’s up to you to figure it out.

This is a great option if you really want or need to travel alone. You get to be in complete control over what you see and do, where you go, and where you stay.

If this sounds intimidating, remember that you manage your own life on a daily basis. You are absolutely capable of solo travel.

Many women travel the world solo and love creating their own adventures. And you can do that too!

Solo but not alone

Another way to travel solo is to travel as a solo traveler with the structure and company of a group. 

A tour with like-minded people provides lots of support, as well as some independence, which many travelers find reassuring.

If you would prefer the support and camaraderie of other travelers, consider taking small-group themed tour. You could even add on one or two extra nights on your own.

If the idea of all the planning and booking feels like too much, go with a group. After that experience, you may feel confident enough to book a trip for yourself or you may decide you like the companionship and ease of group travel, even if you go alone.

If you’re nervous about traveling in a foreign country, start with an English-speaking destination.

10 Best Tips for First-Time Solo Travelers

1. Start Small 

If you’re new to the idea of traveling solo, before you book your first big trip, travel on a scale that feels manageable. 

For your first trip, a day trip to a nearby town, a single overnight within driving distance, or a short weekend in a familiar region is the best way to practice traveling alone. 

Take a one-night “practice” trip within two hours of home. It’s a good idea to test your readiness without being stuck far away. 

Then take a weekend trip that’s several hours by car or a short flight away. 

Even a short solo trip will stretch your core travel skills, like navigating, dining alone, and managing unstructured time. Each small success will help you build confidence for longer and farther journeys.

2. Choose an “Easy-for-You” Destination

The easiest way to travel solo for the first time is to choose a destination that makes traveling as easy as possible. 

If you’re worried about a language barrier, select a place with a language you speak. 

Pick a destination with great public transportation. Choose compact, walkable cities, or destinations you have already visited with others. This will help you feel comfortable and enjoy the experience.

Search for posts about a destination on social media, like Instagram and Facebook groups, to help you know what to expect. 

3. Travel Solo Without Being Alone

If complete independence feels daunting, add structure. 

Semi-solo travel is a great way to make new friends, explore a foreign country, and gain confidence. 

Look for small-group tours, cruises with solo cabins, and day tours provide an instant community. 

Activities like cooking, photography, or art classes or walking history tours offer easy conversation and a sense of belonging.

I use Viator and GetYourGuide to find fun group tours when I’m traveling solo.

Look into group tours for built-in travel companions. There are group tours to almost all travel destinations.

You can choose to travel with a group for a few days or your entire trip. 

These group trips include accommodation, guided tours, special activities, and most meals. Sometimes the cost of a group tour is actually less than it would be to make all the arrangements on your own.

Look for travel packages with a clear daily plan that gives you freedom to opt in or out of at least some group activities. 

“Solo but supported” options: small-group tours (women-only or mixed), cruises (many have solo cabins), hostels with private rooms, guided day tours, classes/retreats.

4. Plan an Easy Itinerary

Overplanning can be exhausting; underplanning can be stressful. A lightly structured day gives solo travellers a chance to check in with themselves and decide what to do each day. 

Aim for one scheduled anchor activity each day, like a museum reservation, a guided tour, or a performance. 

Create a list of all the things you might like to do at your destination. Each day, see how you feel and try to work in some of the optional activities in around your main scheduled event.  This will give you flexibility if you’re feeling tired or overwhelmed and leave room for spontaneity if you discover something wonderful that you want to do or just want to be present and absorb the local culture. 

Here’s a possible itinerary:

Mornings: One scheduled anchor (museum ticket, city tour, workshop).

Afternoons: Flexible ideas (park, neighborhood stroll, café, small museum that doesn’t require reservations).

Evenings: An early dinner at the bar/counter, a dinner cruise, a show, or room-service/grocery picnic if you’re peopled out.

5. Prioritize Safety 

Many female travelers worry about safety when traveling alone. 

One way to feel more secure is to share a photocopy of your passport, your itinerary, and your live location with a trusted friend or family member back home. You can even agree on a daily check-in time, perhaps that you’ll send a text when you’re back at your hotel for the night. 

At your destination, opt for a hotel with front desk staff, rather than an Airbnb or VRBO. 

Always know the name and address of your hotel before venturing out for the day. (Take a business card from the front desk or write it down on a slip of paper. This might seem silly, but if you’re traveling to multiple cities in many days, it’s easy to forget.)

If you’d rather stay at a hostel, so you can meet new people, you can share a room or book a private room. 

In your room, use the deadbolt immediately upon entering the room (so you don’t forget before going to sleep) and consider using a simple doorstop.

If you go out at night, walk along well-lit routes, use public transportation, or take a taxi or Uber. 

Keep important documents and credit cards close by using a small travel-safe bag, wearing a scarf with a hidden pocket (see all my favorite travel scarves here), or even wearing a money pouch (not fashionable, but quite secure). 

Most importantly, act on your instincts and quickly leave any uncomfortable situation.

6. Manage Anxiety

Between safety concerns and fear of the unknown, you might have a lot of anxiety about solo traveling. 

The first thing to do is to name your top concerns and create a plan for each. 

• If you worry about loneliness, schedule a group activity on day one. 
• If you fear getting lost, save download google maps for each of your destination and screenshot directions. 
• If you’re worried about not speaking the local language, buy a small phrase book and put tabs on the pages you expect to frequently use. 
• If you’re scared of not knowing what to do, research and make reservations in advance. For example, I recommend knowing exactly how you will get from the airport to your lodging when you first arrive, because you’re likely to be tired and disoriented. 

For all the bad things you’re worried about, write what you’ll do if it happens (miss flight → go to the airline desk; feel lonely → join a walking tour; overwhelmed → quiet hour in a café).

During the trip, use a brief reset, like having a snack, taking a shower, or going for a short walk, before deciding whether to continue or to change plans.

A small, deliberate action often breaks the cycle of worry.

7. Dine Alone with Ease

For many people, going out to dinner alone can be a stressful experience. Here’s how to take back your dining experience!

First, remind yourself that you deserve to have a lovely dinner and that you can be your own best company. 

If there’s a restaurant you definitely want to try, make reservations for one before you travel. 

If you don’t want a table all to yourself, choose restaurants with bar seating or communal tables, where solo diners are common and conversation is optional. 

You can use your meal time to read a book set in your destination, plan your upcoming itinerary, or simply sit with your own thoughts. 

If dinner in a fancy restaurant alone still feels intimidating, book lunch at a fine dining establishment, eat a more casual dinner, or grab food from a market for a picnic for one. 

As a solo traveler, you have just as much right to eat where you like as a couple or a group.  So decide what you want for dinner and go for it!

8. Pack for Confidence

I always recommend packing light, or at least as light as possible. 

If you’re traveling solo, you need to be able to lift your luggage. In many European countries, you’ll need to wrangle your bags through the train station, and your hotel might not have an elevator, so you really do need to pack light so you can manage all your belongings yourself. 

Bring essentials that will reduce avoidable stress: 

• a portable charger
• copies of identification stored separately
• any prescription medications, as well as over-the-counter medicine you often need
• a universal adapter if abroad

Be prepared by downloading essentials in advance:

• offline maps of each new city
• local transit apps
• audio guides for museums you’ve already bought tickets for

​Research your phone plan in advance. Decide if you need to sign up for an international calling plan or if it would be better for you to buy a sim card at your destination. 

Go with a minimalist travel wardrobe of 3-3-3: three tops, three bottoms, three pairs of shoes. Include one or two layers and accessories, and you’ll be all set!

9. Book the trip

After you’ve decided where you want to go and how you want to travel, it’s time to press “book trip.” 

Solo in a group

If you’re going with a tour, book that first! Then book your flights.

Finally, if you have extended your stay past the length of the tour, book any extra accommodations and day tours for your final days at your destination. 

Read your tour information carefully to know if you need to make any other reservations. For example, does the package include airport pickup, or do you need to know how to get yourself to a central meeting point?

Truly solo

If you are traveling truly solo, start with your flights.

Reserve a well-reviewed, centrally located hotel with 24/7 staff. 

Then book tours, transportation, and restaurants. 

How to make booking less stressful

When possible, book refundable hotel reservations and book flights that can be changed. 

Remember that in the US, there’s a 24-hour flight cancellation window (as long as the flight was purchased at least 7 days before departure), so you do have one full day to change your mind!

Make decisions in advance that will simplify what decisions you have to make once you’re actually traveling.

Download offline maps before you go. 

Make reservations for your “must-do” sites and tours.

Consider buying travel insurance, both for peace of mind and in case something goes wrong and you need to cancel your trip. (Be sure to read the find print to see what circumstances would allow a cancellation.)

10. If things get hard mid-trip

Solo travel can be tough. You might feel homesick and miss your friends, family, and pets. You might feel overwhelmed by jet lag, all the new experiences, crowds, and cultural differences. 

Here are some essential tips for when travel feels hard.

Reset

Go back to your hotel, shower, have a snack, take a short nap. Then go for a 10-minute walk somewhere relaxing, like a cafe, the beach, or an art gallery. Try to get get your positive mindset back on track. 

Text your person

Let your person know how you feel: that you’ve overwhelmed, what you just experienced, that you’re worried about something.

Give yourself permission

 It’s okay to change plans, skip sights, or head home early. Your trip, your rules.

Remember that you’re new to solo travel

Leaving your comfort zone requires baby steps. Don’t beat yourself up if you have a hard day. Talk to yourself like you would a friend. 

Remind yourself of all you’ve accomplished on this trip so far! Look at your camera for an “I did it!” photo and give yourself a pep talk for how far you’ve come!

Keep in main that things often go awry when traveling, and part of the adventure is rolling with it. 

Finally, it’s okay if you decide solo isn’t your thing.

Final Thoughts on Solo Travel Tips

Solo travel can feel scary. But bravery isn’t the absence of fear; it’s moving forward with fear. 

Start with tiny trips, stack easy wins, and give yourself the same kindness you’d give a friend. 

When you’re ready, decide how “alone” you want to be in your solo travels. Solo doesn’t have to mean you’re isolated: tours, cruises, day activities, and meetups give structure and company.

Then book the trip!

Remember that fear before a first solo trip is common at every age (lots of women start traveling solo in their 50s–60s).

However, the benefits of solo travel (even with a group) are huge: you’ll feel more confident, you’ll get to fulfill your travel dreams, and you’ll have so many new experiences. So go be brave, and let me know how your first solo trip goes!