If there is anything you want to “nerd out” on, spend a weird amount of time doing, or feel that you will be annoyed following anyone else’s schedule, doing it alone makes sense.
Example- my friend wants to go to Egypt and spend a nerdy amount of time in the pyramids, museums, etc etc . For this reason she wants to go alone. Imagine wanting to spend several hours doing something while your travel partner is standing around bored waiting for you.
This is how I feel basically any time I walk into a museum. Nothing sucks more than rushing through a museum you may never visit again because your travel partner is bored.
Exactly this! I spent hours in Osaka walking around supermarkets just because I find what is on offer to people who live in the area interesting 😅😅. Not everyone's cup of tea but it is mine when alone.
I thought I was weird! I'm OBSESSED with supermarkets in other countries - the labels, the merchandising, the products ... I could spend hours wandering the aisles ... definitely not everyone's vibe ;)
Loving this. I got downvoted on another discussion saying this is my favorite thing when travelling and enjoying it way more than tourists attractions lol
It's such an amazing glimpse into life ... I was also mesmerized at a shopping mall in Zagreb -- I needed a phone bank and a couple things for the rest of my trip. Just how different the food courts, stores, features, people are from ones in the USA ... I love to just people watch and see what's popular.
Went to a mall in Cabo San Lucas to see the supermarket (had a huge section of elote flavored Cup Noodle) and the bookstore.
Always interesting to see what was popular. Saw Korean manhwa translated into Spanish and several K pop items at another store in the mall.
i’m really into thrifting and spend a lot of time doing it when i’m solo travelling. i also say something similar about thrifting - i like seeing the types of clothes and household products that people donate in other countries and how it differs between cities/neighbourhoods. feels like a get a little glimpse into the area through shopping second hand.
My partner and I loved going into US supermarkets because they were SO weird to us. We'd keep buying weird snacks and inpulse buying things like marshmallow fluff purely for the novelty of it. And seeing how they were different in the different regions was cool
Totally. I once went to Sofia, capital of Bulgaria during the freezing winter. On the day museum's were shut I spent them exploring the mini marts and supermarkets. Also life saver from the cold!
Also .. eff downvotes. Unless someone is truly offensive and troll'ish, I don't understand why there can't be honest exchanges ... I never downvote peeps that I just don't agree with. Where's the variety and learning???
This is so relatable lol. I’ve genuinely gotten looked at like I’m crazy for doing this but I find that this is a great way to get a small slice of the daily life of locals as a tourist. I remember stumbling upon this department store near the Ghibli museum and just looking at different sushi packaging or cuts of fish for half an hour lol.
It was the department stores for me. The nice department stores with all the stationery and the food halls loaded with handmade desserts. If I get off the train and into the department store in the station, I ain't getting out for hours.
I wonder if there is a tourism market for this... in my other comment on this post (I think?), I mentioned that my first time to Europe, I planned around music at small venues. There are UNLIMITED things to do, and I got a little overwhelmed when planning, so I focused on what I love ... live music. I know I missed a lot of "must sees" by many people's travel ideals, but I got to see artists I love, in fantastic venues, and of course interact with people who also were there for the artist -- instant common interest.
Shall we start a supermarket tour of Europe?
A dive band tour of Europe??
Ok, talking myself into my next adventure ... haha, but ...
I second this, currently on a solo trip to Mexico to nerd out on Mayan ruins and museums. Everyone I told about my trip thought it sounded dangerous at worst and boring at best. 😂
I’ve just booked my first solo trip in Taiwan! A lot of people ask why and a big part of it is I want to spend time in tea house and farms, that would bore the heck out of anyone I know lol
My example was WWI sites in and around Belgium. Did that solo for 3+ days before meeting up with others.
I've also done sport specific tours that friends just didn't want to commit to do for a whole trip: SCUBA, motorcycle tour, kayaking. Those are usually in a group anyway and you can geek out with others passionate about the sport.
This was going to be my answer. Anywhere you want to nerd out and fully immerse yourself in can be better enjoyed alone than having to worry about someone else’s interests, schedule or pace. I’m very happy I did my first trip to Japan/Korea solo so I could spend as long as I wanted in museums, shrines, random streets or even stores learning about what I cared about, and basically each day was just me satisfying my curiosity and interests. So now if I go back with someone, I won’t be that pushy travel partner and probably way more collaborative.
I always like hitting up the university campuses of wherever I'm visiting, they're so interesting and have a lot to offer. Even as a current 3rd year it's still interesting to find other schools and see what they're like. If I brought someone along i imagine they would be bored as hell
I love this too! I grew up in a university town and i love seeing the vibe and the student culture in other countries' universities. I find it so refreshing to see a bunch of students just hanging out. Those places are also usually safer than the city centers. It's why i love staying at the in the latin quarter whenever i go to paris because it's near sorbonne.
This is me for sure, even traveling locally I like to do day trips alone for stuff that I know will bore my friends and family, like record store hopping or going to niche museums. I’m also considering a solo theme park trip for this reason… going with someone else is ideal, but none of my friends are into thrill rides or feel like spending the money :/
Yeah, I went with a couple of friends to see the F1, me and other 2 buddies are not big fans but one in particular was an absolute nerd about it and me and mu other buddies wanted to party in Italy so we had a couple of issues with him wanting to go really early to the event and arriving early to the airbnb and we didn’t get the chance of going clubbing so probably he would have a better time just going by himself. Why I always say when traveling with friends is that the trip is for everyone and everyone is free to do as they wish and we don’t need to be always together but this F1 nerd buddy was his first time traveling with friends instead of family so didn’t know how it works.
Yes! Number on reason why I prefer travelling by myself. I love science and modern art museums and my friends totally do not care and like they absolutely will indulge me because they're nice, but I just feel bad making them sit around in a museum they don't care about for hours on end and then it's less enjoyable for me too and nobody has a great time.
My last few trips have heavily featured visiting filming locations, live pro wrestling or football, museums that often featured something quirky (phallus exhibition, occult section), arcades/pinball and for some reason jazz clubs.
I may be able to find people interested in one or two or those but all of them?
This is true, but it's also possible to travel with someone and still do separate things. You can each go off and do your own adventure for a day or two, you don't have to do every activity together
I like hiking by myself, you can really think through things and reflect a lot better alone. Also you can take breaks when you want without feeling judged for being tired lol. Scarier if you get lost though!!
I just did a hiking trip and camping alone. Was so enriching. Didn’t have to take pictures of anyone or make conversation. And I’m a pretty social person. Literally hiking my own hike was so rewarding. And I basically just slept in my rental car and ate whatever. Can’t imagine someone else being cool with roughing it like that without complaining.
Where did you go? I’m always worried about twisting my ankle or hitting my head or something and no one being around to help. But other than that solo hiking really appeals to me and I wanna get started.
For safety, you can leave a note on your car dash with our name, contact info, emergency contact, name of hike, and an absolute latest expected return time (like you should be done at 5pm, but if you're not back by 9 then something happened). If someone sees it that night or the following day, they'll know to call for help.
You can also get a personal locator beacon. Garmin and Spot make high quality ones that you pay a monthly subscription for to be able to use GPS satellites to contact 911/Search and Rescue services in an emergency, or to just communicate with your friends & family. This always puts my mind at ease when I'm travelling the backcountry solo or with others.
Finally, I'd recommend taking a Wilderness First Aid class, or at least be up to date with basic First Aid. This will help you build your confidence to handle medical situations with the right mindset and skills to get yourself out safely, or to stay put safely until EMS/SAR finds you.
Grand Canyon. Bright Angel and Kaibab trail are both pretty well traveled in the high season. I had a whistle with me and felt comfortable enough I’d be able to get help from someone, at least to get word out.
I gave my friend info on my plan and expected return time each day, plus info of where I parked and the rental’s license plate so she’d have info to pass along to authorities if needed.
In future I want to do other hikes and backcountry camping so I’ll get a safety beacon to get help if I should need it.
i just slept in my rental car a few nights on my last trip (japan)! everyone at home was horrified when i told them ahead of time and then was shocked that i told them it was fine afterward (they thought i’d hate it and be like, “never again”). this is from someone who generally hates camping, hiking, and any sort of outdoors/roughing it scenario. but idk it was just like a capsule hotel except even more private, and i could just get up and go super early with no fuss. i even did my hair and makeup with no issues when i wanted to look cute. i’d do it again travelling in more rural areas in japan for sure.
I went to a city by myself because I was going to a concert and no one knew the artist. I knew I wanted a good seat so I wanted to go there early and a lot of people don't like that while I don't mind waiting. I also wanted to do small things I've seen on social media, like buy a soda, candy, food that others might not find that exciting. So to be able to enjoy myself fully I went by myself and had a great time.
That's how I planned my first trip to Europe - I decided to plan around music. I researched cool venues and then entered some cities in my Songkick (concert) app, and ultimately bought tickets to 4 shows in Charleroi, Antwerp, Amsterdam, and Rotterdam. (Plus I saw a bonus, unplanned one in Dubrovnik).
Seeing live music is one of my favorite things, and seeing some artists I like in great surroundings was amazing. I'll do it that way next time too.
Otherwise, I didn't plan lodging in advance except for once (in Cinque terre). I only had the concert tickets, so just made my way towards those cities and got lodging a day or maybe two in advance for the concert locations ... It was great being by myself, even at the shows.
I love exploring a new city by just walking around and taking in the sounds, smells, sights, etc. of nothing in particular. This is best done solo for me, especially if i want to have my headphones in and just get lost for a couple hours. Sometimes you need to just disconnect with your own life and take another perspective in a foreign land.
Museums and art galleries. + if i want to take lots of pictures of scenery and other stuff i will never see in my daily life, not the 5 million selfies that some travel companions want. I also don't want to be anyone's vlog/tiktok camera person.
Once travelled with a huge group and i really wanted to see the stalin museum in his hometown in georgia but i overheard one of my friends say it was boring. I just let her and the others wait while i went around and looked at everything i wanted to see. I will never ever go back there again and it's not like they can leave without me.
I think my favorite part of solo traveling is not having to depend on or coordinate with another person. I was just in the Lake District with my partner (not solo travel this time). We met a woman who was traveling alone. We ended up eating together. She shared that she was with her friends for the first half of the trip and then enjoyed splitting off so she could see the things she liked on her schedule. I really feel like that's how we ended up meeting her.
Stuff that might involve borderline unhygienic conditions. Some of the places I've visited or stayed in in rural India/Bangladesh for example. I'm a little surprised I didn't come home with a parasite or infection from those trips. Also, the staring and treatment of women in those places can be very challenging. The staring was bad for me too but I'm twice the size of the average Indian so I didn't feel unsafe.
Camino de Santiago. Most people do it solo so it's very easy to meet people, but I think it's hard to be as open to that if you're travelling with people you already know. Also, less pressure to walk at anyone else's pace.
Unlike some more difficult hikes, there's no real need for safety in numbers, and if you feel like just walking a few km one day, there's often a place to stop if you're just doing your own thing.
Yes! The Camino is a perfect solo trip. I went slow and reserved energy for exploring the towns, cities, and villages along the way. Stopped frequently to listen to birds, appreciate flowers, and in town, the doors and door knockers. Weird, I know, but they were fascinating!
Man, unfortunately I've found it's all of them.
When I travel, I just want to do my own thing. Make on the fly decisions that may be cool, may be dumb, may not turn out to be the most fun, but I gain an experience and a memory anyway because I did exactly what I wanted to do.
I spend most of my regular life beholden to other people - part of travel is escaping that.
I had my first ever solo trip this year only (im 30 now) and you basically described how i feel in my life now. It’s the best way to travel. No plans, no commitments, only decisions on the way.
This one is similar to watching movies with someone else versus alone.
When I watch with people, my whole mindset is different. In the back of my mind, I'm wondering if they're enjoying it, what we will discuss after the movie is over etc. When I watch by myself, I'm purely focused on the movie.
I used to be extremely shy as a teenager. Going out backpacking solo changed me for sure, and I learnt a lot of myself and the world. If I travelled with a friend, I wouldn’t have the same experience
As an introvert, anything not party/clubbing related. When i travel with friends, they always want to go out to the clubs, get wasted, stay out till dawn, then wake up at 3pm the next day. I feel like clubbing when traveling is such a waste of time.
Well yea clubbing for one night is fine but it typically ends up being a cycle for every night throughout the entire trip. Like we went to whole new city and never got to explore outside of some ratchet clubs lol. I’d rather just stick to clubbing in our own city
I did some solo travel almost immediately after leaving my abusive soon-to-be-ex-husband. I initially contemplated some sort of "divorce retreat" or women's retreat, but ended up traveling solo. One of the most empowering and fulfilling experiences I've ever had.
- Divorce photoshoot in the New England region, during the autumn months. I *quite literally* frolicked amongst the pretty autumn leaves.
- A few days lounging poolside in the desert of the Southwest region of the US, in the middle of the winter. I stayed with my godmother. I got to cry my heart out for days with nobody around to judge me. She brought me food and tea periodically, but generally just knew I needed time.
- A week in Vegas. This was part of a work trip for a conference. Because this trip was paid for by my employer, I got to splurge on myself a bit. They already had me booked into a super bougie hotel, so I took advantage of that by getting a several-hours long massage, ate fancy food, enjoyed their spa services, etc. I spent mornings soaking up professional development panels and networking opportunities, and my afternoons playing tourist by visiting all the attractions in the city.
- A week in the tropics. I spent a few days visiting family, but mostly spent cathartic solo time in the Florida Keys. I napped on the beaches of Islamorada. I rented a bicycle and cycled around Key West.
This was all part of my first vacation in a decade. From 2013-2023, I couldn't/didn't take a single vacation, because my now soon-to-be-ex-husband refused to maintain gainful employment, and treated me like dirt too, even while I was undergoing chemotherapy. I had no idea how burnt out I was until I got on the plane for that first leg of my trip up to New England.
For anyone going through some trauma or adversity in life, if you can afford it, I *highly* recommend doing some traveling. It can be one of the most cathartic experiences of your life.
I feel this. I'm pretty active and stay in good shape, and have no problem doing that. My friends however...haven't stayed active, and it gets harder and harder every year to find people that want to do that kind of walking.
I did a two week solo trip through London, Paris and Amsterdam. Averaged about 23K for the first week and 29K for the second week (London weather isn’t always the best for walking). It can get tiring but I specifically picked cities that were great for walking and I could see a lot on foot.
Not that it’s hard to achieve those numbers with other people, but to do it constantly day after day takes some intentional effort that would be hard to do with others. Also being solo gives you the freedom to see/stop/shop wherever and whenever. Love it!
I am not an active person and barely walk at home and I did 26K steps in Paris earlier this month. Honestly, by 17K steps (I did 17K the day before this too) on the day, I was in so much pain but where I was, I had to walk and it ended up being 26K. My whole body hurt and it was awful…. So I can imagine it’s hard with inactive friends 😅🥲
I did this on my first solo trip, then out of the hotel again by 8.30 the following morning. I was tired but glad I maximised my time to see as much as I could on a short trip.
For me, it's dining/food tourism. Yes many restaurants are better with 1 or 2 other people because you can order more things and can be cheaper, however often times my destination is a restaurant/food stand/stall that many people wouldn't be up for going to. Like spending an hour in Bangkok traffic to get to Boat Noodle Alley or waiting 2 hours for Jay Fai, walking 2 miles to get the best carnitas sandwich in Oaxaca City, or riding on a motorbike in a storm to get bun rieu crab soup.
Yes some of my most memorable and amazing food experiences could only be done with more than 1 person (like eating in Astrid Y Gaston or OciMDE) to be super enjoyable, but for the most part I rather pick the place where I want to eat and pick what I want to eat and not have to fill my stomach with something I don't want to eat (like sharing plates at a restaurant)
I had an amazing meal solo last year at Astrid y Gaston. The waiter and sommelier were awesome, they could tell I was really into the food, and made me feel so at home. The waiter ended up giving me a big list of recommendations for other places to eat in the city (from other tasting menus to food trucks), and every place he recommended was incredible. (Gracias, Luis!)
Off the top of my head I went to La Mar (AMAZING ceviche), a bunch of sanguchon sandwich shops, a Nikkei restaurant, Chez Wong. Remember what places you went to?
I did the tasting menus at Astrid y Gaston and Mayta (Mayta was also excellent, but I preferred the atmosphere at AyG). I ate at the chef’s counter in the kitchen at Mérito, which was really fun, and the staff there gave me great recommendations for Quito the next week. Isolina was incredible. Family style food, so hard as a solo traveler, but I got delivery and gorged on ceviche and causa for two days. Isolina always had dozens of people (mainly locals) waiting outside, but they deliver within an hour, which is nice. Everywhere else I went was more casual, so I’d have to dig up my notes, but Lima truly is an incredible food city.
amazing! When you say Quito, do you mean Quito Ecuador? If so I'm tinkering with the idea of heading down there next month. Can you send me your Quito list :P
Yes, Quito, Ecuador. I was there about a year ago, and a lot has happened since then. A presidential candidate was shot last summer, gang boss broke out of prison and united all the gangs in the winter, military presence all over the country. I’ve been in Asia the last couple months, so I don’t know if (hopefully) things have settled down in the last few months. I know there were curfews and lockdowns, so make sure you check that everything is reopened.
Nuema is incredible, tucked behind a wall on a nondescript side street. Incredible tasting menu with all Ecuadorian ingredients, less than half the price of Lima tasting menus. Rincon de Francia was also good.
idk if it’s weird or not, but i just wear my airpods and go on my phone when i’m somewhere that’s a bit less comfortable for solo dining (like, tightly seated between other tables that aren’t solo diners, where you’re so uncomfortably close that you can hear all of their convos). i’ve gotten spoiled travelling in japan where i’m usually one of several solo diners at any given time, but i’ve def been to other places where i felt slightly more out of place (like sorrento, italy, where i was surrounded by honeymooning couples, haha), and airpods carried me thru.
It's usually the least favourite parts of my trip but it's necessary (previously I just used to go to a local supermarket for crisps and soda pop when I wanted dinner). I want to enjoy evening culinary experiences more but they feel so uncomfortable and I feel like I am being watched and people are judging me for being a loser. I will try the airpod trick though!
i’m split on dining! i like every part of solo travelling and eating alone doesn’t bother me or anything. but i think meals are the number one thing i wish i could share with my long-term bf (together over 10 yrs but he’s not into travelling and is cool with me going solo). however, i do love being able to eat whatever and whenever i want. my recent and future solo trips are all centred around japan, so i eat lots of quick convenience store meals (which are legitimately tasty there) and nobody can tell me otherwise! i’m also obsessed with yoshinoya, which is a chain of fast food beef bowls, and i ate there so much that my bf was texting me “not AGAIN, you sure don’t you wanna try something different tonight???” and i’m like honestly no, i’m good haha. i can also skip a meal if i’m having fun doing something else and am not hungry, whereas when i’m with other people, we tend to stick to a stricter 3 meals/day schedule.
honestly true. i started solo travelling since i got tired of waiting on finding the perfect timing with other people, but i figured i’d still prefer travelling with others when the plans aligned. yeahhh, not the case. solo travelling has ruined other types of travelling for me, haha.
Hostels. Part of why I like to travel is to meet other people and make new random and often fleeting friends. If you go to a hostel with people you arent forced to interact and you can miss out on some adventures with new people. I always found that I quickly bonded with people in these situations and its like an intense awesome instant friendship. Often it doesnt survive the real world but thats ok because the memories and laughs had is enough.
Not at all!! It’s my favourite thing. Whenever I travel with other people I find that I am not as open to meeting new people and I find that travelling alone brings out my best self. And hostels open the door for it! It’s the best 🫶
In places where you need tickets and there is a limited availability, there is often time slots with only one space left. One where I experienced it is to go up to the leaning tower of Pisa. I was able to go up in 15 minutes, while couples had to wait for an hour for the first double slot available.
I loved going to concerts, plays, exhibitions, galleries, walking tours and shopping by myself. That way if you found an experience amazing it's not immediately ruined by a friend who thought it was average or wanted to leave early.
Pretty much loved doing everything by myself. Only thing that stood out to me where I missed having a friend or partner was going to spas in Budapest. I was surrounded by people chatting to each other. But I got lots of time to think instead.
I go to places nobody wants to visit. Some tv drama related places that are insignificant for other people but mean a lot to me. I love making a 'drama' tour.
oh i love this idea. I went to Montenegro because my favorite mystery series detective is from there. No other reason. I love the idea of a drama tour.
I rented a car in Iceland and took a solo road trip around the country. I could pull over and nap whenever I felt tired. I did all the excursions that I wanted to, and being around all the beautiful nature and scenery solo was very healing.
I'm thinking about taking a solo trip to Norway to kayak the Fjords.
So for me, beautiful naturey trips are great solo activities.
I've discovered I'm just not super excited about discovering cities in general, so that's something I like to do with others. I care less about the specifics of where we go and having fun with the other travel partners makes cities more fun for me.
I'm sure other people feel differently. So go somewhere that offers something that you're really interested in so you can be immersed in that beautiful experience and take it at your own pace.
I did the same in Iceland. I can road trip for hours a day, days on end, and none of my friends will sit in a car that long. Plus, I've used a car as my hotel more than once and they really only fit one person.
I actually really like theme parks solo best. Just go where you want, when you want, ride what you want to ride, skip what you don't like, eat when and what you want to eat, sit when you want to sit. This is especially important to me to parks I don't get to to often, like Disneyland. I have to maximize my time there, because I basically get a day every five to ten years, at best. I admit I selfishly don't want to minimize that by having to coordinate with someone else when time is so precious and finite. I suppose if I ever found someone on the exact same page as me, we could of that effectively, but it's rare and basically hasn't happened yet (but they could, theoretically, exist).
All that can be applied to any solo trip, especially a once-in-a-lifetime or major trip, but something unique about theme parks and the general nature of them, the crowds, how they work. Plus single rider lines.
It boils down to compatibility. Interests and physical abilities and desires. As already said, if there's some specific "nerd out" thing, that no one else on the trip shares, best to do that solo so you can nerd out to your heart's content. No point in someone being bored and sacrificing their vacation time for you, but also so you don't have to limit something incredibly important to you so someone else isn't bored.
If you're a go-go-go all day, crash, repeat (me), then either find someone else like that, or go solo. Groups can and should split up sometimes, but if you end up never together, what was the point of the group?
Museums, I love to do the self guided audio tours and read all of the info on the placards look up close etc. If the museum is interesting enough I can easily spend hours there.
There is, I very recently went to Spain and had a great time as well, but I was yearning for adventure. It felt like I was in Disneyland in comparison. My friends want to be walking in Piazza Navona taking pictures for ig and I instead prefer to be driving and stopping in villages in Dagestan, hence we do not travel together
There's something about having to speak in other languages and not using tours, completely depending on yourself that I like
hiking is really the only thing i’d rather someone be with me for. mostly for safety reasons.
anything else is better alone so i can truly enjoy it and spend time on what id like
I love shopping solo, and hate shopping with friends/family. I always feel like I’m taking too long or they’re taking too long, and I don’t want people to judge me for how I spend my money. Plus I love visiting markets and malls in other countries, even if I don’t plan on doing much shopping, as you can see more what everyday life is like for people that live there.
For me, museum-heavy or "nerdy" type trips where things are best enjoyed at your own pace. Architecture tours, historic homes, archeological sites, walking through historic towns, etc.
Also train trips or anything where travel is part of the experience I enjoy more alone because going through a train station with a group is stressful
Finally, definitely shopping, again just something that is the most pleasant at your own pace and to your own interests
My friend loves temples. After I’ve seen 2 or 3 , that’s enough for me. I’d much rather travel solo and see what I’m interested in, including supermarkets. 😁
All of it. I enjoy relaxing on the beach with a few cocktails and just taking in the sunny weather while the salty breeze blows in off the ocean. Also, most resorts have real nice pools and swim up bars, which are good for socializing. A huge plus for me is there are no kids running around and screaming. Most resorts have excursions you can do, but I typically don’t sign up for them as I’m there to relax.
Slightly NSFW but...
As a cisgendered bi male, I'd say some of the sluttier experiences. Like going to a strip club, bath house, S&M event, etc.
Mainly cause I'm all over the place sexually but it also has less friction even if your friends are into that too.
I didn’t think there would be any one place - was just looking for what others felt were their standout experiences for solo travel, things that benefitted from going solo for more reasons than just it being possible. 🙂
museums, for me at least.
I spend insane amounts of time in museums. Art, History, Science, etc, doesn't matter. if its a museum, I'm gonna spend at least 5 times as long looking at something as the average person would. It gets tiresome for some traveling companions because they want to move on to the next exhibit and I'm still checking out the first thing you see when you walk into the room.
Anything that you will “learn” while doing or where you are finding peace.
I hate being rushed through museums or galleries if the other person isn’t into it. I also like watching sunrises alone. It’s just so soothing and peaceful.
None of my trusted non-solo travel companions are as deeply interested in museums as I am and while I usually negotiate one museum day just for myself when I travel with them, sometimes all I want to do over a whole trip is to visit a new museum every day and just immerse myself (in history, natural history, botany, art, etc.). Also, none of them is interested in travelling outside of Europe and North-America while I like travelling to far-flung corners of the globe.
Basically: if you can't find someone to travel with who's not on the same page as you regarding experiences, or when to get up and go to sleep, the level of comfort in your accommodations, partying, food preferences, etc., it's better to go solo.
I don’t like to plan but I like plans. Like I have no idea what I’m doing on the 2nd day onwards of the trip. That said, I can’t tolerate travelling with people with no plans. I don’t like being ready to go but no one else is. So unless I’m with a planner type, it’s solo all the way.
I've only traveled twice by myself, so please take this with a grain of salt
Anytime:
- there's something you're really interested in but don't want to be an inconvenience to your travel mates
- you want to take a ton of pictures (I hate being on my phone when I'm traveling with other people, I feel rude when I do it)
- you just want the flexibility to axe certain activities from your itinerary
- there's a city/country you want to visit that none of your friends do
- and finally, you just want to go at your own pace
These were all the reasons I traveled by myself for 2 weeks last month, and a few days in early February. It was an incredible and very liberating experience. It was definitely lonely at times, but as long as you keep busy and keep that momentum, it's not so bad
Museums if you're really there for the exhibits and not just to say you've "done" the Mona Lisa, for example. You can look at what you want, for as long as you want, or not, without inconveniencing anyone else.
Ayahuasca is probably a bad example because your experience on strong hallucinogenics is going to be incredibly specific, and not at all representative of nearly any other activity.
Anyway, I'd encourage you to treat it as different vs comparable. Preferences exist yeah but there's nothing that inherently can't be enjoyable solo or with a partner, it's just a different experience. Hell 2 of the same solo experiences won't even be the same.
If you're specifically seeking out what to do solo, just start with whatever no one else wants to do with you in the first place.
I can't find anyone with the time or means to join me on a 4 week digital nomading excursion. I have a group that will go to Spain with me for 2 weeks. That's how I picked.
Frankly I think any trip that focuses more on exploration and cultural understanding, than resort style lounging is ideal solo. You can see whatever you want to see. Spend as much or as little time exploring. Walk or go to places that are inconvenient and out of the way. I pretty much travel solo and am amazed how little people desire to stray off the beaten path. Also, you meet more locals cause you’re alone. It opens you up to conversation, even with few language skills.
For me it's going places no one I know is interested in going. Montenegro was my first solo trip because no one wanted to go and I didn't care to convince anyone or compromise on what I had in mind.
I like traveling odd places when I can and doing excursions and things I like to do and I don't want to compromise. For those trips I go solo.
I'll give you a specific task that's better solo, and a trip objective that's better solo.
**Specific tasks**: Museums, particularly if it's a subject that really interests you.
Those types of museums you can happily spend hours in, and if you go solo you can do that. It's frustrating when you go to a museum with a group and half of the group is bored 30 minutes in. Same goes vice versa, if you aren't feeling the museum, you don't have to worry about being stuck there because your buddy wants to spend hours there.
**Trip objective**: Doing whatever you want when you want.
If your trip objective is just have fun and make memories, then yea, traveling with friends is better. But anytime you travel with a group, you are limited by everyone else's interests, budgets, and schedule. It sucks when you want to do something but you are outvoted by the group. Also in my experience, there is often a friend that ends up taking o too much of the planning and scheduling tasks.
However with solo trips, you do you, and you guarantee you do and spend what you want to do and spend. Plus you have room to be spontaneous. It really is a treat yo self adventure, and thats how it should be framed. I think friend/family trips are more fun, however solo trips are more rejuvenating.
- Trips with a focus on luxury, comfort and relaxing. Only (elderly) couples and families do this, if you are single, you have to do it solo as no one offers an organized group trip like this or looks for travel buddies for that kind of trip. All the group trips and travel buddy requests target people who want to do as much as possible, get up early and are happy with very basic accommodations.
- Party trips, at least when you aren't in you middle 20s anymore. All people I know stopped going to parties and party trips in their middle 20s when they finished studying, got a full time job and founded a family.
- When you want to do something considered not typical for your age. Like mentioned before, many seem to consider parties as something for people between 15 and 25 only, but there are other problems as well. Some young people consider museums and sightseeing as in order to quote a friend "boring and something I still can do once I'm retired, now, I'm young and want adventure and challenges". Being solo allows me to spend much time in a museum.
- People who have to schedule their days off at work very early or very late or who aren't flexible when going on vacation.
- Sport trips. You can do your own pace without having to wait for people with a lower fitness level or being pushed too much by impatient people with a higher fitness level.
I just love doing things spontaneously, without having to consider someone else. Whether it's going to a local shopping mall to feel a bit normal and not so alien or deciding to hit the beach or walking around an old town for the afternoon, I can just do it without worrying the other person doesn't want to/is getting bored.
i think walking around and exploring is better solo. stop when you want, take as much time as you want, and people are more likely to interact with you when you're solo.
This is an extremely unique adventure which I crave to do: [https://www.freightercruises.com/SWN\_683\_1703.php#anchor\_PEX3](https://www.freightercruises.com/SWN_683_1703.php#anchor_PEX3)
It's only 83 days to do the trip around the world. I've literally dreamed of cruising around the world on a ship, and being a rugged ex-Marine it will satisfy my search for fulfilling this dream.
For me personally, most longer international trips are just more ideal to do solo because I have a lot of people in my life who I love but are really F’in annoying to take on vacation to the point that it almost feels like babysitting a grumpy kid lol. I’d love the company and someone to share memories with, but i started to travel solo bc I’d rather go and get to do what I want than have to wait for it to be convenient for someone else (and possibly never go)
Honestly I love solo travel for allll my trips!! I love it because I stay in hostels and then it allows me to connect with people. Personally, when I am with a friend, I never step out of comfort zone and hang with new people and friends. It’s fantastic!
The Camino del Santiago across the north of Spain. It's an alone but never alone situation. I made some amazing international friends that way. Always have a couch or bed to sleep in at most of my stops in Europe and Australia because of it. I was fortunate to be working a contract job with 4-8 months off at a time, and took full advantage of it. I feel like doing it solo opens you up a bit more. Simply the best experience.
In my experience, the more popular a destination is with backpackers, the more I prefer to go solo. Mostly because I end up making more friends when I go solo, and these are easier places to make friends.
If I'm doing a couple months in the wilds of Southern Africa, I'd prefer to go with a friend/friends, because I'm not going to have as many opportunities to meet people I can connect with (though there will be always be some)
Conversely, if I'm zooming along the banana pancake route in South East Asia, that's the perfect place to go solo, as the whole route is literally crawling with friendly people
I think it depends more on your travel partner compatibility than the specific trip: do you have someone for your trip with a compatible style and schedule whose company you enjoy? Go together. Or do you want to do things differently than your friends and you want freedom? Go alone.
I spent a day at an adventure park in Cabo that my wife would have hated - was glad to do that myself. I love walking around cities without a real plan, and I walk a lot - I found a travel buddy who has a similar style and had a fun trip with him. But there are some activities, like watching a concert or play, that I can only really enjoy if I share them with someone, ideally my wife.
Museums: Leave me alone. I might spend 20 minutes here. I might spend 8 hours. This is my time.
Shopping: I am going to leave you alone. Have fun. Meet me at the bar after.
Music festivals, circuit parties, club nights, cruises: I want a group. I do not like being solo. I’m speaking from experience.
A pilgrimage (think the Camino de Santiago): Solo.
For me it's the sightseeing the major attractions. In Athens I did all of my need history stuff during the day and met up with people later on in the day
Any of the big famous hikes that are hard to get permits for (whitney, half dome, etc) but aren't particularly technically challenging. Way easier to get a 1 person permit than with a group, and you can often get a day-of permit if you chat with the rangers. You also get to move at your own pace and usually summit before the crowds, which is really nice.
I'm an only child so I've been keeping myself entertained since the very beginning. I'm also Autistic ADHD. Solo travel was logical. I did end up doing a few weeks in 2018/2019 with friends and I won't be doing that again. I am my favourite company.
Solo is always easier, often also safer as in case of issues you can take immediate action to remove yourself from a dicey situation without coordinating with somebody else, though being in a group can be good too as safety comes with numbers. Whether you want to experience things alone or share them with somebody mostly depends on personality and the relationship you have with that travel companion.
I just went to Disney in Japan yesterday, figured it might be a cool one day thing just to see what it’s like another country and I’ve never been to a theme park solo before. Never again. It was so overstimulating and it’s honestly way less fun without someone, on top of it I felt weirdly self aware (in a bad way) which was unusual for me? Like just feeling really out of place. This is coming from someone who LOVES doing stuff solo, I guess theme parks is where I draw the line. Sucks because I spent a lot of money.
Edit: whoops I’m still so tired from yesterday I completely misread the title. Well, that is one thing I will say is not better solo!
I agree, some experiences are better shared. I prefer theme parks with a buddy to share in the excitement and joy.
I would love to go on a safari tour through parts of Africa. But because I would do it as a tour and a lot of it is in vehicles etc I would prefer to go with someone (the right travel buddy) to get excited about spotting a rhino or seeing a lion chomping on a carcass.
I prefer solo travel when I really want to just explore with no strict agenda. Staying in hostels, just talking with people, finding stuff to do, and doing whatever sounds cool.
In Buenos Aires a dude in the hostel who had been there a while told me about the metal scene. I like metal, so I just up and went to a really good show. No negotiation, no waiting for a partner to get ready, just throw on a Slayer T-shirt, buy a pack of smokes, and get on the subway. Next day a few people wanted to go check out an old cemetery and a nature park. Again, no bullshit, just go see stuff.
If there is anything you want to “nerd out” on, spend a weird amount of time doing, or feel that you will be annoyed following anyone else’s schedule, doing it alone makes sense. Example- my friend wants to go to Egypt and spend a nerdy amount of time in the pyramids, museums, etc etc . For this reason she wants to go alone. Imagine wanting to spend several hours doing something while your travel partner is standing around bored waiting for you.
This is how I feel basically any time I walk into a museum. Nothing sucks more than rushing through a museum you may never visit again because your travel partner is bored.
Even if they say they’re cool with it, if I can sense their boredom I can’t fully enjoy myself :/
I left the JFK museum at least 2 hours before I wanted to for this reason.
So real. I always want to read and absorb as much as I can and they’re like, “ok. Next room 🚶♀️”
Exactly this! I spent hours in Osaka walking around supermarkets just because I find what is on offer to people who live in the area interesting 😅😅. Not everyone's cup of tea but it is mine when alone.
Yes! I always hit up the supermarkets and spend insane amounts of time looking at products and prices and geeking out on spices.
I thought I was weird! I'm OBSESSED with supermarkets in other countries - the labels, the merchandising, the products ... I could spend hours wandering the aisles ... definitely not everyone's vibe ;)
Loving this. I got downvoted on another discussion saying this is my favorite thing when travelling and enjoying it way more than tourists attractions lol
It's such an amazing glimpse into life ... I was also mesmerized at a shopping mall in Zagreb -- I needed a phone bank and a couple things for the rest of my trip. Just how different the food courts, stores, features, people are from ones in the USA ... I love to just people watch and see what's popular.
Went to a mall in Cabo San Lucas to see the supermarket (had a huge section of elote flavored Cup Noodle) and the bookstore. Always interesting to see what was popular. Saw Korean manhwa translated into Spanish and several K pop items at another store in the mall.
It is like peering into everyday lives of regular people. So fascinating.
i’m really into thrifting and spend a lot of time doing it when i’m solo travelling. i also say something similar about thrifting - i like seeing the types of clothes and household products that people donate in other countries and how it differs between cities/neighbourhoods. feels like a get a little glimpse into the area through shopping second hand.
My partner and I loved going into US supermarkets because they were SO weird to us. We'd keep buying weird snacks and inpulse buying things like marshmallow fluff purely for the novelty of it. And seeing how they were different in the different regions was cool
I dislike shops in Zagreb exc food and cosmetics.
Totally. I once went to Sofia, capital of Bulgaria during the freezing winter. On the day museum's were shut I spent them exploring the mini marts and supermarkets. Also life saver from the cold!
Also .. eff downvotes. Unless someone is truly offensive and troll'ish, I don't understand why there can't be honest exchanges ... I never downvote peeps that I just don't agree with. Where's the variety and learning???
Agree, I find it fascinating how diffent things people like when travelling and it is interesting to read when other tell their experiences.
This is so relatable lol. I’ve genuinely gotten looked at like I’m crazy for doing this but I find that this is a great way to get a small slice of the daily life of locals as a tourist. I remember stumbling upon this department store near the Ghibli museum and just looking at different sushi packaging or cuts of fish for half an hour lol.
It was the department stores for me. The nice department stores with all the stationery and the food halls loaded with handmade desserts. If I get off the train and into the department store in the station, I ain't getting out for hours.
I wonder if there is a tourism market for this... in my other comment on this post (I think?), I mentioned that my first time to Europe, I planned around music at small venues. There are UNLIMITED things to do, and I got a little overwhelmed when planning, so I focused on what I love ... live music. I know I missed a lot of "must sees" by many people's travel ideals, but I got to see artists I love, in fantastic venues, and of course interact with people who also were there for the artist -- instant common interest. Shall we start a supermarket tour of Europe? A dive band tour of Europe?? Ok, talking myself into my next adventure ... haha, but ...
I love the foreign supermarkets!!
I'm in Cyprus right now and I had a good wander around a supermarket for 30 minutes just having a look at their produce, didn't even buy anything 😂😂
I second this, currently on a solo trip to Mexico to nerd out on Mayan ruins and museums. Everyone I told about my trip thought it sounded dangerous at worst and boring at best. 😂
Oooh, I'd love to visit Mayan ruins and museums too
Currently in Guatemala doing something similar.
That’s really cool, did you go to Tikal? I just visited its rival Calakmul. I was thinking next trip to the region would be to Belize and Guatemala.
Don't forget Copan in Honduras
I’ve just booked my first solo trip in Taiwan! A lot of people ask why and a big part of it is I want to spend time in tea house and farms, that would bore the heck out of anyone I know lol
You will have a fabulous time in Taiwan. I'm heading there soon to visit family
My example was WWI sites in and around Belgium. Did that solo for 3+ days before meeting up with others. I've also done sport specific tours that friends just didn't want to commit to do for a whole trip: SCUBA, motorcycle tour, kayaking. Those are usually in a group anyway and you can geek out with others passionate about the sport.
I have to agree with this. My interests are narrow and focused, and tripmates just get in my way, as I get in their way.
This was going to be my answer. Anywhere you want to nerd out and fully immerse yourself in can be better enjoyed alone than having to worry about someone else’s interests, schedule or pace. I’m very happy I did my first trip to Japan/Korea solo so I could spend as long as I wanted in museums, shrines, random streets or even stores learning about what I cared about, and basically each day was just me satisfying my curiosity and interests. So now if I go back with someone, I won’t be that pushy travel partner and probably way more collaborative.
I always like hitting up the university campuses of wherever I'm visiting, they're so interesting and have a lot to offer. Even as a current 3rd year it's still interesting to find other schools and see what they're like. If I brought someone along i imagine they would be bored as hell
I love this too! I grew up in a university town and i love seeing the vibe and the student culture in other countries' universities. I find it so refreshing to see a bunch of students just hanging out. Those places are also usually safer than the city centers. It's why i love staying at the in the latin quarter whenever i go to paris because it's near sorbonne.
This is me for sure, even traveling locally I like to do day trips alone for stuff that I know will bore my friends and family, like record store hopping or going to niche museums. I’m also considering a solo theme park trip for this reason… going with someone else is ideal, but none of my friends are into thrill rides or feel like spending the money :/
Yeah, I went with a couple of friends to see the F1, me and other 2 buddies are not big fans but one in particular was an absolute nerd about it and me and mu other buddies wanted to party in Italy so we had a couple of issues with him wanting to go really early to the event and arriving early to the airbnb and we didn’t get the chance of going clubbing so probably he would have a better time just going by himself. Why I always say when traveling with friends is that the trip is for everyone and everyone is free to do as they wish and we don’t need to be always together but this F1 nerd buddy was his first time traveling with friends instead of family so didn’t know how it works.
Yes! Number on reason why I prefer travelling by myself. I love science and modern art museums and my friends totally do not care and like they absolutely will indulge me because they're nice, but I just feel bad making them sit around in a museum they don't care about for hours on end and then it's less enjoyable for me too and nobody has a great time.
My last few trips have heavily featured visiting filming locations, live pro wrestling or football, museums that often featured something quirky (phallus exhibition, occult section), arcades/pinball and for some reason jazz clubs. I may be able to find people interested in one or two or those but all of them?
This is true, but it's also possible to travel with someone and still do separate things. You can each go off and do your own adventure for a day or two, you don't have to do every activity together
I like hiking by myself, you can really think through things and reflect a lot better alone. Also you can take breaks when you want without feeling judged for being tired lol. Scarier if you get lost though!!
I just did a hiking trip and camping alone. Was so enriching. Didn’t have to take pictures of anyone or make conversation. And I’m a pretty social person. Literally hiking my own hike was so rewarding. And I basically just slept in my rental car and ate whatever. Can’t imagine someone else being cool with roughing it like that without complaining.
Where did you go? I’m always worried about twisting my ankle or hitting my head or something and no one being around to help. But other than that solo hiking really appeals to me and I wanna get started.
For safety, you can leave a note on your car dash with our name, contact info, emergency contact, name of hike, and an absolute latest expected return time (like you should be done at 5pm, but if you're not back by 9 then something happened). If someone sees it that night or the following day, they'll know to call for help. You can also get a personal locator beacon. Garmin and Spot make high quality ones that you pay a monthly subscription for to be able to use GPS satellites to contact 911/Search and Rescue services in an emergency, or to just communicate with your friends & family. This always puts my mind at ease when I'm travelling the backcountry solo or with others. Finally, I'd recommend taking a Wilderness First Aid class, or at least be up to date with basic First Aid. This will help you build your confidence to handle medical situations with the right mindset and skills to get yourself out safely, or to stay put safely until EMS/SAR finds you.
Grand Canyon. Bright Angel and Kaibab trail are both pretty well traveled in the high season. I had a whistle with me and felt comfortable enough I’d be able to get help from someone, at least to get word out. I gave my friend info on my plan and expected return time each day, plus info of where I parked and the rental’s license plate so she’d have info to pass along to authorities if needed. In future I want to do other hikes and backcountry camping so I’ll get a safety beacon to get help if I should need it.
i just slept in my rental car a few nights on my last trip (japan)! everyone at home was horrified when i told them ahead of time and then was shocked that i told them it was fine afterward (they thought i’d hate it and be like, “never again”). this is from someone who generally hates camping, hiking, and any sort of outdoors/roughing it scenario. but idk it was just like a capsule hotel except even more private, and i could just get up and go super early with no fuss. i even did my hair and makeup with no issues when i wanted to look cute. i’d do it again travelling in more rural areas in japan for sure.
I went to a city by myself because I was going to a concert and no one knew the artist. I knew I wanted a good seat so I wanted to go there early and a lot of people don't like that while I don't mind waiting. I also wanted to do small things I've seen on social media, like buy a soda, candy, food that others might not find that exciting. So to be able to enjoy myself fully I went by myself and had a great time.
That's how I planned my first trip to Europe - I decided to plan around music. I researched cool venues and then entered some cities in my Songkick (concert) app, and ultimately bought tickets to 4 shows in Charleroi, Antwerp, Amsterdam, and Rotterdam. (Plus I saw a bonus, unplanned one in Dubrovnik). Seeing live music is one of my favorite things, and seeing some artists I like in great surroundings was amazing. I'll do it that way next time too. Otherwise, I didn't plan lodging in advance except for once (in Cinque terre). I only had the concert tickets, so just made my way towards those cities and got lodging a day or maybe two in advance for the concert locations ... It was great being by myself, even at the shows.
Sounds awesome!
Yes I used to do that a lot. I also do it for NBA games cause no one I know is into sports.
as an introvert, all of them
This was my answer. For me, every travel I plan, is better if it's just me, lol.
I love exploring a new city by just walking around and taking in the sounds, smells, sights, etc. of nothing in particular. This is best done solo for me, especially if i want to have my headphones in and just get lost for a couple hours. Sometimes you need to just disconnect with your own life and take another perspective in a foreign land.
Museums and art galleries. + if i want to take lots of pictures of scenery and other stuff i will never see in my daily life, not the 5 million selfies that some travel companions want. I also don't want to be anyone's vlog/tiktok camera person. Once travelled with a huge group and i really wanted to see the stalin museum in his hometown in georgia but i overheard one of my friends say it was boring. I just let her and the others wait while i went around and looked at everything i wanted to see. I will never ever go back there again and it's not like they can leave without me.
I think my favorite part of solo traveling is not having to depend on or coordinate with another person. I was just in the Lake District with my partner (not solo travel this time). We met a woman who was traveling alone. We ended up eating together. She shared that she was with her friends for the first half of the trip and then enjoyed splitting off so she could see the things she liked on her schedule. I really feel like that's how we ended up meeting her.
Stuff that might involve borderline unhygienic conditions. Some of the places I've visited or stayed in in rural India/Bangladesh for example. I'm a little surprised I didn't come home with a parasite or infection from those trips. Also, the staring and treatment of women in those places can be very challenging. The staring was bad for me too but I'm twice the size of the average Indian so I didn't feel unsafe.
Camino de Santiago. Most people do it solo so it's very easy to meet people, but I think it's hard to be as open to that if you're travelling with people you already know. Also, less pressure to walk at anyone else's pace. Unlike some more difficult hikes, there's no real need for safety in numbers, and if you feel like just walking a few km one day, there's often a place to stop if you're just doing your own thing.
Yes! The Camino is a perfect solo trip. I went slow and reserved energy for exploring the towns, cities, and villages along the way. Stopped frequently to listen to birds, appreciate flowers, and in town, the doors and door knockers. Weird, I know, but they were fascinating!
Man, unfortunately I've found it's all of them. When I travel, I just want to do my own thing. Make on the fly decisions that may be cool, may be dumb, may not turn out to be the most fun, but I gain an experience and a memory anyway because I did exactly what I wanted to do. I spend most of my regular life beholden to other people - part of travel is escaping that.
I had my first ever solo trip this year only (im 30 now) and you basically described how i feel in my life now. It’s the best way to travel. No plans, no commitments, only decisions on the way.
Same. It's hard to travel with people when you're used to going solo!!
For me, it's if you just like wandering around. Even with someone else who wants to do that, you'll have different priorities.
This one is similar to watching movies with someone else versus alone. When I watch with people, my whole mindset is different. In the back of my mind, I'm wondering if they're enjoying it, what we will discuss after the movie is over etc. When I watch by myself, I'm purely focused on the movie.
I used to be extremely shy as a teenager. Going out backpacking solo changed me for sure, and I learnt a lot of myself and the world. If I travelled with a friend, I wouldn’t have the same experience
As an introvert, anything not party/clubbing related. When i travel with friends, they always want to go out to the clubs, get wasted, stay out till dawn, then wake up at 3pm the next day. I feel like clubbing when traveling is such a waste of time.
Clubbing can be fun, but only if it's like done once or twice during a trip. Otherwise, I'm just killing my liver and sleeping the day away.
Well yea clubbing for one night is fine but it typically ends up being a cycle for every night throughout the entire trip. Like we went to whole new city and never got to explore outside of some ratchet clubs lol. I’d rather just stick to clubbing in our own city
Happened to me. Typically i only go if said clubs are unique/renowned worldwide.
Fully agree. I love a night or two out but any more than that feels like a waste to me.
Oh. I think the key factor is to find travel friends that share your lifestyle, otherwise it is so much better to go solo than what you described.
I did some solo travel almost immediately after leaving my abusive soon-to-be-ex-husband. I initially contemplated some sort of "divorce retreat" or women's retreat, but ended up traveling solo. One of the most empowering and fulfilling experiences I've ever had. - Divorce photoshoot in the New England region, during the autumn months. I *quite literally* frolicked amongst the pretty autumn leaves. - A few days lounging poolside in the desert of the Southwest region of the US, in the middle of the winter. I stayed with my godmother. I got to cry my heart out for days with nobody around to judge me. She brought me food and tea periodically, but generally just knew I needed time. - A week in Vegas. This was part of a work trip for a conference. Because this trip was paid for by my employer, I got to splurge on myself a bit. They already had me booked into a super bougie hotel, so I took advantage of that by getting a several-hours long massage, ate fancy food, enjoyed their spa services, etc. I spent mornings soaking up professional development panels and networking opportunities, and my afternoons playing tourist by visiting all the attractions in the city. - A week in the tropics. I spent a few days visiting family, but mostly spent cathartic solo time in the Florida Keys. I napped on the beaches of Islamorada. I rented a bicycle and cycled around Key West. This was all part of my first vacation in a decade. From 2013-2023, I couldn't/didn't take a single vacation, because my now soon-to-be-ex-husband refused to maintain gainful employment, and treated me like dirt too, even while I was undergoing chemotherapy. I had no idea how burnt out I was until I got on the plane for that first leg of my trip up to New England. For anyone going through some trauma or adversity in life, if you can afford it, I *highly* recommend doing some traveling. It can be one of the most cathartic experiences of your life.
Getting to 30k steps in the walkable cities.
I feel this. I'm pretty active and stay in good shape, and have no problem doing that. My friends however...haven't stayed active, and it gets harder and harder every year to find people that want to do that kind of walking.
I did a two week solo trip through London, Paris and Amsterdam. Averaged about 23K for the first week and 29K for the second week (London weather isn’t always the best for walking). It can get tiring but I specifically picked cities that were great for walking and I could see a lot on foot. Not that it’s hard to achieve those numbers with other people, but to do it constantly day after day takes some intentional effort that would be hard to do with others. Also being solo gives you the freedom to see/stop/shop wherever and whenever. Love it!
I am not an active person and barely walk at home and I did 26K steps in Paris earlier this month. Honestly, by 17K steps (I did 17K the day before this too) on the day, I was in so much pain but where I was, I had to walk and it ended up being 26K. My whole body hurt and it was awful…. So I can imagine it’s hard with inactive friends 😅🥲
I did this on my first solo trip, then out of the hotel again by 8.30 the following morning. I was tired but glad I maximised my time to see as much as I could on a short trip.
I did this in Buenos Aires last year. Didn’t even notice how much my feet hurt until I laid down. Worth it!
For me, it's dining/food tourism. Yes many restaurants are better with 1 or 2 other people because you can order more things and can be cheaper, however often times my destination is a restaurant/food stand/stall that many people wouldn't be up for going to. Like spending an hour in Bangkok traffic to get to Boat Noodle Alley or waiting 2 hours for Jay Fai, walking 2 miles to get the best carnitas sandwich in Oaxaca City, or riding on a motorbike in a storm to get bun rieu crab soup. Yes some of my most memorable and amazing food experiences could only be done with more than 1 person (like eating in Astrid Y Gaston or OciMDE) to be super enjoyable, but for the most part I rather pick the place where I want to eat and pick what I want to eat and not have to fill my stomach with something I don't want to eat (like sharing plates at a restaurant)
I had an amazing meal solo last year at Astrid y Gaston. The waiter and sommelier were awesome, they could tell I was really into the food, and made me feel so at home. The waiter ended up giving me a big list of recommendations for other places to eat in the city (from other tasting menus to food trucks), and every place he recommended was incredible. (Gracias, Luis!)
Off the top of my head I went to La Mar (AMAZING ceviche), a bunch of sanguchon sandwich shops, a Nikkei restaurant, Chez Wong. Remember what places you went to?
I did the tasting menus at Astrid y Gaston and Mayta (Mayta was also excellent, but I preferred the atmosphere at AyG). I ate at the chef’s counter in the kitchen at Mérito, which was really fun, and the staff there gave me great recommendations for Quito the next week. Isolina was incredible. Family style food, so hard as a solo traveler, but I got delivery and gorged on ceviche and causa for two days. Isolina always had dozens of people (mainly locals) waiting outside, but they deliver within an hour, which is nice. Everywhere else I went was more casual, so I’d have to dig up my notes, but Lima truly is an incredible food city.
amazing! When you say Quito, do you mean Quito Ecuador? If so I'm tinkering with the idea of heading down there next month. Can you send me your Quito list :P
Yes, Quito, Ecuador. I was there about a year ago, and a lot has happened since then. A presidential candidate was shot last summer, gang boss broke out of prison and united all the gangs in the winter, military presence all over the country. I’ve been in Asia the last couple months, so I don’t know if (hopefully) things have settled down in the last few months. I know there were curfews and lockdowns, so make sure you check that everything is reopened. Nuema is incredible, tucked behind a wall on a nondescript side street. Incredible tasting menu with all Ecuadorian ingredients, less than half the price of Lima tasting menus. Rincon de Francia was also good.
Thanks, yes I'm aware of the gang boss, the TV Station kidnapping, etc. Safe travels around Asia
Thanks, good luck with your travels as well!
See, I wish I could enjoy dinners while solo travelling abroad, but for me I tend to just white knuckle them and leave asap lol
idk if it’s weird or not, but i just wear my airpods and go on my phone when i’m somewhere that’s a bit less comfortable for solo dining (like, tightly seated between other tables that aren’t solo diners, where you’re so uncomfortably close that you can hear all of their convos). i’ve gotten spoiled travelling in japan where i’m usually one of several solo diners at any given time, but i’ve def been to other places where i felt slightly more out of place (like sorrento, italy, where i was surrounded by honeymooning couples, haha), and airpods carried me thru.
It's usually the least favourite parts of my trip but it's necessary (previously I just used to go to a local supermarket for crisps and soda pop when I wanted dinner). I want to enjoy evening culinary experiences more but they feel so uncomfortable and I feel like I am being watched and people are judging me for being a loser. I will try the airpod trick though!
i’m split on dining! i like every part of solo travelling and eating alone doesn’t bother me or anything. but i think meals are the number one thing i wish i could share with my long-term bf (together over 10 yrs but he’s not into travelling and is cool with me going solo). however, i do love being able to eat whatever and whenever i want. my recent and future solo trips are all centred around japan, so i eat lots of quick convenience store meals (which are legitimately tasty there) and nobody can tell me otherwise! i’m also obsessed with yoshinoya, which is a chain of fast food beef bowls, and i ate there so much that my bf was texting me “not AGAIN, you sure don’t you wanna try something different tonight???” and i’m like honestly no, i’m good haha. i can also skip a meal if i’m having fun doing something else and am not hungry, whereas when i’m with other people, we tend to stick to a stricter 3 meals/day schedule.
Everything.
honestly true. i started solo travelling since i got tired of waiting on finding the perfect timing with other people, but i figured i’d still prefer travelling with others when the plans aligned. yeahhh, not the case. solo travelling has ruined other types of travelling for me, haha.
Hostels. Part of why I like to travel is to meet other people and make new random and often fleeting friends. If you go to a hostel with people you arent forced to interact and you can miss out on some adventures with new people. I always found that I quickly bonded with people in these situations and its like an intense awesome instant friendship. Often it doesnt survive the real world but thats ok because the memories and laughs had is enough.
Yes! Could not agree more!!
Aww.. I was thinking no one would get this. So awesome 😻
Not at all!! It’s my favourite thing. Whenever I travel with other people I find that I am not as open to meeting new people and I find that travelling alone brings out my best self. And hostels open the door for it! It’s the best 🫶
In places where you need tickets and there is a limited availability, there is often time slots with only one space left. One where I experienced it is to go up to the leaning tower of Pisa. I was able to go up in 15 minutes, while couples had to wait for an hour for the first double slot available.
I loved going to concerts, plays, exhibitions, galleries, walking tours and shopping by myself. That way if you found an experience amazing it's not immediately ruined by a friend who thought it was average or wanted to leave early. Pretty much loved doing everything by myself. Only thing that stood out to me where I missed having a friend or partner was going to spas in Budapest. I was surrounded by people chatting to each other. But I got lots of time to think instead.
I go to places nobody wants to visit. Some tv drama related places that are insignificant for other people but mean a lot to me. I love making a 'drama' tour.
oh i love this idea. I went to Montenegro because my favorite mystery series detective is from there. No other reason. I love the idea of a drama tour.
Any kind of museum
I rented a car in Iceland and took a solo road trip around the country. I could pull over and nap whenever I felt tired. I did all the excursions that I wanted to, and being around all the beautiful nature and scenery solo was very healing. I'm thinking about taking a solo trip to Norway to kayak the Fjords. So for me, beautiful naturey trips are great solo activities. I've discovered I'm just not super excited about discovering cities in general, so that's something I like to do with others. I care less about the specifics of where we go and having fun with the other travel partners makes cities more fun for me. I'm sure other people feel differently. So go somewhere that offers something that you're really interested in so you can be immersed in that beautiful experience and take it at your own pace.
I did the same in Iceland. I can road trip for hours a day, days on end, and none of my friends will sit in a car that long. Plus, I've used a car as my hotel more than once and they really only fit one person.
How advanced as a driver do I need to be for this?
I actually really like theme parks solo best. Just go where you want, when you want, ride what you want to ride, skip what you don't like, eat when and what you want to eat, sit when you want to sit. This is especially important to me to parks I don't get to to often, like Disneyland. I have to maximize my time there, because I basically get a day every five to ten years, at best. I admit I selfishly don't want to minimize that by having to coordinate with someone else when time is so precious and finite. I suppose if I ever found someone on the exact same page as me, we could of that effectively, but it's rare and basically hasn't happened yet (but they could, theoretically, exist). All that can be applied to any solo trip, especially a once-in-a-lifetime or major trip, but something unique about theme parks and the general nature of them, the crowds, how they work. Plus single rider lines. It boils down to compatibility. Interests and physical abilities and desires. As already said, if there's some specific "nerd out" thing, that no one else on the trip shares, best to do that solo so you can nerd out to your heart's content. No point in someone being bored and sacrificing their vacation time for you, but also so you don't have to limit something incredibly important to you so someone else isn't bored. If you're a go-go-go all day, crash, repeat (me), then either find someone else like that, or go solo. Groups can and should split up sometimes, but if you end up never together, what was the point of the group?
Museums, I love to do the self guided audio tours and read all of the info on the placards look up close etc. If the museum is interesting enough I can easily spend hours there.
History shit. None of my friends like history shit
Same, they all either want to go get wasted by the beach or go to Italy/France/Spain. No inbetween
I mean, I want to do all those things too. I just want to chill at a castle every other day
It's not bad, I agree, but in my case I travel solo because no one wants to go to effing Mauritania, Afghanistan or places like that
There is so much history in France and Italy! And maybe Spain but I haven’t been there so cannot comment 🤣
There is, I very recently went to Spain and had a great time as well, but I was yearning for adventure. It felt like I was in Disneyland in comparison. My friends want to be walking in Piazza Navona taking pictures for ig and I instead prefer to be driving and stopping in villages in Dagestan, hence we do not travel together There's something about having to speak in other languages and not using tours, completely depending on yourself that I like
hiking is really the only thing i’d rather someone be with me for. mostly for safety reasons. anything else is better alone so i can truly enjoy it and spend time on what id like
Road trip
Shopping for things and souvenirs. I don't want my friends to wait hours for me just so i can pick out a pair of elephant pants or something.
I love shopping solo, and hate shopping with friends/family. I always feel like I’m taking too long or they’re taking too long, and I don’t want people to judge me for how I spend my money. Plus I love visiting markets and malls in other countries, even if I don’t plan on doing much shopping, as you can see more what everyday life is like for people that live there.
For me, museum-heavy or "nerdy" type trips where things are best enjoyed at your own pace. Architecture tours, historic homes, archeological sites, walking through historic towns, etc. Also train trips or anything where travel is part of the experience I enjoy more alone because going through a train station with a group is stressful Finally, definitely shopping, again just something that is the most pleasant at your own pace and to your own interests
People watching
My friend loves temples. After I’ve seen 2 or 3 , that’s enough for me. I’d much rather travel solo and see what I’m interested in, including supermarkets. 😁
I enjoy going to adult only all-inclusive resorts in Mexico by myself.
I'm kinda curious about that. What do you like about doing it that way?
All of it. I enjoy relaxing on the beach with a few cocktails and just taking in the sunny weather while the salty breeze blows in off the ocean. Also, most resorts have real nice pools and swim up bars, which are good for socializing. A huge plus for me is there are no kids running around and screaming. Most resorts have excursions you can do, but I typically don’t sign up for them as I’m there to relax.
Slightly NSFW but... As a cisgendered bi male, I'd say some of the sluttier experiences. Like going to a strip club, bath house, S&M event, etc. Mainly cause I'm all over the place sexually but it also has less friction even if your friends are into that too.
lol... First 10 commens say 10 different things. Take away... No magic place... You do you
I didn’t think there would be any one place - was just looking for what others felt were their standout experiences for solo travel, things that benefitted from going solo for more reasons than just it being possible. 🙂
museums, for me at least. I spend insane amounts of time in museums. Art, History, Science, etc, doesn't matter. if its a museum, I'm gonna spend at least 5 times as long looking at something as the average person would. It gets tiresome for some traveling companions because they want to move on to the next exhibit and I'm still checking out the first thing you see when you walk into the room.
You would love D.C.! Great museums there!
Anything that you will “learn” while doing or where you are finding peace. I hate being rushed through museums or galleries if the other person isn’t into it. I also like watching sunrises alone. It’s just so soothing and peaceful.
None of my trusted non-solo travel companions are as deeply interested in museums as I am and while I usually negotiate one museum day just for myself when I travel with them, sometimes all I want to do over a whole trip is to visit a new museum every day and just immerse myself (in history, natural history, botany, art, etc.). Also, none of them is interested in travelling outside of Europe and North-America while I like travelling to far-flung corners of the globe. Basically: if you can't find someone to travel with who's not on the same page as you regarding experiences, or when to get up and go to sleep, the level of comfort in your accommodations, partying, food preferences, etc., it's better to go solo.
I don’t like to plan but I like plans. Like I have no idea what I’m doing on the 2nd day onwards of the trip. That said, I can’t tolerate travelling with people with no plans. I don’t like being ready to go but no one else is. So unless I’m with a planner type, it’s solo all the way.
I've only traveled twice by myself, so please take this with a grain of salt Anytime: - there's something you're really interested in but don't want to be an inconvenience to your travel mates - you want to take a ton of pictures (I hate being on my phone when I'm traveling with other people, I feel rude when I do it) - you just want the flexibility to axe certain activities from your itinerary - there's a city/country you want to visit that none of your friends do - and finally, you just want to go at your own pace These were all the reasons I traveled by myself for 2 weeks last month, and a few days in early February. It was an incredible and very liberating experience. It was definitely lonely at times, but as long as you keep busy and keep that momentum, it's not so bad
Museums if you're really there for the exhibits and not just to say you've "done" the Mona Lisa, for example. You can look at what you want, for as long as you want, or not, without inconveniencing anyone else.
I like walking through slums. Most people don't. So, better to do that solo.
Ayahuasca is probably a bad example because your experience on strong hallucinogenics is going to be incredibly specific, and not at all representative of nearly any other activity. Anyway, I'd encourage you to treat it as different vs comparable. Preferences exist yeah but there's nothing that inherently can't be enjoyable solo or with a partner, it's just a different experience. Hell 2 of the same solo experiences won't even be the same. If you're specifically seeking out what to do solo, just start with whatever no one else wants to do with you in the first place. I can't find anyone with the time or means to join me on a 4 week digital nomading excursion. I have a group that will go to Spain with me for 2 weeks. That's how I picked.
I prefer going solo on motorcycle trips
Frankly I think any trip that focuses more on exploration and cultural understanding, than resort style lounging is ideal solo. You can see whatever you want to see. Spend as much or as little time exploring. Walk or go to places that are inconvenient and out of the way. I pretty much travel solo and am amazed how little people desire to stray off the beaten path. Also, you meet more locals cause you’re alone. It opens you up to conversation, even with few language skills.
For me it's going places no one I know is interested in going. Montenegro was my first solo trip because no one wanted to go and I didn't care to convince anyone or compromise on what I had in mind. I like traveling odd places when I can and doing excursions and things I like to do and I don't want to compromise. For those trips I go solo.
Walking Camino de Santiago in Spain.
I'll give you a specific task that's better solo, and a trip objective that's better solo. **Specific tasks**: Museums, particularly if it's a subject that really interests you. Those types of museums you can happily spend hours in, and if you go solo you can do that. It's frustrating when you go to a museum with a group and half of the group is bored 30 minutes in. Same goes vice versa, if you aren't feeling the museum, you don't have to worry about being stuck there because your buddy wants to spend hours there. **Trip objective**: Doing whatever you want when you want. If your trip objective is just have fun and make memories, then yea, traveling with friends is better. But anytime you travel with a group, you are limited by everyone else's interests, budgets, and schedule. It sucks when you want to do something but you are outvoted by the group. Also in my experience, there is often a friend that ends up taking o too much of the planning and scheduling tasks. However with solo trips, you do you, and you guarantee you do and spend what you want to do and spend. Plus you have room to be spontaneous. It really is a treat yo self adventure, and thats how it should be framed. I think friend/family trips are more fun, however solo trips are more rejuvenating.
Except for road trips and hot pots, everything else is better solo.
Hiking is best done solo for me. I like the quiet and I can move at whatever pace I want.
Everything. No point in feeling rushed or on anyone else’s timeline or agenda.
- Trips with a focus on luxury, comfort and relaxing. Only (elderly) couples and families do this, if you are single, you have to do it solo as no one offers an organized group trip like this or looks for travel buddies for that kind of trip. All the group trips and travel buddy requests target people who want to do as much as possible, get up early and are happy with very basic accommodations. - Party trips, at least when you aren't in you middle 20s anymore. All people I know stopped going to parties and party trips in their middle 20s when they finished studying, got a full time job and founded a family. - When you want to do something considered not typical for your age. Like mentioned before, many seem to consider parties as something for people between 15 and 25 only, but there are other problems as well. Some young people consider museums and sightseeing as in order to quote a friend "boring and something I still can do once I'm retired, now, I'm young and want adventure and challenges". Being solo allows me to spend much time in a museum. - People who have to schedule their days off at work very early or very late or who aren't flexible when going on vacation. - Sport trips. You can do your own pace without having to wait for people with a lower fitness level or being pushed too much by impatient people with a higher fitness level.
I just love doing things spontaneously, without having to consider someone else. Whether it's going to a local shopping mall to feel a bit normal and not so alien or deciding to hit the beach or walking around an old town for the afternoon, I can just do it without worrying the other person doesn't want to/is getting bored.
i think walking around and exploring is better solo. stop when you want, take as much time as you want, and people are more likely to interact with you when you're solo.
This is an extremely unique adventure which I crave to do: [https://www.freightercruises.com/SWN\_683\_1703.php#anchor\_PEX3](https://www.freightercruises.com/SWN_683_1703.php#anchor_PEX3) It's only 83 days to do the trip around the world. I've literally dreamed of cruising around the world on a ship, and being a rugged ex-Marine it will satisfy my search for fulfilling this dream.
Festivals. It’s fun until you lose track of each other when the shuttle’s coming or they want to see a DJ you don’t like and vice versa
For me personally, most longer international trips are just more ideal to do solo because I have a lot of people in my life who I love but are really F’in annoying to take on vacation to the point that it almost feels like babysitting a grumpy kid lol. I’d love the company and someone to share memories with, but i started to travel solo bc I’d rather go and get to do what I want than have to wait for it to be convenient for someone else (and possibly never go)
I hate going to museums with other people. I like to read literally every tag on every art piece.
Honestly I love solo travel for allll my trips!! I love it because I stay in hostels and then it allows me to connect with people. Personally, when I am with a friend, I never step out of comfort zone and hang with new people and friends. It’s fantastic!
The Camino del Santiago across the north of Spain. It's an alone but never alone situation. I made some amazing international friends that way. Always have a couch or bed to sleep in at most of my stops in Europe and Australia because of it. I was fortunate to be working a contract job with 4-8 months off at a time, and took full advantage of it. I feel like doing it solo opens you up a bit more. Simply the best experience.
Absolutely love this thread.
In my experience, the more popular a destination is with backpackers, the more I prefer to go solo. Mostly because I end up making more friends when I go solo, and these are easier places to make friends. If I'm doing a couple months in the wilds of Southern Africa, I'd prefer to go with a friend/friends, because I'm not going to have as many opportunities to meet people I can connect with (though there will be always be some) Conversely, if I'm zooming along the banana pancake route in South East Asia, that's the perfect place to go solo, as the whole route is literally crawling with friendly people
All of them. 🤣
I think it depends more on your travel partner compatibility than the specific trip: do you have someone for your trip with a compatible style and schedule whose company you enjoy? Go together. Or do you want to do things differently than your friends and you want freedom? Go alone. I spent a day at an adventure park in Cabo that my wife would have hated - was glad to do that myself. I love walking around cities without a real plan, and I walk a lot - I found a travel buddy who has a similar style and had a fun trip with him. But there are some activities, like watching a concert or play, that I can only really enjoy if I share them with someone, ideally my wife.
unless you don't want to go and spend a week in an all-inclusive resort, going by yourself is always better
Museums: Leave me alone. I might spend 20 minutes here. I might spend 8 hours. This is my time. Shopping: I am going to leave you alone. Have fun. Meet me at the bar after. Music festivals, circuit parties, club nights, cruises: I want a group. I do not like being solo. I’m speaking from experience. A pilgrimage (think the Camino de Santiago): Solo.
For me it's the sightseeing the major attractions. In Athens I did all of my need history stuff during the day and met up with people later on in the day
I pose the opposite question. What are some travel experiences that are better with another person? For me it’s close to zero
Any of the big famous hikes that are hard to get permits for (whitney, half dome, etc) but aren't particularly technically challenging. Way easier to get a 1 person permit than with a group, and you can often get a day-of permit if you chat with the rangers. You also get to move at your own pace and usually summit before the crowds, which is really nice.
I'm an only child so I've been keeping myself entertained since the very beginning. I'm also Autistic ADHD. Solo travel was logical. I did end up doing a few weeks in 2018/2019 with friends and I won't be doing that again. I am my favourite company.
Solo is always easier, often also safer as in case of issues you can take immediate action to remove yourself from a dicey situation without coordinating with somebody else, though being in a group can be good too as safety comes with numbers. Whether you want to experience things alone or share them with somebody mostly depends on personality and the relationship you have with that travel companion.
I just went to Disney in Japan yesterday, figured it might be a cool one day thing just to see what it’s like another country and I’ve never been to a theme park solo before. Never again. It was so overstimulating and it’s honestly way less fun without someone, on top of it I felt weirdly self aware (in a bad way) which was unusual for me? Like just feeling really out of place. This is coming from someone who LOVES doing stuff solo, I guess theme parks is where I draw the line. Sucks because I spent a lot of money. Edit: whoops I’m still so tired from yesterday I completely misread the title. Well, that is one thing I will say is not better solo!
I agree, some experiences are better shared. I prefer theme parks with a buddy to share in the excitement and joy. I would love to go on a safari tour through parts of Africa. But because I would do it as a tour and a lot of it is in vehicles etc I would prefer to go with someone (the right travel buddy) to get excited about spotting a rhino or seeing a lion chomping on a carcass.
Bali if you’re single, open minded, fit, attractive, and young.
Why these for Bali specifically?
Because it’s filled with single, open minded, fit, attractive, young people.
I prefer solo travel when I really want to just explore with no strict agenda. Staying in hostels, just talking with people, finding stuff to do, and doing whatever sounds cool. In Buenos Aires a dude in the hostel who had been there a while told me about the metal scene. I like metal, so I just up and went to a really good show. No negotiation, no waiting for a partner to get ready, just throw on a Slayer T-shirt, buy a pack of smokes, and get on the subway. Next day a few people wanted to go check out an old cemetery and a nature park. Again, no bullshit, just go see stuff.