10 Best Tips For Solo Travel

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"You went there by yourself? I could never do that!" is a statement of astonishment that I often get in response to describing my solo travels. I get it! Being completely alone in an unfamiliar place can be nerve-wracking. I was trembling like a leaf the first time I traveled alone! I'm proud to say that I safely made it to my destination and back home with a lifetime of fond memories and absolutely no regrets! I strongly believe that you can too with my 10 Best Tips For Solo Travel! So let's get started!

1. Do Your Research Research where you're thinking of going. For example, I like to read the local news to know what's happening in the community. I also look up and review crime rate statistics. Once while planning a solo trip to the USA, I discovered that car thefts were high in the city I was planning on visiting. Based on this information, I chose a more modest car rental to deter thieves.

2. Move in Silence Don't tell anyone outside of your family and close friends that you're planning on traveling solo.

3. Choose an Accommodation That Best Suits Your Travel Goals Hotel, hostel or Airbnb? The options can seem endless when it comes to selecting a place to stay for your solo trip. I've stayed at all of the above and based on my experience, I recommend choosing an accommodation that best suits your travel goals. Hotels are best suited for travelers that prioritize convenience and accessibility. Hostels are ideal for meeting fellow travelers and exchanging stories from all over the world. Airbnb offers the flexibility of total privacy or some social interaction with the hosts. My advice would be to think about what you want to get out of your solo trip and choose your accommodation accordingly.

4. Arrivals and Departures Make sure your flight arrival and departure times are during the daytime. Less bad things happen during the day than during the night.

5. Transportation Use rideshare services like Uber and Lyft with caution. I prefer and recommend using reputable taxis or treating yo'self to a limo service!

6. Rules of the Road I think the safest way to get around is to rent a car and drive yourself. With that in mind, abide by local laws and rules of the road while traveling solo. You definitely don't want to get pulled over and ticketed by the police while on vacation.

7. Chit-Chat This tip is related to #2 Move in Silence. While you're out and about you might meet friendly locals who casually ask you where you're staying. It's most likely innocent chit-chat but I think it's better to be safe than sorry so I recommend never revealing any specific details about where you're staying.

8. Alcohol If you enjoy the occasional drink or two, limit your alcohol consumption and protect your drinks. It's especially important to be alert and aware of your surroundings when you're traveling alone.

9. Bling Wear an engagement or wedding ring while traveling solo to deter unwanted attention. It's not foolproof but I can say it's definitely worked for me while traveling solo. My hostel roommates honestly thought I was engaged which I thought was pretty funny!

10. Valuables Last but not least, protect your valuables which include your money and identification. Hide your cash in the most inconspicuous places you can think of and make photocopies of your driver's licence and passport.

I hope that my 10 Best Tips For Solo Travel will help you feel confident and prepared for your solo trip so you instead of saying "I could never do that!" you can say "I did that!"