5 Steps for Successful Solo Travel

5 Ways To Enjoy Being A Solo Traveler

Traveling can help you learn about the world. It can provide a break from your stressful day-to-day life and can inspire you to be more creative or resourceful. The benefits are endless. One way to amplify all of these benefits is to do it alone. Solo travel may seem intimidating, but anyone with the right motivation can learn to do it safely and successfully. Here are five tips on how you can become a successful solo traveler for the first time.

Research the endless possibilities

Solo travel can be done on any budget and anywhere in the world. Business Insider notes that there are several travel companies who specialize in solo travelers. If you are looking for some structure and guidance, researching and booking with one of these may be for you. If you want to completely do it yourself, there are several websites dedicated to solo travel, including solotravelerworld.com and solotrekker4u.com. Look up the possibilities that work within your budget, timeline, and desires and begin the planning process.

Practice being alone

If your dream is backpacking across Europe on your own for an entire month, then you should make it happen! But you don’t have to go from uber-connected to utterly alone overnight. If being alone feels unnatural, start small and start slow. Treat yourself to dinner. Go to a movie by yourself. Take a short hike somewhere local. You will begin to see that nobody is staring at you funny and that you are fully capable of keeping yourself company.

Decide what’s best for your four-legged friend

Just because it’s called “solo travel,” doesn’t mean you can’t bring along your four-legged friend. After you’ve decided on your solo trip itenary, you need to decide what is best for your pup. If you are going off the grid into the woods, it may make sense to bring him along. However, if you are going to urban or suburban areas where daytime dog care may be pricey and restrictive, it may be a better option to leave him at home with a dog boarder.

Stay safe

Being aware of your surroundings is important for every traveler, but for solo travelers, it is absolutely essential because they don’t have a buddy watching their back. Knowing this will dictate some of the decisions you make as a traveler. One blogger noted that this could mean choosing a cozy countryside town for a daytrip rather than a busy urban center known for its crime, or it could mean traveling long distances only during daytime hours. If you are traveling to a place where terrorism or unrest is a possible issue, you may want to register your travel with the consulate and embassy.

Be confident (or fake it until you make it)

When traveling in pairs or groups, you have the luxury of letting somebody else take the lead. If you don’t like approaching strangers for directions, you can have your extraverted partner do it instead. As a solo traveler, you’ll need to do everything yourself, and the best way to do that is to feel confident and project confidence. Pump yourself up before the trip. Later, when you’re out as a solo traveler, project confidence so others won’t see you as an easy target. CNN recommends only looking at guidebooks or maps when you’re alone or tucked just out of sight in order to make yourself less of a target.

Traveling has many benefits. Solo travel can seem intimidating, but embracing it with the right attitude and planning can result in a life-affirming journey you’ll never forget.

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About The Author:  Brandon is a dog lover and vet tech. He loves helping pet owners by sharing advice on FurandFeathers.info.
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Image Source:  Pixabay.com