How to Get Over the Fear of Traveling Solo: Tips & Tricks

You’ve decided to take the plunge and are researching how to travel solo—congrats! This is a huge milestone! Traveling solo has unlocked a new world of possibilities for me, and I love sharing my tips and tricks for traveling solo. Whether you’re a young 20-something hoping to spend your summer abroad or an empty nester on a bucket list journey to visit all of the best National Parks in the country, solo travel knows no age limits. 

I’m a firm believer that everyone should travel solo at least once in their life. I promise you, it will give you a level of self-confidence you didn’t know existed. This article is for my solo squad who want to travel solo but have no clue where to start. 

How to Travel Solo for the First Time

Once you decide to take a trip alone, choosing a destination can be overwhelming. You can make this adventure as grand or as simple as you want—no one is judging you!

Major cities will be the easiest route to take. There is almost always public transportation from the airport, plus nearly all major cities in the United States are walkable (kind of). At the very least, you can always grab a taxi/Uber/Lyft to get around. 

How to Stay Safe While Traveling by Yourself

It might sound counterintuitive, but major cities like New York, Chicago, and Boston are the best places to travel alone in the U.S. Why? Big cities often have extensive public transportation systems, and you can take the subway to get anywhere you want to go. I lived in Boston for almost five years, and even though I had a car, I would almost always take the T and leave it at home. 

Plus, renting a car can be expensive when you have no one to split the cost with. I know it can be tricky to get around the country without a car, which is just one more reason to pick a major city. Other underrated cities for solo travelers include San Antonio, Austin, and Charleston, while outdoor adventure seekers should consider places like Portland, Oregon, and Jackson Hole, Wyoming.

If you’re a budget traveler like me, check out my tips and tricks for finding cheap flights. 

What to Expect When Traveling Alone for the First Time

Once you’ve picked your destination, you’ve got some Googling to do. In addition to considering the safest cities for solo travel, you'll want to ask yourself questions like:

• How safe is the city? 
• What are the best hotels? 
• How do you plan on getting around this city?
• What are the main attractions (and how much do they cost)?
• What’s the weather like during the time of year you’re going?

I’d argue that the first and the last questions are the most important. You might not want to visit the Florida panhandle during peak hurricane season. And you might want to rethink that cheap hotel in a neighborhood known for its high crime rate. 

Knowledge is power, and researching these things ahead of time is key to having a good time, and that’s the whole point of your solo adventure, right? Check out my essential tips for safety while solo traveling. I've had some scary moments that could have been prevented had I trusted my gut.

Ways to Build Confidence as a Solo Traveler

The fear of the unknown is what stops many solo travelers from embarking on their maiden voyage. Research everything you can before you go, and your anxiety will be much more under control. You can still leave plenty of surprises for yourself, but safety shouldn’t be one of them.

One thing I always do (once I buy the plane ticket) is check out Viator to see what adventures and tours are available. Tours are a great way to meet other travelers and learn more about the destination. I always take at least one helmet-required tour, but you’ll find everything from food tours to adrenaline-packed ones on Viator. 

One of the loudest voices in the solo travel realm is some variation of: “What are people going to think if they see me by myself?”

This thought process has bugged me for several years. I promise you—no one cares. Everyone is so caught up in their own lives that they aren’t thinking about you sitting alone at a restaurant. Flip the script—how much thought do you put into others when you’re out and about?

I may internally compliment someone’s hairstyle or a shirt I like, but that’s about all the brain cells I’m putting on them. And that’s about how much thought they’re putting into you, too.

The day you stop living your life for others is the day you’re free. At the end of the day, your life is like a book. All of the chapters you’ve written and all of the chapters you’ve yet to write—it’s your story. Why would you let anyone else (let alone a stranger) write a chapter?

Confidently request a table for one at a restaurant.

Take that selfie. Heck, set up that tripod!

This is your vacation. Make the most of it. As long as you're not offending or interrupting others, you're allowed to take up space, too, boo.

Tips for Planning Your First Trip Alone

Resources can be your best friend, so make sure to use as many as possible as often as possible. One great resource we recommend using is TravelZoo's Travel Enthusiast Hotline™.

Travelzoo Club Members ($50/year) now have access to the Travel Enthusiast Hotline™, a 24/7 travel assistance service powered by Allianz Partners. Available worldwide for every trip, regardless of where or how it was booked, the hotline provides expert help with medical emergencies (locating facilities, emergency transport, prescription assistance), travel disruptions (canceled flights, last-minute hotels, visa questions), and personal logistics (emergency fund transfers, lost baggage, family communication). Unlike traditional travel assistance, no per-trip insurance policy is required. Note that while this travel hotline coordinates solutions, any costs for outside vendors remain the member's responsibility.

Fear has squashed more dreams than failure ever could. Your first solo trip is an accomplishment in itself. You’ll learn so much about yourself, your travel preferences, and even your packing style. Once you pull the rip cord on your first solo travel, I promise you’ll be hooked, and you’ll be planning your next grand adventure on the plane ride home!

Ready to take the plan? Try planning your own trip with some help from Only In Your State’s itinerary planner. Safe travels, y’all!