Tips for the Solo Traveler

Download the map of your destination from Google Maps in advance of your trip. Now, you’ll always have access to navigation without needing wifi access. Learn how here.

Decide how social you want to be and hold your ground. I don’t like talking to people on flights, but maybe you do. Wearing headphones is an excellent way to avoid talking to chatty seatmates. It’s always good to be friendly, but nobody is owed your time and attention.

Learn who you might already know at your destination. Post about your trip in advance of your trip, and you’d be surprised at what comes your way. Friends are likely to reach out saying they know someone and are happy to connect you! I posted that I was going to Lisbon and a friend messaged me saying that our mutual friend (who I thought still lived in Brussels) had moved to Lisbon two months earlier. That friend and I ended up spending two evenings together and had a blast–and he showed me a side of Lisbon I wouldn’t have experienced on my own.

Don’t waste a rainy day. There are so many things to do!

• Go to museums and other indoor attractions you might not have prioritized before. I like making a back up list of places to go in case of bad weather.
• In some parts of the world it’s very normal to have a rainy morning and then sunshine the rest of the day. Spend that rainy morning working out in your hotel room.
• I’m not much of shopper when I travel, but if the museum budget has been blown, shopping is better than spending hours in a cafe and you might end up with a nice souvenir.
• Check the weather in advance if you’re in a city so that you don’t spend your sunniest days inside museums.

Get a manicure in a foreign country. It’s a great way to meet people and feel like a local. You can get great recommendations for restaurants and cafes from the nail tech and other customers. Just be sure to understand the protocols. For example, I learned the hard way that in France, you can’t just walk into a nail place and ask for a service; appointments are booked at least one day in advance.

Choose a hotel or hostel over an Airbnb. It’s such a nice feeling knowing there is someone at the front desk you can call if you need anything. Also, someone who sees you leave for the day and return and can answer any questions you have about public transportation, a realistic weather forecast, etc. Front desk people are a wealth of knowledge! And if you want to meet people to hang out with, common rooms like the lobby lounge or breakfast areas are good places to mingle.

Sink laundry is the best! I use SinkSuds and have never looked back. Hotel laundry is really expensive and I don’t want other people handling my undies. Sink laundry takes less than five minutes (plus the clothes air drying overnight) and it’s the perfect way to get more use out of your undies and your gym clothes.

Don’t wear headphones when you’re walking around. It’s safer and also helps you stay in the moment and really experience the place you’re visiting. I love eavesdropping and picking up snippets of conversation. Some of my favorite memories are the little slices of life I experience while sitting on a bus or waiting in line at a shop.