By: Grace Gavilanes
Some people are made for solo-travel, while others are left feeling hesitant about the prospect of taking a trip on their own. And that’s okay. Leaving your comfort zone can feel intimidating and scary, but ask yourself: would you pass on the opportunity to explore a different culture if it meant being 100% on your own?
These travel experts —many of whom are writers, editors and authors who’ve spent ample time overseas — are here to inspire you to book that bucket-list trip you’ve been meaning to take for years. Find out the reasons they think you should travel alone at least once in your life.
You Get the Freedom
“Just got back from three-week solo trip to Italy. I totally recommend everyone take a trip by themselves at least once. The freedom and flexibility is an amazing trade-off for navigating a place on your own. The accomplishment of getting to the other side and knowing that you did it is something you will carry with you, regardless if you every do it again.”
—Stephanie Anita, @stephanitaeats
There’s No Fighting
“You’ll never have to fight with anyone about your itinerary and since you’ll be doing everything on your own, you’ll learn all the skills you need to make your next trip (whether solo or not) so much smoother. It’s a big confidence boost.
—Lauren Hudgins, @laurenhudgins
It’s All About You Having Fun
“You get to do you! I love a solo trip once in a while because any worry about if the other person is having fun is gone. You get to set your own day to do as much or as little as you’d like. It’s great for people who like to travel at their own pace!”
—Eileen Cotter Wright, purewander.com
You’ll Make Friends Faster
“When you travel on your own, you tend to meet and talk to a lot more people — which is part of the richness of travel, beyond just the sights and attractions. And you get to make your own way!”
—Katherine Brodsky
Your Perspective Will Change
“I believe in beauty hunting, and sometimes, when you’re alone you see things in a way you wouldn’t have had you had another pair of eyes or lips next to you. Traveling on your own requires you to pay attention in a different way.”
—Jennifer Pastiloff, @jenpastiloff
You’ll Finally Conquer Your Fears
“Traveling solo will forever change your perception of what you ‘need’ or expect from travel. It can open so many doors and push you to conquer your fears, especially the fear of traveling alone.”
—Christina Mueller, christinamueller.com
You’ll Experience Different Opportunities
“Solo travel offers you the ability to be in the moment and embrace the local culture … If I hadn’t been traveling alone, I wouldn’t have been invited to eat lunch on a deserted island in the South Pacific, gone on a shark scuba dive paired last minute with Martina Navratilova the tennis star, or drank Xtabentún (a local Mexican liqueur) after touring a magical river deep below Quintana Roo.”
—Beth McCrea, bethmccrea.com
You’ll Figure Out What You Really Want
“There’s something incredibly liberating about setting off on a solo adventure. Without backup for even the smallest decisions (where to eat, whether to wander around after dinner or head back to the hotel) you start to realize what you want and prefer. It’s eye-opening in the best way. And you also feel like a total badass for getting through any hiccups along the way.”
—Leandra Beabout, @leandrabeabout
You Can Completely Change Your Itinerary
“Your independence allows you to follow your whims, whether you simply want to linger longer at one destination or completely switch your itinerary around.”
—Alison Roberts-Tse, upandatemtravel.com
You’ll Learn So Much About Yourself
“… I learned so much about respecting and embracing different cultures/beliefs that I became a better human being. From that moment on, travel was all about the magic of locals, the people whom you met on the road and those connections (which can last a lifetime!). I totally believe that traveling solo can contribute to your continued personal evolution, while connecting you with others. It gives you the freedom to choose your own itinerary, and to fly with your own wings. Life is so unexpected and solo traveling is about more than adventure; it’s one of the most transformative gifts that you can give to yourself. Go for it!”
—Olga Maria, @dreamsinheels