I’ve taken countless trips through dozens of countries over the last decade– in fact, my first ever solo trip was in 2015! I’ve since traveled through 56 countries, and the opportunities I’ve been afforded thanks to the confidence, independence, and experience I’ve developed from traveling solo are priceless. In truth, I’ve become so accustomed to the adventurous lifestyle that I decided to move abroad alone, without a second thought.

I took myself on a solo day-trip to Étretat, France. This photo was taken with a remote and tripod.

My life certainly changed for the better when I first mustered up the courage to start traveling solo, and will always be grateful that I did. In this article, I’ve compiled a list of the tips and recommendations I personally used and continue to follow when I travel alone.

Continue reading to discover my recommendations for getting started as a solo travel, so you can be better prepared and have a positive experience on your trips.

1. Practice in your hometown or nearby

All solo travelers started somewhere, and that somewhere was most likely close to home! If you can get comfortable doing things like checking into a hotel, renting a car, taking a train, or navigating public transportation close to home, you’ll already be experienced when you’re doing these things while solo traveling. You can even start with just a day trip to build experience, and eventually work your way into taking longer solo trips.

2. Take yourself to events, concerts, activities, etc.

Get in the habit of booking things for yourself, and practice getting out of your comfort zone. If you’re worried about being judged, trust me when I say that there will always be fewer bystanders that will think you’re weird, and more bystanders that will admire you for doing something on your own. Once you get into the habit of booking activities for yourself, you may soon realize the freedom that comes with not having to wait for anyone else to do exactly what you want to do.

3. If you are already the planner of your group, it will come naturally

If you want to build the skills to start traveling solo one day, but aren’t quite ready to take the leap, consider taking the lead when planning your next trip with friends or family. Once you get into the habit of choosing accommodations or travel plans, making reservations, and organizing all the logistics, you will already be familiar, capable, and experienced when it comes time for you to plan a trip for yourself.

4. Choose a place where you can speak the language

Especially when you are just getting started traveling on your own, you can set yourself up to feel more comfortable and confident if you visit a place where you can speak the language. Not having to worry about a language barrier will make things easier overall, and you can instead focus on getting more comfortable with other aspects of solo travel that may potentially be stressful or may require a considerable amount of mental energy.

5. Get familiar with your personal travel habits

The greatest benefit of solo travel is getting to do exactly what you want, when you want, and how you want. You get to decide when you want to spend, and when you want to save. When you are the decision maker, you can take the time to be mindful about your personal travel goals and priorities, and set your own pace. If you know you like to have slow mornings without rushing to activities as soon as the sun comes up, you can choose to relax as long as you want. If you like to keep a faster pace and see as much as possible without having to wait for others, you can choose to do that too. If you see yourself as both types of travelers on different days depending on your mood or in different places depending on the destination, you can choose to be flexible. Once you get more familiar with your personal travel habits, you can continue to plan accordingly for future trips.

6. Do your research and have a plan

While flexibility is a major benefit of traveling solo, I suggest having the overall structure and important details of your trip planned in advance of your arrival. Having your transportation secured before you land in a new destination is a helpful way to avoid unnecessary stress at the start of your trip. In addition to your transportation, consider how you intend to find and pay for your transportation. It’s helpful to be prepared with a SIM card and a credit card or ATM card that work internationally prior to departing to your destination.

7. Book accommodations with great reviews

Securing accommodations with great reviews may mean you have to pay more or have to organize your trip further in advance, but knowing you will be staying somewhere safe is worth it. It may be common sense to avoid booking a hotel or rental property with bad reviews, but also consider that you should avoid booking accommodations that are too new to be reviewed, so you can avoid any surprises upon arrival or during your stay. I wrote a complete guide of my tips and recommendations for booking an Airbnb as a solo female traveler, which you can read here: Tips for Choosing an Airbnb as a Solo Female Traveler

8. Consider joining a group tour with other solo travelers

Another helpful way to gain experience as a solo traveler may be counter-intuitive, but it’s to join a group tour. I’ve joined several group trips organized by Intrepid when I was just getting started and continually over the years, and found that I was still able to gain valuable experience, enjoy the flexibility of traveling when I wanted, and visit destinations I was too intimidated to coordinate on my own. I’ve written a complete guide specifically on this topic, which you can read here: The Solo Traveler's Guide to Joining a Group Tour

9. If you usually travel with friends or family, get some practice by arriving earlier or staying later on your own

If you already have a trip planned with friends or family, you can opt to arrive independently or extend your trip. The same can be said if you’re joining a group trip– you can get some solo-travel practice by arriving earlier or staying later on your own. One of my first solo-travel experiences was in Marrakech after an Intrepid tour. To be perfectly honest, I didn’t love my time spent solo in Marrakech– I found it to be exhausting. However, I did learn a lot about myself and my personal travel preferences and habits, and look back on that trip as a learning experience.

10. Keep these safety tips in mind

Being vigilant and aware of your surroundings is always smart for any traveler, but it’s especially important for anyone traveling alone. Discover this list of tips that are helpful for solo female travelers to remain safe: 18 Safety Tips for Female Travelers

Are you planning your first solo trip and have any questions about my experience and how I practice these tips? Let me know below in the comments!