Happy New Year friends! I've just come back from what I like to call my second "tour" of National Parks/solo adventure of 2020 and am in reflection mode. People often ask me why I travel alone. But the more important question is:
I started doing it by way of having a cool job that brought me all across the country (and even the the world sometimes!), and then by default (having no significant other/busy friends, but wanting to go places), and then it just sort of evolved into my SOP. A quick trip down memory lane reminds me of some cool spots I've explored on my own:
San Diego
Toronto
London
Vancouver & Seattle
Puerto Rico
Spain & Portugal
Italy
Badlands, Yellowstone, Grand Teton, and Rocky Mountain National Parks Road Trip
Redwood National Park
As much as I fell into it and my circumstances easily allow for it, traveling alone has some really great benefits. I've highlighted the top eight below! Let me know what you think, or if you'd add anything to my list. [PS - my intent is not at all to disparage traveling with others - but only to encourage traveling alone, at some point in your life, and point out some unique advantages it offers.]
You decide where and when you go on vacation. Have you ever stopped to consider the number of factors that go into selecting a destination? There's the city and the country, the mountains and the water. Domestic or international. You could plan a trip around historical sites, food/beverage, relaxation, or any number of interests. When others are involved, there's always some compromise involved here. But in going solo, you get to decide what you want at exactly that point in time. Look, any vacation is amazing, but I'm just saying that I can scroll by a cool picture on Instagram, decide I want to see it, and go (presuming I am fortunate enough to have the means).
Plan the way that works for you. I once decided to travel with a friend (who I didn't know super well, I might add), and it was like pulling teeth to get her to commit to a rough plan for each day, let alone get some tours booked. Of course it wasn't personal, but it wasn't as much of a priority to her as it was to me. Personally, I get pretty detailed in my planning, because it's how I know what I can fit into the time I have. This isn't to say that every minute of every day is called for, but it's definitely less 'go with the flow' than some would prefer. In traveling on my own, I can plan to my heart's content, build my silly little maps (below), and feel confident when I wake up each day of the trip - without worrying that I'm being "too extra" for someone.
You're more open to chance encounters. Like the man you keep bumping into on the trailhead. The stranger eating next to you at the bar. Two sisters on a bus who are going to the same place as you. Traveling alone is not as lonely as you might think.
Plus, you can sign up for cool tours and meet people that way! Such as this pintxos tour in San Sebastian, Spain:
More flexibility with places to stay.
Sheepherder's wagon (check)
Literary-themed hotel (check)
Shared Airbnb with Grandma Patree (check)
Eat what you want, when you want. On this latest trip, I ate a peanut butter and jelly sandwich in my rental car for lunch three days in a row. Delicious? Truthfully, yes (okay, maybe not day three...). But perhaps not what everyone envisions for a vacation.
Oh, and on your own, the only one to blame for hanger is you!
Set your own pace. Some people see vacation as an opportunity to unwind. Others love to be on-the-go and explore. This is the most basic difference in the way folks approach vacation. But there are others as well. I once went away for a long weekend with a friend who took much longer than I to get out of bed and ready to go for the day. This was a struggle for me, as I felt like I was losing valuable time seeing the city! The point here is that when you're flying solo, there's a little more honoring yourself and your natural way of being/doing.
Trips are a lot of money. This you know. So isn't it awesome that you built the damn thing exactly how you wanted?
Self-discovery and character building. Before traveling on my own, I can confidently say I didn't know how to properly put air into my tires, start a fire, change a tire, etc. This is nothing to say of the skills I've gained from the random circumstances in which I've found myself while on the road. For example, having to find a place to stay last-minute when my original accommodations didn't work out, or coming up with a plan B when the sight I had hoped to see was unexpectedly not accessible that day. It's also helped me overcome fear-inducing situations, such as being isolated on a trail by myself, riding in a gondola up a mountain, or getting through a solo dinner in a "dark" restaurant.
So, have I convinced you yet???
There is one disclaimer I need to make you aware of; restaurant staff WILL look at you a little funny when you say 'table for 1,' and many will double-check just to be sure - "just one?" Confidently say yes, and enjoy your well-deserved meal. Oh, and you'll take a lot of bad selfies.
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