11 Tips for Traveling Alone

I really never thought I’d be one to travel alone, but after spending my college years at NYU braving the city solo—Well…yes, I eventually made friends, but coming from Southern California, I knew absolutely no one—I started to become more comfortable with doing things alone, and eventually started to warm up to the idea of even traveling alone.

Fast-forward to 2017, and I had a really fun trip planned to Voodoo Festival in New Orleans with my boyfriend at the time, but of course, things didn’t work out with the guy. Having already booked the flights and purchased both 3-day Voodoo Fest tickets, I just decided to sell my extra ticket and get my miles back for the ex’s flight, and go solo and holy moly, #noragrets. I was really nervous about traveling alone, but I had so much fun, ate so much good food, and made great friends, and made some unforgettable memories!

My 2nd time traveling solo was to Japan earlier this year for 3-weeks in late-March to early-April. I intended to stay with extended family I had never met before, and also intended to go alone, but after my grandmother suffered a minor stroke, I really wanted to go with her since Osaka was her hometown. So, the first 2 weeks of the trip were split between exploring Japan with my grandmother and younger brother, and separating to do our own thing, and the last week was spent alone with my family who spoke ZERO English. So while I wasn’t 100% alone for this trip, there was a good amount of solo travel in Japan, especially sand between just these two aforementioned trips alone, I feel like I’ve learned enough to share a few tips.

here are my 11 tips: 

  1. Do Your Research and Create an Itinerary (even if it’s a loose one)

This tip kind of goes for all travel I think, but when you’re doing it solo take advantage of the fact that you’re on your own! You can do whatever you want and you don’t have to compromise on anything. So enjoy it. Do your research on Pinterest, Yelp, YouTube Vlogs, etc. And don’t forget to ask friends and family who’ve already been to where you’re traveling.

Creating a lose itinerary based on which parts of the country/city I wanted to be in was really helpful and it maximized my time exploring. For example, when I took a boyfriend of mine to NYC for his birthday, I made sure we did all of the Lower East Side stuff on one day, Uptown Stuff on a different day, and Brooklyn on another. We also had a few open days to explore and knock off some things on our list as we pleased, and doing it this way was so much better than wasting travel time going back and forth between uptown, downtown, and Brooklyn! I did this for Japan too; I looked at the locations of some of my bucket list food spots and coordinated with my bucket list travel/attractions spots. I can’t recommend planning things out geographically enough! So honestly, this tip goes for all travel, not just solo travel.

2. If you’re going to a Foreign Country, Know the Language – or at least some of it

Before going to to Japan, I saw so many vlogs, blogs, and other things on the internet that said you’d be totally fine getting around Japan without knowing the language, and while they’re somewhat right, I found that it was that much easier getting around knowing basic Japanese phrases. Not only is it more respectful to the locals to attempt they’re language, but also that much more helpful to not have to keep stopping people on the street to figure out where the eff you’re going. Phrases I recommend knowing and understanding:

  • “Do you understand/speak English”?

  • “Where is  _________?”

  • “Do you have ­­_________?”

  • “How much is this?”

  • “Can I have_______”

  • “Excuse Me”

  • “Please”, “Thank You”, “Left”, “Right”, “Straight” are also helpful to know! 

3. Bring a portable battery pack!

Plain and simple. Or even bring 2. Nothing is worse than not having your phone to be able to get around.

4.  Ask for Photos or bring a tripod for your camera/phone

Don’t be afraid to ask strangers for photos and when you do, ask people with professional cameras to take a photo on your phone or camera. They’re more likely to be able to frame a better photo. And also don’t be afraid of the timer setting on your phone either! The top left photo of me in the Sagano Bamboo Forest was done with self-timer. I regret not bringing a tripod with me to Japan, but I was able to prop my phone up on a fence against some bamboo and I’d say it turned out fairly well!

5.  Ask the locals

They almost always know one or two hidden food/sightseeing spots that you won’t find on Pinterest or travel blogs. They’re often SO worth seeing, and not to mention, they’re less crowded than the more popular tourist spots. 

6. Don’t Be Shy

Even though it’s a solo trip, you don’t have to be alone the entire time. There are lots of ways to meet people and it’s very likely you’ll make lasting friendships while you’re traveling solo. But if you’re at all like me, it can be nerve-racking striking up a conversation with a stranger, so start with a question or a simple comment. I was also already so outside of my comfort zone traveling alone, that it wasn’t that much more a big deal to talk to a stranger. In Japan, it was comforting to find an English-speaking traveler, so I really think it’s a lot easier to make friends than it seems. And if you don’t know where to actually find other people, there are lots of places and ways to meet people while you’re on your solo adventures: tourist spots, cafes and restaurants, in line, on tour, hostels, and meet up groups are all great options.

7.  Branch Out

This is your opportunity to get outside your comfort and adventure! Try something you normally wouldn’t do. Be spontaneous or even pick something from the little bucket list/itinerary I know you made from Tip #1.

8. Give someone from home your travel information

For safety purposes, I can’t stress enough how important it is to share your itinerary and travel info with at least one friend or family member. Make sure both parties know how to contact each other and even let them know where you’re staying and on what dates.

9.  Know your Budget

One of the downsides to traveling alone is that it is more expensive, so set a budget for yourself. And if you think you’re going to go overboard or have a problem sticking to a budget like me, I suggest only keep whatever money that is in your budget split between cash and a debit account. Put the rest of your money that you shouldn’t be spending in your savings account until the end of your trip so you’re not tempted to spend it. 

For security purposes, I also suggest spreading your cash safely throughout your luggage. I put some in my wallet, in an envelope in a book, and another envelope of cash in my computer pouch. I brought a few extra hundred for emergencies and I kept that envelope deeply hidden, and made a rule to only bring it out in case of an absolute emergency.

10.  Bring something familiar for anxiousness or homesickness

Being alone in a foreign place can be a little anxiety-provoking for some of us, so it’s nice to bring something along that’s comforting; a book, music, a blanket, or even stay in for a day and relax! 

11.  Bring on the go snacks from home.

If you’re a health nut and/or turn into a fire breathing dragon when you get hungry like me, it’s really important to have snacks on hand while on the go. Depending on where you’re going, finding healthy snacks while traveling can be tricky, or sometimes getting to that lunch or dinner spot takes longer than expected. So before your trip, go on a snack run and pick up some of your favorite snacks. Protein Bars, nuts, and jerky are all great. I even brought some of my protein balls to Japan, which I froze the night before my flight! Pack what you like and what works for you.

*Keep in mind the kinds of snacks that are likely to get crushed, and when going to foreign countries, double check that there aren’t any food restrictions so you don’t get stopped by airport security for attempting to smuggle in something you shouldn’t.