First Time Traveling Solo? The Best Advice From A Broad

Since launching this blog, I’ve been asked for advisory “kick-starters” from many who’d love to do a solo trip and appreciate the inside scoop from one who has. Here’s a collection of my best to date.

Travel like a writer. In other words, approach your trip as an adventure with a script that you get to write. Add in the action, engaging visuals, interesting conversations and unique dining and sightseeing experiences. Every good story has an arc and a rhythm. Not too fast paced that you exhaust your reader (or yourself!) allowing time to savor the important moments. Choose what fascinates you, intrigues you, interests you. The trip will happen.

Explore at many levels. Paris is a completely different city when explored via Le Metro. Hanoi offers a rich, sensory experience from the back of a three-wheeled “Cyclo”. Trains in Switzerland run with surgical precision and offer comfortable, inexpensive alpine panoramas. London busses are a clean, comfortable easy way to go anywhere because they go everywhere. Walking offers an intimate snapshot of any city in the world. Try them all.

Visit local grocers and supermarkets. Really visit. Like spend a couple of hours walking around, watching the shoppers, chatting with the butcher, the produce manager, the deli clerk. They know you’re a tourist and are usually thrilled to tell you about their area of expertise, the gastronomy of their city, country, culture. I’ve learned so much about the places I’ve traveled this way, sampling the local favorites, their most unusual, hand-tossed, homemade, world’s best foods that people love to share tastes of with you. Take pictures, but ask permission first.

Ask the Wait Staff and the Bartender – the Concierge is always helpful. But while every other guest in the hotel is vying for their attention, you can ask your server or the bartender. These people know their city and can fill you in on the best places to eat ( besides their hotel ), cool things to see, (not in the brochures) and give you tips on the easiest way to get there. A nice tip shows your appreciation and increases the likelihood of more great information during your stay. And while we’re on the subject of tipping…

Tip the Housekeeping Staff – these are the invisible heroes who enhance your stay and they work very hard, usually for very little money. Think about what they do. Maybe your room isn’t a challenge to put right but some guests take advantage of this daily service and revert to their pre-teen uber-sloppy selves. A small thank you on your pillow each morning when you leave the room improves the image of all Americans traveling abroad.

You Don’t Get Extra Points for Carry-On Only – Yes, you can crush your minimalist wardrobe and micro-sized makeup samples into your ONE AND ONLY bag, thereby avoiding check-in lines, baggage claim and potential lost luggage. Perhaps. Sometimes the overheads are full and you have to check it anyway. When traveling for business, I never checked baggage but trips were just a few days and I didn’t need a bathing suit for the Costa de Sol or something pretty for the Casinos in Monte Carlo. Or five extra layers for January weather in Northern Ireland. And then there’s the problem of how to pack souvenirs for the return trip. Take the larger bag. Pack smart. Use packing cubes. But enjoy having the “stuff” you’ll need for a great trip. Order a bellman and tip the porter. It’s worth it at our age and you’ll have more energy for the adventure.

Carry a Simple Protection Device – no sprays or aerosols per TSA rules. My solution (and I am not compensated for this, I have one. Actually I just bought three to give to my daughters) are the Birdie Personal Safety Alarms. At $29.95, they are a compact, simple solution for travel. Easy to activate ( and shut-off) they emit a loud alarm and flashing strobe light designed to deter an attacker or bring needed attention in a crowd. Trust your gut and use it if you’re uncomfortable. It’s a game-changer.

Go Rogue – So you’re on a tour and the next day’s itinerary isn’t appealing. Dinner solo sounds delightful. You’d rather head north to Belfast and see the Giant’s Causeway, or skip the trip to Versailles and get lost in the Metro or hang out in Montmartre, or Barcelona or Lisbon or wherever.

DO it!! Let your Tour Director know in advance and remind them with an email and text that you’ve made other plans and will see them for dinner or the morning. But be creative, get off by yourself with some regularity. It soothes the soul.

And that’s why you’re traveling.

xoxo