Empowering, freeing and offering the chance to explore entirely on your own terms, solo travel is often romanticized as the ultimate way to find yourself. But even the most independent adventurers can feel a wave of loneliness now and then, whether it’s during a quiet dinner or a missed shared moment.
Instead of viewing solo travel as a disadvantage, embrace your alone time as an opportunity to be more present.
Liz Coffey, founder of On Leave Experiences, which offers personalized self-care journeys designed to help you reconnect with yourself through curated activities, suggests a simple mindset shift: Reframe “alone” as “available.”
“When I travel with others, I’m often caught up in conversation, sometimes not even about what’s right in front of me,” Coffey said. “But when I’m solo, I’m available to read the placards at the museum at my own pace, follow that intriguing side street, or strike up a conversation with the person sitting next to me at a restaurant bar.”
Jen Ruiz, founder of Jen on a Jet Plane and author of “12 Trips in 12 Months: Make Your Own Solo Travel Magic,” also recommends planning ahead to keep your days full and exciting. “If I have a full itinerary of things to do, with tickets and reservations and arranged transport, I don’t really have time to sulk over being lonely. I’m too excited because I’m on my way to do something like have tea overlooking the pyramids of Egypt.”
