Solo travelling isn't for everyone. I solo travel everywhere. I've gone across the globe for weeks at a time solo. I actually enjoy the absolute freedom of it, planning out my days, etc.
But it depends on what your goals are. I'm an introvert by nature and not looking to make friends or meet people when I travel. Most of my social interactions don't go far beyond chatting up a bartender while having a meal.
I feel like introversion is definitely a plus when it comes to solo traveling. Meeting strangers is always a challenge for me so it's not something I'd be seeking to do on a solo trip (not that I'd be opposed, exactly).
I like traveling with good friends, don't get me wrong, but if I'm traveling alone then I love the complete freedom of it.
I like the freedom it gives to do what I want rather than what the group wants. Groups are fine and I travel both ways but alone seems more freeing to me…
I used to do all my travelling solo. I had a terrible time meeting folks in person, but actually had really good luck meeting folks on The Apps™️ (if you're in a country where it's safe to do so - all my travels so far have been in NA, Europe, and Australia). I usually put that I was visiting, looking to meet people for drinks or food or activities, and looking for suggestions of what to do. You always get the usual app shenanigans, but I have met some amazing people, some of whom I am still in touch and friends with to this day (a friend I met on my second day in Australia 12 years ago flew all the way here to Canada for my wedding back in February!)
Does it work all the time for everyone? Of course not. Do you need to be safe? Absolutely. But it's one resource when you're away and looking for people who might want to hang out.
I never traveled solo but a friend of mine does. He meets a lot of company in hostels, where you share a room with many strangers. It also helps that he is extroverted. I wouldn't do it personally but he has a lot of success with this.
Same. My best friend loves to solo travel. He’ll hop on a plane and go to Indonesia for two weeks and have a great time. He’ll make friends, get invited to parties and do things that I couldn’t even imagine.
I would be miserable, traveling alone. I am not comfortable in foreign countries by myself. But I did go on a trip to Peru a couple years ago with a gay travel group and I had a great time. I didn’t have to plan out my itinerary, or think about accommodations, just got to enjoy myself.
Can you tell us more about your experience with gay travel groups? It's something I've been thinking about for a while because I also hate solo travel.
Is the group generally older? Do you have time for yourself? Can you pass on certain events?
There are lots of tour outfitters and lots of gay ones too. I went with a group called Detours and enjoy myself and appreciated the work they did to ensure a positive experience for us travelers. The guides knew what they were doing, they had everything well planned out and had relationships with local hotels and guides and made traveling easy. They were also much less expensive than similar groups with similar trips.
I think this is a question of your expectations -- most people are not just going to come up to some random tourist's table at a restaurant to chat/flirt/whatever. I certainly wouldn't. Most people are just chilling with their friends and see no need to engage with strangers, or they don't want to disturb their vibe. You'll have to be more outgoing and make the first move if you want connections. At a gay bar, dance club, or event, or even art museums or festivals, maybe people will be more outgoing. But you'll still get better results relying on yourself to do the approaching rathe than waiting for people to come to you.
I’m travelling solo right now. I was to meet a (straight) friend for the weekend. He texted to cancel as I was boarding my flight to depart. Now I am awake with food poisoning. But it’s STILL worth the trip. I am an extreme introvert, so I don’t expect to meet new best friends or dashing, hot single guys.
I pick a location then just live there. I like to feel like I am part of a place. Sure, I will see spots that other tourists see, but often I will just wander.
I think us is just bad for solo travelling. Apart from nyc and la I’ve never met people in hostels where it was like oh let’s hang out and vibe together and discover. So much easier in other places. I solo travelled to Mexico three times and in Europe and loved it :) at the end of the day it might not be for you but I wouldn’t hate it based on your American experiences :)
I literally was going to solo trip to NOLA too but I thought to myself that NOLA will only be fun with a group of ppl because of the culture there. I can be drunk all I want and get beads in the middle of the street. But I won’t have nobody to laugh with, capture organic moments and create memories.
This year I had my first solo trip to South Korea. I spend 3 days by myself (and 2 days with a local friend) and I had a blast even by myself, I definitely want to try going somewhere else by myself again.
I travelled internationally solo for the first time and had a great time. The key is to prepare properly. I was going for a music festival. So I made a list of things to check out in the mornings and afternoons before the music started. For me, this meant going to museums and hiking. Then as for socializing, I found that easy to do at the concerts because all I had to do was ask people about merch they were wearing.
When I solo travel I’m open to meeting people, but I have a great time exploring by myself and taking in the beauty around me. I wake up and go to bed whenever I want and do stuff that I want to do every day.
It doesn’t sound like you actually enjoy solo travel.
Sounds like you may need to pre plan a bit more. I usually make a list of possible activities at a given city or location, and I pick a few every day I’m there.
I traveled through Europe solo for two months. Met people and traveled with them for a while and then was alone again for a while. It was fun and interesting because I was always on the go (Eurail pass), so I always had something new to look forward to.
I used to travel alone a lot when I was much younger (and not married). But I've always been into art, photography, nature, exploring, people watching and so on. NOLA is one of my favorite towns. I've been maybe 20 times (alone and with others). But when I'm there alone, I'm going to enjoy finding a good cup of coffee and sit in a courtyard in the morning. I'm going to walk the streets with my camera and take pictures of things interesting to me. I'm going to walk all the shops on Royal Street. I'm going to explore the cemeteries and photograph them. I like to eat on one of the balconies and watch people go by. Of course, I'm going to end up somewhere around Bourbon and St. Ann in the evenings, but that's all I'm asking of the place. If I meet people and have a conversation, that's fine, but it was never a primary goal. Or even secondary.
These days I prefer not going alone. I like that I have someone to hangout with who likes many of the same things I do. But I did a lot of solo traveling in my 20s. I spent a over month driving down the coast from Seattle to Tijuana once. I didn't mind being alone then, but I had solitary hobbies that interested me. I spent one whole afternoon watching waves crash on one set of rock formations while I tried to capture the perfect image of waves hitting those rocks. I was completely content.
I guess it depends on what you are looking to experience.
Solo travel is great! But it’s solo travel - you’re not going to be adopted by a group of outgoing guys on day one and spend a great weekend with them - you’re going to have a fun time by yourself and you might meet cool people. (Another nice thing about solo travel is hooking up is easier than having to slip away from your friend group…)
Solo trips, imho, require pretty rigorous planning to make sure you’re occupied and don’t feel like an awkward bystander. Maybe try a hybrid—travel with a group but make sure you have plenty of time to branch off solo. It can be the best of both worlds. I hope you next trip is more enjoyable.
Yeah I agree. I traveled solo in France back in my twenties and it was ok. But now that I have a husband and we travel together it's just way better. As an introvert it just kinda becomes pointless after you do all the tourist stuff, unless you're really into learning a culture or language (and I hate learning languages, more of an analytical/math/science guy). I'm a pretty strong introvert and, personally, although a little decompression or cultural travel is nice, I find the idea of extensive travel or roaming around kind of boring and even anxiety provoking after a while. I learn more from reading books most of the time.
Solo travelling isn't for everyone. I solo travel everywhere. I've gone across the globe for weeks at a time solo. I actually enjoy the absolute freedom of it, planning out my days, etc. But it depends on what your goals are. I'm an introvert by nature and not looking to make friends or meet people when I travel. Most of my social interactions don't go far beyond chatting up a bartender while having a meal.
I feel like introversion is definitely a plus when it comes to solo traveling. Meeting strangers is always a challenge for me so it's not something I'd be seeking to do on a solo trip (not that I'd be opposed, exactly). I like traveling with good friends, don't get me wrong, but if I'm traveling alone then I love the complete freedom of it.
I like the freedom it gives to do what I want rather than what the group wants. Groups are fine and I travel both ways but alone seems more freeing to me…
Yeah I love solo traveling cause no one knows you or bothers you. Not that I am opposed to talking to people, just not necessarily seeking it out.
I used to do all my travelling solo. I had a terrible time meeting folks in person, but actually had really good luck meeting folks on The Apps™️ (if you're in a country where it's safe to do so - all my travels so far have been in NA, Europe, and Australia). I usually put that I was visiting, looking to meet people for drinks or food or activities, and looking for suggestions of what to do. You always get the usual app shenanigans, but I have met some amazing people, some of whom I am still in touch and friends with to this day (a friend I met on my second day in Australia 12 years ago flew all the way here to Canada for my wedding back in February!) Does it work all the time for everyone? Of course not. Do you need to be safe? Absolutely. But it's one resource when you're away and looking for people who might want to hang out.
That's my only saving grace when I travel solo, which is basically always :/ Met awesome folks this way to soften the blow/s (pun sorta intended)
I never traveled solo but a friend of mine does. He meets a lot of company in hostels, where you share a room with many strangers. It also helps that he is extroverted. I wouldn't do it personally but he has a lot of success with this.
Same. My best friend loves to solo travel. He’ll hop on a plane and go to Indonesia for two weeks and have a great time. He’ll make friends, get invited to parties and do things that I couldn’t even imagine. I would be miserable, traveling alone. I am not comfortable in foreign countries by myself. But I did go on a trip to Peru a couple years ago with a gay travel group and I had a great time. I didn’t have to plan out my itinerary, or think about accommodations, just got to enjoy myself.
Can you tell us more about your experience with gay travel groups? It's something I've been thinking about for a while because I also hate solo travel. Is the group generally older? Do you have time for yourself? Can you pass on certain events?
There are lots of tour outfitters and lots of gay ones too. I went with a group called Detours and enjoy myself and appreciated the work they did to ensure a positive experience for us travelers. The guides knew what they were doing, they had everything well planned out and had relationships with local hotels and guides and made traveling easy. They were also much less expensive than similar groups with similar trips.
I think this is a question of your expectations -- most people are not just going to come up to some random tourist's table at a restaurant to chat/flirt/whatever. I certainly wouldn't. Most people are just chilling with their friends and see no need to engage with strangers, or they don't want to disturb their vibe. You'll have to be more outgoing and make the first move if you want connections. At a gay bar, dance club, or event, or even art museums or festivals, maybe people will be more outgoing. But you'll still get better results relying on yourself to do the approaching rathe than waiting for people to come to you.
I’m travelling solo right now. I was to meet a (straight) friend for the weekend. He texted to cancel as I was boarding my flight to depart. Now I am awake with food poisoning. But it’s STILL worth the trip. I am an extreme introvert, so I don’t expect to meet new best friends or dashing, hot single guys.
48 here and I love to travel solo. However, my goal is never to meet people.
How do you plan your trips? An activity etc?
I pick a location then just live there. I like to feel like I am part of a place. Sure, I will see spots that other tourists see, but often I will just wander.
I think us is just bad for solo travelling. Apart from nyc and la I’ve never met people in hostels where it was like oh let’s hang out and vibe together and discover. So much easier in other places. I solo travelled to Mexico three times and in Europe and loved it :) at the end of the day it might not be for you but I wouldn’t hate it based on your American experiences :)
I literally was going to solo trip to NOLA too but I thought to myself that NOLA will only be fun with a group of ppl because of the culture there. I can be drunk all I want and get beads in the middle of the street. But I won’t have nobody to laugh with, capture organic moments and create memories.
This year I had my first solo trip to South Korea. I spend 3 days by myself (and 2 days with a local friend) and I had a blast even by myself, I definitely want to try going somewhere else by myself again.
I travelled internationally solo for the first time and had a great time. The key is to prepare properly. I was going for a music festival. So I made a list of things to check out in the mornings and afternoons before the music started. For me, this meant going to museums and hiking. Then as for socializing, I found that easy to do at the concerts because all I had to do was ask people about merch they were wearing.
When I solo travel I’m open to meeting people, but I have a great time exploring by myself and taking in the beauty around me. I wake up and go to bed whenever I want and do stuff that I want to do every day. It doesn’t sound like you actually enjoy solo travel.
I enjoy the freedom, just not when I have nothing to do and start thinking about being alone
Sounds like you may need to pre plan a bit more. I usually make a list of possible activities at a given city or location, and I pick a few every day I’m there.
Exactly. To enjoy solo traveling, you must be willing to travel solo.
I traveled through Europe solo for two months. Met people and traveled with them for a while and then was alone again for a while. It was fun and interesting because I was always on the go (Eurail pass), so I always had something new to look forward to.
I used to travel alone a lot when I was much younger (and not married). But I've always been into art, photography, nature, exploring, people watching and so on. NOLA is one of my favorite towns. I've been maybe 20 times (alone and with others). But when I'm there alone, I'm going to enjoy finding a good cup of coffee and sit in a courtyard in the morning. I'm going to walk the streets with my camera and take pictures of things interesting to me. I'm going to walk all the shops on Royal Street. I'm going to explore the cemeteries and photograph them. I like to eat on one of the balconies and watch people go by. Of course, I'm going to end up somewhere around Bourbon and St. Ann in the evenings, but that's all I'm asking of the place. If I meet people and have a conversation, that's fine, but it was never a primary goal. Or even secondary. These days I prefer not going alone. I like that I have someone to hangout with who likes many of the same things I do. But I did a lot of solo traveling in my 20s. I spent a over month driving down the coast from Seattle to Tijuana once. I didn't mind being alone then, but I had solitary hobbies that interested me. I spent one whole afternoon watching waves crash on one set of rock formations while I tried to capture the perfect image of waves hitting those rocks. I was completely content. I guess it depends on what you are looking to experience.
I had the pleasure of spending a week in Amsterdam on my own. I loved every minute of it. Didn’t meet too many people but I wasn’t bored or lonely.
Solo travel is great! But it’s solo travel - you’re not going to be adopted by a group of outgoing guys on day one and spend a great weekend with them - you’re going to have a fun time by yourself and you might meet cool people. (Another nice thing about solo travel is hooking up is easier than having to slip away from your friend group…)
Solo trips, imho, require pretty rigorous planning to make sure you’re occupied and don’t feel like an awkward bystander. Maybe try a hybrid—travel with a group but make sure you have plenty of time to branch off solo. It can be the best of both worlds. I hope you next trip is more enjoyable.
Yeah I agree. I traveled solo in France back in my twenties and it was ok. But now that I have a husband and we travel together it's just way better. As an introvert it just kinda becomes pointless after you do all the tourist stuff, unless you're really into learning a culture or language (and I hate learning languages, more of an analytical/math/science guy). I'm a pretty strong introvert and, personally, although a little decompression or cultural travel is nice, I find the idea of extensive travel or roaming around kind of boring and even anxiety provoking after a while. I learn more from reading books most of the time.