Solo Travel Tips: How to Feel Confident Exploring the World Alone

Do you need some top-notch solo travel tips that will help you build confidence for your first-ever solo trip? As an experienced solo traveler, I can help!

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Whether you’ve been dreaming about a solo trip for years or just booked your first flight on a whim (go you!), let me just say: taking a solo trip is absolutely life-changing!

But I’ll be real—it can also be intimidating at first.

I first got the itch to take a solo trip about 6 years ago. It all started when I went through a pretty bad breakup.

I always talked about loving to travel – but the guy I had been with never had the time and/or the money to go.

We NEVER went anywhere together other than back to his hometown to visit family.

We spent pretty much every day together – but for some reason getting him to agree to put money towards a little trip was impossible.

I practically had to BEG for us to go on a short weekend trip to Gatlinburg (just a short drive outside of Nashville) for my birthday (and I was going to pay my own half!!).

I finally got him to agree and we booked a little cabin. Well as fate would have it – he broke up with me like three weeks before we were supposed to leave lol.

After that I decided I would NEVER let someone else keep me from seeing new places around the world. If I had the means to go – I was going.

So – I decided I would take my first solo trip. I really at first just wanted to be able to say I went somewhere completely alone.

I finally decided to go on a cruise. I thought this would be the perfect solo trip. My itinerary is already picked for me, there are tons of things to do right on the boat so if I feel uncomfortable exploring the ports alone I still have plenty of things to pick from, and pretty much everything is paid for in advance – so I wouldn’t have to worry much about unexpected expenses.

Well once again, as luck would have it – we entered a pandemic and cruises were a BIG NO.

After having two pretty big life events that kept me from being able to travel for a lot of my early twenties, I spent most of my downtime planning how to start traveling when things started to open back up.

Once it was mostly safe to travel again I made a promise to myself. I was going on one trip a month for the next year.

My first one was going to be a solo trip. After that I would go somewhere – it could be with friends or family – but whether or not I had someone to go with I was going to go either way.

And I did it! And it was exactly what I needed.

And no, they were not all huge trips. I did some longer trips, but several of them were just for a night or two. Some were places I had to fly to, but some I was able to make a quick drive to.

Whatever it was though – I made it work the best I could (for my schedule and for my budget).

I made some of the best memories that year and so many were from the trips I ended up going alone on.

I know it’s intimidating to take your first trip. My first solo trip was to Key West. I remember being so excited, but then as my plane took off I remember sitting there thinking – what in the world am I doing lol.

I was thinking to myself things like:

Will I be safe?
Will I feel lonely or bored?
Will I be too scared to actually go out and do something so I end up just sitting in the hotel wasting my time?

Now? I feel empowered, free, and deeply connected to myself every time I travel solo. There’s truly nothing like it.

And honestly, it’ll spoil you having all your time to do what YOU want to do and not have to worry about anyone else.

If you’re on the fence about doing it alone or need a confidence boost before your next trip, here are my go-to solo travel tips to help you feel confident, bold, and totally at ease exploring the world on your own.

This post is all about solo travel tips!

Solo Travel Tips: How To Feel Confident

1. Start Small and Close to Home

You don’t have to fly across the world to call yourself a solo traveler.

I started with Key West, which is plenty far from my home in Nashville – but not quite in another country by any means. But you could start even closer to home. Several of my solo trips that first year were just a short drive away.

And hey! You don’t even really have to leave your hometown to get started on your solo adventures.

Your first trip could be:

A weekend getaway to a nearby city
A solo spa day
A luxury hotel staycation just for you

If you’re really nervous about going somewhere alone for the first time doing something small like these can help grow your confidence to push even further for bigger trips. It’s all about learning to be comfortable with just your own company!

Doing ANY of these things means you deserve a big pat on the bag. It’s not easy putting yourself out there alone, so celebrate every small victory – it’ll make the next victory even easier!

2. Dress for Confidence, Comfort, and Safety

Okay, this may seem weird – but I’m a strong believer in that what you wear can affect your mood.

Whenever I feel put together I swear my confidence goes through the roof.

If I don’t feel good about the way I look I just get more and more self-conscious about everything – not just the outfit but also just in how I act around others.

When packing make sure you dress in a way that you feel like you look great but ALSO make sure you are comfortable! This trip is for you to have a good time and show yourself a little self-love. It’s way easier to do that when you are comfy 🙂

My go-to solo travel wardrobe:

Chic but comfy sets (hello, matching lounge sets from Amazon)
Stylish sneakers or sandals for long walks
A crossbody bag with anti-theft features like this one

Also, pack some things to give yourself a little extra peace of mind!

For safety bring along:

portable door lock (get one on Amazon here!)
personal safety alarm (get one on Amazon here!)
portable charger (get one on Amazon here!)

The only thing I would say on this list is a MUST is a portable charger. The last thing you need when traveling solo is to be without charge on your phone.

You need to know you can call an Uber, get directions, or call someone in case of an emergency.

But if you want some extra peace of mind, grab a portable door lock and/or personal safety alarm. It never hurts to add a little extra security when you’re traveling alone – but also just puts your mind at ease knowing you have an extra layer of security.

Check out my blog post: The Ultimate Packing List for Vacation

3. Own Your Itinerary

My all time favorite part of solo travel? It’s all about you.

Want to sleep in? Sleep in!

Want to wake up early? Wake up early!

Not excited about the museum and would much rather head to a rooftop brunch? No one is stopping you!

Create an itinerary around what YOU like. Plan it around the kind of schedule YOU like to go by.

For me personally, when I travel solo I put together a very loose itinerary.

I’ll make a little Google doc with any attractions I find that kind of peak my interest. If there are any places I really want to go but need reservations I make sure to do that in advance – but past that I keep my schedule open. Whenever I’m looking for something to do I’ll pull out my doc and choose something I feel like in the moment.

You never know when you’ll want to spend more time than you thought doing a certain activity or when you’ll stumble across something you didn’t even know about before coming that you decide you want to check out.

I’ve found allowing yourself as much flexibility is the way to go – while still having a list of options so any time you’re ready for something new it’s easy to pick something out and make the most of your time.

4. Learn to Love Eating Alone

So I’m weird – I have always loved eating alone. Probably since the time I got my license I would go out to dinner by myself kind of frequently.

But I totally understand that eating alone is super uncomfortable for a lot of people. This may be something you have to ease into, but I’m quite sure you’ll grow to love it.

Here’s some solo travel tips that’ll help it not feel as awkward if you’re going out to eat alone and you’re a little unsure about it:

Bring a book or journal – having something to do is always helpful
Choose places with bar seating or outdoor patios – you’d be surprised how so many people at the bar seating (including the bartender) love to start conversations. Several of them are often alone as well. Whenever I travel I sit at the bar and I’ve met countless people that way. It’s always so much fun!
Embrace it! You don’t have to talk to anyone—you just get to enjoy the experience. There is no pressure – you can make your eating out experience whatever you want it to be!
Pro tip: Ordering a glass of wine and people-watching is peak main character energy. Highly recommend.

5. Practice Mindful Presence

One of the best ways to boost confidence is by being totally present. And after all, traveling is meant for exploring new places.

I’ll say, I find it much easier to really take in a new city or place when I’m alone. There are less distractions. You can truly focus just on what’s around you.

Walk slowly.
Look up and take in your surroundings.
Sit in a park or café and just watch the world.

Mindfulness not only helps you feel grounded but also allows you to trust your instincts—which is key when you’re traveling alone.

6. Stay Connected (But Not Too Connected)

You need to make sure you fully enjoy your trip. Don’t waste it all away constantly being on your phone – texting, calling, or scrolling social media.

BUT make sure you have a good way to easily contact friends and family. It’s not a terrible idea to schedule check-ins with someone close to you just so someone knows where you are and that you are okay.

On the first solo trip I went on I made sure a couple of my friends had my location. And while for the most part, they left me alone – I do have a funny story.

One of the nights I was out with some new friends I had made in Key West (I still talk to them every now and then!).

While hanging out I received a phone call from my friend, Morgan. She was asking me all about what I was doing and I told her.

She then started cracking up and was like OMG okay I have to be honest why I called. I’ve been checking your location all the time just to make sure you are okay and wherever you are right now must be next to a wedding chapel because that’s where your location is showing!!

LOL – she literally thought I might have had one too many and was getting married to a stranger in Key West.

Luckily this was NOT the case – but it’s always good to have a friend who will make sure to save you in the nick of time just in case haha.

All that to say, having someone who can check on you periodically is never a bad idea!

What I use:

WhatsApp or iMessage for check-ins (WhatsApp is great if you’re traveling outside of the country!)
A small tripod or Bluetooth remote for solo photos (this one is my fav). Your friends will love to see pics of you on your adventures! Plus you’ll have some great Instagram posts 🙂

But also? Let yourself unplug. You don’t need to share every moment in real-time—some memories are just for you. And you can always make WHATEVER social media posts you want when you’re back home!

7. Trust Your Gut. Always.

If you remember one thing from this post on solo travel tips – let this be it!

If something feels off, so stick around to see if it really is – just walk away.

If someone is making you feel uncomfortable – remember you owe them nothing!

The more you trust your intuition, the stronger it gets.

I always end up making friends when I travel solo. There is something about being alone that I think makes you more approachable.

Sitting alone at the bar I find people are quicker to start a conversation with you.

This is a good thing! But just make sure you aren’t giving out details of where you’re staying and just being cautious.

I’ve been lucky in my solo travels and have never had any safety issues arise – but you should always be careful just in case!f

8. Journal Your Journey

Solo travel brings out so much growth. Writing it down can help you:

Reflect on fears you overcame
Keep track of some of the best moments
Track your personal growth

Being able to look back at how much you overcame is so beneficial!

You’ll be able to look back and see where you started – maybe nervous, maybe unsure. But then you get to see how far you’ve come.

You went somewhere ALONE. You made amazing memories all by yourself. That’s something you’ll want to be able to look back on.

Some good times to journal are during your flights, beach days, sitting alone at restaurants, and when you turn in for the night. Click here for one I love on Amazon that is good for travel!

9. Celebrate the Small Wins

You took a leap and booked the trip?

You navigated the subway system and made it to your destination (even if you got got lost a couple times!) ?

You sat at a restaurant alone?

You did that. And that’s a big accomplishment.

Every little win is a confidence boost. Take a moment to acknowledge and celebrate your bravery. It’s not easy and I guarantee other people are already admiring your ability to do those things all by yourself.

10. Remember Why You Started

There will be moments when you wonder if you should really take that leap. On your trip, you may even have moments you feel lonely or scared to go out and do something.
But remember: you’re not doing this to prove anything to anyone.
You’re doing it because you deserve this adventure.
You’re choosing growth for yourself. And you’re choosing to do something special for yourself!
And you are never truly alone—you’re with yourself, and that’s someone pretty amazing. It’s amazing the how solo travel can help you get to know yourself on such a deeper level.

✨ Ready to Start Your Solo Travel Journey?

Here are some resources to help:

This post was all about solo travel tips and how to feel confident!

If these solo travel tips gave you the nudge you needed, share it or save it for later. And tell me in the comments:
Where are you headed on your next solo trip?

Solo Travel Tips: How to Feel Confident Exploring the World Alone