Traveling alone? Share your pros and cons

Myquest55

Myquest55

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Happily in MAINE
My sister and I have talked about traveling together. We have both lived overseas and have made a few big trips over the years. She is a "Paid guided tour" gal and I's rather explore on my own - BUT - it depends on where we go. I have looked at what tours are available - it seems like there are HUNDREDS of Operators to chose from! ...and the tours seem SO expensive.

She finally signed up for a UK tour for May, saying that this is a trip she needs to make for herself and she knew it was a trip I probably did not want to make. None of her friends would want to do this. I agreed with her - very few of my friends would want to explore the places that I want to go and the other ones cannot afford to make the trip. It is frustrating but I am beginning to organize a trip for myself alone..... Any tips??
 

I prefer traveling alone...

i like to break the drive into "do-able" segments and go by back roads, enjoying "local color," family-run shops and eateries ...

I'm able to take in what I enjoy... museums, shops that feature the work of local craftsmen, botanical gardens, and used book shops...

When I'm in a new location, I like to eat at a restaurant that serves an international cuisine i can't normally get or a local specialty, like Kentucky Hot Brown in Lexington, KY
 
My target is Europe - The Netherlands. The last few trips I have flown (in the US), I only brought a carry on bag and a fabric briefcase so I don't have to wait in baggage claim and I have control over my stuff. I am hoping to do the same on this trip. I'm a pretty good packer - you're right about juggling bags. Thanks for the luggage tip. So, I will be flying, taking a taxi and ultimately, a train.

Thanks also for the YouTube suggestion. I hadn't thought of that. I know I can "walk" streets on Google Maps. I'm headed for a very small city so won't be staying in Amsterdam very long - maybe a couple of nights to get adjusted to the time. Having been to Europe a few times, I'm sure I'll be exhausted and excited after flying all night.

I'm a little nervous about traveling alone. I have always been going TO somewhere to meet other people. My DH has Parkinsons and does not want to fly. I'd love to go with a friend but....just not going to happen and I want to go before I'm too old or infirm :)
 
I worked in Amsterdam for almost 3 years, but If I go to the Netherlands now, I prefer Utrecht . Delft and Leiden are also well worth a visit.
My elder daughter travels widely for her work. She usually incorporates a couple of days for sight-seeing and is very happy travelling alone. Like myself and Mrs.L, she goes with no fixed ideas in mind, but usually stumbles upon interesting things.
 
Myquest55 said:
The last few trips I have flown (in the US), I only brought a carry on bag and a fabric briefcase so I don't have to wait in baggage claim and I have control over my stuff. I am hoping to do the same on this trip.
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I did a similar strategy when I went to Wales/London/Paris in 2019. One thing that took me by surprise was that the underseat dimensions were smaller for the transatlantic flight, so even though I'd followed the dimensions listed on my ticket, those were only the dimensions for the flight to the NY airport. Luckily there was plenty of extra room in the overhead compartments so it wasn't a problem.
 
I had traveled extensively with my late wife. After she passed away, I took a number of trips by myself, to places my late wife have no interest in. I met other single people, and some couples and enjoyed their company.
After my last trip alone, which involved an Inner Hebrides cruise, riding trains in Wales, and a stay in London, I wrote,"Well so ends a very exciting trip, but at this point my life is at a crossroads. I have no idea when my next trip is or where it will be to. Time will tell".
When I came back from my last trip, I said I had no idea where I would be going next, but I did not want to be traveling alone again. Well, life is funny that way, because I met a wonderful lady, who is a widow and has sons about the same age as mine. We were married on Santorini in 2007.
Sharing experiences with one you love is far better than traveling alone.
 
Google maps are misleading in details and often inaccurate everywhere I look
I don't like GPS and still use paper maps if you can find one. Finding the
Hotel can be a big challenge in a new city and you will pay double rate. No
discounts for singles anywhere. Bring your laptop or tablet
I have travelled all over US and Europe alone and don't regret it
 
I have done only limited travel alone; nothing outside of the country.

Positives: No disagreements about where to stay, what to see, what to have for dinner or how to get there. One of the best places I visted alone was Washington D.C. I loved it because there are so many great museums there. Not that many people I know love history as much as I do, so I liked being able to spend as much time looking at exhibits and reading about them as I wanted to. So many people think musuems are boring and yes, poorly designed ones can be very dull. But D.C. has got some great ones.

Negatives: The biggest negative is not having anyone to share the experiences with. You can post pictures online to share with folks back home, but it's not the same.

Google Maps are not that great for actual directions, IMO. Try Apple Maps instead. Google Maps can be good for reviews and information about business hours and stuff like that.
 
HoneyNut said:
I find a lot of helpful info on YouTube. I went to NYC for a day recently and without a YouTube about how to navigate the subway system, I wouldn't have recognized that I was going the wrong way, getting on the wrong letter, etc (I still made the mistakes but rectified them much sooner!).
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That's a really good idea because I have not used public transit much in my life. I'm always afraid of getting lost on it, although that has only happened a couple of times. Get off the subway and head back in the other direction to the stop you missed is the cure. But videos, if they are well made and not just freakin' selfies of someone blabbering about how excited they are to be in (insert name of city here), can be very helpful for learning a subway, bus or train system since it's a very visual cues kind of thing. And while there might be a mass transit agent around to help you at stations, you sure cannot count on that.
 
Being
alone be very cautious among strangers without trusting them not even for directions. They do not know or don't care about your vacation or time. I have been given bad or vague directions loads of times by well meaning or even deceitful people. Including police and those in the tourist business. Ordinarily I would not advise a lady to travel alone but I don't know you. I have met few women alone but not many and they had dogs with
 
I am no stranger to traveling alone. I did it a lot before I married my second husband and even a few times after. The pros are that you are completely on your own time schedule. No need to wait for someone to get ready or acquiesce to doing what they want when they want to do it, even if it seems unreasonable. Also, traveling alone can be a very peaceful experience.

I couldn't have thought of cons decades ago, but now I find that after a couple of days, I start feeling lonely and maybe even bored. I start wishing there was someone with me to share the experiences. But then I think about the times that being on a trip with someone (however close) proved to be annoying.
 
Yeah, I've been all over North America traveling alone, mostly for work. You really see some things, especially when you book late. You end up walking through neighborhoods from The Lost Dorito motel you ended up in to the conference hotel in downtown Phoenix. I'd never conceived of American Indian hookers, but they were everywhere.

Maybe easier for a guy, but sometimes that can even be more risky today with young males becoming aggressively territorial because they know no other life and have few options. It's far worse today than it was even in the 1980s when movies like Falling Down were written. Even within urban communities there seems to be a growing economic gap, with some Movin' On Up and leaving others behind with less community wealth and leadership.
 
I have been traveling alone for about a decade now and have not had any problems. I avoid wearing anything "flashy", especially jewelry, and stay a bit more aware of my surroundings than I would at home. I love to "wander" and some of my best experiences have been doing just that.
 
I had made a good friend I made while in the Marines and who lived in Oklahoma and was killed in a motorcycle accident about 10 years ago. I went to his funeral and since I had never been to Oklahoma, other than to fly over it, I thought I would take a few extra days and just do some exploring and checking out the state and food. My wife didn’t go and my son also didn’t want to go, so I went alone.

What I thought would be quiet and relaxing turned out to be boring. It just wasn’t the same without having my wife or son with me.
 
I travel alone all the time. I am 71. Agree with above , travel light. One small bag. I always spend 6 months at a time out traveling. Asia, Mexico, South America. Cloths can be bought cheap so do not over pack. Just research it and find the places you are interested in seeing. I always have a great time . Don't dress flashy and don't wear expensive jewelry . No, expensive cameras or phones. Buy a throw away phone and don't worry it if gets stolen. Buy a SIM card in the country you are visiting. I travel inexpensive because I know how to travel now.
 
Thanks again to everyone, for all the great tips and suggestions! I did like Teacher Terry's idea of a managed Tour. Since it has been many years since I've traveled in Europe, that might be a good way to see what is new without stressing over it all. However, the tour I really want to take only has 2 trips in JULY. I'm not a fan of hot weather and do not relish being in Europe in mid-summer crowds.

I had hoped to make a trip this year (2024) but with the Olympics in Paris and all that is going on politically (here & abroad), I might just put it off another year or two and hope things settle down. I hate to delay but.... I could always book a last minute trip. That might be better than planning for MONTHS and creating anxiety over it.

Keep those great ideas coming!
 

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