It’s hard enough to convince ourselves to dine alone. But loading up the car or boarding a plane and getting away for the weekend or a full-blown vacation? That’s crazy talk, right? We’ve convinced ourselves that nothing screams “loser” more than solo travel. But that’s just not true…
One of the things this single season affords us—however long it may last—is the gift of discovering and getting more comfortable with ourselves. Taking advantage of this time in your life and seeing the world is paramount. But for some, solo travel is just one step they can’t quite take; for others, it’s exhilarating. But how do you know when you need to push yourself to step out, do something uncomfortable, and book a trip, or when it’s okay to just sit back and say, “You do you, but solo travel just isn’t for me.”
SingleRoots Writers Say…
For wise counsel, we asked some of our SingleRoots alumni writers to weigh in on the matter. Here’s what they had to say:
“YES!!! I mean, I think you have to choose your trips wisely – I’d rather do Disney with friends, but I am totally down for a long weekend at the beach alone. I think of these little alone-excursions as a ‘reset’ for my life. When I’m stressed or need a break, sometimes a night or two away by myself is just what I need. Even if it’s just driving a few hours to a big city and spending one night in a hotel and exploring the next day before driving back home, it’s worth it. I love being able to pile up in a hotel room for a night with books and Netflix and just relax. It’s like a mini-vacation from life!”
:: Carrie Beth Davis, author of When You Feel Unseen
“For me, traveling alone is exhilarating yet lonely. Introverts might prefer it, extroverts might hate it. Traveling companions can make or break a trip, so taking someone along doesn’t ensure you’ll enjoy it more. It really depends on the person, but a short international trip can be invigorating and as long as you are traveling to a fairly safe location, even women can go it alone.”
:: Brooke Corcoran, author of What a Difference a Decade Makes: Thoughts on Waiting for Your Spouse
“I was against solo travel for a long time. I swore I would never do it. One day a friend challenged me and asked me why I was so against it. She pushed back on all of my reasons and we eventually drilled down to the fact that I was scared of it. I was scared of what I would do if something bad happened, scared of what other people would think, and scared it was essentially resigning myself to my single state. After I spoke those things out loud, I realized I had let fear not reason keep me from doing something that I love to do—travel. I realized pushing myself to do something that was uncomfortable was really good for my personal growth so I started off small with a weekend away alone. I loved it so much that I’ve planned a trip to the Caribbean alone next month. The only one judging me was myself.”
:: Liesl Bennett, author of Never Been Kissed…or in Love
“For me, I much prefer having a traveling buddy, especially if I’m traveling somewhere new. Fortunately, my sisters and my friends were often available and I had some wonderful trips with them. That said, I’m also an introverted extrovert and being around so many people that I didn’t know in new places was difficult when I did travel alone. I think it really depends on the person.”
:: Nicole Eckerson, author of Instead of Chasing Purity
“I love traveling alone. I do travel a lot for work, so I think that had a lot to do with me getting used to it. I enjoy history, and I don’t know a lot of people who nerd out on the less mainstream historical sites like I do, so traveling alone is a great way for me to see things I’ve read about for years. Since I’m an introvert, though, I try to maintain balance by pushing myself to travel with my friends a couple of times a year, too. I’d default to solo travel if I’m not careful, so traveling with others keeps me from going too far into my nerdy, quiet shell.”
:: John, author of Single Men in the Church [Part 4]: Absent Without Leave
Explore the Topic Further…
For further discussion on traveling alone, check out these posts:
What I’ve Learned Traveling Alone – “Traveling alone is an opportunity for solitude, and it is also an opportunity for forming relationships. Living outside of my comfort zone has forced me to reach out to new people, to share stories, and to get to know people who I might not normally spend time with if I were with my best friends at home.”
Spiritual Retreat: A Weekend Away By Myself – “If I’m being honest, the thought of going it alone made me a little apprehensive. On a scale of 1 to The Shining, I was about a 4 on the matter. Just somewhere south of actually being scared. If I’d just go somewhere alone one time, I told myself, I’d be far more relaxed about doing it again in the future.”
The Art of Traveling Alone – “Leading up to my departure, I felt the need to defend my honour. “I do have friends!” my pride would want to yell at people who were openly surprised at my choice to travel solo. Which I do, but none of them had the same budget or schedule as me. I wasn’t going to let that stop me, I couldn’t.”
