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How to Plan Your Perfect Solo Adventure Based on Your Travel Style

Category: Tips

How to Plan Your Perfect Solo Adventure Based on Your Travel Style

Posted on by Chizoba

You finally found the courage to plan a solo trip, but then you realize you have no idea what you’re doing (we’ve all been there on our first solo trip). You realize that without having to negotiate with other people for what to do, you have no idea what you want out of trip. What do I even want to do with my time? What would be my ideal trip?

Don’t worry, we got you.

We break down how to plan and get the most out of your solo trip based on your solo travel style

The Spontaneous Traveler

Do you shy away from committing to plans?

Do you like to the fly by the seat of your pants and see where the day takes you?

Do your friends know you as the person that would jump on the train to Philly to see a concert?

Do you love to wander into small shops and local restaurants without checking them out on Yelp first?

If you answered yes to most of these questions, you are a spontaneous traveler.

 

Here’s how to plan your ideal trip:

Go to Cities

Especially major cities in Asia and Europe, you can get away with planning less because there are so many options at your disposal. You’ll have countless restaurants, nightlife, museums, and art galleries that you can bop in and out of at your leisure. You can also spend your days wandering the streets and seeing what you run into — Tokyo is one of the best cities for this.

Take Advantage of Last Minute Deals

Travel Zoo and Travel Pirates, two companies specializing in flash sales {think a getaway to Punta Cana for $168}, are a gold mine for spontaneous travelers. Also keep an eye out for JetBlue flight flash sales that often feature one-way domestic flights for under $100.

Another great tool if you’re looking to explore all your flight options is Skyscanner. You can search for the cheapest flights for an entire month or for the entire year. You can also enter a specific location or search the entire world for the cheapest flights for the time period of your choosing. For the spontaneous traveler, this may be your new travel addiction.

Invest in Renting a WIFI Hotspot or SIM Cards





Although I always recommend not relying on WIFI when traveling abroad, if you intend to do little planning for a trip it is crucial to have access to the internet both for looking up things to do as well as keeping yourself safe. While traveling to a new country without a plan can be exciting, without as much research, you aren’t as informed about the safety and culture so it’s crucial to have a working phone in case you get into a dangerous situation.

Stay in Hostels

Even if you can afford to stay in nicer accommodations, I would recommend staying in a hostel to meet other travelers. Find a hostel that has a large communal area to hang out in or that serves food onsite so you can easily make new friends. Other travelers are great resources for ideas for things to do that you may not have thought of or places to avoid. You may end up meeting people to travel with on your journey and without set plans, you are free to pivot and join them.

The Travel Planner


Do you make detailed itineraries for trips {maybe down to the hour}?

Do you research everything you want to see and do in advance?

Do you book everything possible before you land and leave nothing up to chance?

Do you watch an extensive amount of videos and look up images of everything you want to see and do?

If you answered yes to most of these questions, you are a travel planner.


Here’s How To Make the Most of Your Trip:

Figure Out What Style of Trip You Want Before You Start Researching

Do you want a relaxing vacation laying on the beach or do you want to be trekking through the rainforest? Do you want to be in the heart of a bustling city or relaxing in a hammock enjoying the view on top of a mountain?

Figuring out the style of the trip you want before you start planning allows you to narrow your focus to find activities that will create that style of trip. If you start randomly researching whatever you find interesting, you may end up creating a trip where you are running around a city site-seeing when you really wanted to also spend time in nature.

Make Your Own Pre-Vetted Yelp With Google Maps


Google Maps has the fun feature called MyMaps, where you can create specific points of interest on a map and add in descriptions, color-coded icons for different categories, and even add multiple layers (just in case you want to make a Plan B itinerary). It’s a great way to have all the possible things you want to do that you’ve pre-researched at your fingertips. That way if you get to a location and are hungry, you can pull out your pre-created map and see if any of the places you researched are nearby.

Start with Booking Hotels/Flights First

I always feel committed to a trip and less stressed once I book my flights and hotels. These are the two major anchors of any trip and once you have them secured, you can breathe easy that the hardest part is over. As the trip gets closer, then you can start planning out specific things you want to do and tours/activities that you want to book.

Research People That Took a Similar Solo Trip

Hearing first hand-accounts from people that have already taken the trip that you are planning will give you more insight into what you are getting yourself into. It will help flesh out a mental picture of what your trip will be like. Oftentimes these travelers will have ideas about what not to miss, what to avoid, and any other relevant information that will help you get the most of out of your experience.

The Experimental Traveler


Do you love trying new things?

Do you crave experiences within a new surrounding?

Do you have no preference on what you do, you just want do it all?

If you answered yes to most of these questions, you are an experimental traveler.

Here’s How To Make the Most of Your Trip:

Seek Out Major Cities

Major cities have a constant stream of fun and interesting things to do to satisfy the dynamic city dwellers. Whether you want to go to a museum, see an improv show, go to an art gallery, or go bar hopping, you can find it all in a city. Not only will you find more new and unique experiences in a city, you’ll also find there is a never-ending supply of new things to do.

Research Travel Guides Made by Locals

To get the most out of your trip and have the most new experiences, look into guides made my locals. They will have an insider perspective on what things are worth going to and what are worth skipping so you can make the most out of your limited time.

Blend Elements of Planning and Spontaneity

With your goal of getting the most new experiences, there needs to be elements of planning and elements of seeing where the wind takes you.

Book your flight in advance and the first hotel you plan to stay at, but leave the rest of the lodging until you get to your destination. This will allow you to get a feel for your first destination and adjust accordingly if you find another location where there is more to do. You can easily get last minute lodging at hostelworld or booking.com.

Research what things you absolutely must do and book them in advance. Also have a list of things that you may want to do depending on time but that you don’t book in advance. This allows you to prioritize the experiences that are most important to you while also giving you the ability to be flexible with your future plans.

Thanks for reading!

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By Cait Saizan Chizoba Anyaoha

What travel type are you? Tag us on IG @travsolo on your solo adventure.

How to Keep Your Solo Travel Vacation Glow When You Return From a Trip

Posted on by Chizoba

Apply your “New City” mindset

While in a new city or country, everything around me excites me – the street food, children playing soccer, the smell of the air, local traffic,  crowds of people going about their day and the feel of cobblestoned streets underneath my feet. My senses take in almost everything and feel much alive. 

A good way to stay excited is to bring your traveling “New City” mindset back home. Think of the things you enjoyed experiencing while abroad, like long walks around the city, and try to do the same when you’re back home. Try to look at everything around you in the eyes of a tourist. Revisit activities  you previously assumed were only for travelers. They might come off as “cheesy” but you’ll surprise yourself with how much fun you’ll have.

I love when my friends come into town because it is an opportunity for me to see my city  through their eyes and try out things I probably would not have normally done. As a New York Native I try to avoid Times Square at all costs. When one of my friends came into town, she wanted to explore places in this area & I actually enjoyed myself that day. 

Re-discover Cultural Dishes

We all experience new dishes while traveling. Some of us remember our first and last bites of amazing food. Unfortunately there is no guarantee they will be available back home. If you live in a city like New York City, it is a bit easier to find certain foods you discovered in another country. If you came back from Spain, try their other Spanish dishes and try to be mindful when eating – taking in every bite slowly to really enjoy it. I promise you will never look at food the same way.

If you live outside of the city, making a new cuisine right at home can be an adventure you’ll surely enjoy! Every time I have an urge to drop everything to travel back to Italy, I open up my book full of recipes I gathered from locals while I lived in Florence and get busy in the kitchen.

Give yourself an extra day to readjust

As tempting as it is to use every minute of your vacation days off (you deserve to right?), going back to work the following day does not do your mental health any favors. Give yourself a day or two before going back to the office. This gives you ample time to adjust your mindset and re-visualize your life back home or at work – catch up on emails, tackle some chores, do some grocery shopping and meal prep, get over your jet lag, deal with personal matters, and to unpack. You’ll also have time to realize your vacation is actually over and that it’s time to get back to your life. 

Journaling

Start a journal to help you log your solo travels and take a trip down memory lane when you feel like it. Remembering all the life lessons learned on your journey, especially during the bad times,  will make you feel more empowered in life. From there, write down what you are grateful to have newly experienced, how you have grown from it, and find more appreciation for what you already have in your life. 

Start thinking about your next adventure

Start planning your next trip. Even if feels unrealistic – with a demanding job, a new baby, or no one to go with – day dream of places you want to go to. Visualizing in a new destination will help you to keep thinking about solo traveling again, in the next few months.

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By Chizoba Anyaoha

What travel type are you? Tag us on IG @travsolo on your solo adventure.

How to Start a Travel Journal for Solo Travelers

Posted on by Chizoba

Why start writing a travel journal as a solo traveler you ask?

As solo travelers, we experience so much on our own and are free to do whatever we please. But sometimes it is hard to share your story with family and friends in a more digestible way, especially if you do not have someone to back it up.

Starting a travel journal is a good way to write about the many adventures we take and share it with others. You can have a place to write about your stories, cultures and customs you experience, observations, and a way to remember your travels and reflect on them down the road.

Know your reasoning for writing

Ask yourself what is the journal really for — It is a personal account of your travel experience to reminisce later on? Looking to share your experience with your family and friends? Or a mixture of both? This will help you understand what style and tone of voice you want to use, what to add in and leave out.

 

Think of what you want to include

When starting to write a travel journal consider adding your itinerary, intended routes to explore, people you have met throughout your journey, favorite meals, best areas, surreal moments, new experiences, the good, bad and ugly, photos and captions for each. Be opened to writing about the sounds you hear, the food you taste, things you smell, your intuitions, & the vibes you get.

Get something on paper ASAP

While you are experiencing new things, while traveling alone, you may not have time to write full paragraphs about your journey right in the moment. Jot down a few words to help you remember your thoughts as they come.





Choosing when to write

Writing, as you move from point A to point B, is the best because you have idle time to observe and write while you wait to arrive at your destination. Grab a seat, either on the train, bus or taxi — another option is to find a nice cafe or restaurant to enjoy a meal and write after. Start writing about everything that comes to mind!

Date your entries

Make sure to add dates for each new writing entries, to help you distinguish on one day to the other.

Remember….





YOU control the narrative

Travel is about living in the moment and is the most important part of your journey. Don’t feel pressured to have to write about everything. We all have those experiences we know will never be forgotten. You control what you feel or don’t feel like writing about. We are all the writer of our own story!

Enjoy yourself and writing

Focus on having the time of your life. You are going to do exciting things and writing about your experience should be too! It may feel like a chore sometimes so try thinking of ways to to make it more enjoyable, like shortening your writing entries to a few sentences or writing when you feel inspired to.

Thanks for reading! Create your travel journal with us by signing up when we are ready to fly off!

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By Chizoba Anyaoha

What travel type are you? Tag us on IG @travsolo on your solo adventure.

9 Reasons Why You Should Never Travel Alone

Posted on by Chizoba

Solo traveling is something everyone needs to experience in their lifetime. Once you travel alone for the first time you are likely going to want to do it again. But just like skydiving or eating vegemite it is not for everyone.

Here are some reasons why you should not travel alone.


You have a have a hard time being selfish

Traveling alone is going to be all about YOU – your interests, wants, needs, how long you want to stay up, how early you want to wake up & owning your traveling style. You get to do you 24/7.

You have a very hard time eating alone

Eating alone can be a tough pill to swallow, especially when you are surrounded by people sharing meals, laughs and creating memories together. Good chance you will eat most of your meals alone.

You avoid meeting new people

Maybe you are fine with the friends you already have back home. Traveling alone will force your hand to socialize with strangers from across the world from different cultures.

You are comfortable being completely comfortable

Traveling alone will force you to face some adversity you may not be used to experiencing, like having to deal with times of loneliness in foreign land. You may even end up talking to people with very different personalities you are not used to, trying new things for the first or eating foods you are unfamiliar with.

You shy away from making decisions on your own

There is no one else to help you plan where to eat, drink, sleep & go while you take a step back. Everything you do or don’t do is entirely up to you.

You are responsible for ALL Expenses

Thinking of splitting the hotel, cab or food bill? Guess again! Every cent will come out of your wallet for sure. If you are looking to save you will have to do a better job budgeting for your trip.

No one to take Instagram-ready photographs

We all have friends who become our “professional-but-not-professional” photographer, taking our pictures with every type of lighting and angles they can find to get the best Instagram-ready photo to post. Selfies are easy to get but it would not be your ideal photo for those looking to impress. It is harder to set up a tripod around tourist attractions. You would be lucky to find strangers who can take a decent picture for you.

You worry too much about your safety

Traveling alone usually does not have any safety nets, especially without having family or friends looking after you. You are responsible for being aware of where you go,  your surroundings, taking safety measures & watching your back during the night.

You have a hard time saying goodbye

You have met some of the most amazing people on your solo adventure, created long-lasting memories and shared personal stories with each other, connecting on a really genuine level. Strangers who you have become friends and now it is time to say goodbye? Traveling alone can be like that.

Thanks for reading!

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By Chizoba Anyaoha

What travel type are you? Tag us on IG @travsolo on your solo adventure.

How to Budget While Traveling Alone

Posted on by Chizoba





Looking for new places to go while on a budget? Glad you are!

But I want to travel alone. Still possible to save? Absolutely, as long as you focus on the key essentials!

Traveling, whether it be to a new town, city or country, requires money to book your flight, reserve a room or eat the finest cuisines your new surroundings has to offer. We all want to experience everything we can without feeling guilty, ashamed and regretful when checking our bank accounts — regretting every financial decision made post-trip. We all have been there where you try to find the cheapest items on the menu, in order to save a few buck without feeling you are missing out. While traveling alone allows you to completely make money-saving decisions on your own, it can be a bit more expensive at times.

Here are some things to consider when planning to save for your next solo trip.

Figure out how much your trip will cost you.





Pick out destinations you want to visit, see how long you want to be away for & see how much the trip will cost you in total — It is reasonable to cut your ideal trip by a few days if your budget is a bit low.; a flight to Vietnam or Indonesia may be expensive but the cost of living is pretty low — costing about $10 to $15 per day. From there, do your research on more local areas to stay in; they tend to be cheaper compared to touristy ones. Set up a daily allowance based on how much you need to spend on accommodations, food, & transportation — the top necessities for any trip.

Staying at a Hotel or Hostel





Just like choosing a new apartment, each option has their pros and cons. Hotels offers privacy, quietness you may need while Hostels provide the social environment to easily meet other travelers. While the latter is much cheaper, you’ll ultimately will be sharing a room with strangers who may or may have the best hygiene or mannerism. The former is more expensive, provides less social activities, & less likely to meet other travelers. Another option is to split a couple days between the two & see what works best for you. If you are truly looking to save I suggest staying at a hostel. Another option to strongly consider is an Airbnb rental, where you get the privacy you need & option to hang out with the local who rented you a room, if they are free to do so.

Getting Around





While there are many ways to get from one place to the next, some are more expensive than others. Using public transportation is by far the best way to really save, it may not always be the most reliable but at least you will have more money to spend for food, drinks and activities. Use this as an opportunity to sit back and view the scenery. If you find yourself in an unsafe area or feel uncomfortable late at night, a cab ride might be worth the few extra bucks

While some places do have cheap services such as South America, wish we can say the same for Europe. Good thing is Europe has some of the fastest & cleanest metro systems out there, with with easy commute. Hop on the train, bus or scroll around on a bike, great opportunity to ride with the locals, experience what they experience & check out new spots from different angles.

Food





We can all agree this is the most important part of the trip, because we all have to eat at some point right? No pressure to splurge on every restaurant you come across! Figure out how expensive meals are, many times you want to eat out, decide on your food budget & how often to cook inside on some days (easier to do at a hostel).

Activities





Choose what you are actually interested, rather than going to all of the places everyone is going to. Remember, your budget is different than other people. Just like food, we want to experience everything we possibly can & have the best time possible.

While there are free events around, the options are pretty limited most times. Google search “Free Tours” in the destination of choice  & a couple of names will pop for you to sign up. Check out hostels in your areas, as they usually throw free weekend activities. Put aside some money to try out new activities, you are in a new city so you should give yourself time to try out new things!





Final Thoughts

Even though you are less likely to split the bill with someone else you are able to control how much you want to spend, without worrying about a second opinion, feeling guilty about spending more or less than your travel buddy and feeling like you are not allowing yourself to have the best time possible. Once you have set up a budget you are able to understand your needs versus your wants — only thing left is to prioritize your happiness. You have come a long way planning your solo trip alone, jumping on a plane into the unknown & venturing off into a new culture — so ENJOY IT!

Thanks for reading!

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By Chizoba Anyaoha

What travel type are you? Tag us on IG @travsolo on your solo adventure.

Safety Tips for Solo Travelers

Posted on by Chizoba

At TravSolo, we’re on a mission to spread the word about the joys and excitement of traveling alone. Whether you’re hoping to shop, museum hop, or day drink with locals, we want you to go for it. And while traveling solo offers the benefits of freedom and self-discovery, the unfortunate reality is that being alone in a new place requires you to take extra precaution. Being alone and foreign are enough to make you seem like a target to the wrong person. Additionally, taking all of the necessary precautions doesn’t mean you won’t end up in a bad situation.

With that said, we put together a quick list of safety tips to make sure you don’t end up in the wrong place at the wrong time.





Research

Learn as much as you can about your destination before you go. Read travel forums, ask friends and family who have already been, and use social media to find out more. Learn the neighborhoods, city layout, and public transportation options so that you know where you’ll feel comfortable going and how you’ll get there.

Internet Service

You can expect most metropolitan areas to have adequate access to WiFi, however, rural areas likely do not. Reach out to your carrier to find out about the coverage at your desired destination. If you’re traveling out of the country, consider purchasing an international SIM card or phone plan to ensure you can reach someone in case of an emergency.





Travel light

Packing less is a game changer. The less you take with you, the less you have to worry about being taken from you. Once you get to your destination, only carry what you need for the day, including cash and credit cards (pro-tip for those on a budget!).

Be a Chameleon

Find out how locals speak and what they wear so you can try your best to blend in. Take time to understand their mannerisms, daily activities, and local customs so that you can be respectful.





Stick with the Crowd

Try your best to blend within your surroundings. For starters, it is safer and you’re more likely to meet other travelers and make friends. After you’ve gotten a feel for the touristy parts of town, decide if you’d be more comfortable traveling to a more localized area.

Follow the light

Even if it means taking a longer route back, stay in well-lit areas at night. It’s okay to take alternative routes to avoid areas where you may be harassed.





Secure your belongings

Look for rooms with safes, especially if you’re sharing a hostel room, to ensure that strangers don’t have access to your valuables.

Set a drink limit

Even though alcohol is enjoyable, it inhibits your ability to make rational decisions. Enjoy yourself while avoiding to overdo it! You don’t want to be the drunk tourist who looks like a target.





Some last notes

The reality is that bad things can still happen when you’re prepared and when you least expect it. Some things really are out of your control. Trust your gut! If something feels wrong, then don’t do it. It’s good practice to keep a friend or family member in the loop of your location and itinerary.

All of this said, you still have to live your life. Don’t let fear be the reason you don’t travel — there’s danger everywhere (including your hometown). Let the fear of danger be what motivates you to prepare and take precaution. Safe travels!

Editors: Chizoba Anyaoha, Rachael D’Addezio & Audrey White

Thanks for reading!

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By Chizoba Anyaoha

What travel type are you? Tag us on IG @travsolo on your solo adventure.