16 Solo Travel Ideas to Inspire Greatness
The few, the proud: solo travelers.
Packing a bag and heading to a foreign land alone might sound terrifying at first, but veterans know that it’s the best type of drug to be hooked on. Actually, here’s a secret: this rare breed of travelers is not quite so rare anymore. Searches for the best solo trips have increased by over 40% in the past couple of years, and there is no indication that the trend is going to stop.
To live will be an awfully big adventure.
It’s hardly surprising, considering all of the benefits of solo travel: flexibility, personal growth, renewal of creativity, resume boosts, financial education, increased interaction opportunities, and improved communication (to name a few!). Somewhere between learning to appreciate getting lost and developing negotiation skills, we begin to celebrate a new kind of freedom that accompanies the comfort of our own company. And then, we just can’t get enough.
Need some inspiration to get you through this year? Sign up for 20 Days of Travel Inspo from GoAbroad.com!
So, in honor of celebrating quality time with ourselves, here are some trending solo travel ideas to inspire your next trip:
Learn and grow exponentially with these epic solo travel ideas
1. Volunteer with something you’re interested in.
The solo trip ideas that give back are the best ideas. Do good, become part of a positive organization, and get involved with the lives of others. Whether it’s orphanages or animal shelters that get your heartrate up, there is a philanthropic opportunity that aligns with your interests—in practically every country in the world (and if there isn’t, establish it!)
Volunteer opportunities tend to have flexible dates (ahem, ideal for the best solo trips), and most organizations offer a contract for enough time to make fellow volunteers feel like family, volunteer mission statements a mindset, and new accommodations home. As they usually come with guidance, likeminded people, and lots of good jiujiu, volunteer programs are a great way to start off solo travels.
2. Go on a meditation retreat.
For the ultimate solo retreat to disconnect, detox, and center, sign up for a meditation or yoga retreat. In South America and Asia especially, spiritual retreats are pretty common to find. Plus, they usually include breathtaking scenery (maybe that’s why they teach breathing techniques?) at very affordable prices. There’s a reason that people have been omm-ing to Pacha Mama and finding their zen for centuries… and with today’s hectic society, this opportunity to wind down is a particularly great place to start brainstorming solo travel ideas.
3. Live like a local abroad.
While it is always recommendable to embrace meaningful travel over mere tourism, add another degree to this mission by plunging in head-first into a new culture. Take a break from the city-hopping, rent a room in a residential neighbourhood for a couple of weeks, observe the locals, learn the culture, and try to blend in. Stay away from touristic spots and fellow travelers. Even if your dream solo travel destinations are on all the “Top #” lists; seek out locals and neighbourhood events instead. Rather than monuments, observe the daily life of average people. Take notes, draw sketches, partake, and see how exciting the “mundane” back home can seem abroad!
Strengthen your core (and your heart) with meditation retreats
4. Pursue your passion on-location.
Why not dance bachata in the Dominican Republic or partake in a wine harvest in Chianti? Talk about great solo vacation ideas. Whatever your passion in life is, go to its global birthplace or current hotspot for maximum learning opportunities. With years of history and native culture surrounding the activity, it’s easy to experience a renewal of commitment and learn from the legends. Not to mention that it’s a whole lot more fun and scenic than YouTube videos or strip mall conference rooms.
5. Intern internationally.
If you’re looking for solo travel ideas that boost character and score major resume points, snatching an internship abroad is the way to go. Not only are you expanding your professional network, investing time meaningfully, gaining confidence, and automatically getting invited to holiday parties, but you are also making money (or, at least, free housing and other perks), which basically translates to more travel opportunities.
6. Use social media to meet locals (it’s OK, don’t worry).
One of the best advantages of traveling solo is—kinda ironically—meeting new people. And while there are countless opportunities to talk to strangers on the streets and at bars, sometimes we want to be a bit more picky with our company.
Cue: social apps, such as Couchsurfing or Meetup. There’s all sorts of great filters, listed events, and security checks that makes meeting someone in real life a breeze. This is great especially when looking for locals interested in similar hobbies (Want someone to go to the theatre with? To foxtrot with? To go eat a street burger with, right now?), and these new besties come with all the perks of inside knowledge.
Live like a local abroad and connect with those around you. These will end up being some of your favorite memories.
7. Walk on the wild side.
If you’re worried about getting bored by yourself, how does rafting down the Amazon or ziplining with monkeys in Costa Rica sound? Head to any of the best places to travel alone in your 20s and you’ll find like-minded adventurers! An adventure abroad is the perfect way to meet other adrenaline-junkies, and there is a special level of friendship that only jumping into an ocean full of sharks or dirt biking across deserts brings about. Plus, you can scream all you want and your BFF/younger brother won’t be there to make fun of you.
8. Sign up for a language school.
When it comes to the best solo trips, communication with locals is key to all things essential and fun. So, learning the local language is not a bad idea. Language schools are a great place to meet both fellow travelers (other students) and locals (teachers), they have flexible time commitments, and sometime there’s even the additional perk of evening activities and weekend excursions. Andiamo!
9. Stay with a host family for a while.
Sometimes, we just want to slow down the travel rhythm and stay somewhere long enough to feel like we belong, learning a skill and being temporarily adopted by a family are always welcome bonuses! There are plenty of websites out there that trade skills for a roof and food (WorkAway, WOOF, GoCambio etc.), and most placements range from a couple of weeks to a few months. Not only does this save money and introduce you to a new culture, but it also expands skill sets and comes with friends for life.
10. Work at a hostel.
If you want a more social vibe as you hit all the best places to travel alone in your 20s, try volunteering at a hostel in exchange for accommodation instead. Be sure to pick the correct type of hostel (Party Central in the middle of Madrid definitely won’t offer the same experience as an eco-lodge in the middle of the Andes), and then get ready to polish those reception and bed-making skills while exploring new lands on days off.
11. Attend a community class.
Want friends with similar interests? Or maybe wanna try your hand at something completely random? Sign up for a weekend seminar or evening class at a community center or public library (yeah, those still exist). If this sounds like a grand step out of your comfort zone—good, it means you’re on the right track to something grand.
[The Best Solo Travel Destinations]
Dare to live with adventure travel! Those waves have your name written all over them.
12. Take a long hike.
Whether it’s the start-alone-and-make-two-dozen-new-friends-a-day Camino de Santiago or the solo-travelers-bonding-over-shared-tents-and-food-poisoning trek to Machu Picchu, there is no shortage of multi-day hikes that combine scenery with comradeship (while leaving plenty of opportunities to reflect on life alone). You might even come up with some future solo trip ideas along the way!
13. Study a semester (or more) abroad.
There are few places better for meeting new people and expanding the mind than classrooms- even more so in international classrooms. It seems unconventional for solo travel ideas, but for a more responsible twist on solo travel, why not sign up for a semester (or year or entire degree) abroad? Maybe you leave solo, but you’ll come back with a whole new circle of friends and more adventurous memories than you have time to catalogue… and a whole list of future global couches to stay on during future solo trips.
14. Try co-living.
In recent years, there is a new sort of paradise available for solo traveling professionals: coworking spaces. Collective living arrangements are available for month-long time slots; most of them offer single rooms and communal working/cooking/hang-out spaces. As an added bonus, the design is usually super chic and in pretty glamorous locations (yeah, we’re still talking about that list of best places to travel alone in your 20s). Finally, office hours are fun.
15. Teach English to make some more money.
These solo travel ideas are actually kind of lucrative, and will keep you traveling for longer! Solo travel means that you are entirely responsible for your finances; you decide how much to spend on what and when it is time to restock the bank. After a week of beachside hotel suites and poolside caipirinhas, maybe staying in Brazil for a few more months is possible only with a really cool English teaching gig (aren’t you glad that you got that lifelong TEFL certification before heading off now?!).
Ditch the plan, get lost, and enjoy the journey. #SoloTravelFTW
16. Ditch the plan and get lost.
Because, actually, the best part about traveling alone is having zero pressure to stick to a plan. So, let spontaneity take reign, trust your intuition, and get on a random train that will take you far away. There’s plenty of time to figure out where to sleep and what to do on the ride to the next unknown destination :)
One of the best things about traveling solo is that you are not dependant on anyone else to take action; it’s all up to you to decide what your heart currently craves and then to make it happen. There’s no one to wait for, no schedules to coordinate, no extra baggage to carry. Basically, there are no excuses to not be hopping on a plane outside of your mental restrictions.
Meet your new self—abroad!
And there is no better time than now to take yourself on a rooftop date on the other side of the world, with flashcards and strange bird calls for company. Learn to listen to your own heartbeat, don’t compromise, and start turning the solo vacation ideas that most appeals to you into reality. After all, when was the last time that you had a romantic night out with a guide book?
Get Matched with 5 Solo Travel Ideas & Experiences for FREE
ncG1vNJzZmivp6x7qLvAm6momZRjsLC5jpqpraGTobK0e9Koo6hlpKeut7HLZqCdnZGo