8 Essential Tips for Planning a Solo Trip (Beginner-Friendly Guide)

I’ve traveled solo to over 12+ countries across four continents over the last 10 years. Whether it’s your first time or you’ve gone on a few, these are my top tips for planning a solo trip to help you become a solo traveling guru.

For many, traveling alone, especially as a woman, is incredibly daunting, and the fear of it holds you back from taking that step into what could be a life-changing adventure. 

Solo travel teaches you to be kinder to others, helps you hone your street smarts, forces you to meet new people, allows you to try new things, and ultimately, pushes you outside your comfort zone in the best way possible. 

Why Planning a Solo Trip Is Different Than Traveling With Others

Common Challenges First-Time Solo Travelers Face

I’m a MASSIVE proponent of solo travel, but that doesn’t mean it’s always a walk in the park. I put together this list of the 7 realities of solo travel, from loneliness to post-travel truths, so your eyes are wide open when planning a solo trip.

Why Planning Ahead Matters When You’re Traveling Alone

Solo travel is great, but it’s also all on you – your safety, getting from one place to the next, and so forth. Planning provides peace of mind, saves you from decision fatigue, and, not to mention, helps prevent any unwanted hiccups.

This includes simple things like researching the best times of year to visit (that way you’re not expecting summer when it’s actually winter). Or knowing that the major attraction you’re dying to see is actually closed in June for annual upkeep.

This also includes planning for those bigger requirements, like knowing what visas or vaccinations are required to visit. And budgeting for those extra costs.

#1: Choose the Right Destination for a Solo Trip

What Makes a Destination Good for Solo Travelers

Google and social media are your best friends for uncovering what countries and regions are not only safest for solo travelers but best suited for it. I often search for things like: “best travel destinations for solo travelers” and “safest countries for female travelers” to help narrow down my “playing” field. 

Especially if it’s your first trip, the best solo travel destinations are common ones. Don’t aim for remote locations on your first few trips out of the gate. Go to spots where you’re going to find a lot of solo travelers.

Best Destinations for First-Time Solo Travel

Many cities in Europe are going to be hot spots for solo travel, as well as quite a few across Asia. For your first time on a solo trip, go somewhere where you’ll be able to speak the language (or feel confident you can get by).

Personally, I think larger cities, for an introduction to solo travel, are your best bet. These areas likely have loads of stays to choose from, lots of other travelers for you to meet, and are likely very used to foreigners who might need help navigating the area.

#2: Research Safety, Culture, and Local Customs

How to Check Safety for Solo Travelers

Once you have a list of locations that tickle your fancy, check for any travel advisories. Sites like this one from the US Department of State will let you know if there is any unrest or overall safety concerns for any countries you may be considering.

Don’t lose too much sleep over it, though. There are often plenty of low-level alerts on countries that are safe to travel to solo. Just keep an eye out for bigger warnings or if there are specific sections of a country you should avoid entirely.

#3: Set a Realistic Budget for Your Solo Trip

How Much Does a Solo Trip Cost?

One of the biggest comments I see from people regarding travel in general is money. Everyone assumes they don’t have it when, in fact, you can travel to many places at relatively low costs.

The key here is to know your number and stick to it. Whether you have $500 or $5,000, the key is to prioritize what you want to get out of the trip and what elements you’re willing to spend more money on.

If you must fly business class or higher, you might need to heftily pare down your other trip expenses. If you want to eat out at nice restaurants for every meal, you might have to cut out an activity or two.

Budgeting Tips for Solo Travel

Booking trips slightly off-season, keeping an eye out for travel deals, booking budget hotels (or hostels), and using credit card points or miles are just a few ways you can snip some of those pricier tags off of your trip.

Saving Money When Traveling Alone

You might be surprised to learn that planning a solo trip doesn’t necessarily mean you’ll save more money than traveling with a friend. Instead of getting to split that tank of gas, that’s all yours, baby.

If you’re on a tight budget, I find that having an idea in your head of how much you are OK to spend per day helps to keep you from going overboard. Also, simple things like saving leftovers for a second meal or knowing that you don’t need to bring everyone a gift home can save big.

#4: Plan Transportation and Accommodation in Advance

How to Get Around Safely as a Solo Traveler

The first hurdle is how you get to your starting location. Plane? Car? Cruise?

Maybe you live in the U.S. and want to take a train across Canada, maybe you want to road trip around Utah, or maybe you’re backpacking South America. But once you get there, how are you getting from point A to point B?

All this goes back to where we started, research.

When planning a solo trip around Ireland, I found it easier to pick up and drop off my rental car at the Dublin airport at the start/end of my trip. Whereas when roadtripping through Utah, it made more sense to pick the car up in Salt Lake City, but drop it off in Vegas.

Best Types of Accommodation for Solo Travelers

Personally, I find hostels to be excellent stays for solo travelers. People can get a little snobby when it comes to the idea of a hostel, but they are not only great places to meet other travelers, but also offer amazing discounts and activities to see sights nearby.

Keep in mind that a spot, like a hostel, is going to house travelers who you can easily connect with who want to meet you too! There are also usually a variety of room options from bunks to private suites.

Should You Book Everything Before You Go?

Nope. This holds whether you’re planning a solo trip or not. Keeping your itinerary open allows you to book those activities that weren’t on your radar until you got to your destination (and maybe skip the ones that you learned are overhyped).

You should definitely have some plans in place, and know how to hit your “musts” (like planning to go to a museum that’s only open Wednesday-Friday), but keeping your schedule a little looser will make your trip all the more unique.

#5: Use Digital Tools to Plan and Organize Your Solo Trip

Best Apps for Planning a Solo Trip

When I tell you I am obsessed with most of the Google Suite for trips, I kid you not. Obsessed.

From saving must-see spots or restaurants in Maps to planning my itinerary and budget in Docs and Sheets. The Google Suite is a non-negotiable set of travel apps for me.

How to Use Google Maps and Docs While Traveling Solo

I have a simple “Travel Must Go” folder in my Google Maps app, where I save recommendations for restaurants, shops, towns, etc., anytime they come up. This gives me a jumping-off point when I’m planning a solo trip to a new location, and already have a few “musts” on my list.

If I’m exploring with someone, I’ll also make specific lists tailored to a certain trip and share the list with them. This allows your travel partner to see and save any and all recommendations.

I plan out most of my trips between Google Sheets (especially for budgeting) and Documents, which are great for linking helpful blog articles or the address of your next stay. I cannot tell you how many times I reference these documents while on a trip.

Why Digital Copies of Travel Documents Matter

Digital travel documents make it easy to plan, track, and share your trip, both before, during, and after you take off. Having quick links to your Airbnb for the night or that excursion you really wanted to book makes it easy to access what you need on the go.

Also, digital copies help keep you safe. I always share my itineraries with at least two people, in case of an emergency, so someone outside of my trip knows where I am. Additionally, having a digital copy of IDs, like your passport, acts as a fail-safe if you lose it and an easy reference when someone needs your ID numbers.

#6: Map Out Your Solo Trip (But Leave Room for Flexibility)

How to Plan a Route Without Overplanning

Once I’ve narrowed down my country and region, I start researching the best towns and/or routes to see it. Searching for how many nights you plan to spend and where you are going (ex: “4 Days in London”) will pull up a plethora of articles recommending the best stops and ways to see them.

From there, I pull up the Google Maps app on my phone, create a list for this trip, and start saving places to it. As you do this, you’ll slowly see potential routes start to form.

Don’t be afraid to over-save either – you never know when you’ll hit bad weather and need other plans to activate!

Why Flexibility Is Important When Traveling Solo

You can’t control a trip anymore that you can control the weather. Having flexibility not only leaves space for those unexpected “whoops” but also for amazing experiences you weren’t aware of until you landed.

#7: Understand Cultural Differences and Travel Respectfully

Dressing Appropriately as a Solo Traveler

This is especially true for women, as many cultures have more rules for our appearance (and bodies). In many areas, especially inside religious buildings, you often can’t have your shoulders or any skin above the knee showing.

Packing a wide scarf that you can wrap around your shoulders or waist can get you out of a bind. Like, if you are wearing a t-shirt and shorts to visit the Vatican and need to cover your legs.

#8: Prepare Backup Plans and Travel Safely

Sharing Your Itinerary and Location With Someone You Trust

As I mentioned above, I always share a digital copy of my travel itinerary with at least two people who aren’t on my trip. One is often a family member and the other a friend whom I know I can trust to find me, if the need calls for it.

I always use the Find My app on my phone during a trip. Sharing my location with those two people, so they can track me in the event I don’t have cell service/WiFi to contact them.

Final Thoughts on Planning Your First Solo Trip

What I Wish I Knew Before My First Solo Trip

There are so many things you learn on the “job,” but my biggest learning was to simply say YES to as much as you can. Solo travel will test the limits of your comfort zone, so doing what you can to meet and connect with fellow travelers and locals will make your trip so much more special.

Also, as you’re planning a solo trip, use your contacts to your advantage. Even if you know 0 people who travel, reach out to social media friends you’ve made for any recommendations.

Sometimes someone will have firsthand experience, and if they don’t, they might be able to connect you with someone who does.

Encouragement for First-Time Solo Travelers

In my opinion, solo travel is one of the best things you can do for yourself (and, in a way, for others – yes, I went to Bali solo for you… jk). Seriously, though, travel in general is an eye-opening experience, but alone? That’s a whole new level of self-awareness.

I hope you have the best time on your solo adventure, and be sure to follow @accentgolden on social for travel itineraries, tips, and more!

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