by Crystal

Solo Traveler

It’s been 2 weeks since I went on my first vacation as a solo traveler. I drove 5.5 hours down to Pensacola Beach, FL on Labor Day and stayed for 4 days and 3 nights. It was awkward and a little lonely, but overall it was amazing! Check out a video snippet of my trip.

Originally, my friend was supposed to tag along, but it didn’t work out. I had a feeling it would turn out this way, so I kinda forced myself to expect to go as a solo traveler (it really helped me not feel bummed out when she backed out). Everything worked out though. The hotel was pretty decent, the location was perfect, everything was pretty much in walking distance. 

Here are a few advantages of solo travel:

  • You can do whatever you want, go wherever you want, when you want, with no objections
  • You don’t have to share a room/bathroom/space with anyone
  • Quiet car ride
  • You don’t have to entertain anyone
  • Get some quality me time and learn more about yourself

The disadvantages:

  • It got a little lonely at times
  • I had to pay for the entire trip, I would’ve saved over $200 if someone else tagged along and split the costs
  • No one to share the experience with. I won’t be able to say, “Remember when we went to Pensacola Beach?” Yeah that does kinda suck.
  • Eating alone was a little uncomfortable

As an introvert, I think solo travel may turn out to be the best thing for me, but I will say that in being alone I held myself back a bit. It took some time for me to muster up the courage to eat at a restaurant alone and I avoided restaurants where (I assumed) I would feel uncomfortable eating solo. I did get those pity looks when I would tell the hostess it was a party of one, but oh well. I didn’t drive all the way to Pensacola Beach to eat some crap fast food or some shit I could get back home. By the time I got comfortable with eating alone the trip was almost over. I wish I had more time to try out other places.

My overall experience was amazing! It was really nice to get out of town and get a change of scenery. It was also good to get out of my comfort zone. I didn’t care who was looking, I just put on my bikini and got in the water. After labor day, the place quieted down and the beach became more secluded. I got the pool to myself, so I just took in the scenery and the beach vibes. 

I probably wouldn’t do another solo vacation to Pensacola Beach, only because I think it’s a good place for group trips or family vacations. I’m just glad I accomplished what I set out to accomplish, which was to see if I could really travel by myself, now I feel like I can go anywhere on my own. There will definitely be more solo trips in the near future.

A few travel tips:

  • Use a booking site that price matches and allows you to cancel for free. I saved almost $100 checking the website for a lower rate.
  • Try to come up with some sort of food itinerary or know which restaurants you would like to try so you won’t be searching for over an hour for a place to eat and then you get so hangry you end up settling for what’s open lol.
  • Don’t feel like you have to be busy to have fun, just go with the flow and you’ll blend in like a local.
  • It’s okay to be a solo traveler, don’t feel bad about it, embrace it!

28 thoughts on “Solo Traveler”

    1. Thank you!!!!!! ❤️ That was the hardest part, being an introvert and having to go out alone, but I just kept telling myself that no one knows me here, I don’t know why that helped, but it got me through the whole trip.

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    1. Thank you!!! I would say start out small. I once had to take a day trip to SC for an interview it was only a 1.5 hour drive, but just being able to say that I drove to another state helped me with this trip.

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  4. I took a solo vacation once and I’ve got a friend who does it regularly! It’s really nice but you’re right it can get lonely, plus eating alone can feel super awkward 🙈 but overall a great experience I’d recommend to anyone to at least try once in their lives. Great post x

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  5. Great tips! I love solo travelling and hope to do more of it soon. I solo travelled to Paris, France and it was perfect! I met up with friends while there who acted as a guide but it was nice to not have to wait on someone else and have company and leave the company, too, when I wanted time to myself. I’m introverted, too, and like to keep to myself. I have to say I got lucky that most meals I had a friend accompany me so I can’t say I totally get the lonely eating part but when I was by myself I did tend to eat more fast food kinds of food. Oh well!

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      1. Surprisingly, it was my first! I suppose I was emboldened that I knew some of the language and was confident I could find my way and did a lot of research and itinerary planning before arriving. That helped a lot! I’d love to go back sometime, but also visit Italy and Spain. Portugal, too.

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    1. Thank you!!! 😀 I think that was the hardest part to overcome, but once you overcome it, it gets so much easier. Thank you for reading my post, I look forward to checking out your posts! ❤️

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      2. I think the pros outweigh the cons. I want to travel with my friends, but I hate waiting around for them to get it together, either the schedule doesn’t work for this person or someone doesn’t have the money, etc… I just want to make the decision and go. But I also book trips that don’t require an upfront payment and can be cancelled up to a few days before arrival, just in case I need to back out.

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    1. Aww thank you! I wish everyone could experience it at least once. I think it’s best to start small if you’re really nervous about it. If you can, drive to the nearest state and spend the day there or drive a couple of hours away and spend some time in a city you didn’t even know existed. Just ease into solo traveling. 🙂

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