The Ultimate Solo Travel Guide: 16 Secrets From Experts
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Going on a trip with friends, family, or a partner can be a great bonding experience, but there’s something equally special about exploring a new place without any companions. A solo travel experience can make it easier to lean into the moment, embrace spontaneity, and dive into the passions and unique experiences that make hitting the road so special. But of course, choosing to go it alone comes with its own set of challenges that are important to plan for once you book your flight . Read on for the ultimate solo travel guide with all the secrets from experts that will make your journey an unforgettable one.
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When you’re choosing your solo destination, experts say that it’s vital to be realistic about how safe it is. This is likely something you think about when you’re planning any travel, but worth some extra research if you’re hitting the road alone.
“I would recommend ensuring that you’re visiting a country that has a track record of safety and a low crime rate,” Louise Walker , managing editor of Aglaia Magazine , tells Best Life . “Unfortunately, there are some countries that simply are not safe or recommended for solo travel, especially female solo travelers. Carry out your research before you book and make a shortlist of countries and cities that are suitable for solo travel and ensure you get recommendations from friends who have already been.”
First-time solo travelers should also pick a destination that’s relatively easy to manage and/or will help them build up their comfort level.
She adds that first-time solo travelers might want to prioritize destinations with easy-to-navigate transportation systems. “These considerations can help ease you into solo travel and make your first solo journey a positive experience,” Holt explains.
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There’s definitely a difference when making arrangements for one person versus a group. And in many cases, it can work in your favor to change up how you plan.
“Book your flights and accommodation separately, instead of relying on travel agents or package deals,” says Matt Hapgood , travel expert and founder of MattHapgood.com. “Solo travelers have the opportunity to look for different types of solo deals, and often you find the best deals on your own.”
The order in which you plan your trip might change, as well. According to Hollie McKay , travel expert and VP of communications for HotelPlanner, you may get a better rate if you reverse-engineer your trip.
“Start by deciding what kind of travel experience you want—like far-flung, hidden gem, major city, the beach, or a mountain town—then search ‘Anywhere’ on Google Flights or Skyscanner to see the cheapest flights from your hometown airport,” she suggests. “Be flexible with your dates and locations and be willing to book a flight immediately if there is an attractive rate. Then book your hotel and develop your itinerary.”
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Having a travel companion can mean splitting lodging costs and having someone to pass the time with while exploring. But the fact is that they also become your most immediate support system while on the road—especially if you’re abroad. One of the most significant issues solo travelers face is ensuring someone can raise the alarm if something goes wrong. That’s why experts say it’s important to designate someone who can keep tabs on you from afar.
“Before you leave, pick someone you trust and make a plan to communicate on a regular basis over text, emails, or voice calls,” Frank Harrison , regional security director of North America and the U.K. for World Travel Protection , tells Best Life . “Give your contact person your itinerary and make a point to check in regularly as you arrive at new destinations. If you don’t check in at a planned time, this person should call the local authorities at your last known location.”
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Choosing the right place to stay can be challenging. But while convenience and comfort will always be a factor, traveling alone makes it especially important to consider your safety. Because of this, experts advise budgeting to stay somewhere reputable and trustworthy.
“Pick a hotel or accommodation that’s centrally located and in a well-lit area,” says Jessica Parker , founder of Trip Whisperer . “You can gather this from reviews and based on ‘top sights to see’ are nearby or main transportation lines.”
She also says you should think about bypassing the short-term rental option when you’re out there by yourself. “I am all about Airbnb, but you might want to pick a hotel or something with a reception that has someone keeping watch 24/7 when traveling alone. The peace of mind and reliability are worth it,” she says.
Consider also this surprising travel hack that experts swear by.
“Stay at casino hotels,” travel expert Leslie Carbone of Sancerres at Sunset tells Best Life . “Casinos are great for solo travelers: They’re safe [because] cameras and security staff are everywhere. There’s always something to do—bars and restaurants, spas and pools, and of course, the gaming action. And the rooms are often inexpensive or even comped—and not only for high rollers but sometimes just for using the casino brand’s credit card.”
If that’s not available at your destination, there’s still a relatively easy way to find a good place to stay. “I like sites like TripAdvisor and Google Reviews because they allow you to search through the reviews at different accommodations,” says Jen Ruiz , travel expert and author of 12 Trips in 12 Months: Make Your Own Solo Travel Magic . “I always search for key terms like ‘solo,’ ‘safety’ and ‘hairdryer.’”
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Traveling with friends and loved ones may result in cherished memories and fantastic experiences. But solo travel remains popular because it allows for a special kind of introspection you can’t get while on the road in groups. Experts say it’s important not to lose sight of this when putting together your itinerary.
“Don’t over-plan. It’s important to have a general itinerary so that you make the most of your time wherever you’re exploring and so that your loved ones always know where you are, but give yourself the flexibility to be in the moment!” says Allie Albanese , travel journalist and founder of Parched Around the World .
“If you’re solely focused on sticking to an agenda and striking items off of your to-do list or must-have Instagram shots, you might miss the magic that comes from breathing in the beauty of the moment and fully being present with yourself,” she points out. “Travel teaches us so much about culture and people and places and traditions, but solo travel teaches us who we are as individuals within those things. So allow time for unexpected conversations. Let yourself follow your own curiosity. Feel free to change your mind. Give yourself permission to do absolutely nothing.”
“The greatest part about traveling on your own is that it’s up to you and you alone to decide what to do at any given time! So take advantage of that freedom and use it as an opportunity to get to know yourself a little better,” she suggests. “You may be surprised at the transformation that occurs within you when you give into the moment and allow that special shift to happen!”
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One of the benefits of planning out an itinerary with a group is the collaboration that happens with your fellow travelers. If you’re feeling stuck for ideas for an upcoming trip, why not use modern technology to get started?
“In these scenarios, I’ll turn to AI for some inspiration,” says Holt. “I love using ChatGPT Plus to offer some personalized trip recommendations and I’ll fill in the gaps with my own research and recommendations from friends to build a well-rounded itinerary.”
The biggest caveat with using AI for travel is that it’s important to provide specific prompts and feedback to get the best results that are catered to your travel experiences. “It’s also important to understand the limits of AI,” says Holt. “It’s only as accurate as the data it’s pulling in, so it also helps to double-check recommendations against other sources and verify prices and flight paths before booking any travel.”
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Travel recommendations from those you trust almost always beat out the advice of strangers you come across online or in books. Thankfully, social media has made it easier to reach out to people before your trip for tips and possibly even a temporary companion or guide.
“Facebook and LinkedIn aren’t necessarily the hippest of the social media channels, but they both have search functions that allow you to find your contacts—and even contacts of your contacts—in a specific city,” Lauren Gonzalez , principal of L&L Hospitality , tells Best Life . “Before you travel to a city on your own, check your networks because you might already know someone there. If not, maybe a close friend of yours does.”
Just make sure you keep in mind that your schedules might not always sync up. “Do be respectful of these loose connections’ time,” she says. “A person in a major metropolis might have some fatigue when it comes to out-of-town drop-ins, but it doesn’t hurt to at least ask for a couple of city-specific recommendations.”
Heading someplace that’s an entirely friend-free zone? You can also join a solo traveler Facebook group or subreddit to get pointers or arrange meetups during your trip.
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Solo trips start as a one-person affair, but nothing says you can’t make friends along the way. In fact, experts say that linking up with other travelers when you arrive at your destination can be a great way to break up the trip with some socialization.
“I typically suggest that solo travelers link up with group tours. It’s a great way to connect with other travelers in your area,” Mandy Picchiottino , owner of travel planning company Land and See Tours , says. “Food tours are my favorite, along with pub crawls. You will meet a lot of other people with similar interests and who share your love of travel.”
It can still work when costs matter. “If budget is a concern, you can link up with many free walking tours hosted all throughout the world. There is no cost to join the tour, but just leave a generous tip at the end. It’s another great way to meet other people traveling just like you,” she suggests.
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It’s an understatement to say that smartphones have revolutionized the way we travel. The portable device in your pocket can help with navigation, translation, sending messages, and finding information no matter where you are. Still, being glued to your phone will take away from your trip in a big way.
“When you are traveling solo, it can be super tempting to always have your smartphone out. It can easily become something of a social safety blanket, a way to make ourselves feel comfortable in public situations,” says Nate Hake , founder and CEO of Travel Lemming . “But your phone is also a barrier telling other people to stay away from you, which ends up leaving you more isolated. And it really distracts you from living in the moment and enjoying what is around you—which is kind of the whole point of traveling in the first place!”
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For many travelers, the whole point of hitting the road is to enjoy new cuisines and have authentic dining experiences in new places. But for those traveling alone, it can also be an opportunity to get great advice. Experts also say you can save money if you plan your meals correctly.
“Dine during happy hour,” Carbone suggests. “I love traveling solo, but I hate eating alone at a restaurant table. Sitting at the bar is a great opportunity to chat with other people. Happy-hour specials provide a chance to sample local food and drink favorites. And a good bartender can fill you in on the off-the-radar fun things to do in the area.”
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Safety is always paramount while traveling, whether solo or in a group. But if you have the opportunity, experts say you can get the most out of your trip by being more mindful when choosing where you’ll spend your time once you arrive.
“While typical tourist destinations are bound to be a part of your itinerary, I highly recommend carving time out of your trip to go where the locals go, get off the beaten path to immerse yourself in the local culture, and go deeper in your solo travels to connect with others, whether it’s a neighborhood café, a street festival, or a sporting event,” says Holt. “Doing so will allow yourself to grow and you learn new perspectives and meet people with different lifestyles, but also allow you to see how truly similar we all are.”
Those out for an authentic experience will especially benefit from this kind of strategy. “Events made for locals rather than for tourists will always be a more successful endeavor,” says Noël Wolf , live language teacher and cultural expert at Babbel. “Try local foods, participate in local traditions, and learn a few phrases in the local language. This can enrich your travel experience and help you connect with locals. Just be sure to be respectful of local customs and etiquette to avoid offending the locals.”
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Solo travel makes it a lot easier to follow your own schedule and make decisions in the moment, but it can present new challenges when something goes wrong. That’s why experts suggest splitting up where you store the cash and cards you’ll need throughout the course of the trip to help ensure that you don’t end up in a mid-trip pinch.
“Consider having two wallets or purses to store your money: One is for going out, and the other is for storing money or cards that you keep safe in your accommodation,” suggests Anna Krizova , travel blogger at Camino Adventures . “This is also excellent for staying within a budget.”
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Communication is key to a successful trip. It can only benefit you to pick up a little bit of the local lingo ahead of time.
“Before your trip, begin learning the basics of the local language through apps, language classes, podcasts, or YouTube videos,” says Wolf. “This preparation will help you navigate the basics like greetings, directions, and ordering food.”
And of course, there are other benefits. “Often, conversing a bit in the local language—or at least making the effort to—tends to unlock more opportunities to make friends abroad as can lead to some really unique and authentic experiences, rather than the tourist-centric ones,” she says.
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Most travel experts agree that you should only pack what you absolutely need. But for those hitting the road solo, a few extra items might make you feel safer while you’re exploring.
“Use an AirTag in your personal bag,” advises Kristin Lee , travel expert and author at Global Travel Escapades . “While most people know to use one in their checked luggage, I recommend putting one in your carry-on bag and personal bag. This adds an extra layer of security and allows for someone to immediately know your location, even if you get separated from your phone.”
Others swear by another must-have device. “One of the easiest and most inexpensive safety tools for solo travelers is a portable door lock which can be placed on the door at your hotel, Airbnb, or apartment rental. Many rentals in vacation destinations do not have a deadbolt, which can be a safety threat for unwanted visitors and overnight intruders,” Allison Sicking , a Mexico-based travel blogger at Viva La Travelista , tells Best Life .
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A long flight is rarely the last step in actually getting to your destination. That’s why experts advise researching your post-airport travel options ahead of time.
“Always plan your airport transportation when you arrive,” says Ruiz. “This is when you’re least oriented to the location and likely to get scammed. Once, this happened to me when taking an airport taxi and paying with cash, where the driver gave me change for a smaller bill than what I had handed him.”
Now, she researches and prepays for transport whenever possible. “Your best option varies and depends on the city. It might be taking a train, a shared shuttle service, or a ride-share service,” she says.
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One of the joys of jetting off without companions is the flexibility it affords you. That’s why it’s important not to literally weigh yourself down with the items you’re bringing along.
“As a solo traveler, you’re in charge of your luggage,” says McKay. “Opt for clothing that offers versatility, allowing you to mix and match different pieces for various outfits, and refrain from carrying anything you don’t absolutely need.”
This story has been updated to include additional entries, fact-checking, and copy-editing.
30 Travel Movies to Help Inspire Your Next Trip
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One of the great things about movies is that they can take you places without you having to squeeze into an uncomfortable airplane seat or with all the other hassles that real-life travel entails. There are lots of great movies about people setting out to see the world , so let the big screen scratch your wanderlust by checking out these 31 films.
Some of the movies on this list are romantic, following two people as they come together in that special way that happens when you’re away from home. Others are about journeys of self-discovery, showing what can happen when you hit the road solo. Some movies are uproarious comedies that will transport you away from your troubles as you laugh along to the antics on screen. There are also movies that are less of a vacation than they are an adventure, sure to get your blood pumping. And there are some scary movies about travel—the sort that might make you think, “You know, actually, maybe let’s make this one a staycation.”
Don’t bother packing your bags. All you need to do is hit “play” to embark on any one of these 30 great travel movies.
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Romantic Travel Movies
Diane Lane stars in this charming 1996 movie as a recently divorced woman who travels to Italy in an attempt to break out of her post-divorce funk. (In her defense, her husband was cheating on her and he got to keep the house, so she’s right to be miffed.) Once in Tuscany, though, she somehow becomes the owner of a villa, and as she begins to make a new life for herself, the potential for new love emerges amidst some of the most beautiful scenery and delicious-looking wine ever put to film. It’s the type of movie that will have you looking up flights to Florence.
A destination wedding counts as travel, and the breakout comedy of 2023 was shot on location in Australia. Glenn Powell and Sydney Sweeney play two people who left on bad terms after a one-night stand only to have to make nice when their mutual friends get married. Anyone But You is enough to make you want to take a trip Down Under, although perhaps without all the rom-com shenanigans.
Kate Winslet and Cameron Diaz play lovelorn women who swap homes so that they can get away from their respective heartbreaks over Christmastime. When Winslet’s Iris and Diaz’s Amanda get to Los Angeles and London, respectively, they find new love in Jack Black and Jude Law’s characters. The 2006 movie, from the great Nancy Meyers , works extra well as a travel movie because, thanks to the house-swapping premise, it’s a reminder that everyone’s home is somebody else’s trip.
The first of Richard Linklater’s Before trilogy introduces audiences to Ethan Hawke’s Jesse and Julie Delpy’s Céline as they meet on a train from Budapest and decide to spend the night together wandering Vienna. Widely regarded as one of the more romantic movies ever made, Before Sunrise will also make you want to explore Vienna with someone you’ve just met—someone who maybe you could see yourself spending the rest of your life with.
Technically, Woody Allen’s Midnight in Paris is a travel movie (because Owen Wilson’s character is visiting Paris with his fiancee, played by Rachel McAdams ) and a time travel movie (because he goes back in time to 1920s). It’s a romantic movie both because of the relationship Wilson’s Gil strikes up with Marion Cotillard’s Adriana and because of how it romanticizes Paris and nostalgia—and deftly interrogates that romanticism.
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Movies About Traveling Solo
Dev Patel stars in this 2016 film, which is based on the true story of Saroo Brierley , who was separated from his parents in India at a very young age and adopted by an Australian couple. Once he grew up, he went back to his birth country in an attempt to find his biological parents. Saroo’s trek through India and into his own forgotten past is a tear-jerking, emotional travel story, and Lion was rewarded with six Oscar nominations.
This 2014 adaptation of Cheryl Strayed’s memoir Wild: From Lost to Found on the Pacific Crest Trail stars Reese Witherspoon as Strayed sets out to hike from Southern California to Washington State in an attempt to find herself. The tour of the West Coast’s trails is a tour-de-force for the actor as her character remakes her life one hiking boot-clad step at a time.
In 1977, Robyn Davidson set out on a nine-month journey across the unforgiving Australian Outback with her dog and four camels. She later wrote about her adventure in National Geographic and in her memoir Tracks . In 2013, her story was adapted into a film with the same name. Mia Wasikowska plays Davidson in the movie, which features stunning cinematography of the Australian desert in all its harsh beauty.
A lot of solo travel stories are tales of self-discovery where the voyager has learned something by the time they reach their destination. Into the Wild offers no such catharsis, instead telling the true story of Christopher McCandless , a man who hiked across America and eventually ended up in the Alaskan wilderness—an environment he was not prepared for. It’s a poignant, tragic counterpart to the more common celebrations of wanderlust you tend to see in pop culture.
Julia Roberts stars as Elizabeth Gilbert in this 2010 adaptation of her memoir of post-divorce travel and self-discovery. Feeling her life is aimless and without purpose, Liz elects to travel around the world, stopping in Italy, India, and Bali where she eats, prays, and well, you can probably guess.
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Travel Horror Movies
Ari Aster’s supremely disturbing folk horror movie stars Florence Pugh as a young woman who is begrudgingly invited by her not-great boyfriend and his friends to go to Sweden to observe a commune’s midsummer festival. Upon getting there, Pugh’s Dani soon learns that the Hårga are not all sunshine and flowers, and that there are dark rituals and sinister plots. It’s the type of movie that will make you think twice about a Nordic vacation, and you’ll never look at a taxidermied bear the same way.
This 2005 horror movie, from director Eli Roth , is one of the biggest examples of the so-called “torture porn” subgenre, but there’s more to Hostel than just blood and guts. (There are a lot of blood and guts, though.) The film follows some American backpackers who, while traveling in Eastern Europe, become the victims of a shadowy organization that lets the ultra-rich live out their most depraved fantasies by torturing and killing unsuspecting tourists. Let’s just say that Hostel is not exactly a great promotional tourism campaign for Slovakia—something that the country was actually pretty upset about .
This 2022 film, released by the horror-centric streaming service Shudder, follows a social media influencer who, when traveling in Thailand, meets and befriends a young woman. It’s the type of movie that lives or dies on its twists, but let’s just say that Influencer is what you would get if The Talented Mr. Ripley were set in the social media age and a full-on horror film instead of a thriller.
The Creator director Gareth Edward’s 2010 debut follows a photojournalist as he tries to escort a young woman through Mexico, which has been taken over by kaiju-sized alien monsters. There are moments of beauty and discovery along their journey, as well as high-stress moments of terror when they encounter these creatures, which Edwards brings to life on a shoestring budget—though you can’t tell that by watching.
It’s right there in the title: John Landis’ 1980 comedy horror is about an American in London, although he’s not a werewolf when he first arrives in the UK. No, that happens after he’s mauled by a strange beast in the moors of Yorkshire—and that same beast kills the friend he was backpacking with. When he recovers in London, things get gnarly in the light of a full moon.
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Comedy Movies About Traveling
If you like the misadventures of the Griswold family’s first vacation attempt, great news: There are five sequels to this 1983 Chevy Chase comedy. Before the European , Vegas , or Christmas Vacation , though, Clark Griswold tries to drive his family from Chicago to southern California. Their journey makes for some classic comedy, though it might hit a bit too close to home if you’ve had to endure a family vacation that went awry.
A lot of Wes Anderson’s movies are about travel, including his most recent film, Asteroid City , and The Grand Budapest Hotel . His ultimate travel movie, though, is 2007’s The Darjeeling Limited , which stars Owen Wilson , Adrien Brody , and Jason Schwartzman as three estranged brothers who agree to make a trip through India together in the hopes of reconnecting after their father’s death.
Lots of movies are about travel, but are they about a big adventure, the way Tim Burton’s directorial debut is? Paul Reubens stars as his Pee-wee Herman character, who hits the road in an attempt to recover his beloved bicycle, which has gone missing. Following a psychic’s totally legit vision of his bike in the basement of the Alamo, Pee-wee encounters a ghost trucker, biker gangs, and all the madness of a Hollywood backlot.
Netflix’s Oscar-nominated animated movie has a setup that’s not too dissimilar from that of National Lampoon’s Vacation . Aspiring filmmaker Katie Mitchell can’t wait to get away from her family and start film school. Her dad, voiced by Danny McBride , feels his daughter slipping away and opts to have the whole fam drive her across the country rather than take a plane to school. At the same time, an A.I. gone rogue has started a robot uprising. Oops!
In addition to featuring a hall-of-fame cameo from Matt Damon as the singer of “Scotty Doesn’t Know,” Eurotrip is a classic, if not especially intelligent, teen sex romp. It’s not the movie to watch if you want to get a feel for Europe, but it is what you put on when you want to enjoy some good, dumb laughs.
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Adventure Travel Movies
Ben Stiller directed and stars in The Secret Life of Walter Mitty , an imaginative adaptation of a 1939 short story about a mild-mannered man who gets lost in his daydreams. When circumstances force Walter to embark on a trip around the world, he starts living his daydreams for real, going to Greenland and the Himalayas. Featuring a fantastic soundtrack and gorgeous cinematography of some truly beautiful, off-the-beaten-path places, The Secret Life of Walter Mitty is the type of movie that might make you stop just thinking about taking a trip and actually buy a ticket.
William Friedkin , best known for directing The Exorcist , also helmed this 1977 thriller about possibly the worst road trip of all time. When four people, all on the run from their various sordid pasts, find themselves trapped in a remote oil village in Colombia, they are desperate to get out by any means necessary. The opportunity presents itself when the bosses need people to drive boxes of dynamite that are extremely unstable and could blow at any minute across miles of rainforest. There is one sequence in Sorcerer that’s some of the most unbelievably tense filmmaking you’ll likely ever see. (Note that it’s a remake of another classic film, Wages of Fear , should you want another movie that’ll keep you on edge.)
Johnny Depp stars as an average man who finds himself smack in the middle of an international criminal incident when on vacation in Europe after a woman, played by Angelina Jolie , tries to trick the authorities into thinking Depp’s the fugitive they’re looking for. Thrills, laughs, and a little romance ensue.
Charlie Hunnam plays real explorer Percy Fawcett in this adaptation of the book by the same name from author David Grann , who also wrote Killers of the Flower Moon . The film follows the British explorer in the early 1900s as he tries, time and time again, to prove the existence of a mythical city deep in the jungles of Brazil. Think of it as a somber, reflective take on a real-life Indiana Jones, one whose obsession with traveling to hostile environments in search of knowledge may prove to be his undoing.
This gripping survival drama about the infamous 1996 Mount Everest Disaster, as documented by Jon Krakauer in the book Into Thin Air, is the type of film that will probably make you consider an all-inclusive beach resort for your next vacation rather than mountain-climbing.
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Movies About Roadtrips
This biopic follows the man who would become the Che Guevara when he, as a young man in the early ‘50s, travels across South America with his friend Alberto Granado . The film, which is based on Guevara’s trip diary, is both a road movie and a coming-of-age film about an important historical figure, as we see him become radicalized by the poverty and inequality he sees on this journey.
Margaret Qualley and Geraldine Viswanathan star in Ethan Coen’s romp from earlier this year, and it wouldn’t be inaccurate to call Drive-Away Dolls “ The Big Lebowski , but just the silly parts.” Set in the late ’90s, it follows two lesbian friends who learn that the car they’ve rented has a human head and a briefcase in the trunk—and that some shadowy types really, really want whatever’s in that case back.
Burt Reynolds stars in this 1977 classic, which was the second-highest-grossing movie of its release year after the original Star Wars . He plays a legendary bootlegger who accepts a job to smuggle 400 cases of Coors from Texarkana to Atlanta in under 28 hours. Along the way, he encounters a runaway bride played by Sally Field , and Sheriff Buford T. Justice, who wants to stop the Bandit. Smokey and the Bandit also features an incredible theme song, “ East Bound and Down ,” and while the lyrics describe the plot of the movie almost beat-for-beat, you’ll find that it’s a fitting song to blast on your own car stereo when you’re on the road.
Il Sorpasso , which is sometimes given the English title The Easy Life , is a masterpiece of 1960s Italian cinema. It follows a boisterous middle-aged man who decides to take a timid, bookish college student he meets under his wing for a good time out on the road—whether or not the younger man actually wants to tag along or not. Hilarious and poignant when you might not expect it, Il Sorpasso ’s well worth the watch.
This seminal adaptation of Hunter S. Thompson’s novel of the same name stars Johnny Depp and Benicio del Toro as they drive to Sin City under the influence of an absurd amount of drugs. In that way, it’s the ultimate travel movie. It’s about a trip, but it’s also about a trip .
