Yes, You Can Travel Solo

Whether you have a little travel experience, a lot, or none at all, I am here to tell you that you can travel solo.

I have a friend who likes to tell me that what I focus on will grow. She tends to tell me this when I'm not focusing on the right stuff, when I'm a little discouraged and my focus goes to what's not working rather than to all the great things in my life.

This “focus” principle is an interesting one. It's not original. Google it and you will find lots of references. But those references don't talk about travel–especially not solo travel–and I think it's about time someone put them together.

So, allow me. I want to distract you from the things that may be discouraging you from exploring the world on your own and focus your attention on all the reasons you can.

8+ Reasons You Can Travel Solo

Let's put things in the affirmative.

1. You have the money. Travel doesn't have to cost a lot. You can do it on the cheap and go far or you can travel locally and spend a little more. It's up to you. But, whichever your preference, you still need some money. Read How to Save Money for Travel: Top Tips to Help You Save and How to Save on Solo Travel: Simple Travel Hacks.
2. You have the time. As mentioned above, you don't have to go far to enjoy the pleasure of your own company as you travel. A weekend away from the norm can feel like a week of holidays if you're doing what you want to do. Read How to Find Time to Travel.
3. You have the confidence. Some people hesitate to travel alone. They are unsure of their ability to do so. But you don't have to jump into the deep end right away. Plan according to your experience. Whether you're a solo travel newbie or have a few tips under your belt, read Best Solo Travel Destinations: All Solo Traveler Tested to help you decide where to go based on your level of confidence.
4. You have the skills. You have experience in the world that will help you travel successfully on your own. You also have a lot of information at your fingertips on this site to help you. Have a look at The Ultimate Guide to Travel Alone and Love It.
5. You have the smarts to be safe. You are aware of safety issues and act safely in your home town. You can apply much of that when traveling. Start with our 5 Principles of Solo Travel Safety. For everything that springs from those principles, read our comprehensive Solo Travel Safety: 50+ Tips for Those Who Travel Alone.
6. You have the ability to engage people. Meeting people is one of the things I like best about traveling on my own. Because I'm not focused on a companion I am open to others. I meet people all the time. As with many things, Tracey and I come at this in different ways. Read Meet People While Traveling Solo: 2 Very Different Approaches.
7. You have lots of good reasons to travel alone. There are far more reasons for than against! Here are 14 reasons, some unique to the individual and others which are common to us all: Why Travel Solo? It’s Not Just about the Trip.
8. You have a community of solo travelers to support and inspire you. The Solo Traveler Community is both vast and intimate and offers so much to fellow travelers. Check out the Solo Travel Society, our Facebook community of more than a quarter million travelers around the world where people ask and answer travel-related questions and share their experiences. And while you're here on this page, browse this site, where we have more than a thousand articles with tips, advice, stories, destination profiles, and more. We've got your back.

Yes, you can travel solo.