The 10 Commandments of Solo Travel

Things to know before you go.


Photograph courtesy of REI Adventures

Heading out into the world on your own for the first time? Here, the laws that will make an on-your-own excursion a success:

1. Be aware of the “single supplement.”

Otherwise known as costs tour groups levy on travelers taking a room to themselves, these can often be avoided by bunking up with someone else.

2. Pick solo-oriented cities.

Pedestrian-friendly streets, extensive public transport, and plenty of all-day cafes make places like Copenhagen, Tokyo and Paris easy destinations.

3. Share your itinerary.

Make sure someone back home knows where you’ll be staying. You can also register a trip abroad with the State Department.

4. Scan your passport.

Upload a color copy to a password-protected site like Dropbox. If yours goes missing, this will expedite the replacement process.

5. Know how to contact the embassy.

If you get in a “you get one phone call” situation — and LaVar Ball isn’t your dad — this is the call to make.

6. Save money on lodging.

Yotel, CitizenM and Moxy are three international hotel chains that lower costs by shrinking the square footage of your room.

7. Don’t be afraid to eat alone.

Hit more formal places for lunch, when crowds will be sparse, and sit at the restaurant’s bar for dinner. (Bartenders love a good chat.)

8. Wake up early.

Barhopping can be awkward on your own, so make the most of your mornings. Come nightfall, you’ll be too exhausted for FOMO.

9. Resist the urge to be on your phone.

Strike up a convo with locals instead; ask about their favorite spots in town.

10. Do you.

The true beauty of a solo vacation is that you don’t have to address any desires other than your own. Honor that.


» See Also: Five Ways to Get Away From Philly This Spring, No Companion Required

Published as “Me, Myself And I: 10 Commandments of Solo Travel” in the March 2018 issue of Philadelphia magazine.