Undertaking a solo travel adventure can seem a little daunting, but there’s a lot of value in overcoming that initial hesitation. Done correctly, traveling on your own can be a powerful tool for growth, helping you to get a better understanding of yourself.
Plus, they can just be fun — while we tend to think that we need a friend or partner by our side to have a good time, traveling solo will show you that it’s strictly the case. There’s a lot of freedom that can come from setting out on an adventure on your own, especially if you’re taking a road trip.
While undertaking a solo road trip does present its own challenges, these can be overcome with a little forward planning and knowledge. In this post, we’ll run through everything you need to know to have a fun, safe, and all-out awesome solo road trip adventure.
Prepare Your Vehicle
Your vehicle isn’t just what’ll take you from A to B (and C, D, E, and so forth): it’s also your trusted travel companion. It’s important to ensure that your vehicle is ready to meet the demands of a road trip regardless of how many people are on the adventure, but when you’re traveling by yourself? Then it becomes extra important. It’s not easy dealing with a broken-down vehicle in any circumstances, but it’s all the more problematic when you’re by yourself.
Before setting off, check that your car is in good condition and that it’s suitable for the type of terrain you’ll be visiting.
Make a Plan
Part of the fun of going on a road trip is that you have the freedom of going wherever you want. Yet, while that’s true, it’s also important to have at least a vague idea of where you’ll be going. You’ll be more likely to run into difficulties — or at least find yourself without a bed for the night — if you’re freestyling it from the moment you leave home. Having a clear road trip route will also allow you to focus on the fun parts of going on a road trip without continually having to make decisions about where you’re heading.
Pack the Essentials
It’s easy to overpack when you have a whole vehicles’ worth of space to play with, but we’d recommend keeping things light. You won’t wear anywhere nearly as many different outfits as you think you’ll wear, so the clothing section of your luggage can be kept pretty slim. With that said, there are a few essentials that you’ll absolutely need to take with you regardless of your planned route. These include jumper cables, a first-aid kit, emergency snacks, and a self defence weapon. While it’s unlikely that you’ll run into any issues, the best self defense weapons will give you peace of mind that you can protect yourself just in case something goes wrong. Plus, they’re affordable, compact, and you can also use them in your everyday life, so we’d say find one that you feel comfortable using and keep it in an easy-to-access part of your vehicle.
Tell People Where You’re Going
You might be traveling by yourself, but that doesn’t mean you should travel by yourself in all senses. Telling your friends and family where you’re going and what you’ll be doing is an easy and effective way to add an extra layer of safety and security to your trip. There are apps that make it easy to share your location, but failing that — say, you’re going off-grid — then at least let your loved ones know where you’re going and when you will be in touch.
Where to Stay
Choosing the right accommodation for your trip is essential for ensuring that you’re kept safe while also making the most of your trip. Most road trippers find that a mix between camping and covered accommodation works best for them. For camping, it’s best to stick to popular, manned campgrounds that have plenty of other people. You’ll find plenty of smaller campgrounds across the United States, and while they are probably completely fine, there’s no reason to stay there if you’re traveling by yourself. As for covered accommodation, it’s best to stick to centrally-located, well-reviewed hotels. You’ll save a bunch of money on accommodation when you’re camping, so spend some extra cash to stay in a hotel that’s safe and enjoyable — you’ll be thankful you did so after a few nights sleeping on the ground.
Download Some Audiobooks and Podcasts
Taking a long, solo road trip is a great way to reflect, get some clarity, and grow as an individual. With that said, you won’t want to be in a reflective state all the time. Even blasting your favorite songs and singing at the top of your lungs, a therapeutic exercise if there ever was one, will get a little tiring after a while. At this point, it’ll be audiobooks and podcasts that can take the space that would usually be occupied by having a conversation with your traveling companion. We’d particularly recommend podcasts, which can be terribly entertaining. This page has a list of podcast series that are suitable for long drives.
Look Up Local Meetups
Finding that you’re getting bored of spending so much time by yourself? Then take a look at checking out which Meetups are taking place in the next town/city you’ll be passing through. This is a great way to both get some much-needed social interaction time and get a greater insight into the local way of life. Maybe you’ll end up on a hike with locals, maybe you’ll go to a concert, or maybe you’ll join a sports game. Whatever it is, you’ll likely find that Meetup events become a highlight of your trip.
Embrace the Solo Factor
Finally, while solo road trips aren’t always easy, we’d recommend fully embracing all that they offer. You have the freedom of the road, and you’re the only one making decisions. So long as you keep yourself safe and bring some positivity, you’ll find that this kind of solo adventure can be truly empowering.
