In 2024, I planned to travel by myself to Slovenia — a country I had fallen in love with during my first visit 20 years prior.
It was going to be the first time I'd left my two young children for a week, and I was nervous. What if something bad happened to them while I was gone? How long would it take me to rebook three flights and get home?
But as soon as I began wandering Slovenia's capital of Ljubljana alone, I was flooded with relief — and excitement. I couldn't wait to explore the Julian Alps and spend time in the toplice, or thermal spas, without having to break for nap time or search for kid-friendly snacks.
Traveling alone can be one of the most rewarding things you can do for yourself, says journalist Marquita Harris, who spent 2021 traveling the world solo through Airbnb's Live Anywhere program. It can be empowering to learn that you are capable and resilient — and that you can trust yourself.
But it can also be a little scary, she adds. "When you don't have to cater to your partner or a friend or your kids, you're arriving at a destination where the only person you have to rely on is yourself."
If you're curious about traveling solo, here's how to plan a trip — and what to expect.
Start small
To get a sense of how you plan, manage and meander when it's all on you, go on a mini solo trip close to home, Harris says. "See if you can just have a beach day by yourself somewhere local."
This can allow you to test the waters of solo travel and work up to bigger trips in the future.
Choose a destination that's right for you
Ready for something more ambitious? Don't just pick a destination that looks dreamy on Instagram. Choose a place that aligns with your unique trip goals.
Ask yourself: Why do I want to go on this trip? What do I want to do? Where do I want to go? How fast or slow do I want to move?
Use your answers to these questions to help you determine what type of solo trip — and destination — are right for you.
For example, if you're reeling after a breakup or coping with burnout, you may want to book a chill mountainside cabin or stay somewhere with a spa. If you're feeling energetic and psyched about meeting new people, head to your dream city across the planet and start exploring on foot.
Consider your comfort level
Aim for a place that's navigable, welcoming and suited to how you want to travel.
Start with a destination where you speak the language, Harris says. That can make it easier to get around, read signs and menus, and start conversations with locals.
Equally important is understanding how a place might feel for you. A destination that feels safe and joyful for one traveler may not for another.
Harris' family, for example, advised her against traveling solo to Rio de Janeiro. But the city ended up being deeply affirming for Harris.
"I've never been to a place where so many people looked like me," she says. "I will sing its praises, especially for Black travelers."
Beware the single supplement
While planning your trip, keep an eye out for the single supplement. It's a premium that's often charged to solo travelers by tours and cruise lines that could otherwise book two people into a room for a greater profit.
The add-on can range widely, from a $50-per-day single supplement on a 10-day Rick Steves tour to a full 200% of the stateroom cost on a Royal Caribbean cruise. (This is based on a double-occupancy stateroom; Royal Caribbean does have limited single-occupancy staterooms available.)
To determine whether there's a single supplement on your tour or cruise, compare the cost of a double-occupancy room for two people versus a room for one, or inquire with the company if it's not clear when booking on the site.
Joy Fox, a 90-year-old solo traveler who has been exploring the world on her own for nearly 70 years, recommends networks like Women Welcome Women World Wide and Solos. These organizations don't charge the supplement and even provide additional resources and support that cater just to solo travelers.
Expect "traveler's melancholy"
Even on the best solo trips, loneliness or sadness can rear their heads, especially if you find yourself alongside travelers who seem to all be paired up with friends, family or partners.
"They call it 'traveler's melancholy,'" Harris says. Eventually in her solo-travel year, "I got tired of myself. I needed to hear another voice besides my own."
To cope with these feelings, Fox says to find small ways to make connections with others while traveling. "Smile. Give someone a compliment. Suddenly you're not really on your own."
And remember: Traveling by yourself does not mean you're alone. "You're gonna befriend the person who helps you up the mountain," Harris says. "There's always a friend somewhere."
As for my "Solo-venia" trip, as I called it, of course there were moments when I missed my kids or surveyed a romantic sunset over the mountains and wished my partner were beside me.
But mostly, I traipsed through the forest on night hikes, met new friends from a dozen different countries and tried countless kinds of Slovenian wine — all without any tiny hands tugging at my clothes or little voices admitting, "Mama, I peed." And that was worth every minute of my unwarranted pre-trip jitters.
Amelia Edelman is a writer, editor and content strategist who has worked with outlets such as the BBC, Lonely Planet and Travel + Leisure. She has traveled to 38 countries, often with her kids.
The story was edited by Malaka Gharib. Beck Harlan is the visual editor. We'd love to hear from you. Leave us a voicemail at 202-216-9823, or email us at LifeKit@npr.org.
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