Solo traveling can be scary sometimes. But the more I do it, the less nervous I get.
And you know what? Traveling alone is what I prefer.
Over the past two years, I’ve traveled to a lot of places alone and I’ve made a ton of stupid mistakes. But luckily I’ve learned from them haha.
So I wanted to do a post discussing some of the biggest solo traveler mistakes to avoid on your travels.
And this isn’t going to be stuff like “pack less” or “read reviews before you go.”
Nope! These are going to be real tips that have a real impact on the quality of your travel.
So strap in and let’s go over these mistakes.
1. Going To Too Many Places
One of the biggest travel mistakes I’ve seen is easily trying to do too much in one trip.
A while ago, one of my friends wanted to go to Europe with his girlfriend for two weeks. I took a look at their itinerary and got a big headache!
Their trip was planned down to the last hour and they wanted to visit 5 – 6 different countries during that two weeks!
In general, I don’t like visiting a new city if I don’t get to spend at least one week exploring. I feel like one week is the bare minimum that lets you really experience the culture of a new city.
Cramming a bunch of destinations on your vacation sounds good on paper, but it’s actually super stressful.
The more cities you have to plan the more buses, airports, traffic, and delays you’ll have to deal with. Doesn’t sound that appealing to me having to rush to a new city every 2 – 3 days.
Plus, the more you travel, the less time you have to explore. If you’re visiting 5 – 6 cities in a two week trip, you’re probably spending at least 25% of the time “in transit” between location.
Your time is valuable! Don’t waste time like that.
Next time, try to limit yourself to one city for at least a week. You’ll be able to see much more of the place and really experience what it’s like to live there.
2. Not Budgeting Properly
People always say traveling is so expensive (especially for solo travelers).
I have to disagree with that assessment to be honest.
Traveling CAN be expensive…depending on what you’re doing. But if you budget properly and really try to stay within that range, travel can be very affordable for almost anyone (even broke college students).
When you’re traveling, your biggest expenses (outside of airfare) will be: hotels, souvenirs, entertainment and expenses, and food and drinks.
In general, I don’t like to spend much on hotel rooms our souvenirs. I try to spend my money on entertainment, cool tours, and eating at interesting restaurants.
By budgeting my money properly, I can maximize my happiness without sacrificing my wallet 🙂
P.S. Check out this article on how I’m able to travel so much!
3. Prioritizing Time Over Money
As I get older and older, I find myself valuing my time A LOT more.
And one mistake I see a lot of newbie travelers make is prioritizing their time over money. By this…I mean they will do anything to save money (even at the expense of taking a 15 hour bus ride).
This summer I’m going to Morocco and I want to visit Chefchaouen, the “Blue City.”
It’s in a semi-remote region in northern Morooco and there are a few ways to get there.
One is by train from Casablanca (where I’ll be staying). The train ride will cost less than $20 (one way), but takes 9 hours.
There’s a flight I can take that will cost around $70 and that’ll get me to Tétouan. Tétouan is an hour and a half away from Chefchaouen . So I’ll either need to rent a car or hire a taxi to get the rest of the way.
I imagine the cab ride will be around $80 or so. Driving a car will be much cheaper, but I’ll have to learn to drive a stick. Renting a car will cost around $50 per day.
So a round trip train ride will be around $40 bucks, but flying and renting a car will be around $120.
I’m guessing flying and driving to Chefchaouen will save me over 7 hours of travel time. Is the $80 difference in travel cost worth an extra 7 hours of time stuck on a train?
Not to me (that’s only a $11 per hour – which is basically minimum wage). I’ll take the flight any day of the week.
It sounds like a fair trade off to me: an extra $80 to spend another 7 hours to travel an amazing city like that!
4. Staying At A Hostel
If you follow my blog at all, you’ll know that I don’t like staying at hostels. I think it really kills the travel experience.
That may be an unpopular travel opinion, but it really is how I feel.
I don’t like hostels because it’s hard to live like that long-term sharing a room with strangers.
And I get it, if you don’t have much money or aren’t working, a hostel may be the best option for you.
But if you can afford paying a few extra bucks a night for a private AirBnB, then I would totally do that 10 times out of 10.
Staying at a hostel almost guarantees you’ll never have a good night’s sleep. And 8 people fighting for the bathroom in the morning doesn’t sound appealing to me.
P.S. if you’re traveling and wanting to make passive income while on the road, check out this post.
5. Not Walking Around
I’m a little crazy in that I like walking around and getting lost in a new city. I love exploring a city at night because it’s peaceful and beautiful.
In fact, when I was in Paris last summer for my birthday, I just loved walking around the streets at night.
I try to stay in a central location in a city so that I can walk to as many places as possible, especially if I’m going to be out drinking.
In general, if the place I’m going to is less than a mile away, I’ll walk to it unless it’s raining.
Walking around is great because it allows you to enjoy the experience in the moment. You’re not worrying about getting anywhere, but just enjoying the moment and living in the present.
If you practice yoga, a big thing is just living in the present. And I think walking around like this really helps you achieve that.
6. Not Stepping Out Of Your Comfort Zone
When traveling alone it’s normal to feel out of your comfort zone. Maybe you don’t know how to speak the language and have to point to the menu to order.
Or maybe you’re sticking to food that you’re familiar with and not trying the local stuff.
I think stepping out of your comfort zone is really important when traveling (especially alone). It’ll make you a lot more confident when you get home.
Over the years, I’ve learned to embrace being out of my comfort zone. I embrace it now and it’s kind of fun.
Sure, it’s not always the best thing, but I’ve had more positive experiences than negative ones. So don’t get stuck into a routine. Get out there and do what the locals do.
7. Not Going Out Alone
I’m a bit weird in that I like to go out alone when traveling solo. I love checking out cool bars, sipping on a cocktail, and meeting new people.
The funny thing is that’s the exact opposite of what I like to do when I’m at home. I guess travel makes you do weird things 🙂
Don’t be afraid to hit up a bar when you’re traveling alone. I went to a bar/club called Kin Kin my first night in Guadalajara last October.
In fact, it was during Halloween weekend. I didn’t speak much Spanish, but decided to go out because I wanted to.
It turned out to be a great decision! I met some really cool people that night and had a great time dancing with some new friends.
Biggest Solo Traveler Mistakes To Avoid: Final Thoughts
Traveling alone is one of the great things to do in your life. But it’s easy to make mistakes if you’re a newbie traveler.
These are some of the 7 biggest mistakes I’ve learned from my trips and they have been a real life changer.
So next time you’re planning your solo trip, remember this list 🙂