Please register to participate in our discussions with 2 million other members - it's free and quick! Some forums can only be seen by registered members. After you create your account, you'll be able to customize options and access all our 15,000 new posts/day with fewer ads.
Many of us somehow get this idea that you can't go to a bar or club unless you have a date, or at least a posse of friends. Taking a vacation alone, particularly to a city with night life, is a great way to disabuse yourself of this idea. I did this for the first time in the early 90s. Visiting my parents' house, I happened to pick up a Westways Magazine with a cover story on San Francisco; so I decided to go. I couldn't wait around until my friends had time and I didn't have a gf at the time, but didn't want to let that stop me.
I stayed in the Haight and asked the people at the Haight Music Store (now sadly gone) where to go for live music; they directed me to The Saloon in North Beach. I had dinner in Chinatown and walked over, then later on to Grant & Green and the Lost And Found. I had a fantastic time and did it again the next night. I made two similar trips in the next couple of years, and meanwhile realized that if I could go out to places by myself in SF, there was no reason I couldn't do the same thing at home. In '95 I met my future wife, and that would never have happened if I hadn't started going out by myself for an evening's amusement. Going out by yourself gives you free rein.
If my handle doesn't give it away, yes, I have gone on solo trips. Well over 75+ if I had to hazard a guess. I wouldn't be surprised if I eclipsed 100 trips. I've averaged 15-20 solo trips every year of the past 6 or so years. This includes about 15 or so international trips to every continent but Antarctica.
For those who worry about lack of companions, don't. Stay at a hostel or couch surf. You won't regret it.
I'm from a small town in rural Kentucky, which means I almost have a God-given-at-birth mandate to not ever leave the state or else be branded as something terribly politically incorrect. I jest, I jest...only kind of. Only 24% of Kentuckians have passports (look it up), my friends back there have the lack of resources and/or lack of willpower to travel, some in my family could travel but just don't want to, and some in my family fully live up to Kentucky stereotypes and "don't need to leave 'Murica for some communist hellhole, and California ain't in 'Murica no more."
After spending years waiting for the right personal and social circumstances, I at least made it to a point of having decent financial circumstances and said, "Screw it, I want to see the world and what's stopping a single guy like me?"
Speaking for myself, I've been solo to:
- Cincinnati: done as a college student, ended up living there for two years
- Rural Kentucky: been to 100 counties, much of it was through self-exploration of the beautiful countryside
- L.A./O.C./Ventura County once: guess I liked it enough that I ended up moving there
- Birmingham, AL once: more interesting city than I expected, but it can get boring
- Raleigh/Durham once: drove there for a job interview
- All over California, from Humboldt County to Calexico: gorgeous state, California can be so easy to enjoy
- Seattle twice: I thought at one time that I might like to live there, but discovered that it's a great place to visit
- Vancouver, BC once: that was a cool city!
- Atlanta: went there for a conference but managed to explore some of the city solo
- Netherlands
Planned in next six months, solo (as a side note):
- England (London)
- France (Paris)
- Belgium (Brussels)
- Luxembourg (Lux. city)
- Germany (I'd particularly like to see Munich, Frankfurt, Berlin)
- Canada (probably more of British Columbia)
- Santa Fe (not really solo since I have family there, but I'd probably drive there from SoCal)
Last edited by EclecticEars; 09-20-2014 at 06:37 PM..
Hello there! I went on a vacation by myself last year. Went to Whistler, BC. it was great!! Did ziplining, white water rafting, sightseeing and the likes. Scary at first because the attractions were far from each other and there were virtually no taxis (so if your bus dropped you off at the wrong stop, you'd probably have to wait an hour (it's dark around 6pm already and the road was foggy *shiver*).
Anyway, I'm planning for a europe backpacking/couchsurfing/wwooffing trip next summer (2015). Anyone here doing that, please feel free to message me!
If my handle doesn't give it away, yes, I have gone on solo trips. Well over 75+ if I had to hazard a guess. I wouldn't be surprised if I eclipsed 100 trips. I've averaged 15-20 solo trips every year of the past 6 or so years. This includes about 15 or so international trips to every continent but Antarctica.
For those who worry about lack of companions, don't. Stay at a hostel or couch surf. You won't regret it.
Don't ask too much questions. Just do it
planning to couchsurf next summer, Solotraveler. can you give me any tips on how to be a good surfer and how to not spend so much during the trip? also, any advice on traveling from country to country (as i heard you'd have to book in advance for the eurail) i'm going to be doing it from greece-italy-france-monaco-spain (just in time for the la tomatina festival). Thanks in advance!
I'm from a small town in rural Kentucky, which means I almost have a God-given-at-birth mandate to not ever leave the state or else be branded as something terribly politically incorrect. I jest, I jest...only kind of. Only 24% of Kentuckians have passports (look it up), my friends back there have the lack of resources and/or lack of willpower to travel, some in my family could travel but just don't want to, and some in my family fully live up to Kentucky stereotypes and "don't need to leave 'Murica for some communist hellhole, and California ain't in 'Murica no more."
After spending years waiting for the right personal and social circumstances, I at least made it to a point of having decent financial circumstances and said, "Screw it, I want to see the world and what's stopping a single guy like me?"
Speaking for myself, I've been solo to:
- Cincinnati: done as a college student, ended up living there for two years
- Rural Kentucky: been to 100 counties, much of it was through self-exploration of the beautiful countryside
- L.A./O.C./Ventura County once: guess I liked it enough that I ended up moving there
- Birmingham, AL once: more interesting city than I expected, but it can get boring
- Raleigh/Durham once: drove there for a job interview
- All over California, from Humboldt County to Calexico: gorgeous state, California can be so easy to enjoy
- Seattle twice: I thought at one time that I might like to live there, but discovered that it's a great place to visit
- Vancouver, BC once: that was a cool city!
- Atlanta: went there for a conference but managed to explore some of the city solo
- Netherlands
Planned in next six months, solo (as a side note):
- England (London)
- France (Paris)
- Belgium (Brussels)
- Luxembourg (Lux. city)
- Germany (I'd particularly like to see Munich, Frankfurt, Berlin)
- Canada (probably more of British Columbia)
- Santa Fe (not really solo since I have family there, but I'd probably drive there from SoCal)
If you're stopping by Vancouver, I can show you around(maybe not if you prefer the nightlife--i've heard it's not as good as other cities) or you can join couchsurfing so you can mingle with the locals!
I did it a few times as a youngster and then young single, and each times it was at best blah! at wort awfully boring vs.sad.
I don't have any good memories of "vacations by myself". On the other hand I had a blast when I had vacations with friends, and sometimes even with family! the other thing I dislike are "package holiday". Did it once (with a kind of under-ClubMed ), I found it unbearable.
Yes, I went on a week-long cruise to Mexico by myself when I was about 33 years old. It was really fun and I met some wonderful people! At each port of call, I got off the ship and roamed around on my own, even finding a dive shop to take me out on a dive to Playancar Reef in Cozumel. I HIGHLY recommend taking trips alone!
Please register to post and access all features of our very popular forum. It is free and quick. Over $68,000 in prizes has already been given out to active posters on our forum. Additional giveaways are planned.
Detailed information about all U.S. cities, counties, and zip codes on our site: City-data.com.
Please register to participate in our discussions with 2 million other members - it's free and quick! Some forums can only be seen by registered members. After you create your account, you'll be able to customize options and access all our 15,000 new posts/day with fewer ads.
