It’s easy to assume that solo travel is something only the young and adventurous do—but that’s far from the truth. Traveling alone can be incredibly rewarding at any age. Whether you're looking for new experiences, hoping to meet interesting people, or just craving a break from your usual routine, going solo offers a unique kind of freedom and perspective.
In fact, more and more older adults are embracing it. A 2018 Booking.com study found that 40% of global baby boomers had taken a solo trip in the past year, and another 21% were planning to. The appeal is clear: travel on your own terms, at your own pace.
In this post, we’ll look at why solo travel is worth considering, from its mental and physical health benefits to the lasting memories it can create. If you’ve ever thought about taking a trip on your own, this might be the sign you’ve been waiting for.
When you travel alone, you will not have a friend to share the entire journey with, but you will discover new friendships from your experiences. Traveling alone will give you ample opportunities to make friends along the way. You might be surprised how friendly and excited other travelers are to share experiences and discuss each other's journeys. Try striking up conversations with locals who are eager to show off their hometowns. You will meet new people, learn about their lives, and gain new perspectives about our beautiful world.
When you travel alone, you will save a lot of money. Of course, hotel bookings are cheaper when you share the room with someone else, but you will save more money on other things. You will save money by having more flexibility. You can choose a cheaper airplane ticket that works for you. You can save some money by staying in a more affordable hotel. When you travel alone, you're free to make these choices, and the only accommodation you have to make is for yourself.
Saving money will come from making trade-offs. For example, you may purchase a certain experience that is a little costly and then save money by just getting a sandwich for lunch from a kiosk off the street instead of eating at that expensive restaurant. When you travel alone, you are free to make these budget-friendly choices.
Many senior travelers want total freedom in their travels. Over the years, you may have developed a particular taste for things, which is very difficult to find in other people. For example, you may want to go on a fishing trip or a tour of historic sites, which, frankly, may not be on everyone's to-do list. Traveling alone opens these possibilities by giving you total freedom regarding what you want to do and where you want to go.
One of the definite benefits of traveling alone is being excited about new things that pop up throughout your journey. For example, if you want to attend a concert that is being held next week, you can freely extend your stay in that town. In addition, if you are traveling alone, you are the master of your time, and you can stay as long or as short as you wish. Finally, from a logistical point of view, it's easier to move a single ticket around than cancel and rework group bookings.
When you spend a lot of time with yourself, you get time to self-reflect. You will learn new things about yourself. You will not be bothered by anyone else; you can spend all this time doing what you like and just being yourself.
You will need to make your choices yourself, navigate around by yourself, and entertain yourself at times, which will only improve your knowledge of yourself. You might even be surprised how capable you are of handling new and unknown situations.
Traveling alone will surely take you out of your comfort zone. You will have to deal with stressful situations and make some difficult choices. But this experience will only make you better. Stepping out of your comfort zone will truly enrich your life. Such experiences will test you, but they will also teach you. You will find it challenging to communicate with locals or to trek to the nearest hotel on a mountain. But, you will grow as a person. And the next time around, you will not be as afraid of the unknown.
Imagine returning from a solo trip and telling your friends and children/grandchildren about your exploits. Imagine telling them about cuisines they have never heard of or about sleeping in a unique hotel. You will return feeling much more confident than before. This confidence will translate into other things as well. You will be confident when dealing with other people and difficult circumstances. You may even learn to dance and sing. And most importantly, you will be comfortable and confident just being yourself.
When you travel alone, you get to put yourself first. You will learn to spend quality time with yourself while doing the things that you like. In light of these freedoms, you will start appreciating your own company much more. Being able to enjoy your own company is also important to have a stable relationship with other people. You will not have to rely on anyone else.
Traveling alone will make you a more interesting person. It is something that most of us desire to do at some point in our lives, but only a very few of us actually get around to doing it. From your travels, you will have amazing stories to share, meet interesting characters of the world, and have your own adventures. Traveling alone will make you a person of the world, someone who can recall the croissants of Paris and the auroras of Finland.
Taking a solo adventure will help you see the world with your own eyes without being influenced by anyone else. In addition, if you're traveling alone, you're more likely to strike up conversations with locals and even make a friend or two along the way. You may learn to see the world in a new light through their fresh perspective, enriching your knowledge and appreciation for other cultures.
Traveling alone might feel like a big step, but it’s one worth taking. You get to make your own decisions, follow your own pace, and see what actually interests you—without having to compromise. It can be quiet, exciting, challenging, peaceful—sometimes all in the same day. And the best part? You come back with a clearer sense of what you like and how you want to spend your time. If it’s something you’ve been thinking about, give it a shot. You might end up wondering why you didn’t do it sooner.