Life Kit

How to make your solo trip a success

January 15, 2026

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  • Start small with solo travel experiences, such as local day trips or taking a solo day during a group vacation, to build confidence before embarking on longer journeys. 
  • Choose a solo travel destination that aligns with your personal goals, considering factors like language familiarity and whether you prefer structured group activities or complete improvisation. 
  • Balance preparation with openness to serendipity by planning essential logistics (like safety and closures) while leaving room for unexpected positive experiences and knowing when to pivot if a plan isn't working. 

Segments

Solo Travel Motivations and Anxiety
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(00:00:30)
  • Key Takeaway: Initial anxieties about solo travel, even for seasoned travelers, often dissipate immediately upon arrival and immersion in the destination.
  • Summary: The host initially feared solo travel would be sad, but found joy in the freedom and the ability to enjoy moments alone. Journalist Amelia Edelman experienced significant pre-trip anxiety about leaving her children, which vanished upon landing in Ljubljana. This highlights that the planning and anticipation stages can often be more daunting than the actual solo experience.
Popularity and Episode Focus
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(00:02:23)
  • Key Takeaway: Solo travel is increasingly popular, with over one in four surveyed travelers planning solo trips in 2026.
  • Summary: Hilton’s 2026 Travel Trends report indicates growing interest in solo travel, with 48% of travelers adding solo days to itineraries. This episode of Life Kit focuses on planning a solo trip, covering destination choice, self-care through planning, and managing loneliness.
Starting Solo Travel Small
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(00:04:28)
  • Key Takeaway: First-time solo travelers should strengthen their ‘solo C-legs’ by starting with small, local solo excursions before attempting major international trips.
  • Summary: Travel journalist Marquita Harris, who traveled the world solo for a year, recommends starting small. Psychotherapist Cameron Clark suggests practicing by running errands without a phone or taking local day trips. This builds self-reliance when you are the only person you can cater to or rely on.
Choosing the Right Destination
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(00:07:18)
  • Key Takeaway: Select a destination that suits your goals, prioritizing ease of navigation, diversity, and welcoming environments over influencer hype.
  • Summary: For a first international solo trip, choosing an English-speaking location or one where you know some language is helpful, though basic phrases suffice elsewhere. Travelers should assess if they want structured group retreats or total improvisation, as comfort levels vary greatly between individuals and locations like Lisbon versus Malibu.
Safety and Pre-Trip Research
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(00:10:15)
  • Key Takeaway: Find the fine line between necessary safety precautions and hyper-vigilance to ensure room for serendipity in your solo travel plans.
  • Summary: Research practical destination details, such as transportation safety and community friendliness (e.g., queer-friendliness or safety as a person of color), by consulting friends who have visited. Avoid over-scheduling; instead, gather enough information to feel secure without eliminating all spontaneity.
Avoiding Travel Pitfalls
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(00:11:07)
  • Key Takeaway: Thoroughly check operating hours, closures (including religious holidays), and avoid peak festival times to prevent disappointing, boring trips.
  • Summary: Failing to check advance closures, like religious holidays, can lead to establishments being shut down, resulting in a boring trip as Marquita experienced in Medellin. Travelers should stick to shoulder seasons to avoid overwhelming crowds and shuttered businesses, and plan ahead to potentially avoid the single supplement tax charged to solo travelers.
Managing Discomfort and Taking Risks
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(00:14:48)
  • Key Takeaway: Taking calculated risks within a manageable threshold of discomfort builds confidence and reduces anxiety, but pushing too far can validate negative travel fears.
  • Summary: Research suggests that taking more risks increases confidence, but it is crucial not to push past moderate discomfort, which can lead to a negative validation loop. Travelers should pack comfort items, like noise-canceling headphones or snacks, to manage overstimulation or low blood sugar, which can exacerbate anxiety.
Coping with Loneliness and Pivoting
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(00:17:01)
  • Key Takeaway: Loneliness, sometimes called ’traveler’s melancholy,’ is a normal part of solo travel that should be addressed by leaning into connections or accepting the need to pivot plans.
  • Summary: Joy Fox advises giving yourself grace and sitting with discomfort, noting that she is scared every time she does something new, but life is too short for regrets. If a planned activity, like a fancy restaurant, makes you feel out of place, ditch it; your pre-planning should provide backup options for pivoting.
Making Connections and Self-Trust
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(00:21:02)
  • Key Takeaway: Solo travel deepens self-trust and provides opportunities to forge valuable connections with strangers, locals, and oneself.
  • Summary: Making connections is easy by smiling, complimenting others, or asking locals for recommendations, ensuring you are never truly alone. These connections, along with journaling, help deepen self-trust, and the lessons learned on the road often make returning home even more appreciated.