Blogmas- Day 7 | Why Solo Travel

I’m an introverted homeboy; however, I think people forget that being an introvert means that I gain my energy through solitude and quiet. Moreover, being a homebody does not automatically flag me as having antisocial behavior. In fact, being a homebody means that value my time in my own personal curated space. So essential I like the peace and quiet of my own curated space.

So how does traveling work as an introverted homebody. I recently saw Usher at his Vegas residency, and while most of those close to me were nervous about me traveling alone, I said here’s the perfect recipe that I have found for solo travel

Ingredient #1: Curated Timeline

If you think about most trips you may have taken, you have had to factor in other people’s arrivals and departures as well as when things my be the best time to do something. When you travel solo, you do not have any restrictions on how you want to do things, but I urge you to plan ahead. For instance, I like early morning flights, because of the quietness of the terminals and I don’t like flying on full stomach just in case we experience turbulence. I know the amount of time it will take me to get through TSA (Thank God for PreCheck, Global Entry and Clear) as well as the things I may need to do before boarding. For activites, I already know what I want to do and can also plan a nap before the biggest event for the day or just even slow down my getting ready routine and not feeling the pressure from other people (whether they know it or not).

Ingredient #2: Budget and amenities conscious accommodations

I like my hotels to have specific amenities that other people may not care about, and most of the time, I choose the room based off my own personal preference and I don’t have to wait to hear from a million people about why this room or hotel should or should not be chosen. For the Usher concert, I valued that there was sit-down restaurants attached to the hotel I was staying in and not near by hotels. Vegas hotels are a little different than other cities, but I stayed at Park MGM and made sure that a) room service used restaurants or menu I liked and b) that I was able to access an emergency pharmacy/ convenience store if I needed to.

Ingredient #3: Food your way

I scroll through TikTok often when I am visiting places to get some ideas on non-hotel/resort restaurants that I would possibly want to try. I like solo travel because you don’t have to fight about what type of restaurant to eat at, if you’re going to dine-in or take it to-go or if you’re eating the full meal here or only there for the appetizers. I get to be really particular and eat on my own schedule. It’s a win-win.

Ingredient #4: The best sleep with precautions

Some people don’t really mind where they room, as long as they have somewhere to sleep. I on the other hand value hotels over AirBnbs and a free continental breakfast if available. While you do have to be more aware of your surroundings if you solo travel, I have found a fre items on Amazon that give me piece of mind. Also, in this stage of life, not having to share a room or bed with my kid or husband activates the BEST sleep I’ve had since my second trimester.

Ingredient #5: Curated Transportation

Transportation is always a big part of traveling, especially if you are staying for extended periods of time. Now, I like that I can reserve all of my transportation beforehand through Uber or Lyft and only need to update the reservation if there is flight delays or cancellations. However, it is nice not to have to scramble immediately after landing to securing transportation. Tip: sometimes hotels have airport shuttle service available that is free! Use the hotel’s shuttle to cut down on cost while traveling.

Jamie Lyn Beatty once said “Jobs fill your pocket, but adventures fill your soul” and I believe that experiencing solo travel without the constraints of other’s opinions and budgets allow you to truly learn exactly what you value on these adventures.

What has been your favorite solo travel adventure you’ve experienced? What would you change about the trip?