I love to travel. Alone.
I enjoy making all the decisions or no decisions at all. When I travel alone, I like to just sit in an outdoor café and people watch. Or sit on a park bench and people watch. I often do simple things.
I used to travel with a girlfriend who was all about having an itinerary. She was completely fine with me choosing one or two activities we would do together from her jam-packed list and then meeting up later for dinner. She was the perfect travel companion.
I developed my love for solo exploration during years of traveling for work. I quickly grew tired of room service and hotel restaurants. I decided that if I was going to be in a different city, state or country for work, and away from my family, I needed to explore. Here are some things I love doing as a solo traveler:
I Eat Alone
I eat in restaurants. At tables. By myself. And I embrace it. I don’t look at my phone or read a book. I look around at people and I make eye contact. People often chat me up, maybe they think I am lonely. I am not. One time, in a D.C. restaurant, they put all the solo diners in one area. We chatted with each other across tables. Where are you from? What brings you to Washington? What are you eating? The wait staff also seems to be extra attentive when I dine alone.
I Double Down on Entrees
If I dine at a restaurant, I may order multiple entrees, especially if a place is known for a few yummy items. After all, I don’t know when I am going to be back in this restaurant or this town. What, the vegetarian and rock fish dishes are delicious here? Load me up with both.
I Score Great Seats to Shows
Here’s something I discovered years ago by accident: When I buy a solo ticket to the theatre or a concert, I have better luck getting great seats. I’m guessing it’s because most seats are purchased in pairs. I have sat third row at Alanis Morrissette in Dallas, buying a single last-minute ticket. In fact, the broker I was dealing with couldn’t find anything decent until I told her I only needed one ticket. Her response: Oh, one ticket? I have some solos up front. What? This also happened at a showing of Wicked and Hamilton, both while visiting San Francisco. One ticket, great seat, no problem. A recently planned trip to Boston yielded the same results when I searched for a solo ticket for the musical Hadestown.
I Live Like the Locals
My travel style is to do as the locals do. I dine where they dine. I often ask my Uber or Lyft driver where he or she eats or sees live music. In short, I am often avoiding a lot of the tourist traps that can be up-priced. Be clear, I will splurge on an attraction if I haven’t been to a city before. But if I have visited, I tend to be low key. I often go to the movies. At home, it’s hard for my family to agree on a film. On the road, however, it’s all about me. One ticket, please.
I Shop Like the Locals
Another one of my solo-trip habits is getting the chance to leisurely shop for myself. Again, back home, with tight schedules and a focus on family, I rarely get to spend hours browsing stores and boutiques without someone hurrying me along or claiming that they are bored. Even though it’s a chain, I always make time to visit the multi-level Old Navy store in San Francisco to stock up on tank tops and other staples. Flea markets are another place where slow browsing is mandatory. In fact, with an uptick of online shopping, the only time I really get to shop in person is while traveling.
I Make Lifelong Friends
When I travel alone, I always meet people. Folks have no problem coming up to me and chatting. I can work a room, I have one of those personalities. I’ll sit at a bar and share stories, starting with the bartender and spreading to other people sipping nearby.
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