These days, more and more people, particularly women, choose to travel solo. Independent travel crosses all age ranges, life stages and travel styles. Younger travelers may be drawn to more adventurous trips and remote locations. Those who are retired from their careers and finished raising their families often have the time and resources to travel in luxury. People who are widowed or divorced may not have a travel companion, but that doesn’t mean they can’t explore the world on their own. The possibilities are endless, so we’ve chosen some of the best destinations for solo travel for different interests to get you started.

Cruises for Solo Travelers

Traveling independently doesn’t mean you have to be alone. Cruising is a great way to have autonomy, yet meet people with like interests. Cruise lines arrange meet-and-greet events for solo travelers and provide a wealth of engaging activities that allow solo travelers to meet fellow cruisers. Often a concern of solo travel is the stigma of dining alone, but on a cruise dining partners are provided, giving individuals the opportunity to make new acquaintances and share their experiences, if they so desire. Several lines have built staterooms specifically for solo travelers and even those that don’t have single cabins often offer promotions that waive or discount the dreaded single supplement.

• Norwegian Cruise Line has a keycard access complex of staterooms designed specifically for single travelers. Cabins include a full-size bed, and a one-way window onto the corridor with separate ensuite areas for the toilet, sink, and shower. Guests have access to the private Studio Lounge and there are no single supplements. Travel Maestro tip: The staterooms are quite small at 99-131 square feet.
• Royal Caribbean Cruise Line offers single cabins with no single supplement on several ships, including balcony cabins on Quantum of the Seas. Interior single cabins bring the outside in with virtual views of outdoor scenery on flat-screen TVs.
• Cunard’s Queen Elizabeth added nine Britannia Single staterooms that offer more spacious accommodations than most singles (159-162 square feet). Eight of them are outside with especially large windows. Britannia Singles are located midships, close to the ship’s main public hub for easy socializing.
• Tauck River Cruising does not have a single supplement on two of its ships, and waives the extra charge on its other ships for single travelers in lower deck category 1 cabins.

Try Something New

My travel mentor (yes, my Mom!) is fond of saying, “When was the last time you did something for the first time?” Solo travel is the perfect opportunity to expand your comfort zone, stretch your muscles, and grow your self-confidence. When traveling alone, your focus isn’t distracted by a companion and you’re more likely to be on a voyage of discovery – discovery of yourself and the world around you.

 

Some of the best destinations for solo travelers to embark on that discovery:

• New Zealand – Hike the legendary Milford Track, bungee jump, jet boat, or go zorbing.
• Japan – Ride the bullet train, meditate in a Zen garden, and dine at a sushi counter.
• Bali – Explore temples galore, do yoga on the beach, and get a massage.
• Costa Rica – Zip line through a cloud forest, hike a volcano, or learn to surf.
• Chile – Hike in scenic Torres del Paine National Park, visit the salt flats in the Atacama Desert, and sip wine in Santiago.
• Iceland – Swim in the Blue Lagoon, ride Icelandic horses, and see the Northern Lights.
• Germany – Shop the famous Christmas Markets, slake your thirst at a beer hall, or bike through beautiful Bavaria.
• England – Take in the theatre and museums of London, wander a hedge maze in the Cotswolds, or explore pagan roots at Stonehenge, all with no language barrier.
• Croatia – Take an island cruise along the Dalmatian Coast, walk the historic city walls of Dubrovnik, or swim in a waterfall at Plitvice National Park.

As more and more people become interested in solo travel, the destinations they seek expand, too. These are just the “tip of the iceberg” of solo-friendly destinations. To learn more about travel to these places or to create your own solo itinerary, contact Covington’s Vacation Advisors and start your self-discovery.

You may also enjoy What’s so Great About Solo Travel? An Interview with Janice Waugh