13 Honest Pros and Cons of Solo Travel You Need to Know

Considering whether solo travel is for you or not?

You’re not alone. I get asked this constantly as a solo female traveler who still prefers it most of the time (prices in some destinations are killer), even after 26 countries.

Whether you’ve never traveled beyond your state or country or have yet to adventure alone, I’ll explain the pros and cons of solo travel honestly.

In this guide, I’ll walk you through what I adore about the experience and the real disadvantages of traveling alone, so you can make an informed decision before booking a single thing.

Benefits of Solo Traveling

1. You Get to Set Your Itinerary

This is one of the best reasons to solo travel, you get to do WHATEVER you want!

You have no one else to accommodate, so if you’re a big shopper, do it! If you’re a museum lover, do that! A foodie? Spend your day at cafes and snacking.

I’m a big museum lover, so I love scheduling extra time for me to do the whole audioguided tour!

Smiling woman wearing an audio guide headset and a blue floral top with an almond blossom print, posing in front of Vincent van Gogh's Almond Blossom painting displayed in a gold frame at the Van Gogh Museum in Amsterdam. — Listening to the audioguide at the Van Gogh Museum in Amsterdam

No one else is going to nitpick whatever you do, so feel empowered to make your itinerary your own.

I have a whole post on how to plan a solo trip for you to check out if you need help.

2. Everything is Yours Alone

Unless you’re staying in a shared dorm in a hostel, the room is 100% yours.

Cozy Hüttenpalast Berlin interior with Kleine Schwester caravan, vibrant couch, and a woman enjoying wine. — Lounging in front of my own caravan at Hüttenpalast Berlin

That means you have all the privacy you could want.

I adore having my own space as I’m someone who needs library quiet to read or work, so I take full advantage of this when I’m solo traveling.

You also don’t have to share anything else, like meals.

3. You Get to Meet People

I adore meeting people while solo, as I find I have the best conversations.

I have met some terrific people whom I’ve stayed in contact with for over a decade.

Yes, you can meet others when traveling with others, but I find I actually dedicate time to communication when there is no one with me, as I’m carving that connection.

A group of five friends smiling for a selfie at a round wooden table inside Revolución de Cuba Belfast, a Latin-themed cocktail bar with warm amber lighting, a neon-lit bar in the background, and creamy cocktails visible on the table. — Belfast

Three smiling women holding small ceramic shot cup souvenirs on colorful ribbon lanyards aboard a trajinera boat during a Xochimilco canal tour in Mexico City, surrounded by lush tropical palm trees and a red-and-yellow painted boat canopy. — Belfast

4. Reservations are Easy (Sometimes)

Reservations are easier for popular places, most of the time, while solo, as they can stick you just about anywhere, such as the bar, since this area is typically reserved for walk-ins.

I had this in Edinburgh, Scotland, when I wanted to eat at Dishoom, one of my favorite restaurants that I discovered in London.

Typically, this chain has a line out the door for dinner, but when I showed up and said I was a part of 1, they only took a couple of minutes to find me a seat at the countertop.

I will note, however, that there are some restaurants or meals that you cannot order as a single person, as they have a 2-person minimum.

5. Journaling & Reflection

An old friend of mine gave me a journal with a pen that had a glue stick on the other end.

Was a wonderful gift for a first time solo traveler, as I could write with the pen and then paste in tickets or other items with the glue stick.

Open spiral travel journal on wood floor showing handwritten entry dated June 4, 2013, with Dublin itinerary including St. Michan's Church and Grafton Street, signed Michelle Jensen, beside a Blarney Castle postcard reading "Do You Remember Your First Kiss?"

The time I took to journal on buses, trains, in airports, and other in-between places where I had downtime allowed me to reflect and think about things like what I’d like to do going forward in my life.

Now, this could be one of the pros and cons of solo travel, as not everyone likes to reflect, but I consider it a major bonus.

6. Less Stress

Traveling with my family is typically a headache as I don’t like to travel by committee.

For instance, while island hopping across Greece, I was traveling with two vegetarians, one of whom was gluten-free, and another who hates even the smell of fish.

Needless to say, we ate at the most touristy places to accommodate everyone, which meant I didn’t try any of the more creative places I would have normally had I been solo.

This and having all the planning land on my shoulders meant a lot of stress.

While solo, the only stress I have is trying to figure out what I want to do!

7. Gain Confidence & Independence

Doing everything yourself gives you a lot of confidence because you are the one powering the whole trip!

There’s no one else to give the accolades to; you’re the one accomplishing climbing Mount Vesuvius or the ATM cave in Belize.

Woman wearing a Travelon crossbody bag stands at the rim of Mount Vesuvius, an active volcano near Naples, Italy, fog drifts over the site with only a little of the rocky terrain visible. — Atop Mt. Vesuvius

It demonstrates how independent you can be.

I know many, especially women, who don’t think they can do it on their own, but they can!

A solo trip is a great way to prove it to yourself.

Disadvantages of Traveling Alone

8. You Have to be on Alert

I won’t pretend there aren’t safety concerns among the pros and cons of solo travel, especially for women.

Aside from doing the typical don’t walk down dark alleys alone or drink more than you can handle, I sometimes lie for my own safety.

If someone asks me if I’m alone, especially a man, I tend to say my friend is back at the hotel working or something, so that they think someone will know if I go missing.

It’s something you have to keep in the back of your mind, should someone ask or make you uncomfortable, as you don’t want to come across unsure when you say this.

There are some wonderful apps for solo travelers that assist in safety precautions.

Close-up macro shot of two silver interlocking zipper pulls on the black vegan leather Thafael anti-theft crossbody purse, showing the locking zipper security feature on a metal mesh patio table surface. — Also, get yourself an anti-theft purse with locks!

Close-up of fingers demonstrating the locking security clasp on the black Thafael anti-theft purse strap, showing the silver metal locking snap hook mechanism attached to the textured black leather crossbody strap and silver zipper. — Also, get yourself an anti-theft purse with locks!

9. Things Cost More

You’re not sharing the cost of the hotel, the car rental, meals, or anything else, so it will likely be more expensive.

In cities such as Rovaniemi, Finland, it was a huge savings for me to travel with my buddy as we split the hotel and car rental.

However, this is one of the pros and cons of solo travel that can go both ways, as a lot of destinations I save a bit being solo, as I’m in hostels, which my travel companion wasn’t keen on, but are cheaper.

10. No One to Share With

If you’re the type of person who likes to try a lot of different dishes and gets to because you share with your friends, then this will be a disadvantage of traveling alone.

Or if you’re used to planning with someone so that you’re not doing EVERYTHING, again, a con.

You also have no one to share the experience with and go, “Hey, look at that cool thing!”

However, some of this is a pro. For instance, I was supposed to plan a trip with a friend to Mexico City. I told them I didn’t want to do all the work and delegated restaurant reservations to them.

They booked them, but then unbooked them during the trip when they decided they didn’t want to eat there anymore without discussing it.

Needless to say, I was annoyed and wound up having to research on the go where to eat, which ate into my enjoyment.

11. Booking Some Activities is Hard

When I was in Belfast last year (2025), I didn’t do the black cab tour that the city is famous for because I would have had to pay for two people.

GetYourGuide listing for Belfast Political Taxi Tour by City Tours Belfast, rated 4.8 stars with 5,147 reviews, priced from €86 per group, showing a black cab beside The Troubles murals on the Falls Road, a visitor writing on the Peace Wall, the Garden of Remembrance, and colorful Republican and Loyalist murals in Belfast, Northern Ireland.

If you’re concerned about a tour or activity having a minimum, check their website ahead of time; sites like Viator and GetYourGuide list it.

You can either pay for two or, if you’re staying in a hostel, ask your fellow travelers if they’ll go.

Oftentimes, they’re having the same issue, especially for popular tours!

12. You Don’t Have Anyone to Take Your Photo

I find this is usually when I most often recall I’m a solo traveler, when I’m dying to get a photo of myself somewhere awesome!

There are methods you can use, such as asking another person (what I typically do), using a tripod or other tool, or getting a camera designed for solo travelers.

Smiling woman taking a selfie outdoors wearing the Insta360 GO Ultra standalone camera magnetically clipped to the brim of her dark baseball cap, with large sunglasses, a knit top, and a thatched-roof structure and garden path visible in the background at San Diego Zoo Safari Park.

I’ve just gotten (2026) the Insta360 GO Ultra, and it’s a hands-free way to record my experience, which would have been great, especially for outdoor travel like the Maya ruins of Xunantunich or Caracol in Belize.

13. You May Feel Lonely

I do occasionally feel lonely, but while this is an understandable con, I have many ways to stave off loneliness while solo.

Also know that it’s not a permanent feeling.

It can come and go, and really is typically indicative of just needing connection, which can be fixed easily by hanging out with others.

Discover my favorite sociable European cities for solo travelers here!

So, Is Solo Travel Worth It?

Yes, solo travel is 1000% worth it!

While there are several pros and cons of solo travel, the pros outweigh the cons, and there are also ways to navigate around the disadvantages.

Overall, the main things are that traveling alone allows you limitless freedom as you can do anything you’d like!

I also find that I come home a different person, in a good way!

I come back with a lot of introspection and thoughtfulness as the noise of everyday life has evaporated abroad.

Sure, the noise comes back, at least in part, but that new perspective often stays, and I can improve my life at home because of it.

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13 Pros & Cons of Solo Travel You Need to Know Before Booking—Female Traveler Advice