First Time Solo Traveller
 

Hey, a 26/m looking to be a first time solo traveller. Does anyone have a good destination to start with outside of the United States?

My first solo trip was to Mexico, and I loved it so much I've gone back dozens of times. I have a friend who is currently in SE Asia on long-term solo travel, and he's loving it there. Most of my friends say that Europe is also a great place to travel alone. I'm afraid this isn't helping much! I'd go somewhere that YOU really want to see -- go to the library and take out travel books and picture books, and if anything resonates with you, get on a plane and go there! Good luck!

if you are a little nervous about it a good tip is to stick to an English speaking (or another language you speak well) country. It makes reading signs, maps etc and asking for help a lot easier.
Although you can usually find someone who can speak English.
My first trip was 10 months in New Zealand & Australia so I definitely recommend them, easy to travel around, friendly people & lots of great sites.

Mexico (i like Puerto Vallarta a lot)
Amsterdam
London
Paris
Venice
Hawaii (ok i know this is technically the united states but still...)

Hi there. Just did my first solo trip outside the US. Trip report on Europe board. Destination: Edinburgh.("Just Back from Edinburgh...ahhhhhh.") Easy, wonderful, safe. Great first solo city!
Proud of your confidence. Have a great time wherever you decide to roam!

Consider Costa Rica. Many folks travel in Costa Rica solo. I made about 15 trips to this wonderland before settling here last year. Many of my expat friends, both male and female, are single and traveled here on solo trips before making this peaceful country their home.

Europe, especially Italy.

Also, I really enjoyed Germany and Austria. Great train system and clean and safe overall.

I forgot my very favorite - any place in Switzerland! It's a good first time destination because things are so extremely organized in that country, so it's easy to understand how things work and get around.

I'll hasten to point out that you don't need to leave the United States for your first (or any) solo trip. The United States is a big country with lots to see and do. There is also the advantage that you needn't deal with the language barrier (although you can find a language barrier in certain parts of any major American city if you want that). You also can avoid all the hassles of flying if you want.

Insisting that fulfilling and exciting solo travel is only possible outside the United States is sheer snobbery.

Some good advice so far.

Could you tell us your interests to help steer you in the right direction? For example, art museums, theater, birdwatching, spelunking, laying on the beach?

Maybe a general idea of budget too.

26 was my first solo trip too.

Have fun planning and going!

Another place I have been to many times alone and just LOVE is Vancouver. Safe, pretty, clean, friendly people and still a bargain. There is a ton to do outdoors and there is no language issue.

Geez JBHapgood- No one was "insisting" anything or showing their "snobbery", the OP asked for a good desitnation outside the U.S. and people answered. Nothing wrong with that!

suze, do you ever click on a posters name to see what else they have had to say? I do, sometimes, when it is an unfamiliar name or to see if they make a habit of name calling ect.
Try it and see what I mean ((F))

Sure Scarlett, sometimes I do. But that particular comment was so off base I didn't even bother.

suze,
I know :)
Just that sometimes when you see that they are un-registered, it sort of explains their rudeness or whatever.
It seems to happen mostly on this forum, which is really weird.
((F))

Western Canada from Calgary to Vancouver is wonderful, the Republic of Ireland is charming, Bavaria/Austria/Switzerland are stunning and if you can tolerate the long flight, New Zealand and Australia make the most laid back Californian seem positively tense, but for me the safer parts of Africa would be the best destination. Kenya is back on the list of reasonably safe destinations and Botswana has a great reputation (although I have only visited surrounding countries). Even South Africa is becoming safer and you can even stay in Soweto now.

I've travelled solo to Europe multiple times (for work but for fun too) and always had a nice trip. Italy is my favorite--it's such a laidback country with such friendly people, that you don't feel isolated or lonely.

How do people post in here without being registered? On the page it says "Registration Required" right underneath the "post reply" link . . .

I'm a 50ish year old guy who prefers the beach life mixed in with some exciting nitelife. I've loved the 3 trips I've made to Thailand, with 2 of them being on business. Yes, guys head to Thailand for a lot of reasons, but one can also just enjoy the beaches and get "caught up" in the nitelife...safely. Destinations like Bangkok and Phuket are best, in my opinion. If you accept the nitelife as part of the Thai culture and just go with it, you can have a great vacation.

Venice

This will be my fourth trip alone to Venice Italy. I almost always travel alone as I like the freedom to do as I please, but certain cities just seem more solo-friendly. Venice for example has great people, I usually go in winter and just wander the streets at random and talk to shop keepers in out of the way places. I have been invited to dances, restaurant openings, dinner, and coffee and given tours around local neighborhoods by the people I meet. Restaurants seem more suited to dining alone and the appetizer selection at the bars is a favorite of mine for a varied and inexpensive meal. In restaurants I have ended up talking to owners, staff, and other travelers. Perhaps it is the general atmosphere of Venice, no cars, very safe, and so much to explore. That, and you can walk everywhere. True, at times, it would be nice to have that romantic walk in the evening with someone, though I really only missed company when was I at carnivale at night for some of the concerts. The local people I knew (I had met there on previous trips) were all busy with the event and most non-local people had come with their friends in groups. Made me miss my friends but then again that was two nights, and concerts (reggae) are to me a group type event, the rest of the time alone (two weeks) was just fine. It did make it possible for me to take as many pictures I wanted of costumes and wander for hours with no issues with friends wanting to go here or there.

Florence was busy and fast paced, part of it was I went after Venice (almost got run over...after Venice I conveniently forgot about cars...oops) fine for wandering by day, almost impossible to get table at night even with what were supposed to be reservations. The only way I got to eat in anything resembling a timely manner was due to the kindness of others waiting for dinner that allowed my to join them to share a table. Made for a nice evening with locals that way too, but something about Venice has all other cities beat hands down IMHO.

Other cities I have been to solo include, Frankfurt, Vienna, Paris, Geneva, Helsinki, Bologna, and Budapest. Of those Helsinki was also nice solo and Geneva a close second to that.

I have never had a terribly bad travel experience, traveling alone anywhere though I have encountered a few annoying patches as with any travel. ie. Complete rip off cab ride to the airport at 4 am for a 6 am flight in Bologna– airport counter check in wasn’t open yet, but the terminal was, after agreeing on a price for the trip I was extorted by the driver who wouldn’t take the bags out of the car until I paid more, nothing to be done except pay as there was no one around and no visible security...easier than arguing the point ...yuk

Again also a lot of great experiences as well, dinner with other travelers, nice woman on the plane gave me a ride with her and her friend to the place where I was staying from the airport in Vienna when I asked her about the bus, very nice.

Vancouver BC Canada is another city that is nice for solo travel too, very friendly people. Got “adopted” by a group of people while waiting for a table in a bust restaurant, started talking to them , was asked to join them, they even bought dinner ..amazing. Met others during a beer tasting tour. I am still friends with these great people.

I don’t think I would have as much of the local experience or talk to as many new people if I was with someone on these trips. Gives me a chance to be very focused on where I am at the moment.