In another thread, I mentioned that women seem to prefer to travel alone than men. It was mentioned that men seem to enjoy more single-focused, goal-oriented pursuits. So, here is my question:

If you plan a trip alone, what do you like to do? State whether you are a man or a woman. Tell what type of activities or sights you like and what ones you don't.

I am a woman, but I hate to shop. With that said, I will sometimes stop in an unusual shop if the shop show cases craftmanship.

I don't particularly like anything to do with war, but was in awe of Les Invalides.

I don't like sandy beaches but, I do like a rocky cliff overlooking the ocean.

I love art museums. Scenery. Cows. I love to drive. I love to fly. I love boats. Gardens. Whales. I love large cities and quaint towns. The theater. I love France specifically, Europe in general. Wine. Native Americans. Secluded cabins in the forest. I love parks with large shade trees and a book in my hands. I love anything on a menu that I have never tried before. I like the adventure of not being fluent in the language. I photograph everything, but save only the best.

Now your turn...

What a great topic! OK, here goes. I am a woman.

I love music, so I try to fit that into my schedule. Canada is great with all the folk festivals, I can fit one in a weekend and then spend the rest of my trip doing other things. Ottawa Folk Festival is my favorite - over 40 hours of non-stop varied music. I usually spend $100-$200 on new CDs when I go. If no festival is available, I'll find a local small venue and make an evening of it.

I love photography, so I work in scenic photo ops. Water is a favorite (love Niagara Falls) subject. I will also visit gardens for flowers and insect shots, and wildlife/nature areas for the critters. If there is a tower or overlook, I'll be there with camera in hand. Those are usually my "serious photography" moments; I add in the usual travel snapshots that only have meaning for me. Last year, I took 5000 photos over 3 weeks - I never throw any away, even the photo of nothing (the deer took off, etc.) because it brings back the memory and a smile even 10 years later. I also find that people will stop to talk to me a lot more when I'm taking photos - some will even point out interesting subjects for me. Last year, I had a father ask me to take a photo of his son as he forgot to pack the camera and his wife was not happy. I took his email and sent it to him when I got back home.

I add in a couple "must-see tourist" items - usually a boat tour if there is water around - and some museums. I also plan shopping time that ranges from local malls, basic tourist traps, and off-the-beaten-trail small town shops.

I always rent a car so I can go whenever I want. I have no problem spending 6+ hours driving from one location to another, and I will often stop mid-trip to take photos. I find the drive to be soothing and restorative. I usually make my base camp in a large town/city and then take day trips to the smaller towns surrounding it.

I keep my food simple, but will "splurge" once or twice in each place.

I tend to pick 3-4 areas for each trip (once a year). Next year is Ottawa, Toronto, Niagara Falls and Montreal. If I like a place a lot and/or I felt I didn't see enough of it, I'll put it on my schedule for the next trip. I've been doing Ontario for the past few years (so big, so much to see), and Ottawa has been on the schedule each year. Once I've had my fill of Ontario, I'll move on to another region/country. Nova Scotia, Alberta, England, Wales and Scotland are on the top of that list (all part of my heritage).

I would NEVER do a cruise for vacation. I can't stand the thought of being trapped on a boat with so many people. I'm not anti-social, but I need get-away time. I have done "beach" vacations, but don't really like them. I usually end up searching out local areas where the tourists don't go and hiding out. I like places where 90 degrees is a heatwave and that gets summer storms.

First things first: I'm single, female and hail from tropical Asia.

The last part plays an important role in my choice of travel destination. I like cooler temperatures; my recent trip to Sweden when the temperatures hit 28-Celsius made me yearn for home ;-).

What I love: The outdoors -- hiking for miles, staying in mountain huts (the more rustic the better) for days, floating around a lake, drifting down a stream. National parks (anywhere in the world). Museums: especially those on natural history (dinosaurs, yes, yes!), decorative arts and paintings (not crazy about modern art/abstract). Botanical gardens/parks. Cobble-stoned streets and no-car zones. Soup/hot pies/muffins from local eateries. Markets to buy fruits and watch the locals. Street cafes to relax and enjoy the surroundings. Old towns especially UNESCO Heritage sites. Archaeological sites.

What I don't like: Shopping (souvenir shopping for friends/siblings is usually limited to museum shops or something that I happen to see on the way). Big malls. Big crowds. Theme parks (visit Disneyland once and you visit them all). Holocaust memorials (visited two; depressed for days on end and still teary whenever I think of the pictures and the stories).

i'm a single woman who hails from nyc.

since i work in a very busy office and live in a very crowded city, i tend to go to places that are off the beaten path and filled with adventure e.g. white water rafting, trekking, hiking. if they do not speak english, the better the trip.

i also prefer large cities which have a great deal of culture esp. museums, concerts, etc. and anything with natural beauty e.g. national parks, mountains & lakes, not so much beaches. photography is a love of mine and so is seeing animals out in the wild so i will go farther just to see a penguin or a polar bear.

i love wine & food but will eat food off the street since i am too busy to sit down and eat. i will stop by a liquor store and chat with the owner about the wines from that region.

historical and archaelogical sites are another area that i love to travel to.

the best part of the trip for me is to meet and talk to the local people.

i usually do not like to go to other places where there are a lot of americans or easy trips like cruising. my philosophy is that if you did not struggle to get there, it wasn't worth going.

Single male here, divorced for the past 6-7 years. Had fun traveling with my former-beloved when married, but LOVE btraveling solo now.

Cities are a particular favorite for me, but I've also fallen head over heels lately for safaris.

The freedom of solo travel is fantastic. Changing plans doesn't entail a series of discussions and meetings, and no one is put off if I feel like sleeping late or keeping the light on until 2am.

I'm not sure whether it's a gender thing, or whether it more of a lone-wolf thing.

Rizzuto - I don't think it's gender, I think it's people who are comfortable on their own. In order to enjoy travelling alone, you have to like yourself. I think too many people are trying to get away from themselves and therefore can't handle the thought of having only themselves as companionship.

Of course, it may have something to do with being warped.

Single female who likes traveling solo. I actually prefer to go with a good friend, but am fine alone if no one I'm close to has the time or inclination.

I like major cities in Europe or a funky beach town in Mexico or Hawaii. I enjoy walking, poking around any place local (post office, grocery store, laundry matts are always favorites), laying in the sun by a pool, and drinking in bars.

Don't usually care for museums, don't like tours, don't like shopping, don't like being alone out in the countryside.

LOVE any local festival (wine fetes, church bazaars, fundraising BBQs, free outdoor music, school pagents).

Female, split my time between San Francisco and the Rockies. I like lots of different things when I travel; new places and old favorites. I love to revisit cities like London, Paris, Rome and Amsterdam, but exploring out of the way villages and new countries is always exciting. I am not a shopper but I can enjoy novel shops with local specialties. I most love being able to rent a bike and exploring the area or trying a new adventure by bike. I usually poke around in one or two museums per trip. I can also sit in a cafe and watch people for a whole afternoon.

Married male here. I love to travel either solo or ensemble, but since I have more flexibility and can tolerate longer flights more often, I do some trips on my own each year. (I actually enjoy the experience of flying.)

My favorite city is Paris, but I've also done London, Hong Kong, Bangkok, Lisbon and various destinations in North America on my own (particularly in Canada). I like outdoor markets; the bigger and more diverse, the better. I'm not necessarily a shopper, but I will buy things if they are especially nice, especially well-priced or unique -- and I know who someone who would appreciate them. Hole in the wall street cafes/bistros are nice and I like to establish a "headquarters" in a locale (people notice when you come back.) I walk for miles, taking pictures as they occur to me. (When I get something especially good, I will sometimes have it framed.) I enjoy observing people in various environments and I make it a point to use public transportation. I almost never go to museums on my own, but I will go with others if it is important to them. I enjoy the stimulation and constant motion of cities.

I'm a single female who loves traveling solo but also with friends. One dream I have is traveling with a significant someone one day. Ah well, don't we all?

My favorite city for a solo visit is London, hands down. I always feel welcome there, am never lonely and the city is a paradise for culture vultures like me. In London and other wonderful cities like Rome, I love walking through museums, city streets, visiting wonderful old churches, sampling local foods, attending concerts, and experiencing off-beat tours such as ghost walks and other ecclectic experiences. I do like shopping although I probably don't do as much of it as many others and tend to be selective about what I buy. Apart from concerts and theater, I'm not big on nightlife and prefer relaxing most nights at my hotel or B&B, nice cuppa and local treat in hand.

I do love the outdoors as well and hope to take future vacations focusing more on scenic wonders - maybe camping or hiking adventure as long as I can manage without risking life and limb. That said, I have never been one for cruises or trips where you just sprawl out and bake on a beach. Give me the ocean and I'll most likely be in it.

In the near future, I hope to explore more of the U.S. and maybe spend some time touring the Grand Canyon and cities I've never seen such as Chicago and maybe even Vegas although I have no interest in gambling. I wouldn't mind seeing all the touristy places in LA and Hollywood again either, especially after 37 years!

I have a nice digital camera which I take with me on every trip. Each time I look at my pics, it brings back happy memories for me and something unique and fun to share with friends and family.

Travel is one of life's greatest pleasures!

Single male. I travel solo because I don't have anyone to travel with and I'm not going to NOT go, so I go solo. I don't have any kids, except my two dogs, so I don't have to make big plans for dealing with them while I'm away.

Just got back from my most significant solo trip, 11 days in London and Paris. Like London, bordering on loving Paris.

Trying to relax after getting back, but I'm already itching to plan my trip for next year to Hong Kong and Tokyo or other points East... or is it West? Damned "Lost in Translation."

My favorite solo place is Monterey, California. I was stationed there when I was in the Army. Have been there twice in the last 2 years and I'm thinking about going one more time this year. It's my battery recharge location. Quiet, calm and peaceful. No major things to see or places to go. Good wine and sea air. Perfect.

I've also been to Chicago and Omaha( to see family ) this year. One more short trip this year, Monterey, Montreal or NYC?? I guess I could go see family. Nah.

I like most of the "culture" things. Museums, music and theater. Saw the musical "Wicked," the Louvre, Orsay and Tate Modern in my latest trip. Wanted to get to Ronnie Scott's jazz club in London, but the timing didn't work out. Denver's art museum is about to reopen after a big addition and I'm looking forward to that. Big fan of movies, but don't need to travel to do that, though seeing a movie in a new city can be fun. Movies with interesting locales always make me want to travel. I'm thinking of doing a "Sideways" winery tour.

Not really big on outdoorsy activities. Hard to imagine from someone living in Colorado. Don't like really hot or really cold.

Nights in London were spent in pubs and in Paris, writing or in the hotel bar. I like trying new food but I'm no foodie.

I loved walking and walking and walking this trip. I love just sitting by the ocean in Monterey. Went to NYC a couple years ago and twice to Chicago in the last couple. Loved the big city "vibe" and more walking.

After being in Paris, I'm even more convinced that I should learn French. Especially if I plan to return to Montreal. I have a fondness for Canada. How can you not like beer and poutine? I dare you not to. Lots of trips to Ottawa when I was dating a girl from there. You wouldn't know her!

No cruises for me either. Maybe around Greece, but no where else. A 10 hour plane flight was hard enough, when we landed I just wanted to get away from everyone. I can't imagine days and days of not being able to get away.

Hello All,
Just want to throw in my 2cents.
I love, love, love to travel. I especially love to travel solo. Will be going on a 16 day transatlantic crossing from Rome to FLL next week.
To those who don't cruise, to each his own. I think cruising is the best way to see various islands and countries without doing an expensive fly in, standing in the security line at the airport for hours,packing, unpacking, figuring out where and what to eat, etc. I have done fly in's to various countries and islands. London, Paris, South Africa, Venezuela, Trinidad, Jamaica, St. Lucia, Canada, and all over the U.S., but for me cruising is the BEST. I have traveled with girl friends, boyfriends, my husband when I was married, my daughter and my grandchildren. Even been to Disney World with the grands when I turned fifty. But my spirit get totally free when I travel alone. Going solo brings an excitement to my life that nothing on earth can touch. Meeting people from other countries and cultures is the most exuberant thing I can imagine. And I always meet the nicest people. Never had a bad experience, never.
I usually visit the museums and any historical attractions that city might claim. I don't like shopping, so I don't spend much money on stuff I won't have use for. But I do take lots and lots of pictures and film. I go to jazz festivals in other countries like I would go shopping at the grocery store. I love wine, so I will taste the wines from other countries that I visit. I love gardening so I will visit the arboretum of a particular city. I'm pretty particular about my food, so if I don't recognize it, or can't pronounce it and if it don't smell right, I don't eat it. But I ain't mad at anyone that does like to try the cuisine of different cultures. I am not into camping or hiking the hills of North Dakota, but I love the scenery of such places. When I travel to foreign countries, I love to be driven around so I don't rent cars. Seen too many accidents from people who don't know which side of the road to drive on in a foreign country, so I prefer the passenger seat. Plus it gives me the opportunity to take pictures of the people and the scenery.
Places on my list to fly into:
Amsterdam
Australia
South America
Greece
Rome on November 3, 2006
Costa Rica
Honduras
just to name a few
Places on my list to cruise to:
Alaska
Asia
finish visiting caribbean islands I haven't visited yet
World cruise
and I won't stop there... will travel till I die.

Trvlnlite
Happy trails all.

Travlnlite- welcome to Fodors!

Welcome Trvlnlite!

What a great outlook on traveling - solo or otherwise.

Married female. Enjoy traveling alone, going to the movies alone, or dining alone. Seems like I've spent most of my life raising my 4 children or growing up in a large family, so those alone times are most cherished. However, I do love traveling with my husband.

I really admire all of you solo travelers. I think the "starting" can be tough. But for me, once I got going, I realized what a joy it can be.

It's much easier to learn to travel solo, when you're single in the first place -LOL!

Suze - that is sooo true. Most of the people I know who are most shocked at my traveling alone are those that have never been alone. They went from parents home to home with husband & kids. They've never spent a night alone in all those years and are frozen with fear at the thought even in their own home.

Hello All,

I'm female, mid 50s, and do tours and cruises solo (Europe, Asia, rivercruise in Russia) and usually tack on a few days pretrip in whatever city/country I happen to be in.

On my short trips (7 nights) I love to cruise. For me there is nothing like being on the top decks 'with the sea'.
I even enjoy the motion of the ocean. I've cruised 50 year old ships (kind of like being in a Cary Grant movie) and the big 'monster ships'. This is also a great way for me to visit family (I'm originally from NY) and then have some solo vacation time.

Trvlnlites, I'd love to hear more about your TA. I've always wondered if I'd enjoy a TA because of all the sea days in a row. I've never cruised with more than 2 sea days together.

Toedtoes, Sometimes on my tours and cruises I meet women who are alone and travelling for the first time at 50+.

On each trip a few women tell me how 'brave' I am to travel alone. I almost laugh--I am not landing in South Africa and 'winging it'--most of my trips solo have been cruises out of NY, LA, or Vancouver, land trips in the USA with Elderhostel, and Europe or Asia trips with a tour group.

I've enjoyed reading this thread.

Faith

Female.

I'm not a shopper either but I love to window shop and people watch in markets and malls. I don't like the stress of feeling like I must buy souvenirs (either for myself or others) but if I can meander through markets and shops, then I'm happy. Grocery stores are particularly fascinating because they are SO different than those that are in the US.

I'm also a big music fanatic so I make a beeline for any music-related store. I have musical instruments and CDs from all over the world. These, in my opinion, make the best souvenirs because I can enjoy them over and over.

I also love silver jewels. They don't have to be expensive. Just unique. And, it makes for a fun outting if I can browse local shops for unique rings or earrings.

Woman, mid-30's, with cute dog that BF takes care of when I'm gone. Finally making a salary after decades of education.

Traveled alone first time last winter after BF's business trip was cancelled -- research from this board made it feel much less intimidating and I now plan on doing this at least once a year.

Solo: large cities, history, museums, libraries, theater, music, great picnic-type food, shoes and coat shopping, public transportation and tons of walking.

With friends/BF: fishing, beaches, snorkeling, snowboarding, rustic villas and smaller towns (in addition to large cities), insanely indulgent 12+ course tasting menus, less shopping, cabs and rental cars, less walking.

I didn't realize how different my activities are... My solo travel is definitely more urban and cerebral, while traveling with friends and BF can take me to more remote locations with organized phyical activity. HUGE difference in manner of eating since I would never do a degustation menu or even a nice restaurant alone.