Is this you: You want to go somewhere – a cruise to Alaska, a week in the French wine country, New York City to see a play, etc. But no one wants to go with you. Not your spouse. Not any of your friends.
So, you talk yourself out of it! (sigh). But, then, you get a flash of courage and out comes "Can I really do this all by myself?"
Gary P Guthrie
Go or let you be lonely?
Solo travel has been on the rise in recent years – and those who go by their lonesome, love it.
That speculation has now officially become a documented, quantitative fact. New research shows that Seniors are driving this trend. More Baby Boomers (58%) and members of the Silent Generation (64%) have traveled solo than those behind us in years [Gen Xers (50%), Millennials (49%) and Zoomers (36%)].
So what's holding the other half back? Safety, cost, fear of being alone.
According to the survey conducted by Talker Research for Road Scholar, the not-for-profit world leader in educational travel for older adults, more than a quarter of Americans find solo travel daunting, if not intimidating.
Among the 2,000 adults surveyed, safety concerns (26%), cost (25%), and fear of being alone (23%) were the top reasons they hadn't tried it yet.
"There's a real stigma about being out in public alone, both from a social anxiety perspective, and for safety reasons," said Maeve Hartney, Chief Program Officer at Road Scholar.
"Those of us who travel solo often take it for granted, but solo travel takes a lot of courage, especially for women and older adults!"
Those who've done it say it's worth it
So what's behind the growing interest? Respondents cited personal growth (33%), learning more about themselves (28%), and developing confidence (28%) as the most appealing aspects of solo travel.
Most (70%) who've done it said they'd do it again — and more than a third of those in relationships said the trip actually made their partnership stronger.
"Whether you're single, widowed, or in a relationship — traveling on your own can be seriously empowering," said Hartney.
"Traveling solo forces you to go out of your comfort zone every day, which can push you beyond the boundaries of what you think you're capable of."
When solo doesn't mean alone
For some, solo travel isn't the first choice — it's the only option. Most (58%) would prefer to travel with others, and one in eight struggle to get anyone on board, citing budget differences (37%) and scheduling conflicts (31%). Added up, the average person misses out on two trips a year entirely because they can't find a travel companion.
The solution, increasingly, is group travel.
Nearly half (49%) of solo travelers are already incorporating some kind of group experience into their trips — and older adults are leading that charge.
"Just because you don't have someone with the same budget or schedule doesn't mean you have to go it alone," said Hartney. "A great solution is to consider group travel, like Road Scholar."
Many of those will tell you that – pound for pound – group travel has some definite advantages.
For example, it might appear less expensive to cobble your trip together using all the different travel platforms (Google Flights, Trivago, etc.), but most people don't factor in the cost of, say, meals and excursions.
Or once you land somewhere, a situation like this: how do you get to your hotel without getting ripped off for the cost of the ride; who do you ask for help when there's a group leader who's at your beckon call?
Group travel might appear to be more expensive, but keep in mind that almost everything you want taken care of is taken care of. Also consider than a group provider usually takes care of things like flights/hotels and can get better rates than you can by yourself.
Tips from those who've traveled solo or with a group
- Write down what you want to accomplish: Are you looking for a break away from things, curious about a certain aspect (like museums), or want to bathe in the culture of a place you've always wanted to go to.
- Do your homework: 1) Search "personal safety in (place)" in Google or ask AI, "I'd like to go to (place) by myself – what pluses and minuses are you aware of?" 2) Watch all the YouTube videos you can about your destination. 3) Go past the pretty photos of the hotel you think would work and look at the reviews of those places in Expedia or Hotels.com. 4) Look for blogs about your dream destination (here's some about Japan) and reach out to the blogger for their thoughts on any particular questions you might have.
- Plan ahead — but not too rigidly: Give yourself at least 3-4 months lead time so you can compare air travel vs. cruise travel, weather (remember it's winter in New Zealand when it's summer in the U.S.), and who's going to take care of things at home while you're gone.
- Start small: If you haven't done a solo trip before, start small like going to California wine country or a little beach town along the Gulf Coast. Get the feel of going solo and see if you think you can handle more of what you liked on your test trip.
Gary P Guthrie
Disclosure: Travel availability, pricing, safety conditions, and itineraries may change. Readers should review program details carefully and consult health and travel professionals before booking.
