Solo Travel : Seven Compelling Reasons Why You Need To Travel Alone

Traveling has been great therapy for me since becoming a widow and to solo travel is icing on the cake!    Going on trips with my fiance, Jeremy, or my son, Harley, and even with my sisters is great and I love it.  However, to solo travel is like turning off a loud radio you’ve been listening to all day long, the sudden silence instantly brings peace to your entire being.

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 Solo travel has many benefits.  Here are seven compelling reasons why you need to travel alone.

• You can hear yourself think
• No waiting for someone else
• You’re free to do whatever YOU want to do.
• You’ll find you’re braver to try new things without worrying someone will judge you.
• Meeting new people you wouldn’t otherwise meet if you’re traveling with family or friends.
• Stress-free.  You don’t have to hear others in your party bicker or them bickering with you.
• It’s a time nobody’s watching and you’re free to unleash whatever emotions you’ve got bottled up inside.  For me, it’s a time to release the pressure built up inside a portion of my heart that still grieves for my loss.   I feel free to cry as much as I want to.  However, this last solo trip I took, I was having such a great time that I hardly ever cried.  That tells me I’m truly healing.

I could go on and on but I’m feeling a little selfish right now…LOL…I will always choose traveling with my loved ones but since discovering solo travel, I’ll make sure to go on one solo trip a year.  It’s truly regenerating to my soul.

Where to stay

Renting a room from Airbnb is a great way to stay in nice places and save money at the same time.   You can also rent entire homes with them but I like the idea of just renting a room and having the amenities of a home with a full kitchen and living area spaces.  It’s cheaper than staying at a hotel plus you’re alone but not totally.   Your host is around if you want company.   I’ve stayed in some pretty nice houses and for a few days I was living the life!

My first solo trip: Huntington Beach, California

The first time I went on a solo trip I stayed in Huntington Beach in California, that was September 2016.  This house was in a ritzy gated community a block away from the beach.   I had a wonderful host, Lisa, who I still keep in contact with on Facebook. 🙂

I mostly winged my activities as this was my first time to traveling alone.   In the mornings I would have my coffee and check out Facebook then venture out for a bit of shopping and get food for the day.   Afternoons were for naps, sitting out on the patio with a glass of wine and a good book.    Nothing major, just relaxing.

One day I did get brave and tried Stand-up Paddle Boarding.  It was so much fun!   I got a guy on his boat to take my picture with his phone and which he later sent to me via text 🙂

Second solo trip : Orange County, California

The second time I went on a solo trip was a few months ago, April 2017.   In the past I have rented a whole house in Newport Beach half a block away from the beach but this time I wanted to be ocean front.  This beach cottage fit the bill.   It was pretty awesome being right there at the boardwalk and having the ocean right in front of you.  Two afternoons while I was just chillaxing with a glass of wine, I saw some whales out in the distance blowing their blow holes.  Of course, as soon as I go to take a picture, they’re gone!

This is Jake. My hosts dog. He was so sweet. He stayed right by me and kept me warm.

What to do and how to plan your day

On this trip I didn’t want to waste my days by just winging my activities so I planned ahead.    Pinterest is a great source for activities for wherever you’re going to.  Check out my Travel Board and follow me 🙂

I made a list of the things I wanted to see and do but didn’t make a schedule to do it all.  For me, having to adhere to a schedule is taking away some freedom of being on vacation.
Driving from Tucson I stopped to gas up in Gila Bend.  This is my favorite stop as they have some pretty colorful metal art and pottery for sale.

When I arrived at Newport Beach, California, I was starving!   One of my favorite places to eat there is at the Rockin Baja Lobster Coastal Cantina.    To me, their food is amazing!

With five days and four nights to explore ahead of me, I made sure to include these wonderful sights and experiences:

CRYSTAL COVE

LAGUNA BEACH SHOPPING

Quest for Delicious Desserts

FINDING VICTORIA BEACH & RAPUNZEL’S TOWER

WHALE WATCHING

I had such a great time on this solo trip.  It was stress free and thrilling to know I was able to see and do all the things I wanted on my own and had a great time.

I have so many pictures and wonderful experiences on this trip that each activity and location deserves it’s own post so click on each link and enjoy!

Do you need time to relax, unwind and have time for yourself?  Are you brave enough to go on your own?  It’ll be one of the best things you can do to for yourself.   Solo travel truly regenerates the soul!

If you click on this link for AirBnB  you’ll automatically receive a credit towards your first reservation and I’ll receive a $20 credit when you complete your travel for my next trip.  It’s  win, win for both of us 😀

Check out my other travel stops and fun adventures on this solo trip:

Finding Victoria Beach Tower In Laguna Beach, California

In Search of Delicious Desserts in Orange County

Exploring Crystal Cove State Park

Shopping In Laguna Beach, Orange County, California

Whale Watching in Newport Beach

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