The Single's Travel Guide Part I: Going Solo

You're ready to see the world, but you don't have anyone with whom to hit the road? Read on for tips and insights from singles who've gone it alone.

Benefits
Jane Hamel of Irvine, Calif., said, "I'm more open to meeting others when I travel solo. It forces you to look at things around you and makes you be more 'present.'"

Laura House of Severna Park, Md., shared another benefit: "When traveling alone, you can do as you please whenever you choose. Your schedule is your own."

Negatives
Single travel wouldn't be fun for Gloria Gluckman, Shelbyville, Ind. She feels similarly to a New York City woman who said, "Traveling alone can be a very lonely experience."

Thea Volpe of Jersey City, N.J., had to deal with this issue when traveling in Ireland. "I avoided eating in restaurants and found pub eating less lonely and more likely to result in conversation with others."

Many women said they don't like eating alone. One woman was dining alone when a solo man was seated at the next table. She worked up the courage to ask him if he'd like to join her. They had a pleasant visit that evening. "I wasn't offended when he propositioned me with an invitation to his room, but laughed it off, saying I had only intended conversation, not the dessert later."

Another drawback of solo travel can be cost. People staying in rooms by themselves pay almost double what a person sharing a room pays.

Dorothy Craft of Long Island said that since becoming a widow three years ago, she's watching her budget and feels travel is too expensive.

Gail Ulrey of Westminster, Calif., said, "I went on a two-week Oceania cruise in October 2003 from Venice to Barcelona. I went by myself, booking a single room, paying thru the nose." Still, Gail thought her trip was worth the money for the chance to have an adventure.

Tips for Meeting People
Marge Ball, who runs small, intimate tours out of Orange County, Calif., said, "Singles who want to meet people have to take the initiative. This is scary at times. Prior planning with people who have similar interests can ease some of the pain."

Gail Swain of Rosemead, Calif., shared her strategy: "I take late dinner seating and request singles at my table. I attend the dances and other activities geared toward singles, hopefully segregated by age."

"Staying at a B&B is a good way to meet others," said Laura House. "It's more intimate than a large hotel. Meals are taken in a smaller, more shared setting."

Janet Riordan of San Clemente, Calif., said, "Strike up a conversation with the person seated next to you on the plane, train, bus or bar stool, and you'll meet people who know places to visit and things to do."

Single men may have the odds in their favor. "It seems more single women travel than men," said Burl Estes of Mission Viejo, Calif. He recommends that single guys go to Cancun, "where single women go with their friends for vacations and the hope to meet someone," or else that they go on cruises.

Ivory Dorsey of Mableton, Ga., might agree with the latter suggestion: "Single straight men don't travel alone. The cruise lines hire dance partners for single women. Sometimes, a single guy will bring a woman to avoid being alone. This is no help as no one knows she's just a stand-in. I'd like to encourage single men to travel solo. My philosophy is you don't bring sand to the beach!"

Safety Tips
"I hesitate to go out late at night alone, unless on a tour," said one woman from Miami. "When I visited Belize City, Belize, the hotels warned everybody -- not just singles -- about venturing more than a few yards from the hotels at night. It's too dangerous. Be aware of local conditions wherever you travel."

Kate Price of New York City agreed. "In Central America, spend more for well-secured hotels or family-run dwellings. Leave valuables in the U.S. and avoid hiking in isolated areas even with a large group. Attacks still occur on unarmed civilians."

Terese Connolly, Skagway, Ark., travels mainly by car in the United States and through remote parts of Alaska. "I keep my car in excellent condition, carry emergency supplies, keep gas topped off, never under half [a tank] ... If I'm ever in an area that seems scary, I stop at McDonald's or the like to use a restroom, especially in the evenings."

Another single from Pittsburgh, Pa., advised, "Use common sense. Don't get too familiar with anyone until you know them well. Trust your instincts and hope for the best."

Additional advice from Kathy Boyd of Las Vegas: "Always be aware of your surroundings. Get familiar with [them] and look like you know where you're going."

Also, don't walk around reading a map. It's a dead giveaway that you're a naïve tourist.

Solo Travel Ideas
After volunteering for a month as a nurse in Nepal, Brenda Hill of Decatur, Ark., suggests that giving back can be a great getaway. "I met people from all over the world who were teaching English. By volunteering, you have more opportunity to meet the people and the group looks out for you. You can also stay longer and cheaper."

A North Carolina woman had a great time traveling by herself in Italy for two weeks. She used Sienaas a base and drove everywhere. "I imagined driving in Rome as being at the starting gate in a horse race, but it was wonderful."

"I've been widowed five months and am going on a cattle drive in Montana by myself in September," says a woman from Spokane, Wash. The possibilities are indeed endless!

Tom Blake is a syndicated newspaper columnistin southern California and the author of three books ondating and relationships for the ThirdAge generation.