How to plan your first solo trip
Plan a first solo trip by choosing a place that is easy to get around and has good reviews from solo travelers, booking the first night's stay before you go and arriving in daylight, and sharing your itinerary with a friend at home. Check your government's travel advisory, save copies of your documents, learn the local emergency number, and plan one or two activities where you will meet people.
Why it matters: It is on nearly every list, and preparation is what makes it enjoyable.
Steps
- Choose a destination with good transit and positive reviews from solo travelers.
- Check your government's travel advisory and entry rules for the destination.
- Book the first night's stay in a well reviewed place in a central area, and plan to arrive in daylight.
- Share your itinerary and accommodation details with a friend, and agree a check-in rhythm.
- Photograph your passport, cards and insurance, and store copies securely online and on paper.
- Save the local emergency number and the address of your country's nearest embassy.
- Book one or two group activities, such as a walking tour or a cooking class.
- Keep a small amount of local cash and two cards stored separately.
Stop and call a professional if
- you feel unsafe or are in an emergency abroad: call the local emergency number, then your country's embassy or consulate
Common mistakes
- Arriving late at night with no booking.
- Telling strangers you are traveling alone or where you are staying.
- Overplanning every hour and leaving no room for rest.
Teach this to someone
A one page sheet for showing a friend, a teenager or a parent: what to say, what to show, and one question to check it landed.
Teach: How to plan your first solo trip
What to say
Plan a first solo trip by choosing a place that is easy to get around and has good reviews from solo travelers, booking the first night's stay before you go and arriving in daylight, and sharing your itinerary with a friend at home. Check your government's travel advisory, save copies of your documents, learn the local emergency number, and plan one or two activities where you will meet people.
What to show
- Choose a destination with good transit and positive reviews from solo travelers.
- Check your government's travel advisory and entry rules for the destination.
- Book the first night's stay in a well reviewed place in a central area, and plan to arrive in daylight.
- Share your itinerary and accommodation details with a friend, and agree a check-in rhythm.
- Photograph your passport, cards and insurance, and store copies securely online and on paper.
- Save the local emergency number and the address of your country's nearest embassy.
- Book one or two group activities, such as a walking tour or a cooking class.
- Keep a small amount of local cash and two cards stored separately.
Where it stops
Stop and call a professional if you feel unsafe or are in an emergency abroad: call the local emergency number, then your country's embassy or consulate.
Check question
When should you arrive somewhere new?
Answer: In daylight, with the first night booked. Daylight arrival with a booking removes the riskiest hours.
Your checklist
Saved only in this browser.
Quick quiz
Three questions. Your score is saved only in this browser.
Related skills
Sources
- US federal guidance for citizens traveling abroad, 2026. Reviewed September 28, 2026.
Written in our own words from the sources above. It is general information, not advice for your situation; where a professional, your doctor or your lease says something different, follow them.
Last reviewed . First published .