If you’ve been thinking about taking your first solo trip, let me be the encourage you to try it! In my opinion, there’s nothing quite like the freedom of traveling completely on your own schedule, in your own way, without compromise. But I’d also be doing you a disservice if I didn’t mention that solo travel comes with its own unique set of challenges… ones that took me an embarrassing number of trips and more than a few cringe moments to figure out. These are the solo travel mistakes I’ve made firsthand, across destinations like Austria, Vietnam, and Peru, and they’re the ones I wish someone had sat me down and explained before I ever booked my first flight! Consider this me doing exactly that:

Booking Flights Separately

One of the biggest logistical travel mistakes I made was booking two separate flights on two different airlines for my first solo trip to Austria. Thinking I was being clever and saving money, I first booked a flight via United to London, and then via British Airways to Vienna.

Spoiler alert for me: if one flight is delayed (and they often are), you’re completely on your own. Separate tickets aren’t protected like connecting flights are. While I did end up making my flight, it was only because I had to sprint through an unfamiliar airport, praying I wouldn’t miss my next leg, with no airline willing to help if I didn’t make it. Lesson learned! Book flights together for peace of mind.

What I Wish I Knew:

If you do need to booking flights separately due to money, flight availability, or other reasons, try to give yourself at least 3 hours between them, especially while traveling internationally. That may not always protect you from missed connections, but it can help. Otherwise, consider paying a little extra for one single itinerary so the airlines are responsible for rebooking you if anything goes wrong.

Not Researching Local Holidays

I’ll be the first to admit that this one was partly my own fault. I was traveling around Peru over Christmas and I knew going in that I’d run into closures on Christmas Eve and Christmas Day. So I did my homework. I mapped out a plan for both days and even found a museum that would be open on the 24th, partly because I wanted something to do, and partly because I was a little nervous about how it would feel to be alone on a holiday I’d normally spend with my family. My goal was to keep myself busy.

The museum was fantastic, but by lunchtime I was done, so I headed over to Miraflores thinking I’d spend the afternoon wandering. I’d pop in and out of shops, let a few conversations happen organically, and just loosely wander. What I found was a neighborhood that had already shut down for the day. Not “closes early for the holiday” shut down, but completely, gates-pulled, nobody-around shut down. In Peru, Christmas Eve is a much bigger deal than Christmas day, and it turns out the whole country takes that seriously!

So, after walking around Parque de Amor (an open-air public park facing the ocean that didn’t have the same closures as the shops), I went back to my hotel room, ordered some indulgent room service, a bottle of wine, and watched TV. It wasn’t the worst evening, but it did end up being a little lonely, and with a bit more research, it didn’t have to be.

What I Wish I Knew:

Before any international trip, I’d spend ten minutes researching whether your dates overlap with local public holidays, and more importantly, how that country celebrates. Some countries treat the day before a major holiday as the bigger occasion. Others might shut down for multiple days around it. A quick search for “[destination] + [holiday] + what’s open” can save you time and unexpected surprises.

Trying to See Everything

When I first visited Portugal, I remember I had mapped out a route from Lisbon up to Porto with a handful of smaller towns in between. My drive was spread out over a few short days and jam-packed with activities and all the best sites! On paper, it was perfect, and maybe even a little generous with travel time between everything, so I wouldn’t feel rushed.

It looked quite reasonable, but in practice, and especially as a solo female traveler, it had me running on fumes. And that’s because I hadn’t even considered that I couldn’t ever be a “passenger princess”. I had to be fully alert at all times behind the wheel because there wasn’t anyone to take over when I got tired. And when I wasn’t driving? I still couldn’t fully switch off. As a woman traveling alone, you still have to maintain a certain baseline level of awareness for your own safety. It’s an unfortunate reality of the world we live in, and that meant my trip logistics stacked up a lot faster against my energy than I’d anticipated!

In fact, I was so exhausted that I barely even made it through dinner during my first night in Porto! And I spent the entire next afternoon in bed, working my way through a bag of pastel de nata that I had Uber Eats bring to my hotel after a slow morning of exploring. Which, of course, sounds kind of lovely in retrospect. But I’d had real plans for that afternoon that I ended up blowing off, and Porto deserved better than a half-present, exhausted version of me.

What I Wish I Knew:

A slower itinerary isn’t necessarily a wasted one. If you’re traveling solo, I’d skip trying to “see it all” and instead focus your time on prioritizing one or two meaningful experiences. And if you’re thinking about visiting more than one city or taking a trip where you’ll be switching hotels, this advice is even more important! Moving between places can be especially taxing when you’re the one driving, navigating, and staying alert the whole time.

Secret Tip:

Consider giving yourself at least one afternoon per city/hotel with nothing on the schedule. Don’t put in a backup plan or an “if I have time” option, but actual, protected free time. You’ll either use it to rest without guilt, or you’ll still feel good enough to explore spontaneously and leave room for some magical travel moments! Both of which are wins.

Not “Unlocking” My Phone’s SIM Capabilities Before Leaving

By the time I landed for my solo trip in Vietnam, I felt like a solo travel pro. I’d visited plenty of countries before without any major issues, and only once had I ever run into a minor snag with my carrier’s international plan. So when my trip research said I should expect some spotty reception around Vietnam, I figured I’d simply grab a local SIM or eSIM when I arrived in Hanoi. Piece of cake, right?

Wrong.

When I stopped by one of the SIM card kiosks inside the Noi Bai Airport arrivals hall, I embarrassingly found out that my phone was “carrier-locked“, meaning it couldn’t accept a new SIM or eSIM from a different provider. No matter what I tried, it wasn’t going to work until my carrier back home manually unlocked it. And guess what? In order to have the carrier unlock your phone, you have to actually talk to them (fairly difficult to do when you’re half way around the world without phone service in the first place).

What I Wish I Knew:

If your phone’s carrier-locked, it’s restricted to using only your current carrier’s network so you won’t allow you to install or activate SIM cards from local providers. Before any international trip (especially if you’re planning to buy a local SIM or eSIM), call your carrier at home and make sure your phone is fully network unlocked. Some carriers will do it instantly; others can take a few days and/or require you to pay off your phone in full first, so don’t leave this to the last minute.

Oversharing Real Time Locations on Social Media

This one’s another mistake I made on my solo Austria trip, and one I only realized I had made after the fact. I was posting Instagram Stories with location tags at famous landmarks and recognizable places throughout the trip. And while I knew better than to tell strangers where I was staying if they asked (a golden solo travel safety rule for a reason), I hadn’t yet connected the dots that posting my location in real time was essentially doing the same thing. Anyone following along could piece together exactly where I was, when I was there, and where I’d probably be heading next.

Thankfully, nothing ever came of it, but realizing what I had been doing changed how I share forever. Today, I prioritize safety by keeping my posts strictly post-trip. So if you’re seeing something from one of my travels, it means I’ve already left.

What I Wish I Knew:

Knowing not to share your hotel name with strangers is good instinct. But real-time location sharing on social media is a version of the same risk that’s easy to overlook. A location tag at a famous landmark tells people not just where you are, but that you’re there alone, right now. Those are details worth protecting.

Secret Tip:

I highly recommend waiting until you’ve left a location, or better yet, until you’re home, to post anything online. It’s one of the best things I’ve done for my travel experience overall. Not only have I found it to be a safer solo travel practice, but without the pressure of captioning something or checking comments live, I can actually be much more present on my trips! The posts still get made, of course, just from the comfort of my sofa, with a side of chocolate, and an episode of Gilmore Girls in the background.

Skipping Travel Insurance

I’ll keep this one short because I already have a whole blog post about it, but the summary’s this: I broke my wrist on day two of a two week solo trip to Vietnam and didn’t have any travel insurance. Luckily, medical costs in Vietnam are quite low compared to back home and I was able to get a hold of my normal doctor, who determined I didn’t need surgery and could continue my trip. So, even though the rest of the trip had its physical challenges, I was still able to manage without a major financial snafu. But had I actually needed surgery or an emergency flight home? Or if I had broken a leg instead of my wrist? That would have had a very different story, one I’m not sure I would have been able to complete solo or without some assurances.

What I Wish I Knew:

Travel insurance feels like an unnecessary expense right up until the moment it isn’t. And by then, it’s much too late. Outside of my own injury abroad, I’ve met a few other travelers who’ve had similar, if not worse, predicaments that have ended up costing them so much more. And every single one of those same travelers never goes anywhere without insurance now.

Basic insurance policies typically cover the kinds of scenarios that can turn a dream trip into a financial nightmare and because it’s such a small, but important line item in the grand scheme of things, travel insurance really is a smart investment.

Secret Tip:

Don’t just buy the cheapest policy you can find. Read what’s actually covered. Some plans exclude adventure activities, pre-existing conditions, or specific regions. Customize your needs to your trip.

Expecting To Be Fearless Immediately

By the time I took my second solo trip to Rome, I figured that I’d already done the hard part. I’d traveled alone to Europe before, so I knew what to expect, right? The solo trip nerves I had once had were a one-time thing I’d already moved past…. right?! Wrong… again.

I barely slept my first night in Rome. I tossed and turned all night, running through every worry that I thought I’d outgrown. What if I got pickpocketed? What if I looked exactly like the “clueless American tourist” I was terrified of being? What if I just… stuck out, completely alone in a city I didn’t know? And of course, knowing how much I was worrying about something I’d already done before made it all the more worse.

But what finally got me up and out the door the next morning was a pre-paid ticket to the Roman Forum. I had somewhere to be, a time to be there, and money already spent. So in other words, I had a set goal. And I’d be damned if I’d let a bit of anxiety get between me and a good plan. The decision had basically been made for me before my nerves even had a chance to take over. And once I was out the door and moving, my anxiety melted away. Plus, the next night? I slept like a baby.

What I Wish I Knew:

First-day nerves don’t mean solo travel isn’t for you, and they don’t always go away just because you’ve done it before. Give yourself a soft landing: book at least one thing in advance for your first morning so you have a good reason to walk out the door before doubt or fear talks you out of it.

Secret Tip:

Pre-paid tickets are one of my favorite travel tricks, if you’d call them that! They can help you skip lines, save money, and are quite nice for any anxiety-ridden solo travel mornings. Take it from me, a little planning from a braver version of yourself goes a long way!