Have you been considering a solo road trip but don’t know if it’s a good idea? Take my advice: it is! Do it! Go for it! The world is your oyster! This post is part of my Mindsetting series and will help you decide whether or not you’re ready to go on your own solo road trip, including 10 reasons everyone should go on a solo road trip!

 

1. Solo road trips open up a whole world (or at least continent) of possibilities in terms of places to travel.

When you’re trying to plan a road trip with other people, you (obviously) have to take their travel wishes and needs into consideration. But when you’re the only one who has to decide where to travel, the possibilities are endless. Go wherever the road takes you!

2. Solo road trips help you build confidence.

Too often, we tell ourselves we can’t do something, when really what we mean is we’re scared. Hitting the road by yourself forces you to deal with whatever happens yourself. I find that the more I handle on my own, the more I think I can handle on my own, so going on solo road trips helps me be much more confident in my own abilities,

3. Solo road trips force you to discover what you actually want.

If you don’t have strong feelings about what you want to do at any given time (or you don’t know what your feelings are), it’s way too easy to just let other people call the shots. But when you’re on the road by yourself, there is no one else to call the shots–so you have to make a decision. Once you’re forced to make decisions about what you’re going to do alone, you start to realize what you actually enjoy and want.

For example, on my trip to Pedernales Falls last month, I realized for the first time that I don’t actually enjoy staying at the same camping site for two nights in a row. I crave variety when I’m on the road, and I never would have realized it if I hadn’t had the option of moving on after just one night at the camp site.

4. Solo road trips put you in charge of the budget

On the one hand, traveling with other people cuts down on your expenses–it’s half the price for accomodations, half the price for gas, etc. But too often, I’ve traveled with other people and found myself feeling guilty about things I wanted to do because it would cause them to spend money on something they don’t necessarily want to. Or sometimes other people want to do things that I don’t want to do. (One time, I was driving from Houston to Denver with a friend who insisted at eating at really nice restaurants every night. I hadn’t anticipated spending $60 a plate on the road, and it blew my budget apart.)

But when I travel alone, even if I’m spending more on gas, I get to decide what to spend money on. I don’t spend money on fancy restaurants because that’s not important to me–but I do splurge on trying paddle board yoga for the first time. I am in charge of my own budget, and it’s great.

5. Solo road trips create the memories YOU want to have.

Have you ever gone on a vacation, then looked back and thought meh? I certainly have. Similar to the budget, solo road trips allow you to do exactly what you want to do so you can build the exact memories you’re going to want to look back on. I tend to jam-pack my trips full of experiences because that’s what I want to do and that’s what I want to remember. If someone else were traveling with me, they might want to take it easier on the road–and then I wouldn’t get to have the exact memories I want to have.

6. Less pressure for everything to be “perfect”

Things always go wrong. Always. I’ve almost run out of gas, gotten flat tires, missed tours, had my Airbnbs fall through–all kinds of stressful, un-perfect things. But when I’m by myself, I can pivot and change plans immediately without worrying about how I’m affecting other people. Nothing has to be “perfect” for someone else–it just has to be for me.

7. Solo road trips help you really discover the places you’re visiting.

I find that when I travel alone, I’m far less focused on what’s going on inside my own car than I am when I travel with other people. Solo road trips make me much more observant when I’m on the road. They also force me to engage with my surroundings when I’m visiting another place because I don’t have another person there to distract me. I engage with the place, I’m thoughtful, and I notice the people around me much more.

8. Solo road trips help you connect with the bigger world.

As you start to really notice the places you’re visiting, you’ll find yourself more likely to really connect with the bigger world. The more I discover variety on the road, the more I identify myself as part of this huge quilt called humanity. Ironically, the more I travel, the smaller I feel–but I also feel much more connected to the rest of humanity. It’s not all about me, it’s about us, and it’s easy to forget that in my daily grind.

9. Solo road trips are the ultimate “you” time.

In my opinion, being on the road is the best way to treat yourself. You can do literally anything you want. Want a massage? Get one. Want to go on a hike? Do it. You’re not constrained by other people, or schedules, or anything else that may limit you in the “real world” other than budget.

10. Solo road trips make you a badass.

I mean, obviously. 🙂

 

Did I forget anything? Any other reasons you go on solo road trips? Leave me a comment and let me know! – Lindsay