What It’s Like To Be A Solo Traveler On Vacation?

Have you ever thought about taking a solo trip before? You wanted to see what it feels like to be a solo traveler in a different country. Your family and friends can’t go with you on the trip. You don’t want to miss the opportunity of visiting another city, state, or country. Heard negative stories about traveling alone especially as a woman. Still nervous about taking the risk of going alone. I’m here to share my first experience traveling by myself to San Juan, Puerto Rico.

It was about two months before my birthday and I was trying to figure out what I wanted to do. We are still in a pandemic, so I didn’t want to leave the United States with all the new CDC guidelines and restrictions. I also did not want to stay in the United States. So I googled, countries that were open and did not have to quarantine for 14 days. I came across Puerto Rico and I hadn’t been since I was about 5 years old. So, I thought this would be a great trip to go, now that I’m an adult. Most of my friends weren’t able to go because of either work or financial reasons. I absolutely knew that I did not want to celebrate my birthday in Miami, Florida, or New York City.

Solo Trip to Puerto Rico

I decided to book my ticket to San Juan, Puerto Rico, and go by myself for the weekend. I’ve been wanting to test the waters of solo traveling but I always too nervous. Or I had a friend that wanted to go to the same destination and we would travel together. I was excited that this would be my first solo trip because I also wanted my birthday trip to be a spiritual/relaxing vacation as well. I didn’t want to go out to the club (not that it was an option) or make a big deal about this birthday.

I would say that I was a little nervous about my first solo trip. I didn’t know what to expect. I’ve read so many different stories about women traveling alone. I had some fears and reservations because I wanted to be as safe as possible. I will admit that it was one of my favorite trips because I did everything I wanted to do.

You don’t have to be on anyone else’s time but my own. When I arrived at the DoubleTree by Hilton San Juan Hotel; I took time to settle in and then headed to the pool. I ordered food and drinks by the pool and enjoyed soaking up the sun.

The whole trip, I wore bathing suits from black-owned businesses: Matte Collection & Neish Online. These swimsuits are absolutely amazing and fit my body perfectly, which I loved. I highly recommend purchasing from them for your next vacation. The rest of my clothes came from ASOS and Abercrombie & Fitch.

What did I do while in PR?

I was only in Puerto Rico for three days because I left super early on the fourth day. I wanted to make this trip more of a spiritual trip for myself and really reflect on my 20s as I turned 29. So much has happened to me in the past 9 years that I wanted to get my head straight and focus on a new chapter in my life. So, I really stayed near the water most of the trip. I did not really explore Puerto Rico and walk around. I walked around the hotel area a little bit; admiring the different little shops and restaurants.

I went to the beach that was near the hotel. Brought my journal and the current book that I’m reading: “How to be a Leader: An Ancient Guide to Wise Leadership” by Plutarch. I enjoyed meditating near the ocean and enjoying the view. It was amazing to feel the waves crashing against my body and soaking up the sun. I also enjoyed time eating different foods near the Hotel. I went to Silk an Asian restaurant. It was absolutely amazing and I wish I had better quality pictures of the food. I had the Pan Fried Chicken Dumblings, Miso Soup, and Lo Mein. I also ate at the hotel for breakfast and lunch and it was the perfect Spanish cuisine.

Solo Traveler Tips

Here are a couple of tips that I want to share with you when traveling by yourself especially as women. I recommend that you tell family and friends what hotel you’re staying in, arrival and departure dates and times. I also made sure that they knew if I was going to the beach or go explore a certain area/city. If you have men try to talk to you and you feel uncomfortable, lie and say that your boyfriend/brother or any other male is waiting for you in your hotel room. So they don’t keep bothering you.

As a solo traveler, always keep your phone charged and with you. I would plan out your trip so that you know what you’re doing, how to get there, and back to your hotel/Airbnb. Most importantly, have fun and enjoy your trip! You deserve it! When planning your trip, don’t forget to check out my blog post on scoring cheap flights.