A girl once asked me if I was afraid to travel alone for the first time.
But WAIT! This is way more than just a yes or no question. I can’t just dive in to if it’s scary to travel solo or not! In order for you to understand my answer, you need to understand how I got started traveling on my own in the first place.
If we haven’t met, I’m Gina, and I’ve been to over 12 countries by myself. I love sharing my story because I know what it feels like to want something bigger for your life, and to wonder if you’re actually capable of going after it. I wasn’t always the girl who knew how to travel. There was a time when it felt impossible. And this is the story of how that changed.
Before I Ever Booked The Flight
Up until I was 32 years old, I was a pretty inexperienced traveler. I went to Italy when I was 17 with a group from my high school, and then Jamaica and Mexico in my early 20’s with friends. Other than that, I had never left the country.
My travel experience in the United States was also pretty limited. In terms of bigger cities, I had been to Nashville a couple times, and visited Los Angeles and Charlotte once. Most of my travel experience was nestled in family vacations and trips within driving distance from my home in West Virginia. (Don’t get me wrong – I loved those trips! But I also want to illustrate my lack of travel expertise at the time.)
Ever since I was a child, I dreamed of traveling to vibrant cities like New York and Las Vegas, and also traveling internationally. I always assumed that once I graduated college and landed a career, I’d finally have the time, money, and freedom to live the jet-set life I’d always wanted. I intended on traveling a LOT of places, and wasn’t looking to waste any time once I got started!
Instead, the reality of adult life set in. My schedule was tight, and the company I worked for did not have a flexible PDO policy. Taking time away wasn’t simple. Even getting to an airport required real planning (the closest one was 3 hours away!). Coordinating time off with friends was complicated, and at the time, traveling alone never even crossed my mind. Slowly, travel went from being part of the plan to something that felt impossible.
The Plot Twist
Somehow, life has a way of reopening doors you thought had quietly closed. Although it took a few years, I was eventually able to move and start a new job that gave me much more freedom. For the first time in my adult life, I had time off I could actually plan around, and taking trips with others wasn’t nearly as difficult.
And then…COVID happened. The world shut down. Travel became non-existent for the foreseeable future. As quickly as I gained freedom, that’s how quickly it was taken away. You can’t make this stuff up. I was devastated.
Planning My First International Trip With a Travel Group
Fast forward to a year and a half later. My first solo trip didn’t start out completely solo. It was 2021, and the world was just starting to open up again from COVID-19. Although this wasn’t the best time to travel, the fear of “what if this is my last chance?” became my driving factor. Who knows – the world could shut down again! Because of that, I was dead-set on going somewhere overseas in Europe.
There was just one problem. Between the pandemic and simply adulting, coordinating an international trip with friends just wasn’t realistic at the time. Some still had fear from the pandemic – others had different schedules and different responsibilities. It wasn’t about anyone not wanting to go – it just wasn’t simple. Wherever I went, I would have to go alone…and I was not ready.
So, a travel group seemed like the best option. I wanted adventure, but I also wanted reassurance. I wanted someone else to hold the logistics, the timelines, the certainty of all the things I didn’t know. I wanted someone to show me the way in this space of uncharted territory that I so badly wanted to expertly navigate. Before COVID, I knew a girl who had traveled to Greece with a company called EF Ultimate Break. After learning she had the time of her life, I decided to book the same Greece trip that she took.
- Curious about group travel? Read my full EF Ultimate Break tour review here!
Making the Decision to Travel Solo
When I spoke to the EF travel representative on the phone, he mentioned that I was able to extend my trip if I wanted. It sounded incredibly tempting. I learned I could stay in Greece, or go somewhere else. I had always heard that traveling around Europe was way more convenient than the US, so I figured, why not? I recalled my friend telling me she went to Barcelona with her sister after her Greece trip ended, and she loved it. I knew nothing about Barcelona, but some quick Googling confirmed it was right up my alley. The artsy buildings, the food, the culture…it all seemed incredible.
Related Post: The Best Things To Do in Barcelona’s Gothic Quarter
There was just one problem. When EF told me they would “help me extend my trip,” they essentially meant they would book my flight home from my final destination. I would be responsible for everything else: getting from Greece to Spain, finding a place to stay, navigating my way around the city, deciding what I wanted to see and do. I would go from having a group and a tour guide to being completely on my own.
I sat with that choice longer than I expected to. On one hand, the idea of wandering a new city alone felt cinematic. I imagined café mornings and golden hour walks, and the kind of quiet confidence you get once you realize you can rely on yourself. It was that electric excitement of knowing I could have a once-in-a-lifetime adventure.
But then there was the part of me that did feel afraid. I thought about every worst-case scenario, and wondered if I was overestimating myself. What if I get lost? What if someone steals my phone? What if things go wrong, and I have NOBODY?! But a little voice inside me that kept saying do it started to outweigh the fear.
So, I fully committed. I researched. I planned. I saved addresses. I learned the neighborhoods. I studied maps until the streets felt almost recognizable. I talked to people that I trusted who had traveled overseas. I found a couple’s travel blog and planned my entire Barcelona trip off of their 3 day itinerary. But most importantly, I decided that no matter what, I was going into this trip with the attitude that if something did go wrong, I would handle it. I would figure it out. I would trust myself. By the time I boarded my flight to Greece to meet my travel group, I felt ready.
So…Was It Scary? Life After Traveling Solo
Overall, I think the scariest part was making the decision to travel solo and committing to it. Before I started planning, I definitely felt nervous. But once I really started doing my research, that worry slowly went away. When I was in Barcelona by myself, I didn’t feel afraid at all. Now, I encourage every woman to take a solo trip at least once in her lifetime.
BUT…here’s the thing: I personally don’t think I could have traveled completely on my own without going with a travel group first. Not because I was naïve or unprepared. But because I didn’t have anyone in my life who had done it before.
I needed a woman I could sit across from and ask the million questions that were at the root cause of my fear:
“Did you feel safe?”
“What was the hardest part?”
“What surprised you?”
“What would you have done differently?”
“Were you ever afraid?”
But I didn’t have that.
So I became the person that I needed.
Related post: 5 Tips for Taking Photos on the Brooklyn Bridge
How Solo Travel Changed Me
Looking back, I had no idea how much traveling alone to Barcelona would radically change my life. I figured I would have fun, but I didn’t realize that it would become the best decision I ever made. My trip was everything I prayed it would be – and in fact, was the catalyst to me becoming a travel blogger! I wanted to give others the kind of confidence and reassurance that I so desperately needed. Traveling solo helped me prove to myself that I could build a big life – the kind of life that I felt I was always meant to have.
I chose to trust myself before I had proof that I should. I learned how powerful it was to do things that scare you. I accepted that the only way you’ll ever feel ready is to keep doing the things that make you uncomfortable, because that’s what builds confidence. Traveling solo allowed me to step into the most authentic version of myself – to become who and what I always wanted.
If you want to travel solo but don’t know where to start, don’t hesitate to reach out using the Contact Me form below, or on Instagram. I’m happy to answer questions, share tips, or just give you a little encouragement to take that first step.
“Great Stories Happen to Those Who Can Tell Them”
My favorite souvenirs from traveling are the stories I bring home with me…and my favorite thing about the stories are that many of them happen out of nowhere and without warning. This is a collection of the moments that changed my life.
