Boldly Go Solo

How to set out solo, but not travel alone: Trips, tips and ideas for the active traveler.

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  • 13 ways to use a bandana and other fun and useful travel tips

    Today's lesson: Take a bandana on your next trip.

    It's always on my packing list. But I never thought to lisSuitcase, bandana-Ellen Perlmant all the reasons why. So I offer you 13 ways to use a bandana, care of Fodor's travel blog.

    Bandana travel tips include:

    • Over your mouth to protect against sand and dust in windy conditions.
    • To hold ice over a bruise.
    • To lay jewelry or other small items on so as to remember to take them when packing.
    • As a napkin to take a roll or piece of fruit from a breakfast buffet out of the restaurant.

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  • You don’t have to be great at travel to enjoy solo travel


    Lichtenstein, High Museum, Atlanta-Ellen Perlman Being a good planner and well organized are not prerequisites for travel. They might help but having tendencies toward disorganization (I call it "not overly compulsive") and late-in-the-game planning ("spontaneous") shouldn't keep you home.

    I was reminded of this as I was leaving Atlanta for D.C. yesterday. I was sitting in a hotel restaurant downing a quick breakfast when a fellow travel writer came in. (We had both attended an SATW travel writers meeting.)

    It was about 7:50 am. I told him not to bother joining me as I was about to leave to catch my flight. He told me not to worry, he didn't have time to sit down. He, too, was in a hurry and just grabbing a bagel to go.

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  • Colorado River rafting vacations great for the solo traveler

    Tent and butte, Canyonlands-Ellen Perlman "Ideal for solo travelers," says the press release from Western River Expeditions about its rafting trips on the Colorado River through Cataract Canyon, Utah. I vouch for that statement. 

    I had one of the best trips of my life floating on peaceful sections of the river and holding on for dear life through Class III and IV rapids (read: "big"). And camping by the side of the river with new friends who I was happy to spend every minute with.

    Several other companies offer similar trips down this 100-mile stretch of the Colorado, including Holiday River and Bike Expeditions, Hoodoo Rivers & Trails, O.A.R.S.

    These are professionally guided rafting trips with all meals and equipment provided. I call them "one-phone call" vacations because you sign up and then let the company do all the work of getting licenses, providing boats and setting out food.


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  • Memorial Day weekend concert on the Mall welcomes solo travelers and others

    Concert Want to get up close and personal with some big-name stars this weekend? Such as Lionel Richie, Blythe Danner, Gary Sinise and the U.S. Air Force Singing Sergeants? (Okay, maybe the sergeants don't have quite the star power as the others.)

    This weekend, on the lawn behind the U.S. Capitol, the National Symphony Orchestra is holding its annual free Memorial Day concert, also featuring Gen. Colin Powell, Dennis Haysbert, Joe Mantegna and various singing, chanting and trumpet-playing members of the military.

    You don't have to buy tickets, wait in line (other than for security) or dress up. And you can get close enough to see the freckles on some of your Hollywood faves.

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  • More mangling the language in English and other tongues

    "Don't worry," my new Spanish language partner explained when we arranged to meet for the first time for an exchange of English and Spanish lessons and he wanted to let me know how prompt he is. "I am sharp with the time."

    I laugh, but I'm sure I've cracked up many a Spaniard and South American when I attempted to speak my Spanish to them. Barco de Avila, Spain-Ellen Perlman

    Recently I received an email with the headline, "Up Your Bottom." A Japanese businessman meant to toast an American and Japanese audience by saying, "Bottom's Up." Oops.

    A publisher has decided to turn these bloopers into a book and is asking for contributions. You can submit similar tales for possible publication in the book. You have until June 4 to submit a funny story. And yes, there are token prizes.

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  • Rick Steves outlines the joys of solo European travel

    Rick Steves, well-known travel guru, has written a piece on the pleasures of solo travel in Europe and you should read it if you remain dubious about solo travel.

    Signs near Giant's Causeway-Ellen Perlman

    I have written many similar posts over the years. This time, I point you to the travel master, in case his words carry more credence. He offers his thoughts about dining solo, exploring a city alone at night and more.

    He ends with this:  "I've talked to too many people who put off their travel dreams because they don't want to do it alone."

    Summer's coming. Don't put it off.

  • Alone with Gaudi in Barcelona, solo traveler finds love. Of architecture, that is.

    Spain_Sagrada_Familia Architecture buffs might consider traveling alone through Barcelona.

    Fellow travel writer Barbara Wysocki found that she needed time to soak up all that the famed Catalan architect Gaudi had to offer. So it was nice not to have to convince anyone else to come along. And she didn't have to. She was in Spain by herself. (Well, except when she was with people she met while there.)

    In her words:

    Since I was traveling alone, I spent about three and half hours doing
    tours, wandering and returning to the spaces that spoke most powerfully
    to me. My day, my interests. And no need to stop for lunch.

    What was interesting for me was my own inner transition.  I like lots of clean lines and glass. At first Gaudi was too sculptural for me.  Every day I visited
    another of his many famed homes, churches and concert halls, saving the     Sagrada Familia for last. Each day my
    enthusiasm grew. 


    I arrived at the cathedral, a convert to his style,
    and immersed myself at my own pace.  I can't imagine too many others,
    except perhaps, for architects, who'd have spent as much time as I did there.      I love looking at any
    building, any age, and this one is still being constructed. Like those
    of centuries past, it takes generations to complete.

    The adventures continued beyond Gaudi, when she locked herself out of the apartment she had rented:

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  • Win a free trip to the Cayman Islands and promote solo travel

    I don't usually write about travel contests. There are whole blogs about them, such as my friend Barbara's blog, Travel Sweeps.

    Not sure why this one caught my eye. Maybe because it came to my inbox, instead of appearing while I was cruising the Internet.
    Cayman Or maybe I need a vacation. Or perhaps it's because I haven't been to the Caribbean in a long while.

    Regardless, here it is. The contest for a chance to win seven nights at a beach resort in the Cayman Islands. For you and a partner.

    Uh oh. Can you say, "I'm a solo traveler?"

    The contest requires a 100-word essay about what would be a perfect day in the Cayman Islands.

    So here's my idea. Enter an essay (here's your chance to try travel writing! Of a sort…) on why your perfect day would be solo. Let's see if we can plant the idea that resorts should think of solo travelers when they price their rooms and promotions and such. Not just this one, but all of them.

    Yes, I know the business case for hotels and resorts preferring two people over one. 


    Kids kayaking But the contest asks you to describe the perfect day. And solo travelers can have perfect days just like paired up ones or families.

    Whether you win or not, you'll be spreading the word. And wouldn't it be nice if you did win? (Please let us know if you do!)

  • New Oxford, Pennsylvania, antiquing story in The Washington Post

    A few weeks ago I wrote about antiquing in New Oxford, Pennsylvania. Well, the story is out in The Washington Post today. It's called,"Welcome to Antiquing." Which is what my friend Paula said to me when I commented about a musty smell in one of the antiques malls we were in. Rusty birds, New Oxford, PA-Ellen Perlman 

    And rather than about solo travel, it's about my education on why people spend so much money for rusty and cracked stuff.

    Anyway, take a read. It's a different story from the one I wrote here. Enjoy! 

  • Don’t count on travel writers to recommend a hotel or restaurant

    Love this piece on what might happen when a travel writer takes the podium.

    Happened to me just the other day. What he talks about.

    Someone looked at me as if the clouds just parted. Lit up and said, "You're a travel writer…"

    It's the beginning of a sentence I've begun to dread. Because what comes right after that is some version of, "…have you been to Ankara?" "…do you know of a good B&B in Charlottesville?" or "…what's your favorite restaurant in Santa Monica?"

    As if I know everything about every place. That's not possible. Not even for a travel agent, whose job is more in the realm of scouting out places to recommend. Nor for a food reviewer, whose entire life is spent eating out and going back to places to eat out at them again. And that's just in one city!

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