Last Updated on March 15, 2025
Solo travel is a truly wonderful thing. It puts you in full control of your itinerary and plans while also letting you step out of the comfort zone to learn more about yourself. For all of the excitement, though, there are potential downsides to consider. Boredom should be at the very top of that list.
The majority of your adventure will naturally be filled with excitement. Still, long journeys and time spent in your accommodation may run the risk of boredom. Here’s how to prevent it from becoming a problem.
1. Have Some Quick & Easy Games Available
Games are a great way to cure boredom in many situations. When traveling long distances, though, you probably won’t have the energy to complete a long campaign on your favorite RPG. However, games like Spider Solitaire are ideal for travel. It’s free, can be played from your smartphone or tablet, and challenges the mind.
Better still, you can dip in and out of Spider Solitaire while each hand only takes a few minutes to complete. So, whether you need to kill half an hour whilst waiting for a train or fill some time in between excursions doesn’t matter. This is an ideal choice, not least because you’ll almost always have a device in your possession.
You won’t want to let gaming distract you from your adventures, which is another reason games like this work best.
2. Find A Great Podcast
Games are ideal in moments where you may be sat in a reception area or station where not much is going on. However, the actual journeys between destinations and attractions may offer a lot to see. For example, train rides are often the perfect way to embrace scenic backdrops in a new country. Still, having something to listen to makes a difference.
Music is certainly an option. However, a podcast can feel more productive. Better still, listening to the conversation can make it seem like you are with friends. The hottest podcasts of 2025 list should give you plenty of inspiration. Any threat of boredom or loneliness will be quickly lost. By starting a new podcast, you’ll have hours of content available.
Audiobooks are another popular choice. However, they do feel significantly less social, which may be an issue for solo travel.
3. Choose The Right Accommodation
Accommodation choices are an integral feature of any great vacation. However, their significance is even greater when dealing with solo adventures. For starters, the location is a key feature if you want to avoid potentially tedious journeys to your attractions. Paying a little extra for a better location is worthwhile.
Moreover, you want to check the facilities and amenities offered by the accommodation. Social events, a bar, gyms, and other on-site activities all serve you well. This means you can stay entertained without even leaving the accommodation. Alternatively, sharing a hostel dorm could be ideal for backpacking. You’ll certainly meet new people.
The last thing you want is to be left with a day staring at four walls. Whether you need a location that allows you to go outside or a venue with great facilities, you must get things right.
4. Explore Nearby Places
While great accommodation helps keep boredom away, you should look beyond its borders. Planned excursions and sightseeing will play a key role in your trip. However, exploring the local area by yourself can be equally rewarding. Better still, it is an activity that can be enjoyed without prior planning. So, it’s a great time-filler.
You can take a walk or bike ride to explore the local area. Whether it’s visiting the local market or the beach doesn’t matter. The spontaneous exploration will add to your solo travel adventures. In many cases, it is the ultimate way to discover attractions and events that you would not have discovered sticking to the guidebooks.
So, as well as keeping you engaged and entertained, it gives you a more authentic experience. Just be sure to avoid potentially dangerous neighborhoods.
5. Find Activities That Embrace Your Passion
Group vacations offer many benefits, but it does require you to take others into account. As such, you will often return from a destination having missed out on some of the activities that you would have enjoyed. Solo travel gives you the opportunity to enjoy niche activities or visit places that might not have appealed to a travel party.
If you love history, science, or another topic, museums are the ideal place to feed your mind. Crucially, visiting alone allows you to explore exhibits at your pace. Or if you have a passion for a sport, this is your chance to do it in a new location. Your family may not have had any interest in running a marathon on vacation. But you do.
It is a solo activity, but also feels very social as the running community is very supportive. One thing is for sure, boredom simply won’t be an option.
6. Enjoy Organized Tours
Organized tours, day trips, and excursions can be booked by all holidaymakers. Still, there is no question that their appeal is huge for solo travelers. It puts you in a social setting without losing the benefits of solo travel. Moreover, it removes the stress of organizing plans, as well as any potential safety threats. The schedule is fully under control.
When booking organized tours, you can often do this through your accommodation. Alternatively, online platforms like Viator allow you to find an option that aligns with your desires. In addition to convenience, this type of exploration lets you take into the knowledge of your guide. So, you can learn a great deal more than you would alone.
Moreover, you get to immerse yourself in the tour without the distraction of friends and family. So, this is the ideal time for an organized tour.
7. Document Your Travels
Travel delivers some of the most memorable moments of our lives. If you truly wish to cherish those memories, documenting your travels is the perfect way. You can look back on reminisce on them for years to come. Likewise, loved ones will find your travel tales far more exciting if you have documented key moments while fresh in your mind.
There are many ways to tackle this depending on your creative skills. Creating photo slideshows or videos for social media are a popular choice. However, you may find that designing a scrapbook or sending postcards is equally enjoyable. This is a chance to express yourself in writing while also turning ticket stubs into cherished souvenirs.
Take loads of photos while enjoying the activities too. Reviewing them in the quieter moments should keep boredom at bay.
8. Think About Your Loved Ones
Just because you have traveled alone, it doesn’t mean you’ve forgotten loved ones. Thanks to smartphones, staying in touch is easy. Social media posts and video calls allow you to stay connected at all times. Meanwhile, reading up on the local news back home can kill a little time while also curing homesickness.
Even when you don’t talk with your loved ones, you can still think about them. One of the best ways is to buy some holiday souvenirs that you think they’ll love. A story about how you haggled for the bag your sister would love is more exciting than buying an ornament at the airport too. A little shopping also balances the more exciting tasks.
Loved ones will often appreciate the fact that you have kept them updated about your adventures and safety too.
9. Talk To People
The best way to stop boredom is to interact with others. The whole point of solo travel is to step out of the comfort zone. Making the first move to begin interactions with other tourists or locals is an ideal choice. Given that staying in touch is easier than ever thanks to digital tech, it could potentially open the door to lifelong friendships.
It is important to remember that not everyone will want to talk with you. So, if they shut it down, you should accept it. Nevertheless, there is nothing wrong with attempting to strike a connection. These conversation starters are ideal for travel. As well as meeting new people, it may help you discover which attractions are worth visiting.
Human interactions hold the key to our happiness and will make the trip more magical. And because you’re a solo traveler, you’ll still retain privacy when you want it.
10. Embrace The Relaxed Vibes
Finally, you must remember that calm moments needn’t feel boring. Vacations are a time to explore new places and do new things. However, they are also an opportunity to break free from the stresses of modern life. Use it as an opportunity to recharge the batteries and create a fresh mindset before returning to daily activities.
Besides, laying back with a cold drink while enjoying some sunshine and tranquility is one of the classic visions of a vacation. This could mean finding a quiet beach or visiting a local spa for some cosmetic treatments. Either way, a few hours of rest, recovery, and relaxation is everything you could ever want.
Once you are truly content with spending time in your own company, solo travels can be the most rewarding of all. 
