The Solo Travel Hack I Wish I’d Known About Sooner

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I’ve been traveling solo for as long as I’ve had my first passport. I took my first solo adventures while studying abroad in Paris during college, from wandering the Louvre every Sunday to taking the TGV train to Strasbourg overnight. It was the late 90s, and when the diners around me scratched their heads, wondering why a 20-year-old woman was eating alone on a Saturday night. I just smiled and took a bite of my choucroute garnie.

Funny glances aside, traveling alone gave me a sense of confidence I’d never experienced before. I didn’t have to wait for my friends to sign on for a trip. I could be in control of the entire itinerary and go wherever my interests and instincts took me. I traveled to other parts of Europe and Asia by myself, showing up alone at Barcelona’s beaches to Bangkok’s temples. Now, I think nothing of hopping on a cheap airfare to Europe when one becomes available. If I can’t find friends for the journey, I know I can rely on my solo travel skills.

It turns out, solo travel is more popular than ever. According to Google, searches for “solo travel” hit an all-time high. Fifty-eight percent of people traveled solo in 2024, and 84% of solo travelers are women. Solo travel is only expected to increase well into the next decade.

Still, solo travel has its challenges. It’s important to take safety precautions and tell people your whereabouts. Planning itineraries with solo factors in mind is also key—searching for singles’ only trips can be key since cheaper rates are often based on double-occupancy. And then, yes, sometimes there’s a boredom factor. You wish you could be sharing your experience with someone else. That’s where this genius tip I recently heard on REDDIT came in handy. Reddit user /ShaneRealtorandGramp suggests: Bring a notebook and pen when you are solo traveling. Here’s why it’s a game-changer.

Related: “I’ve Been Solo Adventuring for Three Decades—This is the Trip I’d Recommend Most”

The Genius Travel Hack for Solo Travelers I Wish I’d Known Sooner

He goes on to explain why a notebook is a solo traveler’s best friend:

“Trust me. If you are solo traveling and pretty anxious about things like dining alone or just getting coffee alone, bring a notebook and pen and start writing stuff down, anything. Write about your day, write about what you are looking forward to doing, write about what you are seeing at your current location, write a story, write stuff down.”

While it may sound pretty obvious, and as a person who has been traveling since before cell phones existed, I’ve often made sure to carry a little journal and pen for this very reason. Still, it’s not just about recording events and details so you can remember them later. Turns out, there’s an even more meaningful reason for carrying a trusty notebook with you.

“Your thoughts are going to stop racing and you will feel more grounded,” he writes. “There is a double advantage because people are also going to see you looking pretty busy since you are writing stuff down 😉. You could even draw if you are into it.”

Turns out, writing things down can keep you centered in the present. Exactly the reason we travel in the first place.

Related: The U.S. Travel Destination Everyone Should Visit at Least Once, According to Getaway Guru Samantha Brown

Best Travel Notebooks

While a simple lined notebook from Target or Walmart will do, there are also some beautifully designed notebooks made to capture your travel musings, scribbled notes and art work. Here are just a few:

Rifle Paper Company Travel Journal

This safari-themed travel journal is perfect for capturing all your far-flung observations.

Etsy Traveler’s Notebook

This colorful and robust notebook is hefty enough to capture musings from multiple trips.

Off-Piste Travel Journal

Perfect for detailed solo travelers, this travel journal has sections for budgets, itineraries, scribbles and other details for up to six journeys.

Related: The Genius Dollar Store Cruise Hack We Wish We’d Known About Sooner

This story was originally reported by Parade on Sep 5, 2025, where it first appeared in the Life section. Add Parade as a Preferred Source by clicking here.