Meeting people when solo traveling sounds counterintuitive. I’m here to tell you that just because you’re taking a trip alone, doesn’t mean you need to be alone the entire time! Spending time by yourself, exploring your interests, and going at your own pace is an amazing experience. There is so much self-discovery involved in solo travel. Solo travel can be both enriching and at times feel isolating. The good news? It is entirely possible to meet others during your solo travel trip. In this post, I am going to go over how to meet people when solo traveling.

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How to Meet People When Solo Traveling

Accommodation

The best way that I have found to meet others when solo traveling is by staying in hostels. More often than not, there are group events you can join such as day trips, bar crawls, family dinners, welcome hours, or cooking classes that you can join. There is a community of solo travelers out there and they often find themselves at hostels also looking to meet people. Starting a conversation is as easy as asking where they are from. I have found that others at hostels are often flexible in their itineraries if you’re looking for someone to join you to grab a bite to eat or head to a museum.

When looking at hostels if you want to meet others when traveling alone, I highly recommend reading the reviews on hostelworld.com. The reviews (and description) should have insight into any events the hostel is hosting and whether it’s a social hostel or one where people tend to keep to themselves. Bed and breakfasts also tend to have a more social crowd compared to staying in an Airbnb or a hotel.

Walking Tour or Group Tours

The next place that I’ve had luck meeting others when solo traveling is through walking tours. You will often find other solo travelers trying to find their bearings after arriving in a city. It’s an activity that you do alongside others and is fairly easy to strike up a conversation since others tend to be traveling as well. If you’re not wanting to participate in a walking tour, there are plenty of other tour options such as culinary tours, boat tours, street art tours, and history tours.

Take up an Activity

There are many different activities that you can participate in while traveling such as a cooking class or photography classes. Like taking a tour, you’re doing an activity alongside others which can make it easy to start a conversation while learning a new skill. If you’re staying at a hostel, take advantage of the classes hosted by the hostel!

Volunteer or Workaway

If you’re wanting to travel solo for an extended period of time, volunteering can be a great way to both meet people and save on costs. I have done volunteering through All Hands and Hearts, and it was a great way to meet others from all over the world. There are also oppotunities to volunteer for a few hours a day at hostels. Both of these options typically provide incentives for travelers such as food or lodging. It can be a great way to meet others who are also volunteering!

Travel by Bus or Train

When traveling by bus or train, you often see other solo travelers. I have had luck in the past when traveling by train meeting others, especially on longer haul rides. It’s easy to start a conversation by asking where someone is traveling to/from. Once while solo traveling from Spain to Hungary, I met two other solo traveler and we all ended up missing our connecting train after the train we were on had a late arrival. Since we had the chance to speak with one another, we didn’t end up alone at the train station at 1:00 am and it felt much safer (compared to sleeping on a bench in the middle of the night at a train station alone) while waiting for the next train. All it took was putting myself out there in the moment and starting a conversation.

Use Social Media (or Apps!)

If you’re wanting to meet others that are traveling and are more direct, check out Facebook travel groups, Instagram, or apps like Bumble BFF (or dating apps if you’re single!). I see posts all the time in Facebook groups about planning meetups for those traveling solo with both locals and other travelers. The travel community is so receptive and if you don’t want to be alone on your trip, you don’t have to be.

Be Open to Encounters (Anywhere!)

You never know where you’re going to meet someone. Of course, you always want to follow basic safety precautions. However, I find that when I am alone, more people are likely to start a conversation with me. I have met people in shops, when walking in parks, and at cafes. If you look generally approachable (if you want others to approach you) and are open to conversations, it may be easier than you think to meet others.

Other Tips for How to Meet People When Solo Traveling

• Put yourself out there! If you’re feeling lonely and want to meet others during your trip, go out and do things! If you stay at your Airbnb all day (or in bed at a hostel), you limit the opportunities you have to meet others. Instead, hang out in the common area, or go to a cafe and grab a coffee. If you put yourself in the position to meet people when traveling and start a conversation then you’re more likely to meet someone.
• Embrace being solo! If you’re solo traveling, there are going to be times when you’re alone. It might be scary, but it isn’t bad! Don’t be afraid of enjoying your own company and getting comfortable with being uncomfortable.

Still Hesitant on How to Meet People When Solo Traveling?

If your’re still hesitant about going on a solo travel trip because you’re afraid that you will be alone, start small! Take a weekend or shorter trip to ease into it. But if you have even the slightest desire to take a solo trip, I hope you take the chance. I hope this post on how to meet people when solo traveling was helpful and gave you ideas for your next trip!

Thank you so much for reading! If you want to get notified when I post new posts, be sure to follow my Instagram @maddie_deer here or like my Facebook page here. If you have any tips for solo travel, be sure to leave me a comment below!