11 Tips to Overcome Solo Travel Anxiety (That Actually Work)
Is solo travel anxiety quietly trying to talk you out of your dream solo trip? If so, you’re in the right place – I’ve got you!
This post is full of genuinely helpful tips (that I wish I had as a beginner solo traveller), to calm your nerves, ease your mind and actually make you feel confident travelling alone.
Because I know exactly how hard those unrelenting, anxious feelings feel: What if something goes wrong? Am I really cut out for this? Am I selfish for even wanting to travel alone?
And honestly? I used to let those thoughts win. I delayed my first ever solo trip more times than I can count because I was overcome with anxiety and spiralling what ifs. But then I got tired of letting my fears dictate my life. And I was still scared and anxious and overwhelmed, but I went anyway.
I’ve now travelled solo to 24+ countries in Europe and while I still get the jitters before every trip, I’ve definitely learned a thing or two about how to manage them better – and I’m here to help you do the same.
In this blog post, we’ll get real about where solo travel anxiety really comes from, why it doesn’t mean you’re not ready and, most importantly: 11 actually useful tips to work through it. These are real tools I’ve used myself, countless times – from grounding techniques to mindset shifts – and they do really work, I promise.
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Why You’re Scared to Travel Alone (And That’s Okay)
This is the bit no one talks about loud enough when it comes to solo travel: being scared to travel alone doesn’t mean you’re weak, dramatic or not cut out for it.
It just means you’re doing something brave that goes against your comfort zone and, to be honest, against a lot of the messaging us women have been given our whole lives: stay safe, stay in groups, stay small.
So if you’ve been feeling nervous or even flat-out panicked about taking your first solo trip, please know that this doesn’t mean you can’t do it. The opposite, in fact.
It just makes you human.
And whether it’s your first time leaving your home country, your first time eating dinner alone or your first time flying solo, solo travel anxiety is incredibly normal. Especially for women.
You’re stepping into the unknown without a built-in safety net and that takes serious guts. But being scared is absolutely NOT a sign to stop. It’s a sign that you’re on the right path.
Katie’s Top Tip: Don’t fight the fear or let it hold you back. Fear doesn’t mean stop. So instead of shaming yourself for being nervous, try saying something reassuring like: “Of course I’m scared. This is new. But I’m going to do it anyway.” You’d be so surprised how much of a difference a small language shift can make when overcoming solo travel anxiety.
Common Causes of Solo Travel Anxiety
So many solo female travellers experience travel anxiety because of what might happen during their trip. But here’s the thing: most of the causes behind solo travel anxiety are based on your brain’s perception, or even fear-mongering tabloid articles, not probability.
So what are a few of the most common triggers to be aware of?
- Safety
- Loneliness
- Getting lost
- Language barriers
- Eating alone
- Being judged for being alone
And while those concerns are all totally valid (and I’ve felt all of them and many more on multiple solo trips), they’re almost always so much worse in our heads than in reality.
You’re allowed to be alert and cautious without expecting disaster around every corner.
Plus, there are so many ways to travel smart and safely, like joining group tours, transforming your phone into an offline travel buddy, or simply planning your first trip somewhere that’s solo travel friendly.
Katie’s Top Tip: Make a list of your top 3 most scary what ifs and actively problem-solve them before you go. Afraid of getting lost? Download Google Maps offline. Nervous about eating alone? Save restaurants with bar seating or outdoor terraces for a more casual vibe. Scared of looking like a target for pickpockets? Research safety tips or how to dress like a local. The more prepared you feel, the less power your anxiety will have.
Tip 1: Start Small
If the idea of booking a one-way flight across the world makes you want to throw up? Don’t do that.
At least not yet, anyway.
Social media has definitely over-glamourised what solo female travel should look like. And this might leave you with comparison-itis if your trip doesn’t look as glamourous or even false perceptions of the actual definition.
But solo travel, in essence, is anywhere you go alone. And yes, I mean anywhere:
- One night in a city or town you’ve never visited, a few hours from home? Yep, that’s solo travel.
- Exploring a new neighbourhood in your area? That counts too.
- Travelling to a country that shares your language and culture for your first “big” trip? You go for it!
All of those solo trips (and everything in between), are equally valid. So don’t let anyone tell you otherwise.
So, having said all that, the best way to overcome solo travel anxiety (especially if it’s your first time), is to ease yourself in slowly and gently.
And know that starting small isn’t playing it safe or giving up or letting yourself down. It’s simply building self-confidence in a way that feels kind to your nervous system.
Going on smaller, lower-stress practice runs will let you test the waters without feeling like everything’s riding on this one giant leap. And with every little win (yes, even ordering a coffee in a new city counts as a win – don’t forget to celebrate!) you’ll prove to yourself that you can do this.
Katie’s Top Tip: Choose your first solo destination strategically. Look for places that are walkable, well-reviewed by other solo female travellers and have reliable infrastructure (like good public transport, easy airport transfers and strong WIFI). This takes a huge amount of anxiety off your plate before you even arrive.
Tip 2: Prep Your Phone Like It’s Your Travel BFF
Your phone isn’t just for taking cute travel pics or scrolling (or faking a phone call) when you feel awkward. Anyone else done that? Or just me?!
When you’re solo travelling with anxiety, your phone becomes your lifeline. It’s your map, translator, emergency contact, backup plan, source of connection, entertainment hub and “get me out of here” button all in one. So before you travel anywhere, spend time turning your phone into your most reliable travel buddy.
This means downloading everything you might need offline, including:
- Google Maps
- Accommodation info
- Airline tickets
- Attraction/guided tour tickets
- Local transport schedules
- Rideshare or taxi apps
- The local language in Google Translate
Also:
- Install a VPN (for security)
- Make sure roaming is set up (if it’s affordable from your provider)
- OR grab an eSIM or physical SIM for cheap local data
- Back up your travel documents to the cloud
- Save local emergency numbers
- Know your embassy contact details
I know that’s a long list and it might sound over the top, but trust me on this: when you’re tired, lost or overwhelmed, having that info ready to go is everything.
Katie’s Top Tip: Set up a travel folder on your home screen with all your key apps: maps, translator, safety apps, airline apps, booking platforms and your notes app with all your key trip details.
Tip 3: Join a Walking Tour on Day One
One of the easiest ways to settle your nerves and instantly feel less alone in a new city? Join a walking tour as soon as you arrive (or at least the next day!)
It sounds so simple, but it’s one of the most underrated solo travel anxiety tips out there, and I never see it mentioned enough like it deserves.
With a walking tour, you’ll get a local’s perspective, familiarise yourself with the layout of the area, receive invaluable top tips, learn any areas to avoid, and meet other travellers – all within a few hours of landing.
And even if you’re dealing with social anxiety (like me), this kind of structured, low-pressure interaction can be a great way to give socialising a try without awkward small talk.
By the end, you’ll have landmarks in your mental map, a few friendly faces and a whole lot more confidence to explore on your own!
Katie’s Top Tip: I book all of my walking tours on GetYourGuide before I arrive so it’s locked in my schedule. Doing this will give you something to look forward to on day one or two, while helping to stop the “should I just stay in my hotel room forever?!” spiral before it even starts. Look for small-group walking tours if that feels more your vibe/comfort level.
Tip 4: Journal Your Fears (and Wins!)
If you’ve been on any side of Wellness TikTok, you’ll have heard about the many benefits of journaling. And one of the best ways to deal with solo travel anxiety is to write it down.
Seriously. When you’re scared to travel alone, your brain gets very noisy all at once – firing a thousand (often mis-informed) what-ifs and catastrophes right at you, that feel way too big to handle.
But the second you put those fears on paper, they shrink. And suddenly, they become problems you can solve, instead of monsters hiding out in your head.
So, before your trip, try journaling exactly what’s making you anxious. And don’t be afraid to be brutally honest – no sugar-coating – no one’s going to read this but you. Maybe it’s…
- I’m scared I’ll feel awkward eating alone.
- I’m worried I won’t know what to do if I get lost.
- I don’t want to be the only solo person on a tour.
Then, underneath each fear, write down either (a) a possible solution or (b) evidence that you’ve handled hard things before. Whatever feels most helpful for that unique anxiety. This will help your brain feel more in control of the situation.
But don’t stop there. Once you’re on your trip, make time to flip the script. Use that same notebook to record little wins – anything that made you proud, even if it felt tiny. Navigated the metro alone? Celebrate that! Ordered dinner in a different language? That’s huge!
All of these tiny moments are proof that you’re out there, doing the thing and you are doing it well – even if your anxiety tries to tell you otherwise.
Katie’s Top Tip: Bring a notebook just for this and make it part of your daily routine. Perhaps morning journaling for fears, evening journaling for wins. It’s one of the simplest but most powerful solo female travel anxiety tips I’ve ever used, plus it gives you something tangible to look back on the next time fear shows up!
Tip 5: Learn (and Practice) Grounding Techniques
You don’t want to be googling “how to stop a panic attack” in the middle of a crowded train carriage. Trust me on that.
That’s why I recommend you learn a few grounding techniques before your trip – especially if you’re travelling alone with anxiety for the first time.
When you’re in a new environment and everything feels unfamiliar, having a few go-to coping strategies can stop spirals before they even start.
Grounding techniques help bring your body out of fight-or-flight and back into the present moment. But there are so many out there that picking one or two can feel overwhelming in itself. So here are my favourites, that you can do anywhere:
- Box breathing (in for 4, hold for 4, out for 4, hold for 4, and repeat).
- The 5-4-3-2-1 method (name 5 things you can see, 4 you can touch, 3 you can hear, 2 you can smell, 1 you can taste).
- Physically pressing your feet into the ground while focusing on your breath (don’t knock it till you’ve tried it – it’s so grounding!)
All of these are fast, free and easy to do anywhere – whether you’re in a hostel dorm or standing alone at a bus stop in a new city.
And practising these techniques before you leave helps your body remember how to use them when anxiety hits.
Katie’s Top Tip: At the start of my solo travels, I used to screenshot my favourite grounding method (in my case, box breathing) and make it my phone lock screen. That way, if you feel anxious, you don’t even need to think: you’ve got a gentle reminder right there to calm you down.
Tip 6: Plan, But Don’t Be Rigid
Here’s the thing about anxiety and solo travel: Overplanning can fuel anxiety. But under planning can trigger it.
I used to try and script every minute of my trips down to the last second. Every train, café, restaurant, tourist attraction and backup route would be listed in detail.
But when things didn’t go exactly to plan? Cue the return of the dreaded anxiety spiral.
But on the flip side, under planning can quickly leave you feeling overwhelmed or even unsafe, especially if you’re already anxious or it’s your first solo trip.
So the key is to find the balance between the two extremes: plan just enough to feel capable and in control, but leave space to breathe and be spontaneous:
- Book at least your first few nights of accommodation
- Know how to get from the airport to your first stay,
- Have a rough idea of what you want to see and do each day
But also leave gaps. Give yourself permission to change your mind, skip the museum or say yes to that last-minute food tour you only found out about yesterday.
When your plans are flexible, your brain has more space to adapt – and anxiety has less room to take over.
And if your anxiety tells you that something doesn’t feel right? Listen. It’s totally okay to pivot. You don’t need to follow your itinerary like it’s the law!
Katie’s Top Tip: Use the Google Maps saved lists feature to bookmark places you might want to visit. That way, you always have options without locking yourself into a schedule that might not suit your energy that day.
Tip 7: Don’t Trust Your Anxiety Over Your Experience
Solo travel anxiety is sneaky, and it loves to gaslight you.
Even after three amazing days exploring a new city on your own, your anxious brain will still try to convince you that that one awkward restaurant moment means you’re not cut out for this or that one travel mistake you made on day one is the worst thing in the world.
But know this: your anxiety isn’t a reliable narrator.
You can’t let fear rewrite your life. Because the reality is, every time you step out of your comfort zone (yes, even if it feels hard or things go wrong), you’re building up your lived experience.
And that experience matters so much more than the voice in your head.
You have navigated new places. You have figured things out on your own. You have thought on your feet. You are capable. And you’re allowed to remind yourself of that as often as you need to.
Solo travelling with anxiety doesn’t mean you’re doing it wrong. It means you’re scared but doing it anyway. Which is, honestly, the bravest thing to do of all.
Katie’s Top Tip: Keep a note in your phone and fill it with screenshots, photos, journal entries or even just bullet points of moments you handled something hard. Then, the next time anxiety tries to talk you out of travelling alone, you’ve got actual proof that you can.
Tip 8: Create a Safe Return Plan
This one’s underrated and definitely not talked about enough, but it’s so effective – especially if you’re solo travelling with anxiety for the first time.
When you know exactly what’s waiting for you on the other side of your trip, your brain stops treating it like it’s dangerous. It knows that you have a plan and it’s fine.
So what does a safe return plan look like?
Well, it can look different for everyone. But for me it means booking a flight back I feel good about (aka not a midnight arrival or a 4am layover in a random airport!) It means knowing how exactly I’ll get home from the airport – train, taxi, someone picking me up… It means making sure I’ve left my space at home clean and welcoming. And it means planning a slow return, with an extra day off work to reset.
If you’re feeling very anxious, you could also plan in a contingency return plan. For example, save all of the available flight times between your destination and your home country, or make an arrangement with a loved one that they’ll come and get you if you change your mind or something happens. There’s a 0.01% chance you’ll actually use this contingency, but it might make you feel better to have it in place.
And all of this doesn’t just help with post-travel anxiety. It actually eases the fear before you even leave because you know that, no matter what happens, you always have a safe plan to get back home.
Katie’s Top Tip: Write down your return plan (and any contingencies) in a little checklist before you go: airport transport, home arrival, gentle next-day plans…
Tip 9: Stay Connected to Home
When you’re travelling alone and feeling anxious, connection is everything. Not just with the people around you on the ground, but with the many people who already know and love you.
Staying in touch with friends or family back home isn’t a sign of weakness, but it can absolutely be a much-needed connection to home that will help you manage your solo travel anxiety with just a bit of reassurance.
Whether it’s sending your mum a quick just landed! text, doing a video call with your best friend, or sharing silly moments on your Instagram Stories, it all helps you feel less alone.
When I started travelling solo, I set up little check-in rituals with my mum: a good morning text, a quick check-in text or photo after a new experience I was excited about, an evening video call to catch up properly…
Even those tiny moments of connection were enough to remind me that I wasn’t really doing this all alone. I always have someone right there, waiting for my next check-in. And that is so comforting.
However, there is a fine line between connection and over-dependence. So aim to reach out when you feel it will lift you higher, not when you’re right in the middle of spiralling and hoping someone will fix it for you.
Katie’s Top Tip: Set up a daily check-in ritual with your person (or people) before you go. It could be a shared WhatsApp group, a regular time to video call with a friend, or even sharing your location in real-time using apps like Life360, if that feels safe for you.
Tip 10: Research Safety in Your Destination (But Don’t Obsess)
It’s so easy to fall into the trap of over-researching everything. Reading every piece of safety advice, every Reddit horror story and every “things I wish I knew” blog post at 1am until you convince yourself that you’ll be kidnapped in broad daylight if you dare to leave the airport.
Trust me, I’ve been there. I’ve felt all of those thoughts and many more.
But I’ve also learnt that, while doing some research is incredibly important and smart (and there’s nothing wrong with reading those kinds of posts or forums), too much research will actually make your anxiety worse.
What you want is smart, focused research, to check the basics:
- Is the destination generally safe for solo female travellers?
- Are there any current protests, scams or local issues you need to be aware of?
- Is there reliable public transport?
- What areas should you avoid after dark?
Make notes on your phone so you can refer back to them on the road if you need them, rather than frantically googling in a panic when you get off a bus in the wrong neighbourhood.
And once you’ve covered the essentials? Let it go.
Trust that you’re prepared and that you are perfectly capable of handling whatever comes up. Because you are.
Katie’s Top Tip: Anxiety about solo travel feeds on uncertainty, but it also thrives on catastrophising. So the sweet spot is having knowledge without convincing yourself disaster is inevitable. Limit yourself to no more than an hour of safety research per destination. And stick to reputable sources like government travel advice or travel blogs by people you trust (hi!) Then close the tabs. That’s more than enough.
Tip 11: Throw Yourself Into It, Wholeheartedly
Here’s a potentially uncomfortable truth about solo travelling with anxiety: the only way out is through.
I’m sorry to say it, but there is no magical hack that makes the fear disappear completely before you go.
However, there is a way to make it smaller: by feeling scared and then taking action anyway.
Because once you’re actually doing the thing, your anxiety loses its “what if” power.
So once you’ve arrived, don’t be afraid to go all in. Sign up for that walking tour. Eat dinner at that cute restaurant instead ordering a takeaway. Say yes to the spontaneous invite to explore a local market with someone you just met at your hostel (if you feel safe to do so).
Is it scary? Absolutely.
But the moments you remember most will always be the ones you were brave enough to say yes to.
Katie’s Top Tip: Start with one small goal to build your bravery every day. It could be as simple as asking a stranger for directions or eating lunch without your phone. The more you practise being brave in small moments, the easier it will be to be brave in bigger ones.
Final Thoughts
If you’ve made it this far, I want you to know this: solo travel anxiety doesn’t make you weak, too sensitive or not capable. It just makes you human.
And anyway, being scared to travel alone doesn’t mean you shouldn’t do it.
Dealing with solo travel anxiety is about preparation, self-compassion and finding your own rhythm out there. It’s never about being fearless (because who is?!) but choosing to be courageous, over and over again.
I hope I’ve shown you that travelling alone with anxiety is 100% possible, and it doesn’t make you a less capable solo traveller. In fact, I believe it makes you a more resilient one!
And if you’re still on the fence about booking that solo trip? Take this as your sign. Do it scared. You’ll be so proud of yourself!
Where is your dream solo travel destination? Let me know!
Read More About Solo Female Travel:
- 11 Solo Travel Tips for Introverts To Feel Confident
- Solo Travel With Social Anxiety: What It’s Really Like
- 11 Tips to Overcome Solo Travel Anxiety (That Actually Work)
- 7 Steps to Create a Solo Travel Evening Routine You Love
- 7 Easy Steps to a Stress-Free Solo Travel Morning Routine
