i got some vaca time coming up and no one to accompany me. was thinking of Vegas or Cali. 4-5 days. Never been on a vaca by myself before. So those that have done it, was it better or worse than going with others? was there any odd stares dining alone?
Vacationing alone
- Thread starter WhyMe
- Start date
- Status
I go at least once a year on a week long road trip/camping trip and love it. I enjoy the quiet solitude. Bonus points are accrued if I can spend the whole week in the desert and not see another sole.
Yes! I did it a couple years ago. Had a great time. Did a road trip, took the scenic route, etc. Had a general idea of where I was going but nothing hard coded, just made plans for where I was going to stop the next day. Though I was gone like a month, traveled 10 states. OR, CA, NV, UT, AZ, NM, CO, WY, MT, ID
I have nearly all of the trip recorded via dashcam. Downloaded and emptied the card daily. The daily dashcam and video + pictures from the stops is taking up nearly 800GB of HD space.
I have a edited and cut down dash cam vid on youtube, from the first day.
Ive never noticed anyone looking at me wierd dining alone, and Im very socially anxious. I think thats made up unless you are maybe visiting a 5-star restaurant. I dont have that kinda Money. Denny's type outlets have to suffice.
I have nearly all of the trip recorded via dashcam. Downloaded and emptied the card daily. The daily dashcam and video + pictures from the stops is taking up nearly 800GB of HD space.
I have a edited and cut down dash cam vid on youtube, from the first day.
Ive never noticed anyone looking at me wierd dining alone, and Im very socially anxious. I think thats made up unless you are maybe visiting a 5-star restaurant. I dont have that kinda Money. Denny's type outlets have to suffice.
I was single into my forties and often dined alone. I never thought that anyone took particular notice of it, and they certainly didn't stare.
I did notice that when going out on dates we were often seated in the front window seat. Single guys are usually seated in the back or close to the bar.
I did notice that when going out on dates we were often seated in the front window seat. Single guys are usually seated in the back or close to the bar.
Do it!
When I retired I went on a 2 week road trip by myself as the wife was still working. I drove south along I-5 and skipped all of Oregon. I stopped in Yreka, CA for the night. Made it to Monterrey the next day and spent a couple days there. Then drove down the coast to San Luis Obispo. From there I headed towards Barstow and then on to Route 66.
Long story short, I went to AZ, UT, and ID before heading home. It was one of the best trips of my life! I got to go where I wanted to go and stop when I wanted to.
I think the first time you go into a restaurant alone, you feel a bit self conscious. But I figured that these folks will likely never see me again and if they do, won't remember me. Everyone was so wrapped up in their own world that I doubt they even noticed me.
Pack a cooler along with you so you can carry food with you. I ate a few sandwiches at remote locations and mountain tops. I at a few meals in motel rooms because I was too tired to go out and it also saved a few bucks.
Have fun!
When I retired I went on a 2 week road trip by myself as the wife was still working. I drove south along I-5 and skipped all of Oregon. I stopped in Yreka, CA for the night. Made it to Monterrey the next day and spent a couple days there. Then drove down the coast to San Luis Obispo. From there I headed towards Barstow and then on to Route 66.
Long story short, I went to AZ, UT, and ID before heading home. It was one of the best trips of my life! I got to go where I wanted to go and stop when I wanted to.
I think the first time you go into a restaurant alone, you feel a bit self conscious. But I figured that these folks will likely never see me again and if they do, won't remember me. Everyone was so wrapped up in their own world that I doubt they even noticed me.
Pack a cooler along with you so you can carry food with you. I ate a few sandwiches at remote locations and mountain tops. I at a few meals in motel rooms because I was too tired to go out and it also saved a few bucks.
Have fun!
Yep, went to North Carolina by myself. Went where I wanted to, when I wanted to, ate where I wanted to with no hassle from the wife. ☺
I travel around the country a lot. Sometimes I'm with family or friends, other times I'm not. In my experience people are concerned about their own world, not speculating about what is happening in yours. Enjoy your vacation, and don't worry about what other people think.
That's usually the only way I travel! Then again, I have severe agoraphobia and social anxiety....and just about everyone I've ever been in a car with for more than 30 mins considers me an insufferable a-hole (as a passenger OR driver). When I have time off from work and money to burn, it's not all that unusual for me to call home at 10pm and explain that I am 400+ miles away from and won't be back for a day or so.
It's nice having a break from compromises and other people's problems, faces, and voices - nobody that has to pee even though we just stopped, nobody who's tired and wants to go back to the hotel ( or is "tired" and wants to go back to the hotel), nobody instagraming, posting, liking, retweeting, or looking at dogs that we're never going to adopt - we talked about it a hundred times! We're not moving anytime soon and we're both gone 10+ hours a day! A dog won't work, stop showing me their cute faces.
As far as getting stares and such - for the most part it feels a lot more akward than it really is. I've been to bars and restaurants alone where I've paid anywhere from $5-$100+. The only people who make it you feel out of place are the waitstaff, but usually just because your alone and less likely to leave a large tip ( and if they do a poor job, then DON'T tip - you're on vacation, you're never gonna see those people again. Part of why I travel is to be a completely unrestrained, unabashed, class-a [censored]. Then again, I'm not a "good person")
All I can say is you do you and enjoy every minute of it. Especially if it's paid vacation time - you're getting paid to not be at work.
It's nice having a break from compromises and other people's problems, faces, and voices - nobody that has to pee even though we just stopped, nobody who's tired and wants to go back to the hotel ( or is "tired" and wants to go back to the hotel), nobody instagraming, posting, liking, retweeting, or looking at dogs that we're never going to adopt - we talked about it a hundred times! We're not moving anytime soon and we're both gone 10+ hours a day! A dog won't work, stop showing me their cute faces.
As far as getting stares and such - for the most part it feels a lot more akward than it really is. I've been to bars and restaurants alone where I've paid anywhere from $5-$100+. The only people who make it you feel out of place are the waitstaff, but usually just because your alone and less likely to leave a large tip ( and if they do a poor job, then DON'T tip - you're on vacation, you're never gonna see those people again. Part of why I travel is to be a completely unrestrained, unabashed, class-a [censored]. Then again, I'm not a "good person")
All I can say is you do you and enjoy every minute of it. Especially if it's paid vacation time - you're getting paid to not be at work.
Go see things that interest you, but might not interest travel companions. For example, I am a cemetery fan and like to find the final resting places of famous people who interest me. Sort of combines history, outdoor sculpture, and fresh air. But many of my travel companions do not share my interests.
A recent trip to Ohio and Kentucky took in various Presidential sites, the Wright Brothers, Muhammad Ali, Henry Clay and Colonel Sanders.
California desert is a great winter destination.
A recent trip to Ohio and Kentucky took in various Presidential sites, the Wright Brothers, Muhammad Ali, Henry Clay and Colonel Sanders.
California desert is a great winter destination.
Done it during business trip. I'd say go for it if it is short (less than 1 week), you get to relax and do what you want at your own pace. For long trip I would imagine it is less fun and lonely.
I did a 2 week road trip around western Canada some years back - I had a blast! I did what i wanted, when I wanted. I stopped to see stuff on impulse, I kept driving when I wanted to, I ate in bars, restaurants and sometimes got drive-through or take-out in my motel room and took in some TV. I took my camera and spent a lot of time taking pictures - now, some 22 years later, I still pull that photo album out and flip through it with the family I have subsequently acquired. I was 25 at the time and this was my first time across the Atlantic.
I also travel alone on business now and often dine alone - I take my e-reader and just take my time; nobody takes any notice except sometimes the bar staff who will often pick up a conversation with you.
I also travel alone on business now and often dine alone - I take my e-reader and just take my time; nobody takes any notice except sometimes the bar staff who will often pick up a conversation with you.
A ton of people dine out alone especially on business.
There are "starting time" flexibilities you have when sightseeing solo too.
A site 2 hours away you want to knock off....then proceed to the next can require a 5:00 AM wake up time.
Tough to do with texting teenagers applying make-up.
Also you have the option to do a 180 if any building (restaurant, bar, small attraction) is off putting. A committee can't be nimble.
Plus you said it's 4-5 days. It's not like you're going on some huge excursion.
ENJOY YOUR TIME AND COMMUNICATE WITH THE NATIVES.
A site 2 hours away you want to knock off....then proceed to the next can require a 5:00 AM wake up time.
Tough to do with texting teenagers applying make-up.
Also you have the option to do a 180 if any building (restaurant, bar, small attraction) is off putting. A committee can't be nimble.
Plus you said it's 4-5 days. It's not like you're going on some huge excursion.
ENJOY YOUR TIME AND COMMUNICATE WITH THE NATIVES.
AZjeff
$50 Site Donor 2023
Originally Posted by HorseThief
Then again, I have severe agoraphobia ... .
Had to look that up. Curious how you manage when you put yourself in unknown and possibly unsafe situations on road trips?
Other than work trips I've never traveled solo but would like to sometime. Maybe with my dog along.
Then again, I have severe agoraphobia ... .
Had to look that up. Curious how you manage when you put yourself in unknown and possibly unsafe situations on road trips?
Other than work trips I've never traveled solo but would like to sometime. Maybe with my dog along.
- Joined
- Dec 30, 2006
- Messages
- 29,558
I absolutely HATE going places alone. It's too lonely and depressing for me. I like to have someone along to share the adventure and fun with.
If anyone stared, I never noticed.
And if I waited for someone to go with, I'd not have gone anywhere for the last 30 years.
Do it and enjoy yourself.
And if I waited for someone to go with, I'd not have gone anywhere for the last 30 years.
Do it and enjoy yourself.
I took a trip to Italy alone, I have been interested in Roman history since I was a kid and wanted to see some of the sights I have been reading about for decades. My daughter was about 5 then and I knew she wouldn't enjoy what I wanted to do...I spent over two weeks before my trip travelling with family and just under a week of that was just me and the daughter so my wife could do her own thing. I had a six week sabbatical from work so we had lots of time to play with, we also spent much of that time doing day trips from home.
I did feel uncomfortable in a traditional sit down environment unless it was in a hotel, which would typically have a lot of people dining alone. I found that eating outside felt a lot more comfortable and it was the end of summer and quite comfortable at night in the places I stayed. I usually had pretty aggressive schedules for visiting the places I wanted to see and often would grab a quick lunch on the fly and then eat dinner outside well after dark.
My wife still managed to be nasty to me quite a bit about taking that time on my own, too bad as I finally had the time to fulfill a nearly lifelong desire.
I did feel uncomfortable in a traditional sit down environment unless it was in a hotel, which would typically have a lot of people dining alone. I found that eating outside felt a lot more comfortable and it was the end of summer and quite comfortable at night in the places I stayed. I usually had pretty aggressive schedules for visiting the places I wanted to see and often would grab a quick lunch on the fly and then eat dinner outside well after dark.
My wife still managed to be nasty to me quite a bit about taking that time on my own, too bad as I finally had the time to fulfill a nearly lifelong desire.
- Status
Similar threads
