Solo travel- is it that odd?

Solo travel is not strange at all . More and more people travel solo and thoroughly enjoy it

Travelling solo is adventurous and can be good fun.
Surprisingly popular and nornal for many.
Got for it OP.
Depending on where you go, may be advisable to book /hook up with other solo travellers

Absolutely this!! Most of my travel has been solo (and I’ve travelled a LOT) and it’s utterly wonderful having the freedom to do whatever you want without having to take anyone else into account. The downside of my solo holidays is that friends and family now think my trips that I plan are always so amazing that they want to come with me. Currently having to plan a trip for several of us and the constant involving everyone in planning so they feel involved/consulted is exhausting. So much easier when it’s just me. 🙄

This is absolutely not unusual. I went on my first solo holiday last year and loved it. I could do exactly what I want and had no one else’s needs to think about. It was great.
I have a friend who goes on regular solo holidays and his wife does too. They have different interests and each support each others right to time apart doing their hobbies. They still have family holidays but do their own thing too.
Plan a break and go for it.

I am married but go on holiday on my own all the time. I just went to South America. I enjoy it. No compromising, just doing what I want.

The only question I have is 'why are you staying on budget accommodation'? If you really have a limited bugget and that is all you can afford then fine. But if you are feeling more guilty about staying somewhere nice, then stop that thought right now!.

I’ve not had any weird comments from friends etc.

I go camping, walking, cultural breaks and more all solo.

Of course it isn’t ‘very strange’ , or even particularly risky, and certainly not a cause for jealousy over suspected affairs (unless there is actually an affair going on, in which case it isn’t the travel that is the issue) .

I would love to have the courage to travel solo. It might be less common in married couples but you know your relationship and if it’s not weird for you both then who cares if it’s weird to outsiders.

We travel on our own 2 or 3 times a year. Nothing strange about it.
But the advice about hotels is good advice and the location in the city centre. You don't want to be going out to the suburbs late at night if you can help it. A great city with easy access from the airport right to city centre by a train that cost me less than 2 Euro in September is Vilnius. Friendly and safe and affordable. Kaunas is an hour on the train for a day out and we'll worth a visit. Other really great cities that are overlooked are Sarajevo and Wroclaw. Wroclaw is particularly safe and friendly and easy to get from the airport. Google maps make solo travel so much easier than it used to be.
Go for it. You'll wonder why you haven't been doing it for years.

I LOVE travelling alone and I don't care if it's weird. I can do what I want, go where I fancy, and stay in my room if I don't fancy doing anything. No negotiations, no arguments. I'm perfectly capable in most situations without a companion.

So much better at this age (50) than as a young woman as much less harassment and also you6r not constantly wondering if the next man you met will be your future husband/ trying to look like attractive romantic comedy lead in bookshops . And I can afford to pay my way out of trouble if I need to! Heartily recommend it.

I haven’t gone backpacking but I go away once a year on my own. Last year was Egypt, I absolutely love it. My favourite things are booking excursions and also reading, there’s something about being in a book world in another part of the world on my own that’s hard to beat.

Solo is the best. You can tweak the plans and do what you want

Love my getaways on my own, restore the soul!

I used to travel solo without my partner regularly before we started a family. He didn't enjoy travelling particularly and also had a freelance job that didn't lend itself to longer trips.

He was happy for me to go, I loved it and there were no issues between us at all, but it does seem to be something other people see fit to comment on because several people told me they thought it was strange - ranging from people I knew well to strangers I'd met whilst travelling. Twice people expressed surprise that he "let" me go, which was a tad infuriating. Like all things in life, if you know in your own mind there's no problem, you just have to rise above it and carry on with your plans.

Go!
I go on a solo trip every year because my 6yo isn't exactly a city break-liking child, so we can't go as a family. My dh goes to a music festival alone. We both also travel for work. And travel as a family.

Life is short so definitely go.

Yeah it’s definitely not strange or unusual in my social circle but I guess it all depends who you have around you.

I have a friend who is happily married with 3 primary school age kids who goes on one solo trip a year. Also I have friends who are single and/or child free who do solo trips. I also know women who have grown up kids who solo travel

Theres also plenty of solo travelers in tourist spots when I go away on holiday and various online groups for solo travelers to connect so yeah there’s clearly plenty of people travelling alone.

It is not strange or unusual

https://www.theguardian.com/travel/2025/nov/30/i-was-hooked-the-rise-of-the-intrepid-female-solo-traveller?CMP=Share_AndroidApp_Other

I was 49 or 50 when I bought my first backpack and headed off on a long haul, solo independent trip to China. It was actually my late husband's suggestion. He knew I'd always liked the idea of backpacking, but it wasn't his thing at all. We travelled a lot, but always staying in 3* hotels, and not using local public transport apart from the occasional metro.

It took him two years to persuade me that it was fine for me to do my own thing and leave him and our late teen kids at home.

I had so many weird comments from other people. Pretty much no-one could understand it. But I went ahead, and continued to do so another three or four times when he was alive (we had family holidays as well, of course) and many more times after we lost him.
He did me a great favour, because when he died at 56, I was able to cope because those trips had taught me that I was capable of being alone, strong, and independent.

I was so, so lucky to be married to a man who recognised and encouraged my travel dreams.

But yes. Do it.

It’s not strange at all. There are whole companies dedicated to solo travellers and it’s a very successful part of the tourism industry.

Your friend must have led a very sheltered life.

Love solo travel. But, as PP said, be prepared to "never" want to travel with others again!
I think a lot of people think it's weird because it's outside their comfort zone. DH has travelled without me but never alone as he says it would be too daunting.
Hope you go somewhere wonderful and have a fabulous time.

I did a week on my own this year and I’m happily married. I really enjoyed it and I’m planning on doing it again at some point.
Im not bothered what people think of me.

Yeah I'm always going places on my own I'd never convince others to go to! Mainly travelling to obscure places in the UK that have so much history, when my friends are raring to go abroad to the sunshine :)

Solo travel is only weird to people who have never done it. There are loads of people just getting on with their lives and not worrying about being on their own.

I needed a couple of long weekends to myself a year when the kids were young, It made the rest of the year much more bearable.

I feel sorry for anyone who thinks it’s odd.

Yeah I go away on my own quite a lot.

i do also go away with family!