Is it “weird” to go on holiday by yourself?

[curiousitygotthebetterofme]

I’m off work mid August and I really want to go away for a bit, not as in abroad but somewhere in the UK, like a self catering cottage somewhere in the country side for a few days.

Problem is DH cant get time off and DC dont want to go.

if I go away by myself, would people not think it’s a bit weird? Or do people actually do this?

Of course people go away by themselves, it's a great thing to do as nobody to please but yourself..... maybe I'm just selfish though 😁

I'd love to go by myself. I don't think it's weird at all. No one to please but yourself 🙂

That sounds blissful. Do it!

It's fine, I'm off to see Andre Rieu alone for four days leaving DH at home with one primary school kid and two toddlers.

This comes up so often and it puzzles me. There’s nothing ‘weird’ about going on holiday alone. Some people might find it challenging, but that’s a different matter. For people clocking you’re alone, you’re a one-minute wonder.

I think that sounds lovely. I've just come back of holiday with DH and whilst I've enjoyed it I would really have loved some time just to stay in a cottage, drawing, embroidering, chilling out, staying in bed until 11 in the morning if I wanted to, where he was wanting to be up and out for the day with things planned, not getting back until 5 or 6 in the evening. It sounds like bliss to me.

God I used to holiday alone all the time and now I miss it. When my toddler is old enough to manage a few days without me, I’ll be finding a way to do it again.

To be brutally honest, you have to get over any self-consciousness and just be comfortable in your own skin, doing your favourite things.

It’s a bit more common on city breaks, but that’s not always what you need. I used to take myself on beach holidays. In the evening I’d find a restaurant that did my favourite kind of food, not give a shit what anyone else might fancy, and if the table was good and the waiter was attentive I’d be three courses plus cocktails, having a whale of a time people-watching with my Kindle.

Not weird at all.

Sounds amazing, please do it, I would love too

Not at all. I would love to do it!

I would love to go away by myself for a few days, spa holiday, sun ….. sigh.
Go and enjoy!

Not everyone has the confidence but that doesn't make it weird.

Enjoy doing exactly what you want, without having to compromise on anything!

Not weird at all. I've been away on my own and love being able to do exactly what I want to do without worrying about cramping anyone else's style, or them mine.

Nope, it’s really empowering and I now find holidays with friends more stressful!

I did it for ten years between 38 and 48 when I was single. Now have a boyfriend but he has kids and I don't necessarily want to spend two weeks of my annual leave with two hormonal teenaged girls. So I still do it - camp on my own, self catering a few times, hotels, overseas trips with groups you meet there - it's awesome. And every time I do it I just feel that little bit more capable and independent.

Ok so it must be more common than I thought!

PP who have done it, did you not get lonely being by yourself? What did you find to do?

I’m a massive introvert so never really worried about feeling lonely or filling time.

I’d pick some day trips or touristy stuff depending on the location and type of holiday (I had a colour-coded timetable to eek every last minute out of NYC, for example, or maybe a dolphin boat trip or snorkelling in a beachy place).

Otherwise, I’d just go for walks and explore, or relax with a book, or take myself out for lovely meals at weird times whenever I felt like it. Bliss.

You will never regret doing it.

If I didn't go away alone, I'd never go away! I'm single, friends can't always get the time off etc.

I've been to cities and rural areas, in the UK and abroad (including long haul). I used to travel a lot for work so it's second nature tbh.

I visit local landmarks, gardens, sit on the beach etc. Go to the spa, read books by the pool, go for hikes etc. It's liberating. I have a holiday booked with a friend this summer but we both like doing our own thing so we don't feel like we need to entertain each other, but equally we like doing similar stuff so we can go for walks together.

Top tip is to take a Kindle with you for meals. I've generally found that waiters keep an eye out for you if you're alone, but not in a sleazy way. I can't think of anything worse than being invited to join well-meaning people at their table a la Shirley Valentine 😁

I used to go on holiday alone quite often before I married and afterwards I went alone when going somewhere OH didn't want to go (can't cope with hot countries).

I usually went to places with lots to see ( not a lie on the beach person). Museums, tours, walks, days out, it was fine and there were usually others on the trip on their own.

Whatever I wanted to do at the time. Sometimes excursions, sometimes a boat trip, sometimes museums, sometimes shopping, sometimes nothing but lying by the pool with a pile of books. Exactly the same as I'd do on a holiday with a friend or DH but without having to find any compromise.

In the evenings a book or a kindle is your friend. I've had some lovely evenings lingering over a good meal in a restaurant with my kindle for company.

I'm not going to say that I've never ever felt lonely away on my own but it's only ever been fleeting and in the sense of 'oh, it'd be nice to share this particular moment / sunset / experience with someone' before reminding myself that I can actually take it all in better on my own!

I've done this many times and found it to be very peaceful. Solitary walks in nature, visits to a nice restaurant solo, cinema trips solo and pottering around a local area whilst on a little retreat by yourself are all things I've really enjoyed. Take some good books, and enjoy the world at your own pace without obligations or input from anyone else for a while - it's incredibly beneficial.

Enjoy!

Everyone’s experiences sound great!

I’d be mainly anxious about going around everywhere alone and people thinking “oh, she must have no friends” but then I have to remember I’ll never see those people again and the fact they probably don’t even notice or care!

Why do you care about what people think?
Go where you want to go and enjoy yourself whatever brings you joy.

I’d love to have such opportunity🙂quiet place at the seaside,lots of books and jigsaws.
Away from cooker and washing machine for a week, no responsibilities and no stupid conversations/monologues

Oh, I dream of this. Now that DC are older, I think both DH and I would love to but finances simply don't permit it currently. But I think as finances continue to improve, one or both of us will definitely do this. DH would probably do it for an "event" - eg a concert or sporting activity. But I'd quite happily find a little self catering apartment or similar somewhere lovely and chill out for a few days.