What I do on Every Solo Trip
I take a quite a few solo trips. I’m getting ready to take a work trip to Columbus, OH as a matter of fact. And each time I go somewhere, time permitting, there are a few things I must do in order to get a true feel for a place. I would highly recommend this for anyone traveling to a place that haven’t been before or even a place they know and love. These activities are not for everyone but will give you a true feel for the location, the people, the topography, and the overall vibe. To certain degree, these activities are the essence of travel.
Get up early and walk around the city: Mornings, especially early ones, don’t lie. You will get a true feel for what a place is like if you get up before people really get going and just walk around. In Mexico City, you’ll see people preparing tortillas, residents walking their dogs, and runners. In New Orleans, you’ll smell the intense scents of overflowing booze. In Cocoa, FL, you’ll see a mix of cyclists getting in their miles along the coast of the Indian River and tons of seemingly abandoned docks. The morning walk always tells an interesting and uninterrupted story. It shows what people value and how they work. There’s also a glow the early sun gives that reflects off of buildings that’s comforting and exciting. Plus, you just feel cooler and more accomplished when you get up and walk around a city. Less touristy. I strongly encourage you to try it.
Go to a local coffee shop: First, I must put this out there. I love coffee. And I drink it almost every day, for better or worse. Cities around the world have local coffee shops and, to a certain degree, these shops reflect the culture (and counterculture) of an area. In Pittsburgh’s Mexican Wars Streets neighborhood, there’s a coffee shop there that’s artsy and homey. In Mexico City’s Condesa neighborhood, there’s a local shop that’s small and sleek with a ton of niche styles, including delicious and strong pour over. In Chicago’s northside, a little shop with a massive picture window gives you feel for the pace and the age of those that inhabit the area. What I love to do when I’m in these shops is sit in the window and people watch. Coffee shops are great for that. It’s also interesting to see the vibe of the people in the shops. Downtown shops tend more towards the co-working vibe. Neighborhood shops are more artsy-fartsy. Either way, there’s something so cool and relaxing about a morning at the local coffee shop. That piece of this experience seemingly holds true no matter where you are in the world.
Go to a local brewery: And when I go, I typically go by myself (solo travel) , and I sit at the bar. I do this because, for one, I love craft beer. The flavors, how it pairs with food, it’s one of my favorite beverages. Second, sitting at the bar gives you a great opportunity to connect with bartenders and other patrons in a pretty easygoing environment. And breweries are often windows into the vibe and culture of a particular area. I’ve heard about how people feel about local football teams, parts of town, high school rivals, of course, what are the other cool things to do in an area. Also, breweries are typically in hip, and upcoming neighborhoods, so the vibe tends to be less commercial and a lot more authentic.
Eat Local: This may seem like the most obvious one, but it’s very important to eat local when you’re in another city. It’s often the case that you’re in this one place for a short period of time, so why wouldn’t you try something that you can only get in that place. To me, that’s the essence of travel and why I crave it. The tastes, experiences, the people serving it to you, finding the familiar in the unfamiliar, that’s why I love travel so much and why I want it to be a part of my life.
