Travel Solo But Not Alone, Take a Tour

If you don't feel comfortable traveling alone, go on a tour. You are still traveling alone, but you are also traveling in a group. There is safety in numbers.

Also, on a tour, you do not have to worry about driving, or making reservations, or really doing any planning, the tour company usually does all of that for you. The exception will be in deciding what to do with your free time.

A good tour guide will provide you with suggestions on how to spend that free time, and may even give you maps and transportation tips.

Additionally, a good tour guide will provide you with some history or information about the places you are visiting.

When visiting a city, in Europe at least, the tour company will provide a local guide to introduce you to the sites of the city. This is a great benefit for learning about the history and attractions of the city.

Years ago I travelled with Cosmos through England, Scotland and Wales. I made friends, and when not touring a group of us would walk around the village in the evening. I remember we had a good guide, but I don't remember receiving any extra suggestions.

In Italy and Switzerland recently, the tour with Trafalgar was a little different. There were optional excursions, these may or may not be cancelled depending on the number of people that sign up for them. Our guide did not explain much to us about where we were going or what we would do, or give us any suggestions for our free time. Our bus was late, and very late on several occasions, which was not a pleasant experience. I don't think that this is a typical experience with this company, but I'll hesitate before using them again. I will say, that except for one time, we did see everything that was in the itinerary, which is what I wanted to accomplish, so on that note, despite some issues, I accomplished what I set out to do.

I just returned from a fantastic tour of Spain with Go Ahead Tours. The sites visited were interesting, I got to see the things I wanted without having to drive into a big city, our hotels were nice and located within walking distance of the older parts of the city and museums. Our tour director provided maps and tips for sites and restaurants to visit in our free time. If an optional excursion was going to be cancelled for lack of participants, she was willing to try to help us find another way to see the places. However, it turned out that we were able to go on all the optional excursions.

I have also heard from others that Grand Circle and Country Walkers have good tours.

Tour Tips

These tips are primarily from my own experience, but there are some I have learned from others.

Tip 1 – Enjoy making new friends and not really being alone when you travel with a tour.

Tip 2 – See the navigation bar to the left for links to other travel tips.

Tip 3 – Enjoy the choice of taking optional excursions or spending time on your own.

Tip 4 – Enjoy not having to drive in the city, find parking, find hotels, and sometime even find a place to eat.

Tip 5 – Enjoy the information a tour guide or local guide provides. They have done the research for you!

Tip 6 – Enjoy the opportunity to discover all kinds of new things.

Tip 7 – I recommend purchasing Travel Insurance. I have purchased it and used it. You will have to decide what is right for you. I include it in my travel budget and definitely buy it when my trip costs are greater than I can afford to potentially lose.

Tip 8 – Have patience. Your group may be 45 or more people, though it could be less, but you are a group, and you will be led as a group on city tours and through churches, museums or other places. Sometimes you may be split into two groups, which can make it easier, but not every time. Some people may be slower then you, some may stop to take pictures of something that is interesting to them, or want to stop and shop, eat or use the facilities. Everyone has there own agenda, so to speak, but everyone also needs to remember to respect the rest of the group.

Tip 9 – Be on time. If you are late, everyone must wait, it can also affect the schedule for the day, and the amount of time you can spend.

Tip 10 - When your guide is talking, listen or wait quietly so that others may hear what is being said. You may not be interested in a history explanation, but that doesn't mean that 40 other people aren't interested.

Tip 11 – Time is provided for meals and shopping, so stop to eat and shop when the break is provided.

Tip 12 – Carry a money belt, keep valuable papers and extra cash safe. Hotel rooms and hotel safes are not always safe.