Traveling alone is more about adventure than loneliness.
I've visited 40 states and a dozen countries as a solo traveler, and if I ever felt bored or lonely, I don't remember it.
What I recall instead is the thrill of seeing new things and of making new friends, with no one at my side to alter my trajectory. If I wanted to hike that trail — or take a seat at that bar or talk to those people — I did. If I wanted to go back to the hotel to soak in the hot tub, I did that, too.
If anything, many of those memories have been seared just a bit deeper with the sweet liberation and excitement that come with traveling alone.
For some people, of course, traveling alone is as baffling as it is terrifying. Yet solo travel is one of the most important things we can do; it allows us not only to get to know the world but also ourselves.
Because that first solo trip can be daunting, I suggest not getting too ambitious: Head to a progressive and beautiful American city you're eager to check out — Portland, Ore.; Portland, Maine; Seattle and Burlington, Vt., come to mind — where you can be dazzled by the sights and the food, but there's also a decent chance of meeting interesting people.
Here are thoughts from three people who have traveled alone extensively.
Lee Abbamonte, 37
New York travel blogger (leeabbamonte.com) who claims to be the youngest American to visit every country in the world
"Between my junior and senior years of college, I decided I was going to travel in Asia for a month. I tried to get friends to go with me, but no one could, either because of a lack of time or lack of money. I didn't feel like waiting around, so I just went alone.