Is It Weird to Want Company While Traveling Solo? (Solo Travel vs. Group Travel: Why You Don’t Have to Choose)

After my first solo trip, I felt like a changed person. Somewhere in the middle of that trip, it hit me: I could explore the world and do things on my time. No more waiting for a trip to leave the group chat. No more waiting to find a romantic partner who wanted to travel. No more trying to line up my calendar with my very busy, very professional group of friends. Solo travel didn't mean I was lonely, or that I didn't have people who loved me…it just cracked open a whole new world of possibility for where and when I could go. I'm forever grateful for that first trip. It blew the doors wide open on how I thought about travel altogether.

On my first solo trip (cruise)! I remember feeling like the world was my oyster.

But there's a sticky truth I've uncovered after a few solo trips: I don't always want to be alone.

Yes, I love the flexibility and the freedom of being able to book a trip and just go whenever I want. But sometimes, on the big trips, I wish I wasn't doing it solo. Some experiences are simply better-and easier- with a group of people around you. That's exactly why I recommend group tours so often: free walking tours, Get Your Guide excursions, Airbnb Experiences. They give you the best of both.

Wait, Am I Still a "Real" Solo Traveler?

When I uncovered that truth, I felt like a fraud. Oh no- are my solo travel days over? Am I even part of the solo travel community if I want connection and other people around me?

I sat with those questions for a few weeks. And then I realized: I don't have to choose.

I can be a solo traveler and someone who loves group travel. I can spend my mornings alone or politely skip an excursion without hurting anyone's feelings. And I can also admit, honestly, that some of my solo moments would have been better with a friend -new or old -standing next to me.

If you've felt that same tug- relieved that you're not the only one who loves solo travel, but honest enough to admit you sometimes want someone else there, you're not weird. You're not broken. You're exactly who social travel was built for.

Why I Started a Social Travel Club

This is the exact motivation behind why I created Social Travelers Club.

I knew there were people out there like me: solo travelers who loved the freedom and flexibility that solo travel unlocks, but who also cherished connection. One of my favorite parts of international travel has always been meeting people from different corners of the world, and I wanted to build a space for that.

Social Travelers Club is a travel club for solo travelers who want to meet like-minded people. People who are curious, who want to explore new countries and cultures, and who are brave and open-minded enough to do it on their own- but who also understand that sometimes connection matters more than total flexibility. It's part solo travel club, part singles travel club, part built-in group of new friends…however you want to think of it, it's a home base for people who don't want to pick a side.

You Don't Have to Choose Solo Travel or Group Travel

Our trips are designed to give solo travelers the flexibility they crave, while still surrounding them with other people on the same journey. And in a foreign country, everything is easier with a guide - which is why a guide is built into every single one of our trips.

So if you've been Googling "is it weird to want company while traveling solo," here's your answer: no. You're not weird, and you don't have to choose between solo travel and group travel. That's what Social Travelers Club is here for.

If you’re curious about joining one of our upcoming trips, sign up for our mailing list below and be the first to know when new trips are announced!