Solo Travel vs. Travelling with a Partner: What I’ve Learned
If you’ve been following along for a while, you know that travel is one of my favorite ways to reset and feel inspired. Over the years, I’ve done trips on my own, trips with friends, and now trips with my husband (ah!) — and each experience has felt completely different.
Solo travel taught me a lot about myself and how I like to spend my time. Traveling with a partner has shown me how fun it can be to share those moments with someone you love. Here’s what I’ve noticed as the biggest differences — and why I think both are worth doing if you can.
My first true solo trip was to Central America, where I met some amazing people (some of who were at my wedding!), and I still think about it all the time. I met all these amazing people, connected over shared experience with people all over the world and was exposed to so much culture (local and from travellers).
My most favourite solo trip though was my 6 month trip through Asia, and 2 weeks in NZ. There’s this magical feeling that comes with making decisions purely based on what you want to do in the moment — no compromising, no negotiating, just following your own curiosity. I met some amazing people here too, including my bestie who stood up with me for my wedding, and reconnected with a friend from high school who also stood up there with me. I met so many amazing people, just let life go where it took me and lived life on my own terms.
Solo travel can also be surprisingly quiet. Without someone to talk to constantly, you notice more. The way light hits a building in the late afternoon, the sounds of the street, the way locals interact. I always end up journaling more on these trips, because I have time to process what I’m seeing and feeling. I wrote down quite a few tips and travel blogs while I was away to pass the time and reflect on where I had been. I wrote a post on my trip halfway through and everything I was feeling here.
Of course, that freedom comes with a little bit of pressure. You’re the one figuring out train schedules, navigating maps, and deciding where to eat. Decision fatigue is real — I’ve definitely had moments where I stood in the middle of a square for 15 minutes just trying to pick a lunch spot that had gf options.
But honestly, that’s part of what makes solo travel so empowering. You learn how to trust yourself, problem-solve, and get comfortable with being alone — and those skills stick with you long after you get home. That being said, there are some scary moments about solo travel, like ending up in a hospital in Cambodia by myself with typhoid.
The Pace of the Trip
When I’m traveling alone, the pace is entirely mine. If I want to spend two hours wandering a market, I do. If I decide I’m done with sightseeing at noon and just want to sit in a café with my book, that’s okay too. Solo travel is freedom at its best.
With a partner, the pace becomes a compromise — but not in a bad way. You’re building the day together. Some of my favorite travel memories have been slow mornings sipping coffee with Alan while we plan out what to see, or even deciding to scrap the plan altogether and just explore spontaneously.
Decision Making
This is the biggest shift. When you’re solo, you make every single choice: where to eat, when to move on, what to see next. It can feel empowering, but it can also get a little exhausting — “decision fatigue” is real when you’re navigating a new place every day.
With a partner, decisions are shared. That can be a relief, but it also means you’re learning to compromise — sometimes you’re doing something that wasn’t your first choice because it matters to the other person. I’ve found this actually makes me more adventurous. I end up trying things I might have skipped if I was alone.
Poor Alan has been forced to go to my restaurants since we got together because gluten free needs trumped everything, but he’s been a real sport about it.
The Moments in Between
This is where the difference feels the biggest to me. When I travel alone, I notice every detail. I journal, I don’t take as many photos and I spend a lot of time in my own head. There’s something really special about those quiet moments of reflection, but they can be lonely too.
When I’m traveling with a partner, those moments are shared — the “look at that!” moments, the inside jokes, the shared silence in watching a sunset. Instead of processing everything internally, you get to talk about it in real time. It’s less introspective but often more fun.
Safety & Comfort
Solo travel definitely forces you to be more cautious. I’m always hyper-aware of my surroundings when I’m traveling on my own, especially at night. It’s not something that stops me from going, but it’s always in the back of my mind. Built into safety is also the need to get travel insurance. Get it. No ifs ands or buts. You need it and you’ll be glad you did when you go to the hospital and its not $5,000 out of pocket.
Traveling with a partner just feels easier logistically — someone to watch the bags while you run to grab coffee, someone to help navigate a confusing train station, someone to split the “where on earth is our Airbnb?” stress at midnight. And when you a tired and your brain isn’t working, its great to rely on another person to add their few brain cells too.
Neither way is better — they’re just different. Solo travel gives you independence, clarity, and space to connect with yourself. Traveling with a partner adds laughter, shared memories, and a layer of support that makes some of the trickier parts of travel a lot easier.
If you have the chance to do both, I highly recommend it. Start with a solo weekend away if you’re curious — see how it feels to build a trip entirely around you. And then, when you travel with a partner, notice how different it feels to share that experience. I’ve found that doing both has made me a better traveler overall — more patient, more flexible, and a lot more grateful.
If you’re thinking about planning your first solo trip or your first big adventure with a partner, here are a few things that have helped me:
Solo Travel Tips
Pick a destination that feels safe and manageable for your first time — walkable cities with good public transport are perfect.
Keep friends or family updated on your itinerary. I send a quick text with my accommodation address and share my location with a couple people back home, regardless of where I am so someone in the world knows where I am.
Pack light and smart — you’re carrying everything on your own. A comfortable backpack or carry-on makes life easier.
Plan one “anchor” activity per day, but leave room for spontaneity.
Traveling with a Partner Tips
Talk through expectations before you go — pace, budget, must-see spots. It avoids stress later.
Build in solo time if you need it. An hour to yourself in the morning or afternoon can help keep the trip balanced. This is something I’m still working at, so don’t worry if this doesn’t come naturally. Especially if one of you is an introvert.
Divide responsibilities — maybe one person handles navigation while the other looks up restaurants.
Be flexible — sometimes the best memories come from changing plans together.
We have a honeymoon coming up quickly and it’s been an adventure to plan and decide what to do, but these tips have guided us through!
Love, M