Hesitant to Travel Solo? Check out Road Scholar

Solo travel has been on the rise in recent years. New research shows that 50% of Americans have traveled solo and nearly a third (32%) of Americans who have never traveled solo are curious to try it. Older Americans are at the helm of this trend. More Baby Boomers (58%) and members of the Silent Generation (64%) have traveled solo than Gen Xers (50%), Millennials (49%) and Zoomers (36%).

But not everyone feels comfortable hitting the road alone. According to the survey conducted by Talker Research for Road Scholar, the not-for-profit world leader in educational travel for older adults, more than a quarter of Americans find solo travel daunting.

The study explored the appeal — and misgivings — of doing different activities solo. Among the 2,000 adults surveyed, safety concerns (26%), cost (25%), and fear of being alone (23%) were the top reasons they hadn’t tried solo travel yet. More women cited safety concerns and being alone, while cost was the top concern for men.

The study showed that walking at night (59%), staying somewhere unfamiliar (51%), and navigating airports or public transportation (44%) were the top aspects of solo travel that gave people pause. Travel isn’t the only activity that people are nervous to do alone. American adults are also hesitant to attend a concert alone (31%), drive long distances (30%), and spend time outdoors (25%). Women and older adults showed more concern and hesitation in all of these categories compared to men and younger demographics.

“There’s a real stigma about being out in public alone, both from a social anxiety perspective, and for safety reasons,” said Maeve Hartney, Chief Program Officer at Road Scholar. “Those of us who travel solo often take it for granted, but solo travel takes a lot of courage, especially for women and older adults!”

So what’s behind the growing interest in traveling solo? Respondents said that the opportunity to experience personal growth (33%), learn more about themselves (28%), and develop confidence (28%) are the most appealing aspects of solo travel.

Those who have traveled solo revealed that the challenges and concerns that may come with solo travel are worth it. Most (70%) said they’d do it again. Solo travelers reflected on how their trip made them more independent (29%) and allowed them to have time away (27%).

Many said that going on a solo trip also made their relationship stronger. More than a third (35%) of those who were in romantic relationships said that taking a trip alone was beneficial to their partnership, saying that their solo trip offered them a chance to recharge (40%), do things their partner wasn’t interested in (37%), and become more independent (33%).

“Whether you’re single, widowed, or in a relationship— traveling on your own can be seriously empowering,” said Hartney. “Traveling solo forces you to go out of your comfort zone every day, which can push you beyond the boundaries of what you think you’re capable of. So many of our solo travelers tell us that they return home feeling much more independent and confident, which gives them more autonomy in their daily lives at home.”

For some, solo travel isn’t the first choice but sometimes the only option. Most (58%) said they’d prefer to travel with other people. Only 15% said travel experiences are better alone. But one in eight struggle to get others on board when trying to plan trips, citing budget differences (37%) and difficulty coordinating schedules (31%). The average person misses out on two trips a year entirely because they can’t find someone to go with them!

“Just because you don’t have someone in your life who has the same budget or schedule doesn’t mean you have to go it alone,” said Hartney. “A great solution for those who don’t have a travel companion but also don’t want to travel completely on their own is to consider group travel, like Road Scholar.”

Six in 10 survey respondents said they’re interested in meeting new people while traveling. Most people (53%) are open to the idea of grouping up with other travelers, and 49% of solo travelers are already incorporating some kind of group experience into their solo trips. Older adults were most interested in doing group activities while traveling solo (43% for Boomers members of the Silent Generation, vs 27% for Gen Z, Millennials, and Gen X).

“There’s so much to see in the world,” said Hartney. “Don’t let your busy friends or your own fears hold you back from discovering the world—and yourself!”

Respondents who have taken trips alone shared tips for successful solo travel, including:
1. Prioritizing safety and awareness
2. Planning ahead (but not TOO rigidly)
3. Being open to new experiences and people
4. Relaxing, having fun, and enjoying your freedom
5. Being confident; “just go for it!”
6. Doing what YOU want to do

Their top destination recommendations to explore solo included Japan, Hawaii, Florida, Italy, and Paris.

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Learn more about Road Scholar’s solos-only programs at:
www.roadscholar.org/collections/solo-only

Research methodology:
Talker Research surveyed 1,000 solo travelers and 1,000 general population Americans who have access to the internet; the survey was commissioned by Road Scholar and administered and conducted online by Talker Research between Feb. 9 and Feb. 13, 2026.

About Road Scholar
Not-for-profit Road Scholar is the world leader in educational experiences for older adults, serving 6.5 million lifelong learners since 1975.

Road Scholar programs combine travel and education to provide experiential learning opportunities for adults over 50, featuring an extraordinary range of topics, formats, activity levels, and locations—on all seven continents and throughout the United States.

From immersive travel to engaging online learning, Road Scholar inspires adults to keep exploring, discovering, and growing through the joy of lifelong learning.