How to Travel as an Introvert: 10 Things I’ve Learned

If you’re an introvert, you may be wondering if the whole “travel thing” is for you.

For me, personally, before I became a digital nomad nearly 2 years ago, I wasn’t sure if I’d make it. After all, the majority of solo nomads seem to be extroverted and outgoing.

But I’m introverted and… in-staying?

I have my outgoing moments, sure, but most nights, you can find me working at home (wherever “home” is at the time), running errands, or going to the gym. But despite my propensity for staying in, I’ve managed to have a lot of fun travel experiences. In my 2 years of solo travel, here are a few tips I’ve learned on how to travel as an introvert.

Go solo

Seriously. I’ve been flying solo for so long that I can’t imagine traveling with anyone now.

Don’t get me wrong—I’d like a travel buddy one of these days. But it’s also hard to imagine!

The main benefit of going solo is that you set your own schedule. If you’d rather go to a quiet cafe instead of a crowded restaurant, you get to make that decision. Or if you’d rather stay in all together at night, you can do that too. You’re in complete control.

You can decide if you want to do a tour with a group or if you want to explore a new place on your own. You’re free to take downtime as needed, and if a place looks too crowded for you—rather than break out into a cold sweat and “tough it out” for the sake of your friends, you can simply pick a quieter place. What a win!

And if you get the urge to try to make some new friends while traveling solo, check out my guide on how I do it: 10 Ways I Make Friends in a New City

Don’t overplan

Okay, time to let go of the FOMO here. I used to be really bad about wanting to cram in every possible activity on every trip. But that did not work out for me.

Overplanning left me exhausted, overwhelmed, and in a bad mood overall.

So here’s something that’s worked better for me…

Make a list of big things you’d like to do. Then pick the top 3-5 things that are most important to you, schedule them, and then allow for downtime around them. For longer trips, add more activities. And then if, and only if, your time and social batteries permit, do some more of the things on your list.

Take the night off

Again, the FOMO can be real with this one. It’s tempting to want to try a new restaurant each night, or go on a tour, or do some other activity.

But it’s just as important to schedule downtime. Exploring a new place all day can be overwhelming. So there’s no need to spend every night out, unless you really want to! When I plan my trips, I actually write “downtime” in my schedule. That way I don’t accidentally overbook myself and downtime becomes a priority.

Check your guilt

It’s time to get out of that scarcity mindset. If you have to miss something because you need to recharge, it’s pointless to feel guilty about it.

I used to think I had to cram in everything to get my money’s worth every time I traveled anywhere. Otherwise why was I even there? But I learned that I simply could not do it all.

It’s important to have fun when traveling. And if you’re not enjoying it because you’re overwhelmed, what’s the point?

Besides, if you really love a place, you can always go back.

And the places you wanted to see but couldn’t? Chances are, they will still be there.

For example, I didn’t get to go to the Empire State Building, Top of the Rock, the 9/11 Museum, and so many other places I wanted to see in NYC. But I had a wonderful time there, and I fully intend to go back and cross some more things off my list!

Photo by Jessie, NYC Photo Journeys

Remember your “why”

Introverts tend to be introspective. We don’t want to “consume countries.” We want to truly understand each place we visit. We want to take something away and maybe learn something about ourselves in the process.

So it was never about doing it all to begin with.

For example, when I went to NYC, my “to do” list was super long. I wanted to see the Statue of Liberty, Ellis Island, Empire State Building, Coney Island, Central Park, Times Square, a Broadway show, various popup events catered to tourists, etc. That list went on for about a mile.

I did many (but nowhere near all) of the things on my list because I was there for 6 weeks…

But if I had tried to cram all that into one week, I’d have been miserable.

When I think of NYC, though, what I really remember is eating street food at all hours, meeting incredible people, laughing my ass off in small comedy clubs, watching how fast the people walk (and scurrying along with them), contemplating which borough had the largest rats (Brooklyn), and above all, imaginging what it would be like to live there in all that hustle and bustle.

I still fantasize about moving there.

So I guess my personal “why” is to experience life as a local in the place I’m visiting. To go about with purpose and take something away from the experience.

And as long as you’re staying true to your personal “why,” even if things don’t go as planned, you’re doing it well and staying true to yourself.

Go during the off season

I visited Myrtle Beach last November and had it all pretty much to myself. After work, I strolled along the boardwalk under the streetlight with nary a soul in sight. It was fabulous. I got to experience the hokey touristy places, like the Hangout and the Simpsons in 4D mostly to myself. 

I think I fit in pretty well…

Had I gone during the summer, I don’t think I’d have liked it as much. Sure, it would have been more lively, but there was something really special about it being desolate.

It’s also cheaper to travel during the off season. So, win-win.

And it’s easier to meet the locals because most of the tourists are gone. There you go—triple win!

Remember quality over quantity

It’s not about how many things you do in any given place. It’s about how meaningful they were to you.

Slow down and really enjoy the things you end up doing. And if you don’t have time to do everything, that’s okay—it’s about quality.

And this approach allows you to really be present and in the moment for every activity you do!

Lose the sunk cost fallacy

It’s easy to fall into a trap. I’m feeling overwhelmed by too many scheduled activities, but I’ve already paid for this trip, so I might as well schedule even more activities even though I’m getting burnt out, right?

Wrong.

Just like you don’t throw good money after bad money, you don’t throw good time after bad time.

Sometimes just one night “off” is enough to reset and recharge. Othertimes, it takes more than that. Either way, it’s not a “waste” to take a vacation from your vacation, so to speak.

Space it out

It’s a recipe for burnout if you don’t space activities out. My optimal limit is one big thing per day followed by downtime or small, low-commitment activities. 

For instance, I would not try to cram two museums into one day. I’d do one and then check out a restaurant I wanted to try and then go for a stroll with Elgie or go window shopping. Something low-key.

On the rare occasion that I have two big things planned in a day and no time to go back to my home base in between, I’ll bring along a book. Then I’ll head toward the next spot and find a nice, quiet place nearby to sit for awhile in between activities and recharge.

Enjoy the simple pleasures

Speaking of Simpsons earlier, there’s a Simpsons quote that’s stuck with me for years:

“I want to shake off the dust of this one-horse town. I want to explore the world. I want to watch TV in a different time zone. I want to visit strange, exotic malls. I’m sick of eating hoagies! I want a grinder, a sub, a foot-long hero! I want to LIVE, Marge! Won’t you let me live? Won’t you, please?”

Homer Simpson

I guess I’ve remembered it all this time because sometimes that’s exactly what I want too. For me, it can be thrilling to simply be in a different spot, even if I’m just doing my normal routine of work and errands. Just having the option to try a new restaurant or explore a new neighborhood is exciting!

The takeaway

Travel can be a little different for introverts. We need our downtime or else we’ll get burnt out. But it’s a rewarding experience nonetheless.

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What do you think? Are you an introvert who likes to travel?

Do any of these tips resonate with you, or do you have any to add? Let me know in the comments!