Curious about planning a solo adventure? Wonder how you’d plan your days? Think you’d be scared to leave the hotel due to a poor sense of direction?

I hear you, thank goodness for Google Flights and Google Maps! Solo travel is scary and exhilarating all rolled into one.

In 2009, I headed to Paris solo for the first time and Tim joined a few days later. I shared each day’s adventures on the blog (here’s day 1), along with takeaways.

As soon as I arrived, I crashed and that’s a big no-no. You’re supposed to stay up and force yourself into the new time zone. Because of this faux pas, I never got on Paris time and would wake up each day in the early afternoon. This meant I had only a few hours of daylight and museum or shop time.

Lesson learned. This was pre-Google Map usage abroad, even cell phone usage abroad, so I carried my trusty map everywhere. It definitely wasn’t easy, but I stumbled upon Boulevard Saint-Germain and it became my compass. The street is filled with shops, theaters, and restaurants.

My solo trips are now much smoother thanks to my iPhone, establishing go-tos (like Shakespeare & Co), hitting local markets to stock up on food staples, and knowing enough French phrases to get by. Whew!

Before I left Paris in September, I recorded this video to share my tips while the adventure was still fresh. Get an inside peek into my 2019 Parisian summer adventures (including a haunted house and jazz bars). Learn my go-to tips to create a memorable experience on your own.

Hope this inspires you to consider a solo trip to a setting that nourishes your spirit the way Paris does for me. Bisous. x

Resources mentioned:

1. Airbnb
2. Airbnb Paris sketching experience
3. Jazz: I spent six hours mesmerized by live jazz at 38Riv. Also loved Le Caveau de la Huchette and D’Aubusson hotel conveniently located near Shakespeare and Company.
4. Wild & the Moon
5. Here are an assortment of my Parisian favorites.