I thought traveling alone would be awkward or boring — but my first solo trip proved me wrong with its surprising perks

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I'm an extrovert who loves being around others, so the idea of solo travel felt awkward to me.
However, on a recent trip on my own, I was surprised by how much I enjoyed the freedom it offered.
I loved having the hotel room to myself, and being alone made it easier to control my budget.

"How many?" the host asked as I walked into the restaurant. I swallowed and responded, "Just one."

It felt strange to say, and even weirder to walk into the bustling restaurant by myself, heading to a small table in the corner.

As an extrovert, I've never preferred doing things solo.

So when I planned my first real trip alone, I was nervous. Sightseeing with no one to talk to, sitting by myself at dinner, and going back to an empty hotel room all seemed … awkward.

Postgrad life has a funny way of forcing your hand, though. Everyone's schedules are different now, and I didn't want to wait around for someone else to be free to scratch my travel itch.

So when I had the chance to go on a solo trip to Boston and no one was available to tag along, I took it as a sign. I went alone — and to my surprise, there were perks I never expected.

Here are eight things I loved about solo travel.

Booking transportation was simpler, with less planning and logistics involved.

Amanda smiling, looking out of a window on Amtrak.

One of the nice parts of planning the trip was that I didn't have to coordinate transportation with anyone else.

No group texts about which airline to fly, what days work best for everyone, or trying to coordinate train and flight schedules so we can all arrive at the same time.

With just me, that extra layer of logistics disappeared, and I got to travel based on my preferences.

So, I traveled by Amtrak for the first time. I picked a 6 a.m. departure because I'm an early bird when it comes to travel, and I upgraded my seat for extra comfort.

I appreciated the flexible schedule that solo travel provided me.

Amanda looking away from the camera, standing on a bridge on the Charles River Esplanade.

One of the biggest advantages of traveling solo was having complete control over my day-to-day schedule.

I could spend as much time as I wanted at any spot without feeling rushed, and change my schedule spontaneously depending on my mood.

Whether I was craving a seafood restaurant, needed a quick nap back at the hotel, or wanted to walk an extra mile to see the fall foliage on the Charles River Esplanade, I didn't have to ask if anyone else was down — I just did it.

Similarly, it was easier to allocate and control my budget.

My flexible schedule also allowed me to have control over my budget. I feel pressured to match someone else's spending habits or compromise on what I wanted to splurge on.

Instead, I was free to prioritize what matters to me, whether that was splurging on a nice dinner, saving money by walking instead of taking a rideshare, or skipping attractions that didn't interest me.

This level of autonomy not only helped me stick to a budget, but it also allowed me to spend in ways that reflected my own values and interests.

I found it not only to be a more intentional way to travel, but also a more financially sustainable one.

I unexpectedly loved having the hotel space all to myself.

I never considered myself someone who needed a lot of room on a trip, but it felt nice —and even luxurious —to have a hotel room all to myself.

I was able to keep the room tidy, sleep until the time I preferred, and the biggest advantage is I never had to fight for the bathroom.

I'm used to traveling with friends, where we're coordinating who showers first, who gets the mirror for makeup next, and who's using the blow dryer.

Although it's always fun getting ready together, it was refreshing to have the space all to myself. I relished it.

I noticed I was more likely to receive some perks when I was on my own.

Amanda standing in front of a Ramsay Kitchen sign.

I found that being alone often made it easier to get into crowded places or enjoy unexpected perks.

For example, one night I walked into a packed restaurant without a reservation. There were families and groups waiting to be seated outside, but when the host saw I was by myself, I was let in right away without waiting.

From my experience, even if a restaurant is packed, there's a good chance they have a single bar seat to spare.

Another instance of this was on my Amtrak ride home, when a staff member noticed I looked a bit lost.

I had asked him where to go, and instead of explaining, he kindly introduced me to a family that was boarding early to lead me to where I needed to go. Not only did I avoid missing the train, but I also got to board ahead of the crowd.

When you're alone, people can often squeeze you in, or you're more likely to fly under the radar. It was an unexpected perk I came to really appreciate.

Traveling solo forced me to do things I was uncomfortable with, like taking control of navigation.

An Amtrak train pulled up to the tracks at the station.

As someone notoriously bad with directions, I usually rely on others to take the lead when it comes to navigating, whether it's finding stations, following signs, or figuring out public transit.

Traveling solo forced me to take charge, and to my surprise, I wasn't half bad.

I didn't get lost walking around Boston, I found the right platforms for my Amtrak rides, and I even figured out public transportation in Salem.

Sure, I asked for help from workers and attendants along the way — but I did it.

It was incredibly rewarding and gave me a sense of independence. It pushed me out of the comfortable habit of following someone else's lead, and reminded me that I'm more capable than I give myself credit for.

I had the opportunity to meet new and interesting people.

A hand holding up a poem typed onto a yellow card.

I thought I would go crazy not having anyone to talk to on my trip. However, I quickly realized that traveling solo just opens the door to talking to new people.

It may be because I seemed more approachable on my own, or I was initiating more conversations because I didn't have a group to rely on, but either way, I spoke to plenty of people while I was out and about.

I chatted with fellow patrons in restaurants, my servers and I shared stories of where we were from, and I had engaging conversations with locals I never would've had if I had been traveling with company.

Walking down the streets of Salem, a woman with a typewriter caught my eye, and I began talking to her about my first solo trip. She crafted an adorable poem for me, and we shared a warm interaction.

As an extrovert, I not only love meeting new people, but others' perspectives on the area I was visiting also made my trip more meaningful.