Not everyone loves driving or road trips but if you do, taking a solo road trip can be great for your mental health. We all need a break and the opportunity to break free from routines. A chance to clear our heads, sing out loud, have a good pity cry, and distract ourselves with something, anything, that is new and different. And, to not have to take care of anyone else or cater to someone else’s needs while you are at it? All the better.
Maybe you can’t jump on a plane and jet off for a weekend, but you can jump in a car and hit the open highway on a solo road trip. Road trips are a great way to get away from people. Your people and the people you don’t know.
Leave behind the drama, the arguing, the constantly being needed. Give yourself a chance to just be you. I can promise you that you will return refreshed. I can’t promise how long it will last, but it will do you good.
Reasons to Take a Solo Road Trip
After taking many solo road trips over the years, I have come to truly appreciate this time to myself. Usually I begrudge all the time I spend in my car, but that is because I’m usually chauffeuring someone else around. When it is only you, it is much more fun. Here’s why:
Control the tunes
When shepherding my daughter to and from school, usually the first thing she asks when she gets in the car is, “can I put my music on?” Of course I say sure. So when I’m alone in the car it is such a pleasure to listen to what I want to hear. Sometimes that means catching up on my favorite podcasts. Other times it means singing my favorite 80s songs at the top of my lungs.
Only stop when you want (or need)
Every time we head out on a family road trip, we always need to stop to use the bathroom way more than I need because someone else in the car can’t get in synch, and I am a women of a certain age that does need to stop with some frequency. Then you have people getting hungry at different times…you know the drill. It is very freeing to be able to stop whenever YOU feel the need or desire to take a break. By the way, when making a long road trip solo, plan on stopping every 2-3 hours for a little leg stretch and driving break.
Make detours
See a cute farm / shop / restaurant or interesting attraction advertised along the highway? Pull over. Why not? No one else is going to complain. The beauty of a solo road trip is taking your time. Just don’t put yourself on a tight schedule. This is NOT the time to adhere to a schedule. What a relief to actually take your own sweet time.
Stop for photos
How many times have you driven by a beautiful scene and thought you would love to pull over and take a picture, but you know others in the car will roll their eyes and complain. Or you feel guilty about stopping too often? When you are on your own you can decide when and how often to stop. Get all the photos you want. Just make sure to get some of you too (travel with a mini selfie stick/tripod). Go ahead and share it on Insta (after you leave), don’t think of it as making your friends jealous, think of it as giving them permission to enjoy some self-care of their own!
Eat where you want
This is a perfect time for a little cheat break on whatever diet or eating regimen you might follow. Indulge in some road trip snacks, or treat yourself to room service, try that farm-to-table local restaurant, and stop for ice cream. Bottom line — do what makes you happy! You choose, no long drawn-out decisions on where to eat or worrying about making everyone else happy.
Do what you want
Again, this is about you! I know it is hard to accept but do not feel guilty, do not feel like there is something you are “supposed” to do. Just do what makes you happy. Sleep in, visit a winery, tour a museum, sign up for a food tour, take an art class, go on a hike, lay on the beach. Use this time to refresh and restore yourself. Do some yoga or meditate. Find your center, remember who you are, think about what makes you happy, and come back ready to face the next challenge.
You deserve it
Most of all, you deserve it. Yes, you do. I know we tend to compete with how busy we are and how tough our lives can be in comparison to others. And at this time in our lives we have so many responsibilities keeping us up at night between career, family, friends, and community. But no one gets extra points for never taking a rest. We need to break this mindset that we have to always be doing. It is 100 percent ok to stop and take time for yourself.
I give you permission. Now give yourself permission and GO!
Solo Road Trip Ideas
As my daughter has gotten older, I’ve switched from taking a ton of mother-daughter road trips to doing more solo road trips. Here are some of my favorites and why they are great solo!
Florida Keys
Driving from Miami to Key West makes a great girls’ trip, but it can also be a perfect spot for a solo road trip. The sunshine and blue water will lighten your mood and the laid back vibes and flip-flop nation music will help you chill.
Fall Foliage
Autumn is a great time for a getaway to escape to the mountains and enjoy some beautiful fall foliage. I love road tripping up to Vermont or New Hampshire to do some glamping and hiking. My husband doesn’t like hiking the way that I do, so I just go on my own!
I’ve also taken some stunning off-the-beaten path scenic drives in Maine.
Wine Country Wander
If wine country is your happy place, plan a trip meandering through the closest wine region to you. I recently spent a few days in the Finger Lakes chasing waterfalls, visiting wineries on Seneca Lake, exploring farms, checking out Hammondsport, and enjoying a boat tour of the lake.
Other regions like Sonoma are great, because you have the towering Redwoods for some forest bathing, cultural attractions (can you count the Charles Schulz Museum as a cultural attraction, I mean Peanuts is a part of our culture right?), and plenty of wineries.
Prince Edward Island
Why did I choose an island for a road trip? Well, first of all I actually drove to Prince Edward Island from my home in New England with a stop in New Brunswick along the way. But it is also a great spot to fly in and rent a car (just make your plan early). You can stroll along gorgeous red sand beaches, revisit your childhood with visits to Anne of Green Gables attractions, and participate in amazing wellness and culinary experiences.
Tamara Gruber is an award-winning travel writer and the founder of Your Time to Fly. With more than a decade of professional writing experience across two travel publications and hundreds of destination guides, she specializes in crafting practical, detailed itineraries that help travelers explore the world with confidence. Her work reflects years of on-the-ground research across the globe. Tamara is a member of SATW and serves on the Board of Directors of the Family Travel Association.
