Traveling can be exhilarating, filled with exciting adventures and new experiences. But for those of us with anxiety, travel can come with its own set of challenges.

It’s not uncommon for anxiety to make it harder to navigate new places, meet new people, and even just enjoy new foods.

Struggling with anxiety doesn’t mean you have to miss out from experiencing the world on your own. Here are a few helpful tips for traveling alone with anxiety.

Plus, I recently decided to take a solo-trip and a twenty six year old woman traveling alone with anxiety, I thought I'd share my experience.

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How to Travel Alone with Anxiety: Planning My Solo Trip

This was my first solo trip! I've traveled by myself a decent amount of times to go visit family members or friends, but not to a new place where I didn't know anyone.

I knew the trip was going to be outside of my comfort zone, but I wanted to have this new experience.

Deciding Where to Go & Stay

When planning my trip I knew that I wanted to go somewhere relaxing. So I started researching different resorts.

I was particularly looking at wellness resorts because I'd just finished a big work project and wanted to take some time to relax and work on my mindfulness.

Staying in a resort type of hotel has eased my travel anxiety in the past. While it might sound silly, I take a lot of comfort knowing that I don't have to leave. Most resorts have all you need right there such as activities, pools, restaurants, and sometimes even transportation.

As someone with anxiety, this eases my stress around having to find somewhere to eat in a new place and wondering how I'm going to get there.

And when I feel overstimulated after a big day of exploring during travel I take comfort in being able to come back to the hotel and know that I'll have what I need to decompress.

As I knew this going into my first trip alone, I wanted to play into this. I chose to go to Civana Wellness Resort and Spa.

Civana is located in Carefree, Arizona. I'd never been to Arizona before! I felt like the flight time of three hours was not too far and not too close!

If you decide to travel to Civana and are able to use the Booking.com link in the post, I sincerely appreciate it. I receive a commission and this helps support my work.

I was really drawn in by their mindfulness classes and thought this could be a great way to learn some new relaxation techniques that might help my mental health.

I also made a point to go during the week. I find traveling during the week is much less stressful than weekends. The airports and hotels seem to be less busy.

Arriving by Plane & Rideshare

The flight was a little less than three hours. Thankfully I don't have too much flight anxiety...although I used to! I'll share some tips for that below.

Upon arriving I did have to take a Lyft to the resort. It was about a 40 minute ride from the airport to the resort. I always feel a bit anxious about getting in a rideshare by myself as a woman. However, the driver was friendly and I learned a lot about the area I was visiting.

I was also nervous about arriving before check in. I kept thinking things like: what will I do the whole time, what if I have to carry my luggage, what if my reservation gets lost, and jumping to crazy unlikely scenarios.

However, the front desk was very helpful. They held my luggage while I explored the resort, ate lunch, and waited for my room.

Going to Activities

When going to my first class I did have a racing heart. I was quite nervous to put myself is so many new situations. Every day I'd go to new classes on new topics with new people. It was a lot of new things for someone with anxiety, but it was all good things.

I took classes on different breathing techniques, went to gratitude sessions, took some yoga classes, attended sound baths, and explored some mindful meditation classes.

They were all topics I was interested in and I learned a lot of valuable skills that I felt like I could take home and use in my everyday life.

I was also able to spend some time with myself alone by the pool which was nice.

Connecting with Other Travelers

The mindfulness classes were a great way to connect with others. I met a fellow solo traveler on the first day. It was nice to have a familiar face in the classes the next few days.

As someone with social anxiety I was a bit nervous. I wanted to connect with others, but was nervous. Thankfully at the resort there were plenty of other female travelers who were traveling solo. I felt like it was a safe environment for women traveling alone to explore.

How Traveling Alone Impacted My Anxiety

I feel like traveling to Civana allowed me to push myself in a controlled environment that was calming for my anxiety.

I think this was a great experience because of the types of people the wellness resort attracted. We were all there to work on ourselves, explore, be open, and it was wonderful. The resort had a very calming design that embraced the local nature.

It was easy to feel at peace here. I also felt relaxed because I was taking classes that had a positive impact on my mental health, eating healthy food from the restaurant, and surrounded by other people who were there for similar reasons.

It was a good place for me to give myself permission to let go and ease into relaxation...which is hard to do with anxiety.

If you decide to travel to Civana and are able to use the Booking.com link in the post, I sincerely appreciate it. I receive a commission and this helps support my work.

While I definitely had moments of anxiety during this trip, my anxiety did not control me and I was able to let a lot of it go.

I think this was because I had planned the trip around making sure I felt comfortable and the environment I was in helped me release those anxieties.

Overall my solo vacation was incredible. I definitely recommend pushing through your anxiety to try and do something like this for yourself.

I think solo travel can be really empowering for those of us struggling with anxiety. Pushing past your anxious thoughts and proving to yourself that "yes, I can" is a great feeling.

Tips for Traveling Alone with Anxiety

If you're thinking about planning a trip and traveling alone with anxiety, I encourage you to do it! Here are a few tips and things to consider as you plan your adventure.

Plan Ahead

One of the most helpful things you can do to alleviate anxiety is to plan ahead as much as possible. This includes booking flights and accommodations in advance, mapping out directions, and researching your destination. Knowing what to expect and having a loose itinerary can go a long way in easing anxiety.

Consider when you’re going. If you’re like me, large groups of people can be overwhelming. I tend to feel less anxious traveling during off-seasons and during the week.

Consider a group tour. This way meals, activities, and transportation is planned for you. That can take away a lot of anxious feelings having to figure things out for yourself. I think this can be a great way to travel especially if you're exploring a new country, new culture, or if there is a language barrier.

Deciding Where to Go

Deciding where to travel to and picking your accommodations is a big decision. I think it's important to be mindful of your triggers and try to pick a place where you will feel safe and comfortable. Maybe that's a certain hotel room or environment.

As I mentioned above I like having everything I need (food, activities, etc) in one place which is why resorts help my anxiety when I'm traveling. If you have flight anxiety try to avoid long flights and pick somewhere that you could drive to or a 1-2 hour flight.

Flight Anxiety

I used to struggle with flying anxiety, but have since been able to overcome this by flying more often. However, I still have friends who struggle with worst case scenario thoughts of the plane going down.

I think in these situations when the worst case scenario comes up it's important to remind yourself that fearful thoughts aren't going to control you and that the situation is temporary.

If you begin to have a panic attack on the plane consider asking the flight attendant for some herbal tea or a snack to help calm you. It can also be helpful to watch a funny movie or listen to calming music.

Pack Comfort Items

Having a few comforts from home with you while traveling can also help manage anxiety. Bring along your favorite snacks, a cozy blanket, or anything else that makes you feel at ease.

Additionally, it might be helpful to bring along items that help you relax, such as a book, calming music, or a soothing essential oil.

Take Time for Self-Care

When traveling, it can be easy to get caught up in the excitement and want to do everything at once. But it’s important to remember that self-care is just as important on the road as it is at home.

Make sure to take time for yourself each day, whether that means going for a walk, practicing yoga, or taking a bath. Prioritizing self-care can help prevent anxiety from taking over and allow you to fully enjoy your travels.

Connect with Others

While it’s important to take time for yourself, it’s equally important to connect with others when traveling alone. This can mean striking up a conversation with a fellow traveler, joining a tour group, or staying in a hostel where you can meet new people.

This can be a bit intimidating for those of us with anxiety who shy away from social interaction! But chances are you'll meet others with anxiety too. Plus, connecting with others can help you feel less alone and more comfortable in new surroundings.

I'm still connected with some of the new friends I made on my trip through social media. It was also great connecting with other women because they were able to give me reccomendations based on their experiences.

Embrace the Unknown

Traveling can be scary for anyone, but it can be especially challenging for those with anxiety. However, it’s important to remember that the unknown can also bring excitement and new discoveries.

Instead of focusing on the potential negatives of what you don’t know, try to embrace the excitement of the things you will learn and the people you will meet.

Panic Attacks

Panic attacks happen. I wasn't too worried about having a panic attack on this trip because I chose an environment that I thought would be good for my anxiety. But I did tell myself a couple times that panic attacks happen whether I'm traveling alone or with others. If it happens it's okay.

Just try to get yourself to a calm space where you feel like you're able to take a breath and decompress. Remind yourself that it will pass and it is temporary. And don't be afraid to seek professional help if you need! Asking for help is courageous!

Traveling alone with anxiety can be a challenge, but it’s important to remember that it’s still possible. Like I said earlier, I felt really empowered by the experience of pushing through my anxiety and doing something by myself.

By choosing the right place to go, planning ahead, packing comfort items, prioritizing self-care, and embracing the unknown, you can discover a new sense of freedom and adventure that comes with traveling solo.

Always remember that anxiety doesn’t have to hold you back from experiencing the beauty of the world. Safe travels!

Guides for Mental Health & Anxiety