Mostly, if you are not an avid traveler, moving may sound overwhelming. The pain is more real when you need to face different time zones, understand new languages, and connect flights. The first solo trip is where you have to manage all of this on your own. just rewind the course of time and reach teenager when you summed up your experiences and audaciously planned a solo trip. Yes, there you are. Now, if your teenage solo traveler has prepared for this event, you need to be ready for volley of tips and answers to various questions.

Listed here are some tips for teenager solo trip makers who want to have a fool-proof plan in their hand. We don’t claim it to be the ultimate; please feel free to add yours’ in the comments.

Tips for teenagers on solo trip

Are you the ones who find travelling no less than an adventure or your story of traveling are full of hits and misses? If yes, perhaps, you are lacking the work to be done at the mental level. So, try these tips and see for yourself if your solo trip experience turned out to be the fun one by following these.

• Advance Planning
• Safety
• Trust Your Gut Instinct
• Live as per the choice
• Living the Moment

Few tips for parents – how you, as a parent can guide

• Having Fun Alone
• There’s No Wrong Way to Travel
• Educate Them to Blend In
• Stay Aware of Your Surroundings
• Take Care of Your Luggage and carry Local Currency

Let’s explore these one by one!

Advance Planning

Planning in advance is a wise decision for the first-time solo trip makers as a teenager. It is the time when you have to put all your observation in actions. While traveling for the first time, you get a chance to revisit all those loopholes you experienced while moving with parents or guardian. If you are a good records’ keeper, your advance planning support can be your travel journal. Otherwise, you can do some work mentally and try to get the initial plan for traveling chalked before final packing.

Safety

Safety can never take a backseat. It is the primary concern for anyone traveling.

Even if teens travel in a well-populated region and tourist area during the day, they must always be cautious. It’s important even for the most experienced travelers.

As a parent to any teenager solo traveler, teach the same to your young traveler. You may make a safety checklist and ensure all points are covered. Here is a quick overview of safety-related pointers:

• Ensure that you know the area where you plan to travel. Conduct detailed research on the place when booking hotels and plan your itinerary.
• Search various issues, such as crime rates and safety of the locality. Although you can find much through web research, speak to the locals to learn more about the city or country.
• Other safety tips include carrying cash and a charger.
• Parents must ensure that teens carry a first aid kit with them.
• Make copies and take pictures of the important documents.
• Spend some time learning about how to react in an emergency

Last, yet most importantly, inform someone about the place you are traveling to.

Trust your gut instinct

Usually, the main purpose for traveling solo is to meet new people, immerse in local customs, make new friends and develop a sense of freedom and responsibility.

The people whom you meet and connect deeply as teens are sure to make your first solo trip profound. Although most travelers did not start in that way, as an advisor, parents advise and educate their children on similar lines.

As a first-time traveler, try to stay in manned areas. Listen to instincts and feelings and be attentive if the feelers received are not good.

Live as per the choice

Every traveler, especially solo teen traveler, craves to live as per the choice.

Solo traveling offers you a schedule that you make; thus, you get to live as per the value system you designed for yourself.

Even though vacationing with friends is happy, you please yourself during your solo travel by indulging in varied activities without compromise.

When you decide to do something, you love, the last-minute choices fill your mind and soul with lots of fun. So, while planning has a sanctity of its own, spontaneity allows you to explore new choices and have more vivid experiences.

Live the moment

The sights and sounds in a new destination appeal to every traveler, including first-time solo young travelers.

Teens, on their solo trips, instead of worrying too much can make it a point to enjoy these and collect some Instagram-worthy memories.

By savoring the excitement of visiting a new place, they practice mindfulness and become acutely aware of their likes, dislikes, etc. It is when your thoughts and worries go away and welcome peace.

Few tips for parents

Witnessing teenage child taking those baby steps to adulthood can be a lot of fun. It does take guts to let the kid go and face the world on his own. here are a few tips that you can consider helping your growing child to become a solo traveller.

1. Having Fun Alone

Often teens planning their first solo trip have ideas about how their trip will be. However, once they are out, they might get homesick. Educate your young traveler that vacationing alone is an excellent opportunity. When traveling, do not forget to explore most places and takes selfies and pictures. Enjoy your day by heading to a nice restaurant and enjoying your meal.

Breaking from your itinerary is also essential. Support your teens with their decision.

They can plan several guided tours. However, it doesn’t mean they need to stick to them.

Some suggestions worth taking are:

• If feeling bored sitting in your hotel room, head out, walk reluctantly across the city, and crash by early evening.
• The local cuisine’s taste might not be heavenly. If so, order something familiar from the menu.
• In cold and miserable weather, it’s okay to mix your plans.
• Remind your teenage traveler to put down their phones, unplug their headphones, and indulge in the beauty of the new place.

Thus, you can help child learn to enjoy aloneness and get an idea of the world around through solo travels.

2. Let them Discover their Right Way to Travel

There is no right or wrong way for the first-time teenage traveler.

Enjoying the trip, staying safe, and having lots of fun are vital aspects. As a parent, it is important for you to hold yourself back and let the child come up with ideas. Children choose solo travels to discover themselves. So, let them be the first decision-makers. Try that you only answer the queries and not overload them with suggestions.

When you remind them of these trips, they will come back with great stories.

3. Educate Them to Blend In

Behaving like an outsider may invite trouble makers.

Do you look and behave like tourists when you travel to a new place? If not, then why expect the same from your teen travelers? Teens blend well without drawing a lot of attention to themselves. They pack light when traveling, carry very little money and wear no or minimal jewelry.

The best part is that they keep their heads up and eyes focused, which prevents them from being vulnerable to pick-pocketers and other such people.

Instead of carrying heavy cameras that point them as tourists, educate them to head out with sleek gadgets. Also, advise travelling like they are pro in it. The world need not know that the child is the first-time traveler.

4. Stay Aware of Your Surroundings

Regardless of what’s going on around you, never let your guard down, this is the best advice you can give.

Teen travelers must keep this in mind while joining an event drawing in a huge crowd, like a street fair.

Why? These events attract pickpockets.

If you are unaware of the safe areas of the place, ask someone knowledgeable. Try communicating with the local embassy, consulate, police office, or hotel concierge.

5. Take Care of Your Luggage and carry Local Currency

Often travelers have no choice but to leave their bags. In such a scenario, remove all the valuables and lock the bags with a bicycle lock. Try to teach the kid storing valuables in a safe.

Local taxis and buses do not accept credit cards or other currencies. Therefore, it is essential to carry the local currency.

In case the child needs local currency overseas, guide them about the currency exchange office and avail of the local currency’s equivalent amount.

Wrapping up,

Parents must encourage their teens to go on solo trips, as it is the best way to enjoy the diversity and indulge in its beauty without disruptions. Keep the above tips in mind, experience the inexplicable moments of your travel, and live each moment to the fullest.