What makes us want to collect (dare I say hoard) quotes? Words of wisdom plucked from a writer, artist, or some other sage figure that struck some magical, harmonic chord within us.

I highlight quotes I like in books. Dog-ear the pages. Circle entire paragraphs. If it’s a library book, I’ll even take the time to painstakingly transcribe the quote into a journal, on a napkin, or on any errant scrap I find. 

These days, my quotes are now likely to get lost in the digital abyss. Copy-and-pasted into a Google Doc. Bookmarked on my browser. Saved in my Notes apps—and rarely, if ever, seen again. 

Why do we do this? 

Because words make you feel. They can make you heal. And put together just so, they can give you more pause than an entire photo reel (or even, she shudders, an Instagram reel). 

Words are our friends when the world is screaming too loud. When small talk is insufficient and corporate speak, ubiquitous. Someone, somewhere has already found just the right thing to say to soothe you and move you and keep the existential dread at bay. 

These are some of them—the traveling alone version. 

Whether you need: 

Consider this your chest of inspirational delights for sometimes-weary travelers in our often-weary world: a thoughtfully curated round-up of 21 quotes for traveling alone. 

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Quotes about traveling alone…for when you want to sink into the bliss of solitude

Taking in the sunset solo—with only a glass of wine at your side. Wandering hidden bookshops in a new city. Cosplaying an elderly gentleman by sitting outside a cafe for hours and just calmly watching the world go by. 

When you appreciate the bliss of solitude, you can find contentment anywhere. 

Set the mood with these 6 quotes about traveling alone to savor solitude: 

1. “Loneliness adds beauty to life. It puts a special burn on sunsets and makes night air smell better.”

Speaker: Henry Rollins, American singer and writer (1961–)

2. “I wondered why it was that places are so much lovelier when one is alone.”

Speaker: Daphne du Maurier, English novelist, biographer and playwright (1907–1989)

3. “To awaken quite alone in a strange town is one of the most pleasant sensations in the world.”

Speaker: Freya Stark, British-Italian explorer and travel writer (1893–1993)

4. “In the solitude of solo travel, the mind expands, and the spirit dances to the rhythm of the open road.”

Speaker: Jack Kerouac, American novelist and poet (1922–1969)

5.“The inner journey of travel is intensified by solitude.”

Speaker: Paul Theroux, American novelist and travel writer (1941–)

6. “I am not the same, having seen the moon shine on the other side of the world.”

Speaker: Mary Anne Radmacher, American writer and artist (1957–)

Traveling alone quotes…to make you feel like a free bird

Perhaps you spontaneously cut your own hair—or dyed it. Quit your job. Ended a relationship. Moved—whether across the country or to the next town over.

Even small steps can make big changes, especially when those small steps are the first on a voyage you take alone.

For the only company you need, turn to these 3 traveling alone quotes to make you feel free like a bird:

7. “The man who goes alone can start today; but he who travels with another must wait till that other is ready.”

Speaker: Henry David Thoreau, American naturalist and essayist (1817–1862)

8. “Travel only with thy equals or thy betters; if there are none, travel alone.”

Speaker: Buddha, ascetic and religious teacher (6th or 5th century BCE)

9. “A hotel room all to myself is my idea of a good time.”

Speaker: Chelsea Handler, American comedian and actress (1975–)

Quotes for traveling alone…and potentially even finding yourself

The unspoken quest of every solo journey to be taken: “finding” yourself.

Even if you hadn’t felt lost to begin with, an independent mind, an open road, and enough space and time to think can put you face to face with the person you didn’t know you could be.

Get curious with these 6 quotes for traveling alone to find yourself:

10. “You must go on adventures alone to find out where you belong.”

Speaker: Sue Fitzmaurice, New Zealand writer, editor, publisher (unknown)

11. “When the traveler goes alone he gets acquainted by himself.”

Speaker: Liberty Hyde Bailey, American horticulturist (1858–1954)

12. “I think one travels more usefully when they travel alone, because they reflect more.”

Speaker: Thomas Jefferson, American Founding Father and 3rd US President (1743–1826)

13. “Traveling alone makes it easier to be yourself.”

Speaker: Charles Bukowski, American poet and novelist (1920–1994)

14. “It seemed an advantage to be traveling alone… we temper our curiosity to fit in with the expectations of others.”

Speaker: Alain de Botton, British author (1969–)

15. “Loving life is easy when you are abroad… you are more master of yourself than at any other time.”

Speaker: Hannah Arendt, German-American historian and philosopher (1906–1975)

Quotes on traveling alone…that make you focus on personal growth

Sometimes if you want to grow, you must first rip out your roots.

Walk where you’ve never been. Pack lightly. Breathe deeply. And keep your best photos for yourself—the most profound personal growth happens when no one is looking.

Start the process with these 6 quotes on traveling alone for personal growth:

16. “Always go with the choice that scares you the most, because that’s the one thing that is going to require the most from you.”

Speaker: Caroline Myss, American author (1952–)

17. “If you don’t get out of the box you’ve been raised in, you won’t understand how much bigger the world is.”

Speaker: Angelina Jolie, American actress and filmmaker (1975–)

18. “Twenty years from now you will be more disappointed by the things that you didn’t do than by the ones you did do…”

Speaker: Mark Twain, American writer and humorist (1835–1910)

19. “You are the one that possesses the keys to your being. You carry the passport to your own happiness.”

Speaker: Diane Von Fürstenberg, Belgian fashion designer (1946–)

20. “A solo journey is not a solitary endeavor; it’s an affirmation of your ability to thrive independently…”

Speaker: Amy Smith, leadership coach (unknown)

21. “Solo travel not only pushes you out of your comfort zone; it also pushes you out of the zone of others’ expectations.”

Speaker: Suzy Strutner, Executive Content Director, Oracle (unknown)

A book of quotes for traveling alone—AKA the best solo travel companion

Perhaps the old Eat Pray Love clichés are true. Solo travel does teach you about yourself. It tests your patience, exposes you to new cultures, and reminds you that you are a tiny bee in a massive hive and that, for better or for worse (usually for better), you, your troubles, and your worries are really not that big of a deal.

Most importantly, solo travel forces you to spend time with no one but yourself—a surprisingly difficult feat in our always-connected, always-buzzing world of endless distractions.

A Merry Loner’s 7-Day Do Things Alone Challenge

Solo travel doesn’t have to be far. It can be as close as the next town over. Ready to start? Learn how to get more comfortable doing new things alone.

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