16 Ways to beat Loneliness as a Solo RV Traveler
As a solo traveler, you may be wondering, will I get lonely? And if so, how do you beat loneliness as a solo RV travler? This is one the questions I’m often asked. How do you beat loneliness as a solo female Rver? I have some ideas about how to beat loneliness and I also have some thoughts about why you might not want to always try to push the feeling of loneliness away.
Loneliness is part of Solo RV Travel
I want to start by saying that loneliness can be a part of solo travel, but that’s ok. If you travel solo, you might get lonely from time to time. Your attitude toward loneliness will greatly impact its effect on you.
Deciding to travel solo takes a lot of courage. Especially if you’re heading out for the first time. Trying something new will come with challenges. You might have struggles backing your trailer into its spot, you might get lost trying to find your campground, you might worry about leakage when you dump your black tank for the first time. All of those things are part of the learning curve of being a new RVer. And so is dealing with loneliness.
When I headed out to travel by myself, I knew that there were going to be challenges. I was anticipating them. I was welcoming them. I wanted to go out and solo travel because I wanted to push myself out of my comfort zone.
Part of pushing myself out of my comfort zone is actually experiencing loneliness. So when loneliness creeps in there are things you can do to combat it. We will address those, but first let’s talk about actually welcoming loneliness and what it can teach us.
Loneliness is Temporary
I distinctly remember the first time I felt lonely on my first long solo trip. I was about a week into my month-long solo journey and I pulled into a campground that sounded amazing in the apps, but turned out to be isolated, desolate and with no place to really walk or see anything. Plus a rainstorm was moving in.
I called a friend who traveled a lot internationally. I figured she’d experienced loneliness in her travels. Sure enough, she told me about a time she took a boat to a tiny island in Thailand and was stuck there for a week when the weather turned bad and she couldn’t communicate with anyone. We talked about this and that until I didn’t feel lonely anymore, I felt loved. And I realized how many people I have in my life who care about me and how lucky I am to have so many great friendships in my life.
The loneliness passed. And that’s the first lesson I learned about loneliness: it’s a feeling. Feelings are not facts. Feelings are temporary. If you’re feeling sad or mad, you probably allow yourself to have those feelings. The same with loneliness. Sit with it. Experience it. You don’t have to try and run from it.
What Can Loneliness Teach You?
When ever I had feelings of loneliness on the road, I would remind myself those things. I also started to learn a bit about myself and the times that loneliness would show up. For me, I more often feel lonely in campgrounds with lots of family groups all hanging out and having a good time around me, then I do when I’m all by myself at the end of a Forest Service road.
I also feel more lonely in vast open landscapes than I do in the forest or by a lake or stream. Overnight parking lots can feel the loneliest of all. When loneliness creeps in, I welcome it, ask what it has to teach me, listen for the lesson and then ask it to leave. I don’t want to stay lonely forever.
How to Combat Loneliness in Solo Travel
So, yes, I do sit with loneliness and don’t freak out and end my trip because I’ve had some uncomfortable feelings. But I also know there are things I can do to beat loneliness when I am traveling. Here are a few tips on how to beat loneliness as a solo RV traveler:
1. Call Someone
That first time I really felt lonely on my solo trip, I called a friend who I knew would understand the loneliness of solo travel. But calling any friend will do. They don’t necessarily need to “get it.” They just need to be a friend who will listen to you. Sometimes hearing about someone’s else’s life will make you realize how lucky you hare to be having the kinds of experiences you’re having and that will ease your loneliness.
Also, sharing about the amazing sunset you just saw or harrowing drive you just had can make you feel less alone–you’re sharing your journey with someone else. We all need to feel connected to other humans and a phone call can make that happen.
2. Schedule Regular Phone/Zoom Dates
Don’t just call people up when you’re lonely–make phone dates with your friends and family. Call your Mom every Sunday. Have happy hour meet-ups with your pals. Just knowing that you have a phone call in the books can make you feel less lonely.
3. Bring a Pet Along!
This probably should have been my number one way to beat loneliness on the road. The beauty of RV travel is that we can bring our pets with us. I traveled for many years with my dog Olive and now I have an adventure kitty, Tucker.
My cat keeps me company. She snuggles with me at night and rides on my lap or over my shoulder when I’m driving. In addition to companionship, a pet gives you purpose and focus. Knowing you have to take care of another being can really help combat loneliness. It takes you outside of yourself and makes you focus on someone else’s needs – not just your own.
4. Volunteering Can Be a Great way to Combat Loneliness
Stopping to volunteer along your travels can be a great way to combat loneliness. Maybe you walk dogs at an animal shelter or help pack food at a food bank. You can even just head out with bag and pick up trash along the trail. Giving back helps quell the feelings of loneliness.
If you volunteer at a local organization, it can give you the opportunity to meet other folks in the community. An organization like Volunteer Match can help you find places that need help all over the US.
One of my podcast guests, Brenda Williams found a whole new purpose to her travel by volunteering with Sister-Corps, a group of fellow women RVers who help out after natural disasters.
Or maybe you’ll just have one of those “pay it forward” moments where you buy coffee of the person behind you in line. You may never even meet the person, but feeling like you made someone’s day will make you feel less alone.
5. Go to a Vanlife or RV Gathering
We may be nomads, but we’re not anti-social. In fact, nomads can sometimes be the most social people. Going to a vanlife or other RV gathering is a great way to make connections, meet new friends and get a fix of socialization while on the road.
I’ve gone to vanlife gatherings and met some great people. I’ve also met some new life-long friends at women camping Facebook groups.
Whether it’s a Girl Camper event, Escapees, Vanlife Pride, A Roam of Our Own or other gathering, make it a point to plan for at least one gathering. You’ll meet people you can stay in touch with and connect up with over and over again.
6. Connect with Other Friends who Travel
Since starting my RV life, I’ve gathered a lot of virtual friends who are fellow nomads. I belong to a Facebook group for my specific type of RV and had a wonderful meet up with another woman in that group.
I also met up with someone who is now my good pal by being in the same Girl Camper Facebook group. We could tell from each other’s posts that we were in the same area and we both took a chance to meet up at a nearby campground. We ended up having a blast and have now met up several times here and there out on the road.
It takes a bit of courage and listening to your intuition before meeting a stranger from the internet, but if you trust your gut and play it safe, you may just end up with a new friend–one who gets your lifestyle and love of travel. And also understands the hard parts of being on the road. (Including loneliness!)
7. Being Active can Combat Loneliness
One of the best ways I’ve found to beat loneliness is to stay active. I like to hike, bike, kayak, walk around with my cat on a leash. Even driving around and exploring makes me feel less lonely. One of the reasons I love to travel is that I want to see and explore new things. It reminds me why I’m out here and makes me feel less lonely.
8. Make a Plan for Lonely Times
The more time you spend on the road, the more you’ll begin to understand what your loneliness triggers are. For me, I avoid crowded campgrounds on holiday weekends. I also make plans to meet friends when I am traveling. Often times I even plan my travels around visiting friends. I know how much time I can spend alone before I need some real human contact that is more than surface level or small talk. I need to connect with real friends who I can get real with.
Every few weeks I make a plan to meet up with a friend in their hometown–after all, we can take our homes anywhere. It’s a great way to stay connected with long time friends and a way to combat loneliness.
9. Find a Meet-Up in Your Area
Meetup.com can be a great way to meet up with locals if you’re going to be in an area for a while. You can find things like hiking groups, biking meet-ups, trivia nights, birding trips or music jam sessions. People join meet-ups because they want to connect and meet new people, so folks will be open to chatting and socializing.
10. Attend Church or 12-Step Meeting
If you belong to a church or 12-step program, attending services in towns along your routes is a great way to break loneliness and meet people with similar interests and values. I did this once on a long trip and ended up running into someone who I knew from my hometown who’d moved to the place I was visiting. It was a great connection and definitely broke the loneliness.
11. Step Out of your Comfort Zone to beat loneliness on the road
Many who choose to travel solo are introverts. But even introverts need connection. Take a chance and say hello to the grocery clerk, the person camped next to you or the lady with the cute dog. Even short conversations with strangers can make you feel less alone.
I once started chatting with someone at a campground when she saw me out walking my cat. A few hours later, she came by with a rock she had painted of my kitty, Tucker.
12. Volunteer or Get a Job as a Campground Host
One of the things that I like to do is volunteer as a campground host. (And that’s led to a job as a campground host, but that’s another story.) While volunteering, I get to meet other campers when I help them to their site, sell them wood, or share about the attractions in the area. In addition, to the campers I get to meet daily, I also form a community with the other hosts. Some have become life-long friends and since we all travel, we meet up from time to time along our journeys.
Volunteer (or paid) hosting, also gives your travel a sense of purpose and structure. It’s great if you’re going to be on traveling for a while and want to stay in one place for a while and learn more about it.
13. Take a Guided Tour
I’m not normally one to take a guided tour, but I’ll never forget the trip my sister and I took to Sedona one year. We saw the jeep tours and on a whim, decided to sign up for one. It is one of my favorite memories from that trip. The guide was super personable and we learned a lot from her. Consider signing up for a tour from time to time in your travels–especially in places where you can gain access to things you wouldn’t on your own.
14. Go to Town
Being out in the wilderness is great, but sometimes you just need to be around people to beat loneliness. Go into the nearest town and see what’s up. Check out a movie, a bookstore, a museum or cafe or just walk around and see what makes this place unique.
15. Attend a Virtual Meet-up
Meet-ups don’t just happen in person. There are also virtual online meet-ups for RVers–and even one specifically for nomadic women. I recommend checking out The Galavan as a great gathering place for women who travel in RVs, campers or in vans. Every week Joni hosts on a specific topic and it’s a great way to share ideas with other women on the road and to make friends and community.
16. Change Your Perspective on Loneliness
Finally, as I mentioned in the start of this article, changing your perspective on loneliness can have a big impact on how it affects you. Expect to be lonely from time to time, have a game plan for what you’re going to do when loneliness strikes and think of it as a way to learn more about yourself.
How do You Deal with Loneliness?
What are they ways you deal with loneliness as a solo traveler? Leave your comments below. I’d love to hear how you beat loneliness as a solo RV traveler!
