In fact, one study published in the British Journal of Psychology, found that highly intelligent people actually become less satisfied the more time they spend socialising with friends. In other words, spending time alone is actually good for your overall well-being and for building self-esteem.
To help inspire your next solo adventure, we’ve put together a comprehensive guide, brimming with exciting things you can do by yourself. From home activities to thrilling days out, read on and be inspired by our fabulous ideas.
Go to a concert
If an artist you love is playing at a venue near you, buy yourself a ticket, even if your friends don’t want to go. Attending a concert alone allows you to tailor the night to what you want - do you prefer sitting or standing? Do you want to see the opening act or would you rather arrive fashionably late? One major perk is you can just focus on getting lost in the music without thinking about anyone else.
Visit a museum
There’s nothing worse than wanting to browse a museum or gallery at your own leisurely pace, but feeling rushed by someone constantly asking “when can we leave?” The perk of being by yourself is you can set your own itinerary. Spend the time visiting the galleries you’re actually interested in, rather than wasting time on exhibits you have little or no desire to see just to make someone else happy. Not to mention you can welcome inspiration in those quiet moments and concentrate on learning new things.
Try a new workout class
Just because you don’t have a workout buddy doesn’t mean you can’t try that workout class you’ve been eyeing up for weeks. Be it HIIT, spinning or dance, you’ll be able to burn some calories whilst having so much fun. The best thing? You won’t likely know anyone there, so you can sweat to your heart’s desire without anyone judging you. Working out independently allows you to focus on your own goals and skills, choosing workout classes according to what you want to achieve.
Go kayaking
Kayaking is quite literally designed for solo adventurers with just enough space in the boat for one. Whether you’re new to the sport and want to try a taster session, or consider yourself an experienced kayaker, spending time in a kayak can do wonders for your peace of mind. It’s one of those sports that allow you to enjoy nature without disturbing it.
Travel solo
The most exciting thing to do by yourself is without doubt travelling solo. One of the most eye-opening life experiences, feed your wanderlust and plan a trip by yourself. Wherever you go and whatever you end up doing while out there, the only thing that matters is you create lifetime memories and chase real-life experiences.
Go to a movie
No distractions, no judgements, and most importantly no one to have to share the popcorn with. If you and your friends can’t decide on a film to watch, go and see it yourself. Leave behind any worries that your choice may have bored someone else. Why miss out on a movie you would have loved to see? It’s not like you’d be able to talk during the movie anyway! Plus, you’re more likely to get a better seat as there’s nearly always a single one - most often on the best rows too.
Try an extreme sport
If you’re going to push yourself out of your comfort zone, you may as well go big and try an extreme sport like skydiving. With adrenaline levels pumping, you’ll instantly be pulled out of your own head. Whether you choose skydiving or bungee jumping, it’s all about getting your heart racing and leaving you feeling completely empowered to take on anything.
Have a spa day
Everyone deserves the right to indulge in some serious self-care and there’s no better spa day than one spent alone. Relish the freedom to tailor it to your own needs and desires; would you prefer a luxurious 5* hotel spa or a more laid-back health club? Whether you want to just spend the day making the most of the spa’s facilities, or treating yourself to a series of luxurious treatments that your body needs, it’s entirely down to you.
Go to an amusement park
Relive the happy and carefree days of your childhood and head to your nearest theme park. Thrill yourself on a hair-raising rollercoaster of your choice, and immerse yourself in a park’s numerous exciting attractions and events. The major benefits are you’ll be able to hop in the single rider line, and binge on all the best theme park food without fear of being judged. By the end of the day, you might even be of the opinion that it’s better to go alone than going to a theme park with a group.
Watch a show at the theatre
When was the last time you went to see a show by yourself? If the answer is you don’t know, it’s time to get yourself to the theatre. Not only are there numerous mental benefits of not going to the theatre with anyone but as one person, it’s a lot easier to score a single ticket.
Top tip: A lot of theatres are surrounded by restaurants, who cater exclusively for theatre goers. Why not book yourself a table before or after the show?
Go to the zoo
While it’s fun to go to the zoo with loved ones, it’s also worth going alone. You don’t have to spend half the day negotiating where to go next. You can move at your own pace, speed past the exhibits you’re not that fussed about, and linger at those you are. Solitude at the zoo is really a gift, because many animals are more interesting at dusk and dawn, so the earlier or later you want to arrange your trip, you can go without having any complaints.
Visit a stadium of your choice
Whether you’re a football, cricket or rugby fan, there’s no better day out than one spent at your favourite team’s stadium. You can get up close to the action and go behind-the-scenes, exploring areas normally off-limits to the public. Imagine yourself following in the footsteps of your sporting heroes and relive the glory days of your favourite club. Plus if your friends aren’t fans of the same club as you, you know that you’ll only be surrounded by true fanatics like yourself.
Embark on an exciting River Cruise
An open stretch of water and beautiful views works well to put things in perspective. Whether you choose to tour a new city or your hometown, a river cruise ensures a unique vantage point of the sights. Instead of running through your to-do list, try to unwind and just spend some time with positive thoughts and the open water stretching out ahead of you.
Go camping
Head to your closest campsite and spend a night sleeping under the stars. Camping alone is growing in popularity, as a way to spend some quality time in the wilderness and feel at one with nature. Don’t forget to pack a great book and all the camping essentials as you won’t be able to rely on anyone else. For those who like camping with a touch of luxury, why not look into glamping?
Learn a new skill
Broaden your horizon and make the most of some solo time by learning a new skill. From making your own jewellery and candles to learning a language, there’s a world of new skills, ready and waiting for you. Once you’ve mastered it, you’ll feel ready to take on the world with a new string to your bow.
Join a Walking Tour
The best way to explore a city is by foot and with guided walking tours, you can spend a few hours learning lots of little-known facts and discovering a city’s hidden gems. In addition, a lot of tours are themed, which means you can be selfish and just choose one that suits you. Whether this is a deep historical dive into a location, a tour based on your favourite musician, or a spine-tingling ghost hunt.
More things to do
Still not feeling inspired? When it comes to finding things to do by yourself, the sky really is the limit. Here are a few more ideas, where you’ll be accompanied by the greatest companion of all...food.
Food and drink things to do
Whether it’s things to do at home or food trips you can take yourself on, there’s a wide array of solo experiences for you.
- Experiment in the kitchen. Expand your culinary horizons and reboot your kitchen repertoire by getting creative with food. Try out new recipes or techniques on your own - after all, the only person you can disappoint is yourself. Or why not take yourself to a cooking class to learn from the pros?
- Treat yourself to a nice dinner. Once you've conquered the first barrier of saying "a table for one please", dining by yourself is such an empowering activity. Take yourself to the local restaurant you've been desperate to try out for ages, forget the constant small talk and order whatever you want without feeling judged.
- Bake a cake. Celebrate yourself by baking a cake of your choice - be it chocolate, vanilla, or red velvet. The very fact that you don’t have to share the cake with anyone else should make this an incredibly appealing activity.
- Have a drink at a bar. Try a cocktail you’ve always wanted to, spend the evening people-watching, and even better if you’re at a rooftop bar, soak up the spectacular views.
Original Chocolate Making Workshop for One with My Chocolate
Make your very own chocolatey creations with this Original Chocolate Making Workshop with a master chocolatier leading the way. You’ll have a choice of locations and times and will leave your experience with plenty of handmade treats - provided you haven’t eaten them all before your class ends.
Find out more
- Have a solo picnic. Head to your local park, armed with a basket filled with your favourite sweet and savoury snacks. Be sure to bring a book and take some time to spend with your thoughts.
- Grab a coffee. Take yourself to your favourite coffee destination or try out a new coffee shop and order their signature drink. Alternatively, perfect your at home coffee game and invest some time in your own barista skills.
- Take a walk through a farmer’s market. Buy yourself a bouquet of fresh flowers, pick up some delicious samples along the way and find some new produce to cook with that you have never tried before.
- Make yourself a cocktail. Invest in a kit with all the essential cocktail making tools and shake up your home cocktail game. If you're feeling extra brave, broaden your beverage knowledge with a cocktail masterclass.
- Start gardening. Whether you choose to grow flowers, vegetables or fruit, gardening is an incredibly rewarding experience. Being outside is a great way to relax, recharge your batteries and feel the peace that is around you.
- Take a hike. Accompanied by a great podcast or playlist, a walk by yourself through nature can be truly restorative. You could even stop for a drink or meal at one of the countryside pubs.
- Host your own dinner party with you as the VIP. Dinner parties can be a stressful affair, but they don’t have to be. Use this as a chance to trial-run what you’d serve for your next dinner party. With you as the VIP guest, you’ll be in your own bubble, enjoying the fruits of your labour.
- Learn to make pasta. The great thing is you don’t even need a pasta machine to make your own. The internet is full of recipes on how to create your own dough, using ingredients you probably already have in your kitchen. Alternatively, check out the local cookery schools to see if any are running pasta-making classes you could join.
- Get a takeaway and order things you’ve never tried before. One of life’s great pleasures, treat yourself to a takeaway from a place you’ve never tried before, or order from your usual but make it something new.
- Nail your banana bread recipe. Spend some time stepping up your banana bread game and spice up your go-to with some fun mix-ins. If you’ve got a sweet tooth add a handful of chocolate chips or toasted walnuts.
- Try a food tour. Guided or self-guided, food tours are the perfect individual adventure. Not only do they offer generous food tasting from some of the best traders, but you can also discover venues you might not have otherwise found.
Free things to do by yourself
Doing things alone doesn’t mean you have to pay double the price - here are some of our favourite activities you can do that won’t cost a penny.
- Wake up early to watch the sunrise. Everyone deserves to start the day with something beautiful. If you’ve got a long day ahead of you, start it right by watching the sunrise. It’ll help positively frame your thoughts and remind you to not sweat the small stuff.
- Lay on the beach. Spend a glorious day with your toes in the sand and getting that all-important fix of Vitamin D. It’s the perfect chance to catch up on that thriller novel, without anyone distracting you and just the sound of the waves crashing.
- Unplug. Turn off your phone, computer, tablet and any other electronic devices, and spend some time in the moment with just you and your thoughts. Challenge yourself to go on a digital detox for a certain amount of time. Studies show that decreased screen time can improve your sleep and general productivity.
- Volunteer. One of the most rewarding experiences, taking the time to give back to those less fortunate is incredibly humbling and you don’t need anyone else to do it. Fight for a cause that’s special to you and you’ll feel great for it.
- Gaze at the stars. Few people take the time to really appreciate the stars in the night sky. Grab a blanket and head to a spot with the best views. Download a free app like Skyview Lite (iOS and Android) to help you pick out constellations, planets, and even passing satellites.
- Go to the park. Whether you choose to go to your local park, or head to a nearby town for a change of scenery, spending a day at the park is super underrated. Bring a good book and plenty of snacks, as you watch the rush of people.
- Create a bucket list. Take a moment to brainstorm some goals you’d like to achieve in life. Give yourself something to look forward to, and remember a bucket list is all about life-affirming experiences. So, stretch yourself to go further than you thought possible.
- Go for a bike ride. Take a bike ride around your neighbourhood and explore the many sights. A lot of local parks also provide designated cycling routes, so you can just focus on riding and soak up the outside air.
- Reorganise furniture. As the old saying goes, clear your space, clear your mind. Sometimes all it takes to freshen up a space is a little reorganisation. So tackle that bookshelf you’ve let be crowded with unnecessary junk.
- Do some yoga. Practice a bit of mindfulness and try some yoga. It can help stretch your muscles and calm your mind, amongst numerous other health benefits. There’s a wide variety of YouTube videos available, from introductory videos for beginners to more advanced videos.
Summary
Doing things by yourself doesn’t have to be scary and there’s so many possibilities of solo adventures you can embark on. Why not check out our Experiences for One category, bursting with all kinds of activities for a bit of awesome alone time. You're sure to be left with an unrivalled sense of accomplishment and freedom.
