Take a scenic walk in a new area.

“When finally arriving at that train station or airport of that destination and you have found that bed for the night in a hostel or hotel, you are hoping lives up to the reviews you read online, the next thing to do is to go for a walk. To really know a place, I recommend going for a walk in whatever direction takes your fancy and simply going. I don’t look at a map or choose a destination at the beginning. I start walking for at least an hour without navigating because I want to pay attention to the details of a place first. Without a map, I have the freedom to explore without worrying about a necessary direction or the ‘need’ to get anywhere and may recognise a beautiful town house, a colourfully decorated museum or a quaint restaurant spilling onto the street, the aromatic smells lingering in the air. It’s freeing and something I started to adopt every time I travelled solo because it would usually lead me to things I never would have found or paid attention to. After the hour is up, I can look at my phone or a map and decide on a specific monument, bakery, etc. then, but I had that first hour to just follow my nose and see how it feels to walk around a new area as a stranger, because that is what I am.”

“It was still early, so we leisurely made our way toward Battery Park via an absolutely beautiful scenic walk along the Hudson River and through South Cove Park. This area was so, so lovely! A wide promenade lined with shady trees, colorful flowers and many benches, with a view of Jersey City across the river. We thoroughly enjoyed this peaceful walk – especially in the lovely, cool weather!”