Solo Adventures: Your sign to start doing things alone

Last year, I found myself living in a new country with access to many exciting things to do. Life in a big city is amazing and moving from The Bahamas to the UK was an incredible experience. As someone that only went to the movies alone a few times, I had to constantly push myself out of my comfort zone to experience new things. My solo adventures took me to a new country, concerts, restaurants, and activities. Here’s a look at everything I’ve done solo.

Travel

In my earlier twenties, I moved to Abaco alone for a few weeks to work one summer. I fell in love with the island and surrounding cays and came back that December on my first solo trip. I had a great time and you can read all about it here and here.

While living in Manchester, one December night I found myself typing in “solo travels black girl” on TikTok. I saw a few videos of black women exploring Portugal, so I went on Skyscanner and saw a roundtrip flight to Porto, Portugal for about £56. Portugal wasn’t a country on my must-visit list at that time, but I needed a break after my first semester, so I booked. I visited at the end of January for two days and it was liberating.

Porto was stunning, the sun was shining and the temperture was about 65 degrees in the day and colder at night. I arrived really early, napped and then went for a late lunch. I tried Porto’s famous sandwich “the francesinha” from a popular restaurant I found on TikTok, unfortunately I didn’t really like it, but the drink and view were superb. I read that Portugal was hilly, but I couldn’t imagine it. Exploring the area was a workout, every few steps was either up or down a hill. I ended the night with a glass of port wine and a pastel de nata. The next day was super exciting. I visited a beautiful train station, explored a market tasting delicious Portuguese dishes, did a wine tasting tour and hanged out with some friends overlooking the Ponte Luis bridge. I would definitely visit Portugal again, next time I’ll do Lisbon. If you would like a detailed blog about this trip, let me know.

Ease of solo adventure: Medium

Concerts

At first, the thought of going to a concert alone seemed so weird. Like why would I do that? Concerts were always a fun bonding time with my friends. But when I saw that Masego was coming to Manchester, the same Masego that made that beautiful Lady Lady album that I played over and over again, I didn’t give going to the concert solo a second thought, I was there. It was surreal to hear Tadow performed live. I sang my heart out and screamed so loud. I had the best time and realized that concerts are something I could easily do alone. So, a few months later I went to Janelle Monae’s concert solo and this past July I saw Drake and PartyNextDoor while I was in Manchester. Amazing times all around!

Ease of solo adventure: Easy

Film Festival

While living in Nassau and Manchester, I went to the movies a couple of times solo during the week. It was usually pretty empty, there weren’t any long lines and it was just perfect. I love movies and enjoyed Island House Film Festival a few times and thought that the Manchester Film Festival would be quite interesting. I watched two films on the Saturday and Sunday of the festival and going alone was a breeze. I’d definitely recommend going to the movies or watching a play first alone, if you’re interested in trying activities on your own.

Ease of solo adventure: Super Easy

Sip and Sculpt

Over the years, paint and sips has taken over the activity landscape. We like them and we’ve all done them. When I saw a pottery activity though, I was intrigued. I believe the ticket was £30/35 which included three drinks and the clay. The experience was great. I sat at a table with two other women who were quite friendly, the DJ was excellent and we were free to make whatever came to our minds. I freestyled and was there for the vibes and it was such a fun experience.

Ease of solo adventure: Medium

Restaurants

I’ve solo dined a few times while away for work and in Manchester, but I don’t like eating alone at a restaurant. I feel like I could just order in and eat at home, put on a movie and be cozy. However, a lot of times the choices are better at a sit down restaurant and it’s something I really want, so I do it. I remember a few times where I was craving pho, chinese or steak frites and I couldn’t be bothered to reach out to my friends to find out if they wanted to go with me, so I went solo. I got a table and had a wonderful meal. Other people were there dining alone and no one was looking at me strange or anything — this is just one of those activities I prefer to enjoy with someone else.

Ease of solo adventure: Easy to Medium

Have you been afraid to try things alone? Or are you a solo adventurer? If so, what are your favorite things to do solo?