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In today’s post we’re going to dive into the best ways to meet people traveling traveling solo.

I use these same methods every time I travel and always make new friends. These are simple ways to make new friends that do not require much effort.

In this post you will learn why the best ways to network, staying at hostels are great, apps that will help you meet people, how to find local activities and so much more.

I guarantee you will be able to meet people and make new friends while traveling on your own.

Let’s get right into my best ways to meet people traveling solo!

Meeting People While Traveling Solo Can Be Easy

Traveling solo is really awesome, however, it can also be a very trying experience. Some plan a lot, some hardly plan at all, you always have to worry about your safety and most of all you have to work to meet new people.

How to meet people while traveling solo can be a very exciting experience, and an easy one to boot. One of my favorite aspects of traveling on my own is meeting new people and becoming friends with them.

Having someone to experience a new city or country with is awesome but takes some work.

Not everyone is super social and outgoing, and gathering the courage and energy to meet new people can be daunting. I’m here to let you know it doesn’t have to be that hard.

You can easily put yourself in the ideal situations to lower anxiety and make meeting new people much easier.

Don’t Be CARD

With each of my recommendations there is a set of underlying rules that you must always abide by.

These rules will help you with people and through life a lot. I call these the Don’t Be CARD rules.

1. First, don’t be creepy or pervy.
2. Don’t be an ass hole.
3. Don’t be rude.
4. Lastly, don’t be a douchebag.

Just remember, Don’t Be CARD with people. I wish I had a better acronym, but that’s what it is.

You always want to be nice and treat people with respect.

Now that that’s out of the way, here are 20 ways to meet people while traveling solo.

How to Make Friends and Meet People While Traveling Alone

1. Network with Your Friends Group

Your best resource for meeting people is going to be through your existing network of connections.

The first thing I do once I book a trip is reach out to my family and friends circle.

Ask your friends and family if they know anyone where you’re going.

Some may have visited the same place(s) you’re going and can provide tips and advice for that area.

For example, later this month I’m going to Portugal for the first time. I’m going to be visiting Lisbon and Porto, so I reached out to all my friends and family to see if anyone had recommendations.

Several friends sent me lists of sites to see and places to eat. One friend said she will reach out to her Portuguese friend in Lisbon to let her know I’ll be coming out there.

That will be the first person I reach out to once I arrive. My brother’s in-laws even sent me a video of their trip to Lisbon, which was really cool.

I never would have received this head start without reaching out to my network of family and friends.

I also recommend putting up a post on social media to reach a wider group.

Before every one of my trips abroad I go through my Facebook friends to see if anyone lives there and reach out to them.

I also post on Facebook to see if any of my friends have recommendations or know anyone that lives there that they can put me in touch with.

My friends and family groups have been my best resource for meeting people when traveling solo. They are also the best for getting information about the places I plan to visit.

2. Stay at a Hostel

If you are traveling alone, there is no better way to meet people traveling solo than staying at a hostel.

Hostels have so many outlets for bringing people together and introducing you to amazing new people.

I know some people that have reservations about staying in a hostel because you are sharing a room with a bunch of randos. Not all hostels are like that, though.

Shared Dorm Rooms are Great for Meeting People Instantly

There are hostels that offer private rooms.

Those private rooms sometimes have more than 1 bed, so it’s perfect if you’re traveling with a small group and want to save on room costs. Private rooms are more expensive but do give you plenty of privacy.

Hostels also offer plenty of shared dorm room options.

I’ve seen rooms with anywhere from 4 to 34 beds in them, some with ensuites (bathroom inside your room).

Personally, I prefer a shared dorm room with 4-8 beds and a bathroom in the room (that’s not a deal breaker, though). Anything more than 8 beds can be too much with all the people coming and going at all hours.

What I love about the shared dorm rooms is you are instantly introduced to new people.

Just about every hostel I’ve stayed at, the people I shared a room with were the group I hung out with the most.

The first thing I do is introduce myself, see where they’re from, how long they’ve been in the city and when they leave.

From there you can find similar interests to talk about. You can get tips on sites to see and places to eat from them if they’ve been there longer than you.

Invite your roommates to join you exploring the city or ask if you can join them so you have a travel companion during your stay.

The best way to book a hostel is through HostelWorld.

Keep in Touch with Your Roommates

I also always exchange Facebook or WhatsApp information with my roommates so we can stay in touch after leaving.

These are 2 of the apps I wrote about in my post on the best travel apps to have.

I’ve met up with several former hostel roommates in other cities I’ve gone to, or they’ve provided me invaluable information about somewhere I’m going or introduced me to friends of theirs that live in a city I’m visiting in the future.

One of my friends from Canada, whom I met at a hostel in Prague, was flying to Australia but had an 8-hour layover in Los Angeles where I live.

I picked her up from the airport and took her out to Venice Beach to hang out and have some drinks with my friends and me. I also put her in touch with a friend of mine that lived in Melbourne, where she was going.

Coincidentally, another one of the people we met while on a walking tour in Prague was also staying in Melbourne she didn’t know about. I put them in touch with each other as well.

Once she landed, she instantly had people to hang out with.

Meet People in Common Areas and at Hostel Activities

The common areas of hostels are a great way to meet people.

There are always people down there eating, playing games, smoking and drinking.

I love a hostel that has games. You can ask to join the game or get in the next game and then chop it up with those people.

Just remember to leave people alone if it looks like they do not want to be bothered.

Another cool way of meeting people is asking someone to be your partner in a game.

At one hostel they had a beer pong table and I was asked to join a game. I was down, however, did not have a partner. I just asked around the bar until someone was willing to join (it was the second person I asked).

People love games and you can always find someone willing to be your partner if you need one. Now you have 3 new people to talk to and make friends with!

Hostels also put on lots of activities for their guests and I highly recommend you take advantage of them.

Most of these activities are free or fairly inexpensive. My favorite activities are to join walking tours or pub crawls.

Hostels also put on comedy nights, movie nights, game nights, karaoke nights and more.

You should definitely join these to meet new people. As an added bonus, you’re going to have a lot of fun and maybe learn something!

Hostels provide so many easy ways to meet people when you travel alone.

READ MORE: The 21 Best Travel Apps You’re Not Using (But Should)

3. Take a Free Walking Tour

Free walking tours are great and give you time to talk to people between stops. They’re also free, which is awesome.

Going on a walking tour is one of my favorite ways to meet people traveling solo.

Walking tours give you a more intimate look into the location you are visiting while getting interesting facts and information.

While walking tours take you to many of the places bus tours visit, they also take you to spots the buses can’t visit like cemeteries and alleyways.

Your tour guide is also with you for the entire trip.

You are also getting outside and getting some exercise, which is great.

I took an amazing walking tour through my hostel in Edinburgh and met a really cool girl from New Zealand.

The tour did not visit every important place in the city or provide lunch. We decided to meet up for lunch (a great chicken wing spot recommended by our tour guide) after the tour and hit the rest of the places we wanted to see.

It was a lot of fun and great to do it with a fellow solo traveler looking to do the same thing.

4. Pub Crawls

Going on a pub crawl is a blast.

Most hostels offer pub crawls or are affiliated with groups that do, and you should definitely go on them.

Going on a pub crawl is one of the all-time great ways to meet people traveling solo.

I love pub crawls because everyone is there to have a good time and meet new people. It’s the perfect situation for finding new travel buddies.

I used to run a pub crawl for 6.5 years in Santa Monica and made a ton of great friends through that.

You don’t have to go and get hammered on a pub crawl. Lots of people that go don’t drink, so there’s no reason to feel awkward if you’re not a drinker.

Just go and have a great time with everyone else.

5. Help People Out by Taking Their Picture

If you see people trying to take a selfie, an easy way to meet people traveling is to offer to take the picture for them.

You can then strike up a conversation after the picture is taken. See where they’re from and what they’re doing on their trip.

Just don’t be a creeper, there are too many of those out there. Remember, Don’t be CARD.

Be genuine and kind, and at the very least, you’re helping fellow travelers get a better picture.

My first solo international trip started in Denmark.

I was walking around after landing and saw a group of ladies struggling to take a picture of themselves. I offered to take the picture for them, and they were ecstatic.

We started talking and they asked me to join them at the bar across the street so they could buy me a drink after I took the picture.

It was a great start to my trip, and I had a bunch of new friends to hang out with after being in the country for 2 hours!

READ MORE: My Ultimate Packing List for Europe in Fall

6. Go to a Bar, Restaurant or Café

Easily Meet New People at Bars

Bars are a perfect place to meet new people while traveling solo.

I always sit at the bar when I’m on my own in the US. You get faster service and you’re seated next to other people you can talk with.

It’s pretty much understood that if you’re in a common area like at the bar, then you expect people to talk to you at some point.

Striking up a conversation with the person next to you is an easy way to meet someone traveling on your own.

Talk to your bartender, too. They are a wealth of knowledge and information about the area and what to do.

In Europe, it’s a little different.

Some bars have seats and you can sit at them, however, most don’t. The bars are a little smaller and it’s harder to get drinks, so if you’re sitting at the bar, you’re blocking everyone’s access to the drinks.

Sit at the bar or in a common area or just stand where everyone else is and join a conversation.

If you are sitting at the bar and someone wants a drink, you can help them out by getting the bartenders attention. This is a great way to open up a conversation.

Most people are fine if you start talking to them and you’re not rude or a jerk. Remember, Don’t Be CARD.

As you get to know them, buy a round of drinks or something to eat that everyone can share.

Karaoke nights are great, too. Get up, sing, and join in the fun with everyone else.

Drinking helps loosen people up and gets them more talkative. Just remember to watch how much you drink and always drink responsibly.

Make New Friends at Restaurants and Cafés

Another solid move to meet people when you are traveling solo is to go out to eat at a restaurant or café.

If there is a long line, talk to the people in line and offer to share a table with them.

I literally did this just the other day and made 2 new great friends out of it. The place was packed and there weren’t many tables available, so we all decided to share a table and had a blast.

Some places even have big long tables where anyone can sit. Just ask if the seats are taken and join the table if you can. Common tables and areas are great places to meet people and talk.

Some restaurants have places you can sit at the bar or the counter in front of the kitchen.

I love these seats!

I went to a super popular restaurant in Denmark that was packed and there was no way I could get a seat.

There was a spot at the bar and asked if I could sit and eat there, and I was in. My seat was between a couple from Pittsburgh and another couple from Copenhagen.

We all chatted together the whole night and I received excellent recommendations from everyone.

It was the best meal I had in Denmark.

The local couple also gave me some great tips on other places to eat and cool sites to visit.

7. Talk to Locals

I know it’s hard to approach a total stranger, but it doesn’t have to be such a harrowing experience.

One of my go to moves to meet people while traveling abroad is to talk to the locals on the street or in stores.

People are actually more approachable than you think. They have great tips and can usually guide you to a place or event you would like.

People in other countries will also give you a bonus for attempting to speak in their language.

It might be broken, but they will mostly understand and be more eager to help if you’re trying to communicate with them that way.

While I was shopping in Copenhagen, I would ask the store workers what they recommended for lunch.

A lot of them recommended this Mexican restaurant that was nearby, however, for the life of me I could not find it.

Frustrated and starving, I asked a local walking by if he knew where it was. He then grabbed my hand and walked me the 3 blocks (in the opposite direction of where he was going, I might add) to the restaurant.

Along the way he told me some history of the area and even gave me a couple stories from his youth.

It was a super cool experience.

On a side note, the Danish really might be the nicest people in the world.

Read more about my first trip abroad and meeting amazing new people here!

8. Check Out Community Forums

Community forums on Couchsurfing, Facebook and Meetup are a great way to find events going on in your area.

These community forums are an easy way to meet people when traveling alone and get introduced to fun groups.

There are meetups and events planned weekly for just about every big city in the world. Go to them and you’re going to meet other interesting people for sure.

On Meetup, my friends and I found a volleyball group looking for players in Los Angeles.

We went down to the location listed in the ad and joined in a big group game with over 15 people.

Over half of the people that showed up were not from LA and were just looking for something fun to do with others.

Once the game was over everyone went out for tacos and margaritas.

That experience sold me on using Meetup.

9. Take a Class

Find a class like painting, pottery, dance or even exercise.

You’re going to be in a group with other people and just strike up a conversation with them.

Many big cities offer classes like these. Some are free, but most are paid.

Several of my friends have taken painting classes and loved them.

With painting and pottery classes, you get to keep what you make, which is an awesome souvenir for your trip.

A couple of my friends also got free wine during their painting class, which is another added bonus!

Taking a class also provides you with a fun event and keeps you active.

Another great idea to meet people traveling solo is to take a class to learn the local language.

You are not going to learn the language in that short amount of time, but you will learn some bits so you can communicate better with locals.

READ MORE: The Best Travel Gifts for Men (36 Awesome Gift Ideas for Him)

10. Go to an Event

Festivals, concerts, carnivals street markets and clubs are great places to meet other like-minded people.

People travel from all over the world to go to big music festivals and rare concerts. I have a lot of friends that travel to Brazil for Carnival.

I’ve met people visiting from Australia, Germany, England, Saudi Arabia, Chile, Mexico and many other countries at Coachella.

Everyone is usually in a great mood and you already have something in common. Just approach someone or a group and start up a conversation. Many times you get asked to join their group if you’re on your own.

Last April I went out to Geneva to see Metallica.

They are my favorite band and I always wanted to see them in another country. The show and experience was incredible!

I met so many rad people and made new friends at the show. A security guard let me ride his Segway while I was waiting in line, too!

I had so much fun that I’m going back again next month (May 2019) to see Metallica in Switzerland, this time in Zurich.

11. Help People

Helping people with their groceries, directions, translations and tips are a great way to meet people when you travel.

I often meet people and help them with directions or provide recommendations for the area.

You can walk with them to show them the way, and just talk. Plus you feel great helping someone out.

If you see someone with their phone or a map out looking confused, just walk up to them and ask if they need help with something.

READ MORE: Top Tips for Solo Female Travel Safety

12. Find Friends Using Dating Apps

Use dating apps like Tinder to find people just looking for friends in your area.

I have several traveling friends that do this, and just put in their profile that they are traveling and looking for someone to hang out with.

You never know, you may end up finding the love of your life in the process, too.

13. Volunteer or Do a Cultural Exchange

Volunteering feels great and everyone should do it.

You can do it while traveling, too.

There are many places to volunteer at, like shelters, stores or in the community. Just look up volunteering opportunities on Google for the city you are in and see which ones appeal to you.

Websites like Workaway, World Packers and WWOOF (Willing Workers On Organic Farms) are great resources for finding opportunities abroad and are available in hundreds of countries.

Not only will you meet new people, but you will be doing a lot of good, too.

14. Use Your Artistic Skill to Meet New People

Do you play music? Draw? Sing? Tai chi?

Whatever artistic skill you have, most people don’t.

This is something unique you can use to your advantage to engage with people and make new friends while traveling.

Artistic skills are guaranteed to draw people in and start an interaction.

Every hostel I go to there is always someone with a musical instrument and they draw people in instantly.

The hostel I stayed at in Prague had a piano and one of the guests was playing it. A few of us gathered around him playing and started singing along to all the songs he played.

After the impromptu jam session, we all went out to eat together and had a great time.

READ MORE: The Best Gift Ideas for Women That Love to Travel

15. Use Transportation Hubs to Your Advantage

Waiting for a plane, train or bus? So is everyone else there.

There’s no harm in striking up a conversation with someone that’s also waiting to go somewhere.

Find something interesting or a commonality and use that as an in to start a conversation.

Just respect people’s personal space. If someone really looks like they want to be left alone, don’t bother them.

16. Airbnb and Couchsurfing Stays

Many Airbnb rentals are shared with other guests.

A lot of these have a common room where you can meet the other guests.

Ask them about their travels or if they have any recommendations for the city or provide them with tips if they are new. You can always ask if they want to join you on whatever you have planned, too.

Sign up for Airbnb now to save $40 off your first booking, plus $15 to use toward an experience of $50 or more!

With Couchsurfing you will be staying at someone’s residence.

You will interact with them for sure and it is a great way to meet someone. They are all couch surfers, too, and know what it’s like to want to meet people or find something fun to do.

Pick their brains and often times they will offer to take you out with them.

One of my good friends is a Couchsurfer and between trips she had a guy from Australia staying with her for a few days. She brought him out with us and her other friends and hit the town with us each day.

It was an easy way for him to make new friends and have a good time.

17. Carry a Lighter or Cigarettes

There’s always a smoker out there looking for a light.

I’m always amazed at how many smokers just don’t have a lighter.

I always carry one with me while traveling because it’s a great way to start a conversation with someone once they inevitably ask for a light.

People are also always looking for a cigarette. Even if you don’t smoke, have some that you can offer up to someone looking for one.

Cigarettes can also be used as a form of currency to barter with in a pinch, too.

18. Get a Job

If you are staying in a location for a long time, get a job.

There are opportunities working at a hostel, restaurant or bar, on a boat, farms, giving tours or teaching English.

Once you have a job, you instantly have people to talk to and associate with and you get paid!

I have met a lot of travelers that go country to country working at hostels for extended periods of time.

19. Give Compliments to People

I love giving compliments to people just as much as I love receiving them.

I don’t think giving compliments happens enough out there.

See someone wearing a really nice scarf, let them know.

Just don’t be creepy or condescending about it; be genuine.

A simple, “I love that Star Wars shirt,” can lead to a conversation about where they got it or your mutual love of Star Wars.

People love talking about where they got something especially when traveling.

I can’t tell you how many fun stories I’ve heard people tell me about the origins of a shirt they’re wearing.

20. Have Something Unique to Share or Give

Sharing is caring.

This is a universal way of life.

I always travel with my HP Sprocket, which is a portable printer.

When I take a group photo with new people I meet, I print it out and give it to them.

It’s an awesome way to make new friends when traveling alone.

This is something really cool for people to remember and is a great conversation piece.

I have a friend that designs her own stickers and another that makes his own buttons to hand out to people they meet.

Both travel with loads of these to hand out to people they meet, and it always works as a great way to meet someone and make an impression.

Another top tip to meet people traveling solo is to bring a speaker with you.

One of my friends says the most essential item he brings on every trip is his portable speaker.

He says, “Sometimes all you need is a speaker to get a party started,” and he’s so right.

I always bring my Bose Soundlink Mini with me when I’m traveling. It sounds great and is easy to travel with.

At several hostels, I’ve been in common rooms where you can just feel everyone is looking for something to do, but there’s no energy.

I pull out my speaker, bump some tunes and it puts everyone in a good mood.

You also get to talk about your favorite music with others and they might introduce you to some sweet new tunes!

Check out my list of the Essential Backpacking Gear to Pack for a Trip to Europe!

Final Thoughts

So there you have it, my top 20 ways to meet people while traveling solo.

I use these simple methods every time I travel and am always able to meet people traveling solo and make new friends.

I really hope this list helps you meet exciting new people while you’re traveling abroad.

Now I’d Like to Hear from You

I hope you enjoyed my post on the best ways to meet people traveling solo.

Now I would like to hear from you.

What do you think of my methods to meet people traveling solo?

How do you meet new people and make friends while traveling solo?

Do you have a favorite way of making friends traveling alone?

Is there anything you think I left out?

Let me know by leaving a quick comment below!

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• Top Tips for Solo Female Travel Safety
• 15 Items to Bring on Your Carry-on
• The Ultimate Backpacking Packing List for Europe in Fall
• Essential Backpacking Gear List for Europe