3 Solo Trips That Are Anything But Lonely
How many girlfriends’ trips make it off the text chain? And while traveling alone has its appeal, dining with just a book for company and navigating international roads without a second set of eyes can feel more Miss Lonelyhearts than Eat, Pray, Love. Though there are any number of group trips for individual travelers that seem like the best of both worlds, they don’t always foster meaningful connections. Why? Because they are usually built around destinations rather than passions. As longevity expert Peter Attia, MD, says, “True friendship is cultivated by spending our leisure time together on a shared interest”—around 94 hours of togetherness, some studies say. And with the loneliness epidemic raging, community and friendship—both old and new—are more important than ever to our long-term physical and emotional well-being.
Which is why we love creative retreats like these three, which focus on activities such as crafting, reading, and cooking. Together yet apart…on foreign soil.
The Makerie
Play and creative expression are missing in our adult lives, says Ali DeJohn, founder of the Makerie, which offers three-day-long workshops in every art form from basket weaving to hand quilting to embroidery to paper flower making. When DeJohn attended a retreat after some time as a stay-at-home mom, it reinvigorated her long-lost creative spark—and she found herself again. The experience was so life altering that she wanted to recreate the magic for a larger community.
That’s what attendees find at Black Cat, the farm in Boulder, Colorado, where the Makerie holds most of its retreats. DeJohn says that over the course of a retreat, she sees people quickly open up to each other, thanks to the shared experience. “When we’re making something, we’re sharing a part of ourselves,” she says. “It’s almost like our hands do the talking.” The communal experience is strengthened by group farm-to-table meals, which are picked fresh and prepared by Black Cat’s James Beard Award finalist chef and owner, Eric Skokan.
If you’ve never touched a sewing needle before, you’ll be just as at home at the Makerie as a seasoned professional. That’s because DeJohn’s hand-selected teachers emphasize that perfection is not the goal. “What I love about creativity is it teaches us that things are unpredictable, and that’s okay. Sometimes it’s even better to have a result come out different than we expected,” DeJohn says. “Handmaking is one of the most joyful forms of self-care.”
Ladies Who Lit
If you’ve ever dreamed of a week in which your only task is to make a dent in your TBR, Megan Christopher has designed a trip for you. She brings readers together at private villas in Tuscany, Italy; Seville, Spain; Cornwall, England; and other locations for five days dedicated completely to connecting through literature. “You’ve got a shared interest with somebody, so you can sit next to them at the pool and they’re going to let you read your book, but you can also strike up a conversation if you want,” Christopher says.
Guests can also bond over the other shared activities: a movie night (even if the book was better), a welcome dinner and book swap, and a murder-mystery dinner party. There’s also an excursion, such as a boat ride or vineyard tour, that ties into the location.
Mostly, though, you’ll have long, luxurious swaths of time to read. And the villas provide plenty of cozy and sun-filled spots for page turning. “The really important thing about these retreats is that the minute you walk through the door, you don’t have to worry about a thing—whether there are kids to get to school or shopping to do or dinner to make,” Christopher says. “By day two, you can see the guests visibly relax, because it’s an opportunity to not just be somebody’s wife or mom or employee.”
Rêverie
Is Chocolat (or Ratatouille) your comfort watch? Then you’ll want to join one of Rêverie’s culinary-focused trips. The weeklong retreats, which typically take place in private châteaus in regions of France like the Loire Valley, Toulouse, and the French Riviera, are inspired by the age-old French traditions cofounder Julie Belcher learned when apprenticing for award-winning baker Richard Ruan. “There was this nonexistence of proprietorship when it came to recipes and technique,” she says. “Everything was meant to be shared.”
Belcher is doing just that through Rêverie’s programming. Guests might partake in a tasting of wine and olive oil or learn the fundamentals of pastry making from a local expert. Along the way, you’ll explore nearby towns, relax while overlooking the Mediterranean Sea, or practice your French. Each day includes at least one big meal together, so guests can bond over the shared passion for food and drink while still allowing for enough alone time. “A lot of solo travelers have joined us over the years, but if you showed up to a Rêverie dinner, you would never guess that anyone had come on their own,” Belcher says. “It’s that summer camp effect.”
Cassie Hurwitz (she/her) is an associate editor at Oprah Daily, where she covers everything from culture to entertainment to lifestyle. She can typically be found in the middle of multiple books and TV shows all at once. Previously, Cassie worked at Parents, Rachael Ray In Season, and Reveal. Her love language is pizza (New York slices, Chicago deep dish, and otherwise).
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