Adventure Awaits: A Solo Traveler's Guide to Affordable Airfare and Excursions

Some links in this post are affiliate links, meaning, at no additional cost to you, I may earn a commission if you make a purchase.

Introduction: Embrace the Adventure of Solo Travel

For me, travel is an adventure. It's a way to see the world, go on exciting excursions, and live my best life. But for every wonderful memory I've made, hours have gone into planning that particular adventure. There are so many options out there to plan your trip, so I wanted to take you through a few of mine - some new and some tried and true.

Google Flights: Your Gateway to Affordable Destinations

The tool I use more than anything else is Google Flights. Not kidding, I use this tool EVERY DAY!!! Sometimes as I am returning from one adventure so I can plan the next. My favorite feature is using 'anywhere' as the destination. You enter your departure city, and then in the “going to” field, select anywhere. You can select the number of people in your party and the class of service you want - sadly…mine is always economy. You leave the date fields open and hit search. There are lots of other filters you can apply on the next screen like number of stops, price, airlines, duration, and bags to further modify your search. I display the results in the map version and then look around the world - where to next? Dublin looks cheap right now but Orlando for $107?? When you don’t have a specific place in mind - this tool opens up the world!

Expedia OneKeyCash: Maximize Your Savings on Every Booking

Another tool in my research bucket is Expedia. They have OneKeyCash which allows you to earn cash back to use on your next purchase for every booking on Expedia, Hotels.com, and Vrbo when you book select hotels, car rentals, activities, and more! It’s free to join and you earn 10% off or more on your bookings by being a member. Remember, for me I am trying to maximize my dollars so this is a great way to save a little and still get exactly what I want. There are tiers to their program that afford more benefits the more you travel, win-win all the way around. In addition to OneKeyCash, I have found their pricing to be very competitive, both on the airfare and the hotel side. Many times, once I use any OneKeyCash I have available - the best deal out there is on Expedia.

WayAway: Find the Best Flight Deals with No Hidden Fees

WayAway is a flight aggregator that provides travelers with the best rates on airline tickets. Its innovative search finds the best option for specific travel dates by comparing airfares offered by all major US and global airlines and agencies. The aggregator displays final prices, without any hidden fees. What I love about this tool is that there is a filter for including the baggage fees so you get an all-in price as opposed to some of the other tools out there that will give you the cheapest fare but it doesn’t include anything…including a seat!!!! (Don’t get me started on this - it drives me crazy!) You can set alerts for specific destinations, select specific airlines, numbers of layovers, travel time, and even alliances if you are looking to get miles. As a relative newcomer to the game, I highly recommend giving this one a try. Note: there is a free version and a paid version of this tool. With the paid version you get 5% back on airline tickets, 10% back on hotel stays, and access to travel experts around the clock. There is a free 7-day trial and after that, it costs $49.99 a year (easily covered by the savings of one trip!)

TripAdvisor: Your Go-To for Planning Unforgettable Excursions

When it comes to planning excursions and discovering things to do at my destinations, TripAdvisor is my go-to resource. I use TripAdvisor to find the best activities based on recommendations from those who have experienced them firsthand. From guided tours to local attractions, TripAdvisor helps me fill my itinerary with memorable experiences. I booked our excursion to Niagara Falls (which included a stop at a local winery) when we visited Toronto and our excursion to the Katla Ice Caves when we visited Iceland through TripAdvisor; my kids raved about them all!

Daily Drop Pro (formerly Faredrop): Score Flight Deals and Travel More for Less

Daily Drop Pro is the latest addition to my bucket of research tools and my current favorite. Daily Drop Pro is a travel search tool that helps users find flight and hotel deals. When you sign up, you can get deal alerts sent directly to your phone and email based on your travel preferences. You enter your main airport hub, select regions you are interested in visiting, the time of year you want to visit, and the travel class you are looking for i.e. economy, premium economy, business, or first. Then you get notified via email about amazing deals you can book using your favorite booking site. They have a free limited plan and a $149 annual plan that allows you to add multiple departing airports (10) to expand your ability to save even more.

In addition to the emails, Daily Drop Pro lets you search for ANY route on ANY date, and it’ll do all the work for you to generate a list of the best possible points redemptions. It’s also so much more than that, you can do the same thing for hotel searches or just get cheap, customer cash deals sent to your inbox. Talk about one-stop shopping! They also offer a daily newsletter called The Daily Drop which is included in the paid offering and I highly recommend it - super informative! Note: If you have heard of Kara and Nate, well-known YouTubers, they created the Daily Drop app.

Conclusion: Let's Make Memories Without Overspending

Embarking on adventures shouldn't mean emptying your wallet. I've shared my go-to tools for planning trips that are big on experiences but small on expenses. Now, it's your turn! Have you tried any of these strategies? Found a killer deal that made you do a happy dance? Or maybe you have a secret weapon of your own for snagging budget-friendly flights and fun excursions. Spill the beans in the comments! Let's inspire each other to explore extraordinary destinations, create unforgettable memories, and live our best lives—all while keeping our bank accounts smiling. Here's to smart planning and even smarter traveling. Happy adventures!