Becoming an Empty Nester: How Solo Travel Can Help You Find Purpose
- Tiffany Twofoot
- Sep 1
- 5 min read
Updated: Sep 6
The day your child leaves home can be surprisingly emotional. One moment you’re helping with college applications, packing boxes, or watching them drive away. The next, you’re standing in a quiet kitchen wondering how the house can feel so still. Becoming an empty nester is a milestone that often comes with pride, grief, and uncertainty all at once.
For years, your life has been intertwined with raising your children — nurturing, guiding, and often putting your own needs second. Now, as the structure of parenting shifts, you may find yourself asking: What’s next for me? Who am I beyond being a parent?
The empty nest can feel like loss, but it can also be a gateway — an opening into a new chapter of discovery and purpose. And one of the most powerful tools to embrace this new stage is solo travel.
The Emotional Challenges of the Empty Nest
The experience of becoming an empty nester looks different for everyone. Some parents feel overwhelming freedom; others struggle with a sense of identity loss. Many experience a mix of both.
Loneliness: The absence of everyday conversations, dinners together, and late-night check-ins can feel like a void.
Uncertainty: Without the structure of parenting tasks, it’s common to wonder what should fill your days.
Pride and Joy: Watching your child step into independence is deeply rewarding, even if bittersweet.
Restlessness: After years of focusing on others, you may feel unsure how to focus on yourself again.
Naming these emotions is important. They’re valid, and they’re part of the natural process of transition. The question then becomes: how can you channel them into something life-giving?
"The first morning after dropping my daughter off at college, I made a pot of coffee out of habit — two mugs instead of one. I caught myself reaching for her favorite cereal on the grocery shelf that week. The silence at home wasn’t just quiet; it echoed."
Why Solo Travel Helps Empty Nesters Heal
Solo travel isn’t just about seeing the world — it’s about seeing yourself in a new light. When you step onto a plane, train, or ship alone, you carry with you not just luggage but possibility.
A Space for Reflection: Traveling solo provides a pause button. Sitting in a quiet café in Paris or on a sunlit bench in a local park, you’ll find the space to journal, reflect, and process what this stage of life means.
Reclaiming Independence: Navigating unfamiliar places builds confidence and reminds you that you are capable, resourceful, and resilient.
Rediscovering Joy: Watching the sunrise over the ocean, exploring a bustling market, or laughing with strangers on a group excursion reignites joy and curiosity.
Purpose Through Connection: Travel introduces you to new cultures, people, and perspectives. These experiences can spark new passions, lead to volunteer opportunities, or simply remind you of the beauty of human connection.
“On a solo cruise to the Caribbean, I found myself sitting on my balcony staring out at the vast blue ocean. For the first time in years, I wasn’t responsible for anyone else’s schedule or happiness. I cried, I laughed, and then I just breathed. It felt like my heart was making room for me again. I wasn't sure what that meant exactly, but I was excited to find out.”
Practical Tips for Your First Solo Trip
If you’re new to solo travel, the idea can feel intimidating. Start small and build from there.
Begin with Local Exploration: Take a solo day trip to a nearby city, beach, or hiking trail.
Try a Guided Group Tour: Join a tour where you’ll meet other travelers but still enjoy independence.
Choose Comfortable Accommodations: Hotels with communal spaces, solo-friendly cruises, or boutique guesthouses can provide both comfort and connection.
Pack with Confidence: Bring a journal, a good book, and a few comforts from home to ease transitions.
Plan Free Time: Don’t overschedule. Leave room for spontaneous joy — a hidden bookstore, a cozy café, or simply resting by the water.
"On my first solo trip, I tucked a small notebook into my bag, unsure if I’d even use it. By the end of the week, it was filled with café names, snippets of conversations, sketches of sunsets, and questions I hadn’t dared ask myself before. It became a mirror of my journey."
Inspiring Solo Travel Ideas for Empty Nesters
A Creative Retreat: Enroll in a photography workshop in the Southwest or a painting class in Tuscany. Creative expression can help you discover hidden passions.
Wellness Journeys: Yoga in Bali, a meditation retreat in Sedona, or a spa weekend close to home can nurture both body and spirit.
Cultural Immersion: Spend a week living with a host family abroad, learning their language and customs. This deep connection often sparks a sense of purpose.
Bucket List Adventures: Whether it’s hiking Machu Picchu, cruising to Alaska, or watching the Northern Lights, the empty nest is the perfect time to pursue dreams once put on hold.
How to Find Purpose Beyond Parenting
The empty nest isn’t just about filling time — it’s about finding meaning. Solo travel can open the door to passions you may not have had space to explore before:
Volunteering Abroad or at Home: Many travelers find purpose by helping with community projects, teaching, or conservation efforts.
Creative Expression: Travel often awakens dormant creativity. Writing, painting, or even cooking inspired by your journeys can become new outlets of purpose.
Personal Growth: Learning new skills — from sailing to language to photography — can remind you that growth never stops, no matter your age or stage.
"A woman I met on my UK to NY transatlantic cruise told me she had just retired and became an empty nester at the same time. She signed up for the cruise on a whim. By the end of the week, she was talking about starting a cruise-inspired cookbook. Sometimes purpose sneaks up on you while you’re out exploring.”
Closing Thoughts
Becoming an empty nester is not the end of your story — it’s the beginning of a new one. Solo travel can help you step into that story with courage, curiosity, and renewed purpose.
It’s not about leaving behind your identity as a parent; it’s about expanding it. You’re still a mother, a father, a caregiver. But you’re also a dreamer, an explorer, and someone with untapped chapters still waiting to be written.
So pack your bag, book the ticket, and step into your own adventure. The world is wide open, and so are you.
Solo Spirit Reminder: Becoming an empty nester doesn’t mean your best years are behind you. It means you finally have the space to ask, What do I want next? And when you set out on that solo trip, you just might find the answer.
