Solo Bucket List: 40 Things to Do on Your Own

A solo bucket list is a personal list of things you want to do on your own, from small outings like a lunch alone to big ones like a week-long trip. The best ones mix easy and ambitious items, give each a rough season or month, and get ticked off one at a time rather than saved for "someday".

How to build a list you will finish

Most bucket lists fail because they are wish lists, not plans. A few changes turn yours into something you actually use.

1. Write fast first. Spend ten minutes listing everything that appeals, without judging.
2. Sort by effort. Mark each item easy, medium or big.
3. Add a first step. "Go to a concert" becomes "Check what is on this month".
4. Choose a rhythm. One small thing a week, one medium thing a month, one big thing a year.
5. Review every few months. Replace items that no longer appeal.

You can use the comfort zone ladder tool to order items from gentle to bold.

Food and drink

Eating alone is a classic first step. The ideas below range from a coffee to a weekend built around food.

1. Order a coffee and drink it in the café, alone. The app lists this at level 1.
2. Eat lunch at a restaurant, sitting down. Take a book.
3. Sit at the bar or counter of a place you like.
4. Try a cuisine you have never tried. See solo dinner ideas.
5. Visit a farmers market and put together a picnic.
6. Have a proper dinner somewhere with tablecloths. A level 3 example.
7. Cook a recipe from a new country and set the table.
8. Take a cooking class where you know nobody.

Culture

Museums, cinemas and shows are made for solo visitors.

1. See a film at the cinema alone. Read is it weird to go to the movies alone.
2. Spend an afternoon in a museum. See alone/museum.
3. Go to a gig or a concert. Solo fans are normal.
4. Visit a gallery opening or a small exhibition.
5. Go to the theatre. See how to go to the theater alone.
6. Attend a talk or a lecture on something you know nothing about.
7. Browse a bookshop for an hour and buy something you did not plan to.
8. Go to a comedy night.

Movement and outdoors

1. Climb to the highest point you can walk to nearby. A level 1 idea from the app's movement category.
2. Take a gym class where you know nobody. A level 3 example. See how to go to the gym alone.
3. Hike a trail you have been eyeing. Read solo hiking tips and solo hiking safety.
4. Go to the beach alone. See how to go to the beach alone.
5. Swim in a lake or an outdoor pool.
6. Watch a sunrise or a sunset from a good spot.
7. Rent a bike and explore your own city.
8. Try a new sport or class, such as climbing or yoga.

Travel

1. Take a day trip to a nearby town.
2. Get off a tram or train at a stop you have never used and buy something there. A level 1 idea in the app's travel category.
3. Spend a weekend away. See solo weekend trip ideas.
4. Take a local heritage railway trip.
5. Do a solo road trip. See solo road trip tips.
6. Plan a first solo trip abroad. See first solo trip tips.
7. Stay in a hostel and meet other travellers. See hostels for solo travelers.

Everyday life and personal growth

1. Ask a staff member one genuine question. A level 1 idea in the app's people category.
2. Shop for clothes on your own. A level 2 example from the everyday category.
3. Spend a day with no plans and follow your curiosity.
4. Start a journal and keep it for a month. See how to start a journal.
5. Take yourself on a date. See solo date at home.
6. Learn three constellations at a planetarium or with a star chart.
7. Build something with LEGO bricks. A level 1 solitude idea.
8. Go to a local club's talk or meeting, for example an astronomy club.
9. Plan a quiet weekend retreat. A level 5 example from the solitude category.

A starter plan for the first three months

Repeat the pattern and increase the size of the "big" column over time.

Make it stick

• Put dates in your calendar. "Someday" rarely arrives.
• Tell one person so you have gentle accountability.
• Keep it flexible. If a plan falls through, replace it with another from the list.
• Take a photo or note after each item. A journal keeps the memories.
• Notice your nerves. Rate how you feel before and after. Over time, the difference often surprises people.
• Reward yourself. Treat yourself to something after each big step.

Solo Era for iPhone

Try it with Solo Era

Solo Era gives you one realistic mission a week, records how nervous you felt before and after, and keeps a photo journal of what you did. An iPhone app. A subscription is required to start missions; any free trial depends on the offer and eligibility shown in the app.

Solo Era is built for exactly this: an iPhone app with weekly missions for trying things alone, categories such as food, culture, movement, travel, everyday, solitude and people, five difficulty levels, a personal Solo Pass and a photo journal. Screens show example data.

When it feels too scary

Some items will make your stomach flip. That is normal. Make the step smaller:

• Go for 20 minutes, not two hours.
• Choose a quiet time of day.
• Pick a place with a clear exit.
• Have a reward ready, such as dessert or a walk.
• Remind yourself that most people are busy with their own business. See the spotlight effect.

If anxiety about doing things alone is strong or stops you from living the life you want, a therapist can help. This article is general information and not medical advice.

Solo Era for iPhone

Try it with Solo Era

Solo Era gives you one realistic mission a week, records how nervous you felt before and after, and keeps a photo journal of what you did. An iPhone app. A subscription is required to start missions; any free trial depends on the offer and eligibility shown in the app.