How to find a travel buddy is becoming a much more common question as more people choose to travel alone — but don’t necessarily want to spend the entire trip alone.
Maybe your friends can’t get time off work.
Maybe your partner isn’t interested in the same destination.
Maybe you’re backpacking for three months while everyone you know has a completely different schedule.
Or perhaps you genuinely enjoy solo travel but would still like someone to join you for dinner, a hike, a road trip or a few days of exploring.
That’s increasingly normal.
Solo travel in 2026 isn’t necessarily about avoiding people.
For many travelers, it’s becoming a way to meet them.
Skyscanner’s 2026 travel research found its solo-traveler hotel filter had increased 83% year over year. Its research also found that 47% of travelers had gone — or considered going — overseas specifically to meet new people for friendship or dating. Among Gen Z travelers, that figure reached 63%.
So if you’re planning a trip alone but hoping to find some company along the way, here are 12 practical ways to find a travel buddy — without choosing someone you’ll regret sharing a 12-hour train ride with.
Quick Answer: How Do You Find a Travel Buddy?
Some of the best ways to find a travel buddy in 2026 include:
- Asking friends and friends-of-friends
- Using travel and social apps
- Joining destination-specific communities
- Staying in social accommodation
- Taking group tours
- Joining local activities
- Attending language exchanges
- Using coworking communities
- Meeting people through hobbies
- Connecting before your trip
- Starting with a day activity before traveling together
- Clearly comparing budgets, schedules and travel styles first
The most important part isn’t simply finding someone going to the same destination.
It’s finding someone you can actually travel well with.
Why Travel Buddies Are Becoming More Popular
Solo travel keeps growing, but that doesn’t mean travelers suddenly want complete isolation.
Skyscanner describes one of its major 2026 trends as “Catching Flights and Feelings” — travelers taking solo trips while deliberately remaining open to friendships, dating and unexpected connections along the way.
Mastercard found a similar pattern.
Seven in ten international leisure travelers surveyed said they were interested in solo experiences specifically designed to connect them with like-minded people through things such as tours, shared accommodations and organized social itineraries.
And an Opodo survey covered by Euronews found that 21% of solo travelers cited meeting new people as a motivation for traveling alone.
The interesting part is that people increasingly want both:
freedom + connection.
They want to choose their own flight.
Their own destination.
Their own itinerary.
But they may still want someone to share part of the experience with.
1. Start With People You Already Know
Before downloading anything, ask your existing network.
Not only your closest friends.
Ask:
- Coworkers
- Former classmates
- Friends-of-friends
- Cousins
- Gym friends
- Online friends
- People you’ve traveled with before
Instead of saying:
“Does anyone want to travel sometime?”
be specific.
Try:
“I’ll be in Japan from November 3–16. I’m planning Tokyo, Kyoto and Osaka. Anyone going around the same time?”
Specific plans are much easier for people to respond to.
Even if nobody you know can join, someone may say:
“My friend is going there that week.”
A friend-of-a-friend introduction also gives you some useful social context before meeting.
2. Use Apps to Meet People Before You Arrive
Technology can make traveling solo significantly less random.
You no longer necessarily need to land in another country and hope someone interesting happens to be sitting beside you at breakfast.
Social, community and travel apps can help you discover people before your trip.
Look for people who are:
- Visiting the same destination
- Living locally
- Interested in similar activities
- Looking for friendship
- Open to meeting travelers
- Traveling around similar dates
Crozify, for example, supports worldwide connections and lets its community look for travel buddies alongside dating, friendship and community connections.
That means you could start talking to someone before your flight rather than trying to create a social circle after you land.
A better first message
Don’t send:
“Hey.”
Try:
“I’ll be in Bangkok next month and I’m trying to find someone interested in checking out the night markets and doing a day trip to Ayutthaya. Have you been?”
Now the conversation already has a purpose.
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3. Match by Travel Style, Not Just Destination
Two people can desperately want to visit Italy and still be terrible travel partners.
Before agreeing to travel together, compare what traveling actually means to both of you.
Ask about:
Budget
Are you staying in $15 dorms or boutique hotels?
Pace
Do you want five attractions every day or one museum followed by a four-hour lunch?
Morning vs night
One person getting up at 6 AM while the other sleeps until noon can become surprisingly annoying.
Food
Street-food adventure or familiar restaurants?
Nightlife
Clubbing until sunrise or asleep by 10:30?
Transportation
Flights, trains, scooters, buses or rental cars?
Personal space
Do you expect to spend every waking hour together?
These conversations sound boring.
They can save an entire trip.
4. Look for Someone for One Activity — Not the Entire Vacation
One of the biggest mistakes is assuming a travel buddy has to become your temporary spouse.
They don’t.
You might simply want someone for:
- A hiking day
- A road trip
- Dinner
- A concert
- An island tour
- A museum
- A nightlife experience
- A photography walk
- A weekend
- One city
This lowers the pressure significantly.
Instead of:
“Want to travel around Vietnam with me for three weeks?”
try:
“Want to do the Ha Long Bay trip together Thursday?”
If you get along, you can make more plans.
If you don’t, you’re not trapped together until your return flight.
5. Stay Somewhere Social
Hotels are comfortable.
They are not always particularly social.
You can spend five nights in a hotel without learning another guest’s name.
Hostels, guesthouses and other community-oriented accommodation often make meeting people easier because they deliberately create shared spaces.
Look for places with:
- Common areas
- Group dinners
- Walking tours
- Rooftops
- Social events
- Shared kitchens
- Coworking spaces
- Classes
You don’t necessarily need to stay in a giant dorm.
Many hostels offer private rooms while still giving you access to the social side of the property.
Sit somewhere communal instead of hiding behind your laptop.
A simple:
“Where are you heading next?”
has probably created millions of backpacker friendships.
6. Take a Small Group Tour
You don’t have to choose between:
travel alone
and
join a two-week organized tour.
There’s a middle ground.
Book a:
- Walking tour
- Cooking class
- Food tour
- Boat trip
- Hiking tour
- Diving trip
- Photography tour
- Cycling trip
- Pub crawl
- Cultural workshop
Small-group activities solve the hardest part of talking to strangers:
You already have something in common.
You are literally doing the same thing.
They also create an easy exit.
If you don’t connect with anybody, the activity ends.
If you do, you can say:
“Want to grab food afterward?”
That’s much easier than approaching random strangers.
7. Join Activities Based on Your Interests
Shared interests can be a better compatibility filter than age or appearance.
If you enjoy running, find a local run club.
If you like climbing, visit a climbing gym.
If you’re into photography, search for photography walks.
Try:
- Yoga
- Running
- Hiking
- Board games
- Dance
- Gaming
- Surfing
- Language learning
- Fitness
- Cooking
- Art
- Music
This works particularly well because you’re meeting people you might genuinely want to spend time with even if travel wasn’t involved.
And recurring communities can turn one travel acquaintance into a real friendship.
8. Try Language Exchanges
Language exchanges are one of the easiest social activities for travelers because talking to strangers is literally the point.
You might find them at:
- Cafés
- Universities
- Bars
- Coworking spaces
- Hostels
- Community centers
You help someone practice your language.
They help you practice theirs.
The conversation tends to move quickly beyond language.
“Where are you from?”
becomes:
“What are you doing tomorrow?”
And suddenly you have someone showing you their favorite restaurant.
You also gain something a generic tourist experience can’t provide:
local perspective.
9. Use Coworking Spaces if You’re Working While Traveling
Remote workers and digital nomads face an unusual situation.
You can theoretically work from anywhere.
But that often means spending eight hours staring at a laptop alone somewhere beautiful.
Recent research has found an association between higher-frequency remote work and increased loneliness, making intentional social connection particularly important for people working remotely.
Coworking spaces can help because many organize:
- Lunches
- Networking events
- Coffee mornings
- Community chats
- Weekend trips
- Fitness activities
- Workshops
You don’t need to network.
Sometimes you just need someone to ask:
“Anyone getting lunch?”
10. Meet People Where You Already Spend Time
Sometimes finding a travel buddy requires no special platform at all.
You may meet people:
At breakfast.
At the gym.
On a train.
At a café.
On a walking tour.
At the beach.
At a festival.
While waiting for a bus that should have arrived 40 minutes ago.
Solo travel makes these interactions more likely because you’re more approachable when you’re alone.
WeRoad’s 2026 research found 83% of respondents felt more open to other people while traveling, while 45% considered travel the ideal setting for meeting people.
You don’t need an amazing opening line.
Try:
“Have you been here before?”
or:
“Do you know anywhere good to eat around here?”
Most conversations don’t become friendships.
They don’t have to.
You’re only looking for the few that do.
11. Video Call Before Making Big Plans
If you’ve met someone online and are considering traveling with them, have a video conversation first.
Messaging can hide a surprising amount.
A ten-minute call can answer questions like:
- Are they actually the person in their photos?
- Can you comfortably hold a conversation?
- Do they seem respectful?
- Are their plans consistent?
- Do you actually enjoy talking to them?
U.S. State Department travel guidance for people meeting online contacts specifically recommends video calling before meeting, telling friends or family the details, meeting publicly and avoiding isolated locations.
A video call does not guarantee safety.
It is simply another useful step.
12. Meet in Public Before Traveling Together
Do not go directly from:
online messages
to
sharing an isolated villa for two weeks.
Meet somewhere public first.
Coffee is perfect.
Dinner works.
A busy attraction works.
Even better:
do a short activity together.
You may discover within an hour that you’re great friends.
You may also discover that one of you talks constantly about cryptocurrency and the other would rather walk into the ocean.
Either result is useful.
Keep your own accommodation and transportation initially if possible.
Having an independent exit option makes everything easier.
How to Know if Someone Will Be a Good Travel Buddy
Before committing to a longer trip, ask yourself:
Do we have similar budgets?
Money creates tension quickly.
Do we communicate easily?
Travel creates stressful moments.
You need to be able to talk.
Do they respect boundaries?
A travel companion should not expect access to every minute of your day.
Are they reliable?
Do they actually show up when they say they will?
Do we want similar experiences?
If one person wants museums and cafés while another wants clubs until sunrise, somebody will probably be unhappy.
Can we spend time apart?
This might be the most underrated question.
Good travel companions don’t necessarily need to do everything together.
Travel Buddy Red Flags
Most people you meet will probably just be ordinary travelers trying to have a good trip.
Still, there are behaviors worth noticing.
Be cautious if someone:
- Refuses reasonable identity verification
- Constantly changes their story
- Pressures you to book immediately
- Wants you to send them money
- Becomes angry about boundaries
- Insists on isolated first meetings
- Wants access to your financial accounts
- Pressures you into sharing accommodation
- Tries to control where you go
- Makes you feel unsafe
The FTC continues to warn that online scammers commonly build trust before asking for money for things like tickets, emergencies or travel expenses. Its advice is straightforward: don’t send money or gifts to an online romantic interest you have never met in person.
Even if your connection is completely platonic, the principle is useful:
Don’t financially rescue strangers from the internet.
Travel Buddy Compatibility Checklist
Before traveling together, discuss:
| Question | Why it matters |
|---|---|
| What’s your daily budget? | Prevents money arguments |
| Hostel or hotel? | Accommodation expectations matter |
| Early mornings or late nights? | Daily schedules can clash |
| Partying or quiet evenings? | Lifestyle compatibility |
| Structured itinerary or spontaneous? | Avoids planning frustration |
| Shared meals or separate food? | Useful for budget and dietary needs |
| How much alone time do you need? | Prevents social exhaustion |
| How will we split expenses? | Keeps money clear |
| What activities matter most? | Helps prioritize plans |
| Are our dates flexible? | Avoids booking conflicts |
You don’t need identical answers.
You just need expectations that can coexist.
Travel Buddy vs. Solo Travel vs. Group Tour
There isn’t one correct way to travel.
Solo travel
Best if you want complete freedom.
You decide everything.
Travel buddy
Best if you want independence with companionship.
You can share experiences without joining a structured group.
Group tour
Best if you want built-in people and less planning.
The tradeoff is less flexibility.
You can also combine all three.
Travel alone.
Meet someone for several days.
Join a group trek.
Spend two days by yourself.
There are no rules.
What If Your Travel Buddy Cancels?
This is important.
Do not build a trip that becomes impossible if someone else disappears.
Whenever possible:
- Keep important bookings under your control
- Know how to reach your accommodation
- Have access to your own money
- Keep important documents with you
- Know your transport options
- Have travel insurance where appropriate
- Maintain a backup itinerary
Your travel buddy should improve the trip.
They should not become the infrastructure holding it together.
How to Find a Travel Buddy Before Your Trip
Start earlier than you think.
A good timeline might look like:
4–8 weeks before
Create or update your social/travel profiles.
Mention your destination.
Start exploring relevant communities.
2–4 weeks before
Message people with overlapping interests or travel plans.
Discuss your itinerary.
1–2 weeks before
Video call anyone you’re seriously considering meeting.
Make one simple plan.
After arrival
Meet publicly.
Start with something low commitment.
Then decide whether you’d like to do more together.
This is much easier than landing somewhere on Monday and desperately trying to find a best friend by Tuesday afternoon.
Finding LGBTQ+ Travel Buddies
Travel can require extra planning for LGBTQ+ people.
Laws and social attitudes toward sexual orientation and gender identity vary significantly between countries, and the UK government’s LGBTQ+ foreign travel guidance notes that even destinations where same-sex activity is legal can have very different levels of social acceptance.
This is one reason finding people who understand your identity can matter while traveling.
You may want:
- An LGBTQ+ travel buddy
- Someone comfortable visiting queer venues
- Someone who understands safety concerns
- A local LGBTQ+ friend
- A date while you’re traveling
- Simply someone you don’t need to explain yourself to
Crozify is designed around LGBTQ+ connections and lets its community search across cities and countries for friendship, community, dates and travel buddies.
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How Crozify Can Help You Meet People While Traveling
Crozify isn’t only about dating.
Its current connection options include:
❤️ Dating
👋 Friendship
🌈 Community
✈️ Travel buddies
💕 Meaningful relationships
And because Crozify supports worldwide discovery, you can connect beyond your current city.
That can be useful if you’re:
planning an upcoming trip,
moving somewhere temporarily,
traveling solo,
looking for someone to explore with,
or simply hoping to know someone before you arrive.
The goal doesn’t need to be romantic.
Sometimes you just want someone who says:
“Yeah, I’d love to check that place out too.”
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Frequently Asked Questions
How do I find a travel buddy?
Start with people you already know, then expand to social apps, travel communities, group activities, hostels, coworking spaces and local events. Compare budget, travel style and expectations before committing to a trip together.
Is it safe to find a travel buddy online?
Meeting people online always requires judgment. Video call first, verify basic details, meet in a public place, tell someone you trust where you’re going and avoid becoming financially dependent on someone you have only recently met. Government travel guidance recommends similar precautions for meeting online contacts abroad.
Where can I find people to travel with?
Possible places include your existing social network, travel communities, social apps, hostels, organized tours, coworking spaces, language exchanges, hobby groups and destination-specific communities.
How do I find a travel buddy for a specific country?
Mention the exact destination, dates and activities you’re considering. A specific message such as “Thailand, November 4–18, interested in food, temples and hiking” is much easier for compatible travelers to respond to than “Who wants to travel?”
Should I travel with someone I’ve just met?
Avoid immediately committing to a long trip. Meet publicly first and consider doing a short activity or day trip together before sharing accommodation, transportation or a multi-week itinerary.
What should I ask a potential travel buddy?
Discuss budget, accommodation, daily schedule, nightlife, food, transportation, interests, personal space and how expenses will be divided.
Can I find a travel buddy on Crozify?
Crozify currently includes travel buddies among the types of connections its community can look for, alongside friendship, community, dating and serious relationships.
Your Next Travel Buddy Might Be Someone You Haven’t Met Yet
One of the best parts of travel is unpredictability.
You know where the flight lands.
You know where the hotel is.
You probably have ten restaurants saved on your phone.
But you don’t know who you’re going to meet.
Maybe it’s someone who joins you for coffee.
Maybe it’s someone you travel with for three weeks.
Maybe it’s a local who shows you a part of the city you would never have found yourself.
Maybe it’s a friendship that survives long after both flights home.
Solo travel doesn’t have to mean being alone.
Start the trip independently.
Stay open to people.
Take sensible precautions.
And let the connections happen.
Your next destination may already be planned.
Your travel buddy might not be.
🌍 Find your people wherever you’re going.
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