A solo road trip is a life-changing experience everyone should have. I decided to go for a solo trip to clear my mind, find myself again and, to be honest, to finally create the perfect trip focusing on what I like. At first, I was a little bit scared, as it was my first time traveling alone, but I made the most of my experience - keeping in mind some useful things. Here are my best 7 tips for your first solo trip.

1. Having an itinerary is a good idea

Even if I wanted to keep things adventurous, I tried to keep things safe and secure to follow. This is the reason why months ahead of my trip, I found out what I wanted to see and visit by creating a sort of a list of things. This was so useful! However, I also allowed time and space for serendipity to find me. I also shared my itinerary with my family and close friends, and checked in daily.

2. Finding the best car hire service

As my solo road trip was all about, well, driving through, I wanted to make sure I had exactly the kind of service I needed to make it easier - and, yes, cheaper. I recommend to you holiday autos to compare car hire, as it’s easy to use; everything is customizable and gives you the best options ever. You just need to download the app and can book your ride from anywhere. Moreover, it is also very easy to cancel the booking up to 24 hours prior to your pick up, and you can claim refund for full amount. Just make sure to apply cancellation on the website, and not with the car hire agent.

3. Stop once in a while to rest

A solo road trip is a beautiful experience, but not having another driver could be quite challenging so once in a while take some time to stop and rest. I had many stops all throughout my road trip, as I wanted to relax a little bit, too, and to appreciate my exploration at my own pace. I'm also a fanatical yelper, and love discovering great coffeeshops - the perfect stop on any road trip.

4. Pack essential and versatile clothes

Packing clothes for the first solo road trip was so much fun! I packed some necessary garments, but with several different accessories so each outfit would look different and unique. My number one tip is to keep your outfits light and comfortable, especially for driving.

5. Bring cash for every occasion

Even if you want to rely on your credit card, don’t let this be the only payment method for your road trip. Get some cash and keep it handy, as during your road trip... you will need it!

6. Keep it safe (especially at night)

Learn something more about the most dangerous areas of the places you are going to explore. This could be a lifesaver to avoid hazardous situations and to even stay alive. If you are going for a road trip into natural parks and coastal paths, remember to keep an eye on the signals, and animals, too! Being aware is the biggest safety tip I have in any situation.

7. Meet new people to feel less lonely

Meeting new people and connecting with locals is the best thing you could do to feel less homesick and learn something more about the real parts of the country you are going to visit. Be a traveler, not a tourist. You can make friends in groups online (Girls Love Travel and Wanderful are great facebook group resources for connecting with fellow female travelers). I am still in touch with the people I met during my road trip. It's even better when you share interests - like surfing, or taking photo walks.

These are my best tips for your first solo road trip. I hope you will use them for your own travel experiences, as this is one of the best gifts you can give yourself.

What are your best solo travel tips?