9 Unbeatable Perks of Going on Vacation by Yourself

It’s February. I’m sure in between pretending to work and making the 15th trip to the coffee room, you’re daydreaming about your next vacation. Whether your poison is a sandy white beach or snowy mountainside, I have an Earth-shattering piece of advice for you: Go alone.

Yes, alone. Solo. No amigos. This idea always freaked me out. Who would I talk to? I’d just be some some awkward dude roaming around a hotel by myself. Surely, security would think I’m a crazy person and call the police on sight.

But I promise you that won’t happen. I bit the bullet and vacationed by my lonesome at the Ritz Carlton, Bachelor Gulch in Colorado over the weekend. The beautiful, sprawling paradise features a grotto, spa and ski slopes galore. I explored it completely on my own, and it’s the best thing I’ve done in quite some time. Here is why:

• You can sleep in until noon.

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  Yup. Your annoying friend who insists on getting up at 8 a.m. to “make the most out of the day”–BYE–is back at home. Finally, you can make the most out of those 600-thread-count Egyptian cotton sheets. Drool for days.

• You don’t have to compromise on the day’s activities.

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  If you want to ski down the bunny slope for eight hours–like many did at the Ritz Carlton, Bachelor Gulch–you can. If you want to soak in the jacuzzi until you’re pruned and dehydrated, be our guest. (Drink some water, though.) Annnnd if you say “bah!” to those things and want to just lay in bed and Netflix, YOU CAN. Because, guess what? No one is there to stop you.

• Your friends won’t be able to bother you.

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  As much as you love your BFF Jill, after two days in closed quarters, her cheery face becomes unbearable. Save yourself the awkwardness of fighting with her about the mini-shampoo bottle and vacay without her. Your friendship will be stronger. (Your patience, not so much.)

• You don’t have to police your eating habits.

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  How many times have you wanted the burger and the wings while on vacay with your S.O. but restrained yourself? It’s human nature, but that ceases to exist when you’re solo. Grub to your heart’s content, bb. No one is around to judge you.

• You can be naked. All day.

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  You probably can’t leave your hotel room if you do this, but–hey–that’s your prerogative, gosh darn it!

• You can score a weekend bae without worrying about ditching your group.

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  We’ve all been there. Some insanely hot entity (probably from Mars) hits on you, but your friends pull you away because they don’t want you ditching. You’re a good friend, so you begrudgingly go along with it. On a “Doing Me”-vacation, you can leave with that weekend bae sans guilt. Get your mother-effing life!

• You don’t have to spend any unnecessary coins.

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  No, actually, I don’t want to go on that $400 excursion to play Spades with bottle-nosed dolphins. My flight here alone put me $1,000 in debt. Leave my poor ass alone!

• You can ACTUALLY read that book on the plane trip there.

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  No, Stacy, I don’t want to hear about your drunken hook-up with Ed from marketing for the thousandth time. I want to read this trashy beach lit at 20,000 feet.

• It gives you time to actually relax.

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  Up at 8 a.m., partying until 3 a.m. When you’re in paradise with your ~bEsTiEs~*, you don’t have any you time. A vacation for one gives you time to relax, reflect and reenergize. Sometimes you don’t need vodka shots. You need silence.