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Abstract

first time traveling without alcohol or drugs, I would strongly recommend finding a non-drinking hotel, regardless of how “sober-friendly” the overall destination is.</p><p id="e991">You can do this by looking up the reviews of hotels online and seeing if they have any references to sobriety or recovery. If they don’t, ask the hotel staff directly if they have any rooms set aside for guests who don’t drink alcohol.</p><p id="a8ed">If you’re staying at a non-sober hotel, ask if there are non-alcoholic beverages available during your stay. Some resorts even have special packages catering to those who don’t drink in order to encourage them to come! Hotel staff can also remove all alcohol from the minibar before you arrive or lock it to prevent access.</p><figure id="2bcc"><img src="https://cdn-images-1.readmedium.com/v2/resize:fit:800/1*s59bSSG2yxVXTRMFFz3t9w.jpeg"><figcaption>Photo from <a href="https://daralainemurray.com/rooted">The Rooted Retreat</a> by <a href="https://suzygoodrick.com/">Suzy Goodrick</a></figcaption></figure><p id="e6a0">If you’re feeling anxious about maintaining your sobriety while traveling, look into recovery centers in the area that might offer an overnight stay while you’re visiting. These places will also be able to direct you to sober activities like SMART Recovery groups if those feel more comfortable for you than attending an Alcoholics Anonymous meeting (although most members of these groups will tell you that both are equally helpful, especially when on the road).</p><p id="3369">Pro tip: Make sure to download zoom or other video apps to your phone before you leave in case you’d like to attend a virtual meeting. The pandemic has made virtual meetings available 24/7.</p><h1 id="8036">Try these tips if you want to expand your sober travel experiences.</h1><ul><li>Make sure you have a plan before you travel — I clearly can’t stress this enough. Plan your trip in advance to avoid last-minute surprises, which can be triggering.</li><li>Find a sober travel buddy who will be with you the entire time (if possible) and can help you stay on track if things get chaotic or difficult to manage, especially if this is your first time traveling sober.</li><li>Plan sober activities that are fun for everyone you’re traveling with, and keep them as low-key as possible so that everyone involved stays focused on having fun instead of getting drunk, high, or stoned.</li><li>Try visiting popular places on weekdays or during the day when it’s not too crowded with people around, instead of in the evenings.</li><li>Limit your exposure to alcohol and drugs by staying away from big parties and clubs.</li><li>At night, go for a walk to look at the architecture or city lights, or head to the beach to enjoy the sound of the waves. Bonus: both are free!</li></ul><h2 id="b409">If you are traveling with a group of friends, let everyone know that you are sober and ask them to respect your decision.</h2><p id="27b9">If you are traveling with a group of friends, let everyone know that you are sober and ask them to respect your decision. If they do not, you can leave the group or skip the vacation altogether and plan something for the members of your crew that <i>do</i> support you (or you can fly solo… more on that later).</p><p id="8d11">If they do respect it, however, they should understand that while they may be drinking at bars or clubs during your nights out together, there will be no alcohol involved in any of <i>your</i> activities — no matter how much “fun” everyone else looks like (or feels like) they’re having. You’ll be the one having fun when you aren’t hungover the next day, trust me.</p><h2 id="bb9a">How sober solo travelers can meet up with other sober solo travelers while on vacation</h2><p id="9b89">If you were planning to go on vacation wi

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th friends who don’t support your decision to get sober or stay sober during your trip, don’t feel like you need their permission or approval before booking flights or accommodations for yourself. You can still go on vacation! In fact, I highly recommend it: It’s an excellent way of taking some time away from stressors at home (or work) so that when you return refreshed and ready for action again, strong and committed in your sobriety!</p><p id="1502">If you decide to travel alone, it’s important to remember that this is an empowered choice and not something that happens because of loneliness. While it’s true that some people are more comfortable traveling with others, there are many benefits to solo travel. You have more freedom and flexibility in your schedule, as well as the ability to make decisions on the fly based on what works best for you at any given moment.</p><p id="5a31">That said, there are a number of ways that you can meet other sober solo travelers on your trip if you want a little companionship. The easiest way is to look up “sober travel” or “sober traveling” (+ your location) on Google, which will pull up a number of Facebook groups and websites dedicated to this topic. You can also check out Meetup.com for groups in your area, or create one yourself if there isn’t one already!</p><h1 id="4c91">Sober doesn’t mean boring.</h1><p id="8c50">I used to think that traveling while sober would be boring, that each new place I visited was just an excuse to get wasted and try drinks with foreign ingredients, but now I know that traveling sober it’s just as much fun (if not more) than being drunk.</p><p id="a99d"><b>Sober traveling isn’t about the <i>lack</i> of alcohol, but rather the <i>presence</i> of something else.</b> You may have even more fun at some of these events because you’re not drinking, or feel more comfortable doing them because you don’t have to worry about getting too drunk and all the related negative consequences.</p><p id="026e">Trust me, there’s nothing like waking up on vacation fresh, rested, and hangover free, ready for the next adventure.</p><h1 id="f8ee">Traveling while sober can be quite an adventure.</h1><p id="013e">The world is a beautiful place to explore and you don’t need drugs or alcohol to do so. You just need the courage and motivation to start your journey!</p><p id="2448">So go ahead, get out there and tell me about your favorite sober adventures in the comments.</p><p id="251b">Read more on sobriety by Dara Laine Murray:</p><ul><li><a href="https://daralainemurray.medium.com/how-to-quit-drinking-10-steps-to-success-9ed316db4582">How to Quit Drinking: 10 Steps to Success</a></li><li><a href="https://daralainemurray.medium.com/what-happens-to-your-body-when-you-quit-alcohol-a-timeline-b106bfccd09">What Happens to Your Body When You Quit Alcohol: A Timeline</a></li><li><a href="https://daralainemurray.medium.com/how-does-it-feel-to-be-sober-the-benefits-of-sobriety-beyond-sober-october-e1d1cb5d59c2">How Does it Feel to be Sober? The Benefits of Sobriety Beyond Sober October</a></li><li><a href="https://daralainemurray.medium.com/sobriety-kits-a-creative-way-for-getting-sober-and-staying-sober-fc4ed9a4d993">Sobriety Kits: A Creative Way for Getting Sober and Staying Sober</a></li><li><a href="https://daralainemurray.medium.com/alcohol-does-not-belong-in-wellness-spaces-da91e8f93365">Alcohol Does Not Belong in Wellness Spaces</a></li><li><a href="https://daralainemurray.medium.com/how-to-plan-a-recovery-friendly-holiday-party-a9db00efa377">How to Plan A Recovery-Friendly Holiday Party</a></li><li><a href="https://daralainemurray.medium.com/whats-the-deal-with-coffee-and-sobriety-4f8f894ff16e">What’s the deal with coffee and sobriety? <i>Abandoning booze and embracing the bean</i></a></li></ul></article></body>

Sober Traveling: Life Pro Tips for Success on Your Next Adventure

Traveling while sober gives you a different perspective on life, and that’s what I love about it.

When I first started traveling sober, I was terrified of losing control. But after several years of traveling while sober, I learned that is truly liberating; it allows me to be present and in the moment, which is something I really value.

Read on for tips to hit the road while sober.

Yes — it’s an iced tea. Photo of Dara Murray from The Rooted Retreat by Suzy Goodrick

Places to go for sober fun

You can find sober activities in almost any city.

Some of the more common ones include going to the beach, visiting a museum or art gallery, taking a hike, or just relaxing with friends or family.

Recovery or abstinence-friendly travel destinations

If you want to visit a place with a large recovery community and there aren’t any in your area, it may be worth traveling to one. You can find recovery-friendly destinations on the website Sober Road Trips or by asking other sober people.

Many cities have large sober communities and are family-friendly. These include:

Portland, Oregon
Austin, Texas
San Antonio, Texas
Salt Lake City, Utah
Denver, Colorado
Asheville, North Carolina
Spokane, Washington
Orlando, Florida
Baltimore, Maryland (home of me!)

If you’re traveling to a destination that is known for being party-friendly, it’s even more important than usual to plan ahead — and in a very specific way.

Traveling to a place with a strong sober community is all well and good, but what if you find yourself planning a trip to a place where drinking is the norm? Like Vegas, Nashville, Miami, or Key West… how can you plan ahead and not feel like you have to drink?

Plan ahead. When in doubt, it’s always better to make your plans as early as possible before your trip. That way if there are any changes or unexpected issues arise, it’s easier to resolve them.
Ask questions. Don’t be afraid of asking questions about how things work in the area and who might be able to help when things seem like they’re getting tough. No one will think less of you for being honest about what challenges that may arise during sobriety; everyone has their own struggles when traveling sober — so we all need each other for support!
Get a support system in place before you leave home. I know this may sound like common sense, but it’s important to have people who can keep each other accountable while traveling.
Pack a sobriety kit. This can include things like gum or mints, water bottles, travel-sized games, or books — whatever helps keep your mind occupied when you’re feeling anxious or bored. You should also pack some food in case you get hungry while traveling; this will help prevent any alcohol cravings that may arise.

Finding safe places to recover while traveling

Most people who you’ll come across while traveling are not sober, statistically speaking; this means you will likely be surrounded by drinking on your travels. If this is your first time traveling without alcohol or drugs, I would strongly recommend finding a non-drinking hotel, regardless of how “sober-friendly” the overall destination is.

You can do this by looking up the reviews of hotels online and seeing if they have any references to sobriety or recovery. If they don’t, ask the hotel staff directly if they have any rooms set aside for guests who don’t drink alcohol.

If you’re staying at a non-sober hotel, ask if there are non-alcoholic beverages available during your stay. Some resorts even have special packages catering to those who don’t drink in order to encourage them to come! Hotel staff can also remove all alcohol from the minibar before you arrive or lock it to prevent access.

Photo from The Rooted Retreat by Suzy Goodrick

If you’re feeling anxious about maintaining your sobriety while traveling, look into recovery centers in the area that might offer an overnight stay while you’re visiting. These places will also be able to direct you to sober activities like SMART Recovery groups if those feel more comfortable for you than attending an Alcoholics Anonymous meeting (although most members of these groups will tell you that both are equally helpful, especially when on the road).

Pro tip: Make sure to download zoom or other video apps to your phone before you leave in case you’d like to attend a virtual meeting. The pandemic has made virtual meetings available 24/7.

Try these tips if you want to expand your sober travel experiences.

Make sure you have a plan before you travel — I clearly can’t stress this enough. Plan your trip in advance to avoid last-minute surprises, which can be triggering.
Find a sober travel buddy who will be with you the entire time (if possible) and can help you stay on track if things get chaotic or difficult to manage, especially if this is your first time traveling sober.
Plan sober activities that are fun for everyone you’re traveling with, and keep them as low-key as possible so that everyone involved stays focused on having fun instead of getting drunk, high, or stoned.
Try visiting popular places on weekdays or during the day when it’s not too crowded with people around, instead of in the evenings.
Limit your exposure to alcohol and drugs by staying away from big parties and clubs.
At night, go for a walk to look at the architecture or city lights, or head to the beach to enjoy the sound of the waves. Bonus: both are free!

If you are traveling with a group of friends, let everyone know that you are sober and ask them to respect your decision.

If you are traveling with a group of friends, let everyone know that you are sober and ask them to respect your decision. If they do not, you can leave the group or skip the vacation altogether and plan something for the members of your crew that do support you (or you can fly solo… more on that later).

If they do respect it, however, they should understand that while they may be drinking at bars or clubs during your nights out together, there will be no alcohol involved in any of your activities — no matter how much “fun” everyone else looks like (or feels like) they’re having. You’ll be the one having fun when you aren’t hungover the next day, trust me.

How sober solo travelers can meet up with other sober solo travelers while on vacation

If you were planning to go on vacation with friends who don’t support your decision to get sober or stay sober during your trip, don’t feel like you need their permission or approval before booking flights or accommodations for yourself. You can still go on vacation! In fact, I highly recommend it: It’s an excellent way of taking some time away from stressors at home (or work) so that when you return refreshed and ready for action again, strong and committed in your sobriety!

If you decide to travel alone, it’s important to remember that this is an empowered choice and not something that happens because of loneliness. While it’s true that some people are more comfortable traveling with others, there are many benefits to solo travel. You have more freedom and flexibility in your schedule, as well as the ability to make decisions on the fly based on what works best for you at any given moment.

That said, there are a number of ways that you can meet other sober solo travelers on your trip if you want a little companionship. The easiest way is to look up “sober travel” or “sober traveling” (+ your location) on Google, which will pull up a number of Facebook groups and websites dedicated to this topic. You can also check out Meetup.com for groups in your area, or create one yourself if there isn’t one already!

Sober doesn’t mean boring.

I used to think that traveling while sober would be boring, that each new place I visited was just an excuse to get wasted and try drinks with foreign ingredients, but now I know that traveling sober it’s just as much fun (if not more) than being drunk.

Sober traveling isn’t about the lack of alcohol, but rather the presence of something else. You may have even more fun at some of these events because you’re not drinking, or feel more comfortable doing them because you don’t have to worry about getting too drunk and all the related negative consequences.

Trust me, there’s nothing like waking up on vacation fresh, rested, and hangover free, ready for the next adventure.

Traveling while sober can be quite an adventure.

The world is a beautiful place to explore and you don’t need drugs or alcohol to do so. You just need the courage and motivation to start your journey!

So go ahead, get out there and tell me about your favorite sober adventures in the comments.

Read more on sobriety by Dara Laine Murray: