Pickup lines aren’t just for those f-boys who slide into your insta dm’s. There are a few fun one-liners to help even the most introverted solo traveller get chatting to other people, and gasp! …even make some friends to do fun stuff with, while traveling alone!
After a few years on Tinder, I think I have seen it all when it comes to chat-up lines. Most of which are, let’s be honest, extremely weak/gross/worthy of a screen-grab and group WhatsApp share. (Yep I’m in a WhatsApp group called “And you DIDN’T date him?!” dedicated to screen-grabs of awkward dating app convos.) HOWEVER, we have come up with a list of non-creepy conversation openers that can be perfect for starting chats and making friends in the solo travel world.
This is always sited as one of the biggest worries about travelling alone… ‘what if I’m lonely and no one speaks to me?!’ We feel you sister, but backpacking and travelling is the ONE scenario when people expect, even hope that strangers will speak to them! You get a free pass for randomly sparking up convo with someone you don’t know, without any weird looks or awkward responses. So, give it try using one of these fail-safe openers to start up your next conversation and possibly make your new travel buddy!
The Direct Intro:
“Hey, I’m Laura. Don’t think we’ve met yet!”
So simple right?! This can’t actually work?! But yes my friend, the old fashioned – introducing yourself – is considered totally normal in the hostel / bakcpacker world! 😆
This is the one I use most often when I’m in a hostel or guesthouse where there are a lot of young people. No one has ever ignored me or failed to introduce themselves afterward. The first time is like walking on stage in front of your entire school naked, but I promise you it becomes so easy, so quick!
Just get that first one line out of the way and you’re golden! Unless the person is a massive ASSHOLE, it is natural human reaction for them to respond by introducing themselves back! WIN!
The compliment:
“Just needed to tell you, I'm loving your tattoo/ earrings / black sabbath patch / sandals...”
This isn’t a suggestion to make up a fake compliment, we’re all for the genuine vibes here ladies, but if you’ve spotted someone wearing something you want to compliment, this could be your conversation ‘in’.
Again, it would take a very special person to not respond to this in a friendly or positive manner, the last time I complimented someones amazing raffia sandals, it resultedin us going to get Hammam scrubs and pedicures together! The perfect girl’s respite from mixed dorms life!
The Sly Eavesdropper:
“Sorry, but I overheard you're going to ‘xxx’ tomorrow. I just went there today, it was awesome! I’m happy to give you some tips!”
You don’t want to come off as rude or nosy, but if you feel like you can offer some value based on their conversation, feel free to chime in. People usually respond to these with gratitude if your tips are helpful, friendly or fun!
A good follow up is to ask them for tips on a spot they’ve visited too, so as not to seem like the annoying know-it-all who’s been everywhere… we’ve all met one of these dude’s in a hostel ay!
The seat slide-in:
“Hey, do you mind if I sit here / join you?”
If you see someone sitting alone in a hostel common area/kitchen room, they may be just as in need of friendly conversation as you, but too timid to take action. So this is a great one to use, simply walk up to that person, and ask with a jovial “I’m so over eating alone this week! Mind if I share your table?”.
Chances are you’ll be met with a smile and the start of a nice chat. Of course also respect peoples boundaries, if they’d rather be alone, let them be and don’t take offence. A good indication of this before even approaching is if said person is reading/has headphones in/is talking on their phone – take the hint and find another table, this might be their cherished alone time moment!
The curiosity opener:
“Hey, did you just arrive?”
If you’re struggling with starting a conversation with someone but are worried about being too direct, this is a simple and no-pressure one to use which usually sparks a great travel convo. Asking a question means they the ones who speak and you can just listen attentively. This is a fab option for starting a chat without having to be too much of an extrovert.
The group hang:
“A few of us are gonna go grab dinner, want to join?”
Everyone wants to feel like they belong to something, and if you extend a warm invitation to join a small group of people (even if it’s just two of you) to someone sitting alone, chances are they’ll take you up on that offer. And the extra person you invite might just be the soul you bond with most, especially if others in the group already know each other!
The shared heritage opener:
“Just noticed you're wearing a [Pittsburg Steelers shirt! They're my team too!] or [A Manchester uni baseball cap. I studied there!!]
Finding a shared heritage or hometown is a really low risk pickup line, because you already have something in common with that person. Bonus points if it’s the same college. Bonus bonus points if you have mutual friends.
The solo sister:
“Hey, are you traveling solo too?”
In a non-stalker-ish way, it’s usually pretty easy to tell if someone is traveling solo. Perhaps they’re eating a meal alone in a touristy restaurant, or sitting on a bench looking at a guidebook, wandering around clearly using the map app, or even asking the hostel staff for local tips. If you can guess with reasonable certainty that this person is traveling alone, then this pickup line works like a charm.
The helpful hand:
“Did you need a hand with your bag? / Here borrow my pen." etc.
There’s one instance where this works particularly well: on international flights right before landing, when you have to fill out customs forms. If the person beside you looks friendly and doesn’t have a pen, offer them yours. If you don’t have a pen, ask them to borrow theirs. It’s an easy and natural icebreaker. Or equally as easy, on the metro or way in to a hostel – seeing a fellow traveller struggle with their bag, offer a knowing look and offer a hand. A chat on the way could lead to making plans for your first night there!
The ballsy third wheel:
“Hey, mind if I tag along?”
Now this is a bold move. Perhaps not for the first timers… or fuck it, maybe it is if you’re a braver woman than I was! There have been a few instances where I’ve met people traveling in twos or threes and struck up a conversation with one of them. However, this opener line works really well if you want to meet the others in the group too. If they mention doing something casual like taking a walk or grabbing food, just be direct and upfront, ask if you can join them. You’ll get an idea from their reaction if you just made it awk AF, in which case you never have to see them again (lol) or if they’re chill about it, the likelihood is they’ll say sure and welcome the new face to share their stories with!
The online ask:
“Hey, I'm in Lisbon and looking for some awesome girls to explore with / have drinks with / eat with?”
One of the best ways ever to meet people in new countries is… don’t judge… online! We know we’re supposed to be travelling, not attached to our screens, but hear us out!
There are so many cool travel community pages on Facebook, some with over 500K members! There is nearly always SOMEONE in the same spot as you! Countless times, we see women just doing a simple shout-out asking if anyone wants to join them to go dancing/exploring/diving/eating etc! Just go for it, and the beauty of this being, that online is there is zero chance of real-life awks! Plus, all the women we’ve seen doing this in FB groups seem to get super fun awesome responses and end up with a new friend for life! It’s a no brainer!
