Going to Events Solo: A Practical Guide for Travelers and Nomads

Going to events alone is not a last resort — for many people it's the better option. You move at your own pace, you talk to whoever interests you, you leave when you want. The awkward part isn't being alone; it's not knowing what to do with yourself in the first ten minutes. This guide fixes that.

Why Solo Is Actually Fine (Often Better)

When you arrive with a group, you talk to your group. When you arrive alone, you're available — and other solo attendees are looking for exactly what you are. This dynamic is especially pronounced at:

• Meetups and networking events — the entire point is meeting strangers; solo is the default mode
• Conferences — sessions give you something to react to, which is an easy conversation opener
• Language exchanges — designed specifically for strangers to talk to each other
• Smaller concerts and club nights — more intimate settings where people are more open to conversation

Large music festivals are the one format where a group genuinely helps — logistically (finding each other) and for the full experience. But even there, solo festival-going is common and manageable.

Before You Go: Preparation Makes the Difference

Choose the right event type. For your first solo outing, avoid massive anonymous events. A meetup of 30–80 people, a conference with session breaks, or a social event explicitly designed for mingling are much easier than a 5,000-person festival as your first solo experience.

Read the event page properly. Understand the format: is there a structured program (talks, panels, demos) or is it purely social? Structured events are easier solo — you have a shared experience to reference. "Just drinks and music" requires more active effort.

Have a one-sentence answer ready for "what do you do?" Not a polished elevator pitch — just enough to not fumble the most common opening question. At a tech event: what you work on. At a travel-type event: where you're from and how long you've been in the city. You'll say it ten times; make it easy.

The First Ten Minutes

This is the part people dread. The room is full of people already talking to each other. Here's what actually works:

Go to the bar or food station first. It's a transitional space — people are there briefly and expect brief interaction. "What are you drinking?" or "is the food good?" are not awkward; they're the expected script.

Find another solo attendee. Look for the person who is also scanning the room, checking their phone, or standing at the edge. They want to talk to someone; you want to talk to someone. Walk over, introduce yourself. This is not bold — it's just efficient.

Arrive slightly late to a networking event. Counterintuitive, but arriving when conversations are already happening makes it easier to join an existing one than standing in an empty room.

Arrive early to a conference. Before sessions start, people are settling in and more open to light conversation than during session breaks when they're processing information.

During the Event: Tactics That Work

Use the session or performance as material. At a conference, "what did you think of that talk?" is a complete conversation starter. At a concert, reactions to what's happening on stage are shared without effort. Events give you shared context — use it.

Give yourself permission to move. If a conversation runs out of energy, it's fine to say "I'm going to grab a drink — good to meet you" and move on. Nobody is counting. The goal is to have two or three genuine conversations, not to sustain one all evening.

Exchange contacts intentionally. When a conversation is genuinely good, suggest something specific: "I'm going to the tech meetup next Thursday — do you want to connect there?" or just swap Instagram/LinkedIn. Don't collect contacts you'll never use; one real follow-up beats ten cold saves.

The "yes, and" rule for invitations. If someone at the event says "we're moving to a bar down the street after" and you'd normally default to going home — go. Post-event moves are where the best conversations happen, and solo travelers who take these moments report them as the highlights.

Event Types Ranked for Solo Ease

Latin America Specifically

A few things that make LATAM events particularly welcoming for solo attendees:

Warm culture. In Mexico, Colombia, Argentina, and Brazil, strangers talk to each other more readily than in Northern Europe or East Asia. Someone standing alone at an event is likely to be approached, not ignored.

Expat and nomad density in certain cities. In Medellín, Mexico City, and Buenos Aires, a significant portion of event-goers are also relatively new to the city. Being new isn't awkward — it's a shared experience.

Language as an icebreaker. If your Spanish is limited, saying so is an immediate conversation hook. People enjoy teaching a few words; it's a low-stakes way to start talking.

See also: New in a LATAM City? How to Find Your Scene in 2 Weeks for the broader community-building approach, and How to Find English-Friendly Events if language is a barrier.

Safety and Logistics (Brief)

A few practical notes that apply to solo event-going anywhere:

• Tell someone where you're going when you're new to a city and going to an unfamiliar area at night.
• Keep rideshare apps (Uber, DiDi, Cabify — availability varies by city) charged and accessible.
• Check the event page for the venue's neighborhood. Most event venues in major LATAM cities are in areas with good transit and rideshare access, but worth confirming. Check the event page for the latest details.
• Trust your read on a situation — leaving early is always an option.

FAQ

Is it weird to go to a meetup alone? No — it's normal. Meetups and networking events are specifically designed for people who don't know each other to connect. Going alone signals you're there to meet people, which is exactly what everyone else wants too.

How do you start conversations at events when you don't know anyone? Use the event as your opener: react to a talk, ask someone what they think of the speaker, or simply introduce yourself and ask what brings them to the event. At a social event, the bar or food area is the easiest place to start.

Is it safe to go to events alone in Latin America? Check the venue area before you go. Most event venues in major cities like Mexico City, Medellín, Buenos Aires, and São Paulo are in well-trafficked areas. Keep rideshare apps accessible, let someone know your plans when you're new to a city, and check the event page for any specifics.

What's the best type of event to attend solo for the first time? A language exchange or a small networking meetup (under 100 people). Structured enough to give you shared reference points, social enough that meeting strangers is the expected activity.

How do you leave an event gracefully when you don't know anyone? You don't need a formal goodbye. Say goodnight to whoever you've been talking to, make a genuine exit — "I have an early start" — and go. The people you want to see again are already in your phone.

Summary

Going to events solo is mostly a mindset reset and a first-ten-minutes problem. Choose the right format (meetups and language exchanges are easiest), arrive with a simple opener ready, find the other solo attendees, and use the event itself as shared material. Latin America's warm social culture makes it easier than you'd expect — especially in nomad-heavy cities like Medellín and Mexico City.

Find your first solo event — browse events.lat and filter by Networking Events in your city.