Today I’ll be sharing my best strategies for finding the most relaxing accommodations for my fellow introverts. While most people want to sleep somewhere quiet and peaceful on vacation, this is especially important for introverts.
As introverts, we value our space and downtime and the last thing we want is to find ourselves in a hotel, campground, or rental property that drains our energy.
What Makes an Introvert?
According to the American Psychological Association, introverts have an “orientation toward the internal private world of one’s self and one’s inner thoughts and feelings, rather than toward the outer world of people and things.”.
More modern references of introversion add how it’s a matter of energy bandwidth. I remember reading Susan Cain’s book Quiet. It was the first time I felt heard about how I felt after a long day of socializing. Introverts, after even a little socializing, will feel depleted and drained. Our extroverted friends on the other hand will feel energized and refreshed.
The Connection Between Introversion and Finding Great Accommodations
Just as introverts need to protect their energy in their everyday life, they also need to be careful during vacation.
No one wants a vacation that makes us feel anything but refreshed, joyous, and fulfilled.
But remember, not all introverts are the same.
The following points are simply my opinion as a fellow introvert and crowd avoider. So if you’re an introvert who loves the big city life and group travel, power to you!
When we think of why introverts might need quiet accommodations, it comes down to how they get their energy.
Unlike extroverts, who get their energy from social situations and lots of people, introverts need their alone time.
While they’re traveling, it’s especially important that the place they go to rest after a long day of exploring is equally restful and quiet.
Read More: How to Survive a Family Trip as an Introvert
How Are We Defining “Quiet” Accommodations?
Quiet accommodations, in my opinion, aren’t just referring to the obvious factor of noise levels. It’s also incorporating lack of crowds, a serene atmosphere, relaxing vibes, and laid back expectations to socialize.
As a fellow introvert, your needs could differ slightly and that’s okay!
Or, you may find yourself saying, “Wait, I’m not an introvert, but I still want quiet places to stay!”. That’s great too!!
Best Ways to Find Quiet Accommodations
We can use a variety of strategies to find the quietest accommodations. From picking the time of year we travel, to thoroughly reading reviews, and choosing off-the-beaten path destinations, these tips will help you find your perfect stay..
The Different Types of Accommodations
First, let’s explore all of the different types of accommodations.
- Camping or Glamping
- RV
- Hotel
- Rental Property
- A resort or all-inclusive
- Hostels
- Staying with loved ones
- Cruise rooms
- and more!
As you can see, there are so many accommodation types, and some of these may or may not be better suited for those seeking quiet retreats.
In my opinion, there are options that automatically lean more towards introverted folks. These would be Camping/Glamping, RVing, staying with loved ones, and staying at rental properties.
Furthermore, if we generalize, then accommodations like hotels, hostels, resorts, all-inclusive, and cruises tend to lean toward extroverted people.
Strategy #1: Read Reviews Thoroughly
The first thing to consider is accommodation reviews, especially for those that mention noise complaints, crowded spaces, etc.
It’s always a good idea to look for reviews that talk about the noise level of the neighborhood, rooms, etc.
You may be thinking this is obvious but, one time, we forgot to check the reviews and it bit us in the butt!
We were visiting Washington DC on an RV croad trip from Tennessee back to Maine. I’d always been interested in visiting the iconic city so we thought, “what a great time to visit”.
We decided to stay at Cherry Hill RV Park in nearby Maryland.
What we didn’t realize was,despite being a great campground, its location was minutes from the interstate and it was all we could hear during our visit.
The campground itself wasn’t crowded and other than the noise we had a lovely time, but now I always think try to avoid RV parks close to major highways and how it could impact our experience.
Strategy #2: Choosing Your Destination Strategically
When choosing a destination, it’s easy to pick a popular destination. Most travel guides, social media, and people around you will promote the well beaten path.
For example, if you’re thinking of visiting Paris we could consider visiting Paris vs. the French countryside, it’s bound to be busier and louder in Paris. But if you desperately want to go to Paris, then you by all means should go to Paris, noise and crowds be damned!
The benefit of choosing an off-the-beaten-path destination is that even in the summer, you may find yourself completely alone. (For an introvert this is a good thing. Might be a nightmare for a social butterfly;)
When we visited South Dakota in August we were often the only ones at the major sights.
Read More: How to Pick Your Next Memorable Destination
Strategy #3: Picking the Low or Shoulder Season to Visit
If we continue with the France example, a way to visit Paris without the crowds would be going during the shoulder or low season.
Most destinations during the height of summer will draw larger crowds. So even the quietest of campgrounds or the quietest of neighborhoods might see more people.
Check out these maps from Culture Trip that show shoulder and low seasons for every country.
Strategy #4: Consider If You Can “Buy” Quiet
The other thing I would think about is are you willing to spend more to have private accommodations or an upgraded, secluded area.
For example, if you’re on a group tour, there’s all often a single supplement charge which means you might have to pay a little bit more. I think that’s worth it. Because then you get some privacy and some downtime.
Similarly to hostels, you could pay for private rooms.
Additional Tips to Ensure a Relaxing Vacation
In addition to picking the best accommodation, you may want to consider ways to make your trip more relaxing including how you build your itineraries, what you do to recharge, and who you travel with.
Bonus Strategy #1: Choosing Your Travel Companions Wisely (and communicating properly).
Another factor you might want to think about is who you’re traveling with.
As introverts, who we choose to spend time with is an important decision.
While extroverts may believe the more the merrier on a trip, introverts may think the opposite.
If traveling with a friend or so, it may be necessary to establish expectations ahead of your adventure.
It’s vital to communicate what you need, including downtime, time to explore alone, or your own room.
Furthermore, a group trip requires even more forethought.
I’ve often traveled with my family or Ben’s family and luckily have very supportive families.
Since they are now used to my introverted personality, it’s not a surprise when I go off for a walk by myself or wake up super early to start my day with quiet.
If you’re traveling with newer travel buddies, you might want to communicate your needs ahead of time. Assure them that you like to have a bit of alone time to recharge, and you don’t mean anything by it. When your travel buddies can expect you to wonder off by yourself, it makes everything easier.
Of course, the easiest way to ensure you’ll have quiet time on a vacation is to go solo!
At the end of the day, you need to take care of you and make your vacation as enjoyable as possible.
Bonus Strategy #2: Limiting Your Vacation to 1-2 Homebases
I recommend using a home base and doing day trips instead of constantly moving your accommodation because as introverts it takes us a little time to get comfortable and to get a routine going.
If we have to pack our bags and start all over again, that’s a big energy depletion. And it would be totally preventable if you stay in one place and adopt a slow travel approach.
Bonus Strategy #3: Carving Out Downtime No Matter Your Accommodation
I also think it’s important to factor in what are you going to be doing on this trip and how much downtime will you need?
Whatever you do to calm down at the end of the day or in between social activities at home, carve out time to enjoy those activities on vacation as well.
So you know bring your reading or bring your knitting or wordsearch whatever it is that you do to relax.
I would avoid only relying on your phone to unwind because I think that actually influences and impacts introverts. I would stick more to non screen hobbies that you could pack into your bag.
Waking up early in your accommodation is also a lovely way to ensure you start your day in a peaceful manner. You could walk about your neighborhood or sip coffee outside. Do whatever you need to do to take care of your energy for the day ahead.
How We’ve Found Quiet Accommodations in the Past
Prince Edward Island – We chose to visit this secluded Airbnb on the ocean in October
Hermosa, South Dakota – By choosing a lesser known state, we avoided the crowds in comparison to Yellostone or Glacier National Parks. When visiting Custer State Park, Wind Cave National Park and Badlands National Park, we found this perfectly located RV campground in August.
Scarborough, Maine – for a mother-daugther camping weeking, my mom and I chose this Adult-only RV park. One of the quietest I’ve ever stayed at during peak Maine summer.
Great Smoky Mountains – We were able to rest easy during our trip to the Great Smokies because we chose the “peaceful” side of the area, Townsend Tennessee. We also avoided crowds by visiting during the shoulder season.
Final Thoughts
As you can see, there are so many ways you can find quiet accommodation as an introvert. I hope you use these tips to design a trip you’ll love whether you visit the busy streets of a famous city or a secluded National Park.
