11 Tips for Your First SOLO Adventure in Stanford

As a traveller, you like to travel to places that are quite happening and have much to offer in terms of adventure, food, activities, ancient building and other things. You enjoy your trip more when you are with family or friends. However, have you ever travelled alone? Travelling alone gives you the freedom to explore new places, meet new people, try new things and most importantly try places that are not on regular travellers’ itinerary.

One such place to visit is Stanford. A small village beyond Hermanus in South Africa is a great place to visit not just as a solo traveller but even with friends and family. The thing that makes Stanford the ideal place for solo adventure is its picturesque setting. Driving 23 kilometers from Hermanus viewing scenic beauty along the way, you will find the village of Stanford along the river Klein.

Abundance of activities, adventure, and serenity!! You can find them all in Stanford. However, if you are traveling solo, you might be a little skeptical about your trip.

Here we have some tips for you when traveling solo to Stanford:

1. Travel with an open mind: When you are traveling solo, the first thing that you have to do is to have an open mind. You are going to a new country, will meet new people, see cultural differences and will have to eat different food. So, keeping an open mind when traveling solo will always help. Stanford is a friendly place where you will find villagers gathering to have friendly chats over coffee. You can be at ease when you are traveling with an open mind.

2. Find a comfortable accommodation: finding a comfortable accommodation in Stanford is not difficult as it offers several options to you as a solo traveler. It depends on your requirements and your budget and Stanford offers them all. You can choose accommodation from bed & breakfast, bed only, camping, guest houses, self-catering, hotels, and lodges. You can also look for families that welcome paying guests.

3. Eat locally: Stanford has some amazing places that offer scrumptious meals prepared by the locals. What is more exciting is that you will find the chefs preparing meals using locally produced, seasonal and environmentally friendly ingredients. You can find a range of food destinations in Stanford including gourmet delights, fine dining, country cuisine and pup grub. Going solo here will help you understand the food habits and culture of the locals. Graze Slow Food Café, Yum Eat Café, Don Gelato Ice Cream Parlor; Coffee Shop & Trattoria are some places that you can visit.

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4. Be friendly with the locals: Stanford might be a small village but it has people with big hearts. They are friendly, warm and welcoming. They gather around the village square and frequently stop to have a friendly chat over coffee and freshly baked cake from the nearby eateries. Mixing with the locals will help you get away with your solo travel blues if any.

5. Visit the vineyards: Stanford is also home to some amazing vineyard estates. As a solo traveler, you can taste the local vines straight from the vineyards. This will give you a chance to understand how vine is prepared and meet the locals as well. Sir Robert Stanford Estate, Springfontein Wine Estate, Welgesind and Birkenhead Brewery & Walker Bay Winery are some of the more popular of the wine estates to visit.

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6. Adventure and activities: When you are traveling solo, you have all the time to try something new. If you haven’t had some adventure in the past time, here is your chance to do at Stanford. You can choose from various activities like horse riding, bird watching, boat cruises, Great White Shark cage diving, hiking and picnicking to get the taste of real adventure.

7. Explore the surrounding areas: Stanford and its surrounding areas offer much in terms of activities and relaxation. As a solo traveler, if you are looking to be yourself and need a place to retreat, you can check into one of the resorts or estates that are some distance from Stanford. Phillipskop Mountain Reserve, Mosaic Lagoon Lodge and Fynbos Retreat Self Catering are some places that can give you a tranquil getaway from the usual hustle bustle.

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8. Visit the cheese farmstead: A visit to the local cheese farmstead must be in your itinerary to complete your solo adventure to Stanford. Klein River Cheese Farmstead is a great place to visit to try the freshly prepared cheese platter. You will get a taste of the local cheese and a peek into the ingredients that make it so delicious.

Credit: www.culturecheesemag.com

9. Keep your camera ready: You never know when you might get a great shot. With a picturesque background, mountains and River Klein flowing nearby, Stanford can be a photographer’s delight. You can take hundreds of photos to remind you of the beautiful time that you spent with the amazing people of Stanford.

10. Record and journal everything: As a solo traveller, you must keep a journal to record what all you have seen. Stanford being a quite as well as adventurous destination provides a lot to write. Keeping a journal will help you relive the memories of Stanford, a few years down the line.

11. Learn the local lingo: If you want to have the best of time when travelling solo to Stanford, you can learn the local lingo. Although learning the local language in a short span of time is difficult, you can learn the basic phrases that will help you get along with the locals. This will also help you in understanding their way of life and their culture.