According to Expedia, 60% of travelers will take a solo trip in the next year. I found this super interesting and not representative of the women I know — at least when it comes to leisure travel. A lot of women my age feel very guilty about taking a solo trip because it takes time away from their family or partner, and money from their household’s joint travel budget. My goal is to make solo travel feel less scary or overwhelming and reach to my fellow Gen X women and provide some candid tips for solo female travelers.
Finding ways to get out of your comfort zone, while taking time for yourself to reconnect is an amazingly rejuvenating experience. It brings focus back to your day to day life, helps you feel more confident and provides avenues to meet new people. Solo travel should not be looked at as a selfish act. In fact, it can be the ultimate form of self-care that makes you more prepared to care for others and tend to your career.
Planning your First Solo Female Trip
Two decades of solo travel around the U.S., Central America, South America, China and India taught me all I needed to know in the world of solo female travel. On my solo adventures I learned to enjoy my own company and not be afraid of meeting others, all while increasingly seeking off-the-beaten path adventures to test myself a little more each time. Don’t get scared off though, this isn’t the only way to travel solo!
Usually the first step of planning any solo trip is giving yourself permission. Yes, it is ok to take time for yourself and spend money on yourself. This does not mean that you are selfish. Your partner, kids, job, cat, etc. will be just fine for a few days. They may even appreciate you more when you return.
Tips for Solo Female Travelers
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Read on for some of my top tips for solo female travelers before you plan your first solo female trip.
1. Start small
You don’t have to travel the world or venture off to Europe or Southeast Asia for your first trip. Why not try something closer to home?
For my first solo trip I went to San Francisco from Texas. It was a bustling city that was easy to navigate on my own, but offered something different than what I was used to..
What was important was visiting a destination that it truly felt like I was in another place from my home. As my confidence grew, my trips became more adventurous. From San Francisco to New York to Guatemala!
So start off with a solo road trip, visiting a nearby city for an overnight doing the things YOU love, or escaping to a nearby campground, tiny house, bed and breakfast, or spa.
2. Take tours
You don’t have to be alone the whole time just because you are traveling solo. Check out free walking tours, cooking classes, or other day trip ideas that provide you the opportunity to meet others and share your experience of travel.
If you really want to learn more about a destination, consider booking a tour or dinner with a local through something like EatWith.com, WithLocals.com or Airbnb Experiences.
Another great way to travel solo, but with the safety and comfort of other friendly people around is to join a group such as Intrepid Travel or G Travel Adventures. These group tours are usually filled with solo travelers like yourself looking for others to travel with. Consider going to difficult destinations with a group.
3. Choose accommodation carefully
Choosing accommodation is one of the most important pieces when traveling solo. I highly recommend choosing accommodation that allows you to meet other travelers if you wish, but doesn’t force it upon you.
These days there are a ton of options from higher end hostels with private rooms to boutique hotels that offer classes or lobby wine nights that are great for female solo travelers.
One interesting new accommodation option is SisterStay. It’s a homestay community for ID-verified females over 50(ish), primarily in the UK but opening its doors to inquiries from both Hosts and Guests in other countries starting in 2020. They charge a low flat rate per night wherever you stay and pride themselves on offering a warm welcome to solo women travelers.
4. Do your research
As a solo female traveler, it is important to always research your destination. Know what areas are safe, what areas to avoid, etc. It’s important to know about your destination and its norms.
For example in a city like San Francisco, you are probably fine in most areas of the city during the day, however at night you would want to steer clear of the Tenderloin district.
5. Blend in, rather than stand out as a tourist
While traveling I always recommend that visitors blend into their destination as much as possible. For exotic places like India this means wearing long-sleeved shirts or Indian style kurtas.
For places in the West this can be your normal wear. Regardless of where you end up, keep an eye on the local norms so that you don’t attract too much attention as a visitor.
6. Network with people before you go
One of the wonderful things about the Internet these days is the ability to meet people online and then in real life. There are some amazing networks out there such as Girls Who Travel that can serve as lifelines for solo female travelers.
You can also join our Facebook group to meet other Gen X women interested in travel. You can post something in these groups to see who is going to be in your destination before you go, plan meet ups or even just get their advice on what to do and where to go.
7. Share your plans
One of the most important things to keep in mind for solo female travel is to let people know where you are. Whether you are going for a hike or taking a day trip, let someone, either your hotel or family/friends, know your plans.
Things happen and its best to know that someone will know where to look for you! In sharing your plans, also make sure to let your credit card and bank know you will be traveling to avoid any difficulties with accessing money.
8. Make a plan but allow for spontaneity
On my first trip to Europe on my own, I had the entire trip planned to the T. However, it wasn’t long before I met people who were doing something different.
I dumped my plans and let spontaneity take over. It was amazing and just what I needed to experience Europe in a different way. If you meet people you like, don’t be scared to adjust your plans to join them.
9. Get out of your comfort zone
Get out of your comfort zone while traveling solo. This could be by doing things that are different than your norm or it could just be talking to strangers. Don’t be afraid to talk to strangers or people in your hotel.
So many people are looking for ways to connect with others that you will find it is easier than you think. Give yourself a challenge each day to do something new and exciting.
10. Listen to your gut
The most important thing to keep in mind while traveling as a solo female is to trust your gut. If you sense that something is off, trust yourself. Get to another location. Stop drinking your drink. Move hotels. Whatever it is, make sure to listen to your own instincts.
11. Don’t post your plans
Be careful what you are sharing on social media, especially if you have a public account. You don’t really know who is watching and it is better to refrain from posting about where you are until you have moved to the next place.
12. Be careful in elevators
When staying in hotel, I am always aware of who is in the elevator with me. Do they get on and not push a button? Do they wait for you to push the button first? If your alarm bells are going off, step off the elevator and take the next one. If someone is getting off on the same floor as you, I always try to stall and get off after that person, or at least pause by the elevator until they are walking to their room. Ideally, I don’t want anyone to see what room I am in.
13. Don’t share your room number
How many times do servers or even front desk staff ask you for your room number? I always try to avoid saying it out loud. I also don’t publicly carry the key card envelope that has my room number written on it, where it can be easily viewed.
14. Never leave an open drink
I think we are all aware of what can happen if someone slips something in your drink. To stay alert, especially when traveling alone, never turn your back on your drink or leave your table with your drink on it. I try to use the restroom before I sit down or while I am leaving, so that I don’t ever need to leave my food and drink unattended or my belongings.
15. Be alert on road trip
I love a good solo road trip, with my tunes jamming and the schedule my own. However, to stay safe, there are a few things to keep in mind. First, always make sure you have some form of car insurance and roadside assistance plan, such as AAA. Next, get gas during the day to avoid late night stops to fill up or the possibility of running out of gas if you can’t find a station. Keep your keys or key fob at the ready, know how to lock your doors quickly (especially in rental), and always look around and under your car, and in the backseat, as you approach the car.
If someone has left something on your car, be aware of sex trafficking ruses and either walk away or get in the car and immediately lock the doors. Do not stand there looking at it or reach around to your windshield to take something off. This puts you at risk.
Bonus Tip
Bring a good book and/or journal. One of the best parts of traveling on your own is being able to do what you want when you want. You can sit in a park or cafe reading a book or writing in a journal for hours if you choose. This is also a great way to start conversation with others while in public places.
Regardless of where you go or how long your trip is, enjoy the feeling of being on your own, building your own confidence and testing your boundaries.
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Karilyn is the founder behind the Los Angeles based family travel blog – No Back Home. Karilyn provides travel tips, inspiration and advice to solo parents and family travelers from Los Angeles and throughout the world. No Back Home inspires families to get outside more, explore different cultures and to seek out the world’s beauty wherever they find themselves. Since 2000, Karilyn has traveled to 49 countries on her own and to 32 with her 9 year old son.
