Best Solo Trips For Women: How To Travel as Solo Female
Last Updated on April 29, 2024 by Molly Egan
I am so happy you are here to commence your solo trip! It will be the beginning of many—once you pop, you can’t stop! Keep reading for the Best solo trips for women traveling solo worldwide!
My experience in first-time solo female travel
I have been doing this since college. Technically, it started in high school when I traveled alone in airports. I have over twenty years of experience as a female solo traveler.
For your first time, ask questions and friends who have done this or traveled to your destination and educate yourself on where you are going and what to bring and wear. Be mindful of clothing and cultures as you travel the globe.
If you don’t have a friend or family member who has gone, then read blogs and books to familiarize yourself with the destination!
Discover the Benefits of Work Exchanges in Your Solo Travel
Embarking on my most extended solo female trip was a six-week leave of absence adventure to Southeast Asia. It was the best time. My first stop was Myanmar (or Burma), which set a fantastic tone for the rest of my solo adventure.
Lucky for me, on the plane, I befriended another English-speaking person who wanted nothing to do with me. However, at baggage claim, I was pleasantly surprised to find two other women traveling solo who had bonded over sharing a taxi into town.
Well, that turned out to be a fast friendship, and I met a fellow New Yorker (a New Jersey native) and a Londoner bound for fun and open to meeting up throughout our time there. This is not unique and happens ALL THE TIME. Relish in the openness of other solo female travelers!
Where to Stay When Traveling Alone
When choosing accommodations, it’s always best to be well-prepared. Take the time to read reviews before booking your hotel. While there are many booking websites, we recommend booking.com for its user-friendly interface and reliable lodging options. Rest assured, your safety and comfort are top priorities.
You will find enough pictures to feel comfortable with your space, and the reviews have great intel on safety when walking to and from the hotel, etc.
How to Meet People if you Aren’t Staying in a Hostel
Do a group tour!!! We love using this app to find local tours, which is also a fantastic way to meet fellow travelers. You can always look up our guides for specific cities for the best tours.
Safest Places to Travel Alone as a Woman
This depends on your destination preferences, adventure, history, cultural attractions, etc. Below are safe and welcoming countries for solo female travelers, known for their low crime rate and breathtaking landscapes.
The following countries are our recommendations for a unique adventure while being the safest places to travel in the world.
France
Portugal
Egypt
Qatar
New Zealand
Best Solo Vacations for Females in the USA: Destinations
Our Safest places to travel solo as a woman in North America include the following:
New York City
Chicago
Denver
Sarasota, FL
Atlanta, GA
Top Destination Choices for Traveling Alone as a Woman
If the comfort of English-speaking people makes you most comfortable, then these 5 cities for solo female travelers would be the best for any solo traveler!
New York City, US
London, UK
Charleston, SC
Sydney, Australia
Lisbon, Portugal
13 Safety Tips for Solo Female Travelers
Research destination: Understand risks to maintain safety.
Share itinerary: Stay connected with those near and far for support if needed
Choose safe accommodations: Prioritize personal security and research hotels.
Blend in: Dress modestly to avoid attention and respect local cultures and religions.
Trust instincts: Stay away from potential danger and trust your gut; don’t let people pleasing trump this!
Limit alcohol: Keep awareness sharp, and keep in mind your surroundings when consuming alcohol.
Be vigilant: Protect your belongings from theft and use safes in hotel rooms.
Keep emergency contacts and local emergency services handy: Access support quickly if needed and Know who to contact in an emergency.
Secure documents: Prevent identity theft and keep copies of your important documents and contact numbers in case something is stolen.
Protect personal info: Maintain privacy and safety.
Use reliable transport: Ensure safe travel.
Respect laws and customs: Avoid trouble and offense.
Avoid Sharing Too Much Personal Information: Be cautious about revealing personal details to strangers, especially regarding your accommodation or travel plans.
Listen to your Gut!
If you have a terrible feeling, listen to it. It is your second brain! Typically, we want to push ourselves out of our comfort zones and try new things – so just be mindful of your gut on your solo trip!
Is the USA Safe for Females to Travel Solo?
Yes! Be mindful of the city or town you are visiting and the crime. Recommend being conscious of safety when it is dusk and where you are going.
Confidence and knowledge are the primary things that will always keep you safe.
Best Sites to Book Reliable Tours
We recommend these sites for booking reliable tours, such as X and X.
How to Book Your Trip to a Country Safe When Traveling Solo as a Female
Always check out the advisories for each country before traveling.
What are Recommended Activities for Solo Female Travelers in the USA?
Honestly, anything is! How well do you trust your gut, sense of direction and street instincts? This is the primary question you should ask yourself before picking the destination for female solo travel.
Do you enjoy camping? Then go! To ease your mind, I suggest you manage campsites near large national parks. The best way to find other solo travelers is on a trail and asking if they want you to take a picture.
How can I meet other Solo Travelers or Make Friends During my Solo Vacation?
When on extensive group tours, you can meet other solo travelers! I recommend doing this at the beginning of your trip to get insight into good travel tips or find a new friend to meet for dinner, tour, or drink.
Where to Book Hotels
We love booking.com for all our travel needs. The only time to use this now is if you have a travel credit card with a high rewards portal.
How to Handle Money and Cards
Find and use a bank or credit card with no transaction fees or ATM fees while abroad—or anywhere! We love the Capital One Venture X credit card and Usaa ATM banking.
Use Ride Sharing Apps
You can activate and use Uber and Lyft on your next adventure to explore the cities safely as a solo woman traveler. The former is accessible throughout the world. However, there are country-specific platforms like these in Portugal or France, offering convenient options for easily navigating the city’s heart, ensuring you have a reliable and safe way to get around.
Wear a Crossbody Purse
A crossbody purse is an excellent choice for traveling solo, as you can have everything at your convenience and easily accessible. Please take a look at the suggestions for the best crossbody bags here.
A Sling bag is another top choice for traveling solo, similar to a crossbody bag.
Comfortable Walking Shoes
Don’t regret valuing fashion over comfort! Blisters can make it MUCH more challenging to stay within budget.
We love Hoka, Birkenstock, and X for our travel-anywhere shoes. Thanks to athleisure trends and the ’90s sneakers or trainers being in style, you are all set to travel solo anywhere!
Don’t Say You’re Traveling Solo
Sadly, depending on where you are traveling solo, you may want to have a story to tell. When catching a ride from the Istanbul Hotel, I told my taxi driver that my husband was meeting me at the hotel.
When you are in the comfort of other women or those you feel comfortable with – this could be others that you share interests or a couple where the wife is concerned – I have lost count at the Oh, so many women traveling with their husbands that ask how can I feel comfortable doing this?! Well, I can’t wait for you to understand the invigorating feeling of validation.
Traveling is SO freeing, educational, and invigorating – start now!
Protect Your Drink
When traveling solo, you may eat alone or at a bar. Being drugged is a sad reality of solo female travel.
There are a few tips for this. Ask your bartender or waitress to watch your drink. If you have befriended a fellow traveler, then ask them to do so. Or put a napkin over it or finish it before using the bathroom.
It is still acceptable to take your drink into the bathroom with you!
Make your Whereabouts Known
While traveling solo worldwide, I have kept in touch with others in various ways. While in Southeast Asia with no Esim or international phone, I would post a photo of where I was on Instagram! Yup!
These days, I love using Airleo for their easy eSim for any country you are in. It is a MUCH better deal than that with your local US-based cell phone provider.
The easiest way to do this is by using Wi-Fi at the hotel or coffee shop, such as FaceTime, WhatsApp, or email.
I keep a Google sheet with my itinerary and share it with a friend so that if anything happens, she can figure out where I am. As a female traveler going to Egypt, Myanmar, Qatar, and Sri Lanka, you want to be covered for peace of mind with yourself and your loved ones.
Conclusion for the Best Solo Trips for Women
Research destination risks, share itinerary, choose safe accommodations, blend in, trust instincts, limit alcohol, be vigilant, secure documents, protect personal info, use reliable transport, respect laws/customs, stay in public, keep emergency contacts, and stay informed about local emergency services.
