FAQ

Solo travel can absolutely be safe! But to be safe, you have to do your due diligence researching where you want to go, have to have the right mindset about traveling solo, and follow these Solo Female Travel Safety Tips.

In most places I’ve visited, I felt very safe traveling alone. However, in some more conservative countries (for me, India and Guatemala), I chose to go with a group because my research told me that I’d be less stressed, feel less singled-out and enjoy my time more with a group.

Intrepid Travel and Tourradar are great tour options for solo travelers who’d prefer to travel with other people in certain countries. Tourradar also provides guided and self-guided ready-made itineraries for solo travelers.

But even in a country where you feel very safe traveling alone, you still have to “make smart choices” and always be aware of your surroundings. You have to make sure you’re as safe and prepared as you can be.

Also, keep in mind that ‘safe’ doesn’t mean ‘comfortable.’ Most solo travelers can (and most likely will!) feel uncomfortable at times (I still do when encountering truly new or foreign experiences!), but uncomfortable and unsafe aren’t the same thing.

Browse my Ultimate Guide To Solo Travel for more advice and tips!

The first step to traveling solo is to stop procrastinating and GO BOOK YOUR TICKET! Making this financial investment in your trip is the best motivator to make sure you actually take it.

Second, you’ll need to Choose The Perfect Destination For Your First Solo Trip.

Third, you’ll need to Practice For Your First Solo Trip.

Then, you’ll need to learn How To Solo Travel With Confidence!

Here are the Best Destinations for Solo Female Travelers. These places are well-traveled, their infrastructure (public transportation, internet, etc.) is reliable, and women don’t need to wear conservative clothing.

But outside of warring or ultra-conservative countries, you should rest assured that with some positive thinking and street-smarts, you can be safe and confident traveling solo most places in the world.

I think studying abroad is one of the best things you can do for yourself and your education. I studied abroad three times in college, and these experiences cemented my desire to make travel my full-time job.

Educational trips abroad can range from week-long Spring Break trips to summer-long language programs to an entire semester or year abroad. So, there’s a study abroad option for everyone!

You can browse my travel guides for all the countries I’ve visited. I only write and post about the places I recommend.

Budget travel is smart and practical because you don’t need an unlimited budget to have an incredible trip! Check out my Ultimate Guide To Budget Travel to learn how to save money on flights and during your trip. I’ve also got the Best Budget Destinations Around The World for you!

My family took LOTS of road trips when my sister and I were younger, so I traveled extensively in the U.S. (my home country) growing up.

In the summer of 2007, between my junior and senior years in high school, I went to Italy for twelve days with my Latin III Class. This was only my second flight – ever! But I was a natural (if I do say so myself).

I fell in love with travel immediately. I realized how big and incredible the world is – full of cultures, history, food, and adventures – all out there waiting for me to discover them.

And I still have this same sense of wonder. I know I’ll never be able to travel everywhere, but I’m going to spend the rest of my life seeing and doing as much as I can!

I went to Seattle Pacific University and have a B.A. in Global Development Studies. Several years later, I went to The University of Maryland for my graduate degree in Multiplatform Journalism with a concentration in Social Media and Audience Engagement.

In total, I travel about four months a year, which is usually less than people expect. I’ll post and write about places I’ve been long after I’ve returned home to stretch out my content (and because I take so many photos and have so much to share!).

I also prefer to travel slowly – averaging about a month in each country. I like to immerse myself in one country at a time instead of country-hopping.

When I’m not traveling, I split my time between my two “home bases” – Chicago, USA, where my sister lives and Chattanooga, TN, where my parents live.

No. I’d say my trips are about half and half group and solo travel. Some trips I specifically plan to take alone, and some trips, I intentionally plan to take with others. For my other trips, I decide when and where I want to go, and then I ask my friends and family if anyone wants to go with me. If they do, then we go together, and if they don’t, then I go solo.