Empowering Solo Travel: A Woman's Guide

As a novice solo traveler, I have yet to travel out of the country or to many places in the US just yet, but it’s on my to-do list.

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But recently as a more frequent traveler with a few notable experiences under my belt, I feel quite qualified and passionate enough to speak, or rather write, on the topic of taking the leap to solo travel and finding the courage and confidence it takes within yourself.

Initially though, I believe it’s important to note the fact that everyone is different and has their own lived experiences and struggles to overcome, some of which can be based on demographics, but also psychographic factors such as our personality and preconceived ideas of ourselves.

But demographically speaking, women unfortunately and inevitably can tend to experience more difficulty with solo traveling and finding the trust and confidence within ourselves. This can be due to many fears, including around the aspect of personal safety and security when traveling, especially alone.

Overcoming Fear

Through my own solo travel experiences so far, I have thankfully and successfully faced my fears and made my way to and from my destinations, but that is just half of the battle.

The fear that I and so many other women have often felt before and while traveling alone is an astonishing yet admirable example of the courage and strength that we have, that is always there yet becomes more profound when we are expanding our comfort zone.

Facing these fears and taking risks is a large part of solo travel in itself, and requires this courage that we often initially overlook. But at any time, we truly can access everything we need including this courage, strength and determination that is already within ourselves.

Keeping this in mind during my own solo experiences has brought me more comfort and confidence in myself that has allowed me to step out of my comfort zone and learn more about myself while experiencing the world around me.

It’s also important to recognize that fear is a natural and common feeling to have, especially when doing something new and alone. Feelings of fear and anxiety can seem to try and keep us safe and it can be important to acknowledge these feelings, but not to allow them to overcome you.

Anxiety vs Intuition

Because above all else, you have your intuition. Your anxiety and intuition will often be speaking to you, and you get to choose which to listen to.

Intuition, similarly to anxiety, will be a guiding force inside of you that you can either choose to follow or ignore. In the case that you follow the feeling, or gut instinct as some will call it, you will be drawn towards and met with whatever is meant for you.

Even in moments of uncertainty and fear, if choosing to tune into your intuition you will ultimately be guided towards decisions and situations that truly align with your values and goals, and you will be led to where you are meant to be at any moment.

On the other hand, anxiety can tend to be the louder voice of the two, personally and scientifically speaking. Feelings of anxiety can be triggered by any real or perceived threats, experiences, or general uncertainty.

One difference between your anxiety and intuition, and how to differentiate the two, is that anxiety will feel negative and fearful, while intuition will be more positive and reassuring.

When discerning between anxiety and intuition, it can be helpful to tune into your physical and emotional sensations, in order to feel more grounded and capable of making your next decision.

Then, once you have a clear head and calm sense of knowing, you can move forward with more confidence by trusting your gut, heart, or head – whatever you believe to be the driving force of your intuition.

Distinguishing between the two for yourself in your own personal experiences can and will allow you to build more confidence in yourself, your decision-making, and your overall ability to pursue your goals and travel solo.

Building Confidence

With this being said, with more practice and experience will come more confidence! Personally, I of course still have growing to do, as does likely any solo traveler you ask.

But with each and every experience, whether it’s even going to dinner or the store alone, or taking a true solo trip, I have continued to find and build confidence within myself in my ability to do things alone and embody who I truly am. And anyone else can do the same!

Starting Small

In order to initially gain confidence in my solo traveling abilities, I took the more suggested route of starting with smaller, nearby trips that I could take in order to become more comfortable and accustomed to traveling alone.

Although I did immediately want to travel to the big cities and across the country alone right off the bat, I took the initiative to do my research on this exactly, and read up on how to begin solo traveling in order to feel more comfortable and confident in myself.

So as many may suggest, my peers and now myself included, I would recommend researching nearby towns or any place you can take a solo trip to nearby, whether it’s just for a day trip, a weekend, or a few nights stay.

I promise that this will help you to begin gaining that confidence (if you haven’t already) in your solo traveling abilities!

You can even read more about a few of the first trips I took solo to a Postcard Cabin and to Eureka Springs!

Plan Ahead But Stay Flexible

So now that you’ve traveled nearby and got your foot in the door with traveling solo, you will probably feel more comfortable and confident already!

If you’re like me, then you’ll want to immediately fly across the country and start traveling the world. For me, this did happen to some degree as a few months later I booked a flight to Maui on my very first volunteer trip, which you can read about here 🙂

This did seem to be more of an unconventional and extreme way to some as I furthered my solo travels, however at this point it is important to remember the aspect of planning and researching for your travels ahead of time.

Having a plan for where you want to visit, what you want to do, see, and where you want to stay are a few necessary factors of any solo trip being planned, and will help to avoid feeling too overwhelmed.

Now, I’m not saying that you need to have an itinerary for each day and every hour planned out though! That would just be overwhelming and not allow you much flexibility and free time.

Plus, having a relatively loose plan for your trip can be beneficial for many reasons, including in the case that there are events or people you meet (especially if staying in a hostel/community environment) that you can explore around with!

And even if you haven’t done research on where to go or what to do nearby, you will likely receive recommendations from those around you and there are always sites for events and even tours that can be found just a Google search away.

It’s definitely a good idea to embrace spontaneity during your time spent traveling solo, and to allow yourself to try new things without feeling the need to follow a strict itinerary.

And since you’re alone you don’t have anyone else’s plan to stick to or worry about, so fully embrace the time you have all to yourself! Doing so will allow you to continually find and grow that confidence within yourself.

Travel Journaling

While on my solo travel journeys, I also found journaling to be a helpful and inspiring way to keep track of my experiences while allowing myself to reflect on my growth.

Keeping a travel journal and making the effort to write a page or two each morning, or just whenever you have a chance, can be an incredibly useful resource to look back at where you started and to see just how much you have grown and learned.

I know journaling isn’t for everyone, and when I had begun several years ago I didn’t get it either.

But now, after travel journaling and even making a habit of journaling just about each morning, I have found that this can be an inspiring and especially confidence building habit to implement into your days.

Journaling can allow you to organize your thoughts, feelings and emotions, and getting them all down on paper has a positive correlation associated with letting it all out of your mind and onto the pages.

Looking back on previous journal entries and the growth that you have made since then is a beautiful way to ultimately become more confident in yourself and your abilities.

So if you haven’t already, I highly recommend purchasing a journal for daily use or even one just for travels! You can find the travel journal I use here (and it even has a pocket in the back for anything you find along the way!:))

Staying Safe

Doing Your Research

Along the lines of planning your travels and being prepared comes an incredibly important safety aspect of travel, especially as a solo woman.

This is where researching your destination and booking accommodation will come in handy, in order to prepare for the new environment you find yourself in and have time to research the surrounding areas for safety.

Having done prior research and gaining knowledge about your destination will allow you to be more aware of your surroundings and look like less of a tourist, which will inevitably keep you safer.

Sharing Plans

Along with researching your destination prior to arriving comes sharing your itinerary or location with your loved ones. In the chance that something goes wrong or you are stuck in an uncomfortable situation, having someone to call or know your location can serve as an extra safety precaution.

Since you are traveling alone, it is also important to note not to share that you are alone in your travels. Particularly with strangers, like your Uber driver, or a stranger approaching you on the street.

Of course, if you are staying in a hostel this is a different story, since you are quite obviously alone! In this case, it is often seen as safe to share more with those around you.

However, with total strangers asking you what you are there for, it is typically recommended by solo travelers to share that you are meeting someone, instead of saying you are alone.

Bottom line is to not overshare with total strangers or make yourself a target. But of course above all else, trust your intuition and gut instincts in order to stay safe!

Staying Aware

Staying safe and aware of your surroundings is an important part of solo travel that will allow you to continue building confidence in yourself.

This brings me back to my point of doing research before your arrival, so that you aren’t staring at your phone following your maps while walking down the street.

Of course in some cases you will want to check your phone in order to not get lost, and I’m by no means telling you not to use your phone and other resources!

But, just be aware of where you are and keep yourself safe! You are the only one you have, especially in the context of solo travel.

So just remember that, and also keep in mind that you have everything you need already within you, in order to get anywhere you want to go.
If this resonates with you, I encourage you to take this advice throughout your own journey 🙂

Connecting with Others

Now of course since you are traveling alone, meeting others and connecting with communities is essential to immerse yourself into any new environment!

Actively seeking opportunities to connect and immerse into the new community and culture you are a part of is a wonderful way to make new friends and to learn more from all walks of life.

Hostel Accommodation / Making Friends

One great and simple way to do so is by staying in a hostel for your accommodation instead of a hotel room by yourself or elsewhere.

Opting for hostels can often foster a more social atmosphere and you may even have the chance to participate in activities like local meet-ups and tours or events hosted by the hostel itself.

HostelWorld is a popular and highly recommended site to find the best hostels at your destination and provides you the best rate in-app. Even before booking you can sometimes see what events the hostel will be hosting and you can later connect with other travelers you may meet during your stay!

This can make for a great way to meet others and have the chance to connect further with those you are sharing a space with.

Making friendly conversation with those in your room and becoming potential friends can even allow you the chance to make plans with one another and have someone to explore around with.

You may even get recommendations for your current destination, or for future travels that may be shared with you!

Online Travel Communities & Volunteering

Although if you choose not to stay in a hostel or are unable to for any reason, and even if you do, there can be many additional ways to connect with other travelers!

Many online travel communities exist just a search away, one being TripBFF, which I myself have used in order to connect with other travelers to meet or exchange recommendations and knowledge with.

Other apps like Worldpackers which I have written more about here allow opportunities to volunteer and immerse yourself into the lifestyle and culture of your destination, which can be another great way to make meaningful connections while giving back to the community you are a part of.

Several opportunities available through Worldpackers include hostel volunteering, where you are provided free accommodation in exchange for some help in reception, housekeeping, or other areas hosts may need support in.

As this is being written, I am actually volunteering with a hostel here in Phoenix, AZ where I will share more of soon!

And so speaking from experience, volunteering can definitely be a great way to further experience local culture while giving back and connecting with those around you!

Embracing Alone Time

Above all else, one of the most important and beautiful parts of solo travel is the way that you can spend time with yourself and explore your own interests.

Since you are of course by yourself on your solo travels, this can make for quite some time spent alone!

So depending on your location and personal interests, you can surely have many possibilities for adventure.

Exploring Your Interests

Whether you’re on a hunt for the best coffee and want to explore each shop around, are a nature lover or hiker seeking spaces to walk and explore, or love to drink and want to have more of a social scene, you will definitely find many places that best fit your own interests!

Spending time exploring around your destination is a wonderful way to make the most of your experience while spending time with yourself.

Enjoying Your Own Company

Along with doing things solo may come some uncomfortability at first if you’re not used to traveling or exploring on your own, and that’s completely normal! Honestly, at times I also get anxious or fearful of some possibilities or unknown areas.

But to ease your mind, I do think it can be a good idea to ask or search for recommendations from others in order to stay out of any sketchy areas and make the most of your time.

And with doing things alone more often, you are bound to become more comfortable with your own company!

This is where travel journaling or any self care/reflection practice can be helpful as well. Taking the time to journal about your day and plan, reflect on your feelings and thoughts, or any other form of writing can be a great way to connect with yourself on a deeper level.

Reading, writing, playing an instrument if available, really any creative practice or hobby that you like to do are perfect ways to enjoy your time spent alone.

And what better way to spend your solo trip other than being solo!

Reflection and Growth

Of course once your solo adventure has come to an end, taking the time to reflect on your experiences and lessons learned is an incredible way to continue on your travel journeys with more experience and skills under your belt.

Whether it’s through your time spent walking around alone, from the people you’ve met, places you’ve been, or from all of the above, there is surely a lesson or many to be learned from it all.

Personally speaking, I like to think of each person and experience as its own lesson. Often times this allows me to learn and grow from each and every opportunity to in turn continually gain new skills and experience.

Recognition

Recognizing your own personal growth, especially through solo travel, is an admirable and inspiring aspect of travel as a whole. And you don’t even have to wait until your trip is over in order to recognize this!

As mentioned through journaling and spending time with yourself, I do highly recommend taking some time to reflect and acknowledge your growth at all times throughout your solo travels. I can guarantee that this will allow you to learn and grow more comfortable with yourself as a whole!

Lessons Learned

Ultimately, the lessons that you learn and skills that you gain will allow you to step into your future solo travels or any endeavors that you pursue with more confidence and ease. At least that’s the goal!

And so if you are a woman, whether already solo traveling or aspiring to, I encourage you to take my advice into mind and apply it to your own personal experiences as you see best fit.

The pursuit of solo travel as a woman, no matter at what age or other demographic, is a powerful and inspiring way to write your own story, experience the world, and make your own impact and legacy wherever you go.

Having the trust and confidence in yourself to travel solo will lead to your own empowerment and self-discovery, through each and every step along the way.

And in many ways this will inspire other women to do the same, which is my hope here now 🙂

Wherever you go, there you are.
Confucious

Kav In Awe

Empowering Solo Travel: A Woman’s Guide