10 Tips For Women Who Want To Travel Solo
All right, gang! I just returned from a whirlwind weekend trip to Isla Mujeres and wanted to share 10 tips for women who want to travel solo. It’s been a learning curve for me since losing Mr. Style four years ago. Not only putting my life back together after being a couple for close to thirty-six years, but I’ve had to figure out how to live alone and run my household and business with just me, myself, and I in charge. I have to be honest that being single has its challenges, but I’m happy to report I’m in a good space and place. It takes time, effort, and patience to rebuild your life, but it can be done one day at a time. There’s a good reason “Rome wasn’t built in a day” is a cliché that makes a whole lot of sense.
The Summary
Today's feature is 10 tips for women traveling solo
Plus, See my travel outfits and what I wore in Mexico
The outfits at the end of the post are shoppable via via text and image widgets
10 Tips For Women Who Want To Travel Solo
Traveling Solo
Traveling is one of the activities I’ve had to think long and hard about as a single woman. But travel is in my DNA since I studied abroad in Spain many moons ago. And Mr. Style and I lived overseas for a decade. I can’t tell you how many miles I’ve logged in, flitting off to Vietnam, China, Australia, back to the States then off to Japan.
One of my favorite quotes from Mark Twain sums up my love of travel “Travel is fatal to prejudice.” Amen! Opening yourself up to new experiences and new cultures is the very thing that keeps us living a vibrant life.
Me and Heather DiPietro on Isla Mujeres, in Mexico.
She's the world
But traveling solo has its own concerns. First, there are the logistics: booking the flights, hotels, transportation, activities, etc… It can be exhausting. But this weekend, I had the pleasure to celebrate Heather DiPietro’s launch of She’s the World, a travel company dedicated to helping female travelers navigate the world through escorted tours. What I loved about the past weekend spent on Isla Mujeres was that I didn’t have to worry about a thing.
Transportation was arranged for me from the airport to the ferry to the island. And we didn't miss a beat from when the plane touched down in Mexico to when I checked in to the hotel, which takes the stress out of travel. Right?!
Sometimes, it’s just the logistics of travel that can be complicated. Then there’s the airport itself with long security lines to navigate or questions about what to pack in your carry-on. And we haven’t even gotten to a packing list that needs to reflect the vacation activities. Phew!
Today, I thought I would share 10 tips for women who want to travel solo because I know many of you want to do just that. It can be intimidating if you’ve not traveled alone, but there’s a first time for everything. I’ve always believed that knowledge is power and the more knowledge we have on a particular subject like travel the easier it will be.
exclusively Women
Tip 1: Choose a tour exclusively for Women. This is where She’s the World will come in handy. My recent trip to Isla Mujeres was seamless, thanks to Heather and her team. Everything was planned for me, from airline tickets to transportation, resort, and activities. I went sailing on a Cataraman, snorkeled, and went paddle boarding. What a fun weekend!
Tip 2: Research the best destinations for Women. Can you believe there are destinations and specific trips that are particularly interesting to women? Do you like to cook? Paris and their plethora of cooking classes is a possibility. Or is safety a concern? Iceland is considered one of the safest travel destinations. Maybe you love to explore while bike riding? Then Salzburg, Austria, might be of interest as it’s a bike-friendly city. Whatever suits your fancy go ahead and do your research.
You're not really alone
Tip 3: Eating Alone. Just because you’re traveling solo doesn’t mean you have to order room service in your room. Instead, eat at the bar or a communal table. You’d be surprised at how friendly the bartenders are as well as your neighbor on either bar stool to the right or left.
Tip 4: Book a local tour or language class. Tours are a great way to explore a new city, especially if you have an engaging guide. But consider signing up for a language class that meets several times weekly. Not only will you meet the instructor and fellow students, but you'll learn something in the process.
Be Self-Aware
Tip 5: Don’t be afraid, be self-aware. When you tell your friends and family you’re setting off on a trip all by your lonesome, don’t be surprised if someone tells you how dangerous it can be for a woman to travel alone. Of course, solo travelers need to be cautious but don’t let unnecessary fear-mongering deter you.
The world is a pretty amazing place, and we don’t need to miss it just because we're single! Just be self-aware of your surroundings and the people around you. Solo female travelers have to walk the line between confidence and carefree.
Tip 6: Always give location updates to family and friends. When we’re traveling, it’s easy to get caught up in the moment and forget to provide updates to friends and family back home. Be safe, and in the meantime, keep our loved ones from worrying with a quick update each day.
1. Think Before you Venture
Tip 7: Arrive at locations during the day. Set yourself up for success and arrive at your destination during the day when it’s easy to access your surroundings. Things are always a bit more dicey at night, so there’s no need to complicate your trip by arriving after dark.
Tip 8: Don’t walk with headphones in. I love to listen to audiobooks or music while on a home walk. But I leave my earphones at the hotel while walking on a trip. Headphones can make us less aware of our surroundings and signal a would-be mugger that we have a smartphone in our pocket.
Tip 9: Pretend to talk on the phone. When you are walking alone somewhere and feel uncomfortable, pretend you’re on the phone. That would-be mugger will most likely ignore you for fear you could tip someone off.
Language Goes A long way
Tip 10: Learn a bit of the local language. At the very least, we should be able to say hello, thank you, or good morning in the local language. But going the extra mile and learning key phrases will go a long way to building trust with the locals and asking for help if needed.
Travel in Comfort
And don’t forget to travel in a comfy but cute outfit. Last trip, I chose Spanx Air Essentials tapered pants with a matching top. I chose the Air Essential Jumpsuit with a matching Cocoon Cardigan for this trip.
Mock Neck Top | Tapered Pants | Wide Leg Cropped Pants | Cardigan | Flip Flops | Suitcase | Tote
Shop the outfit
What I wore in Mexico
A few sights and sounds of Isla Mujeres and two of my outfits.
In Case You Missed It
Yesterday, I shared a home tour of my front porch. Click the title or image below to read the article.
Great post! I really like that long tunic on you. Very Classy.
Glad you liked today’s post, Rory!
Hi. Very informative post. Sounds like a great way to travel. I want to suggest you take a look at “Eat,Pray,Move,” a company that is advertised as doing a yoga retreat but it is so much more and you aren’t required to do yoga if you don’t want to! I did their Marrakech retreat and it was the trip of a lifetime. I even traveled , at age 69, all by myself from Texas to Marrakech!!! Check it out! Erin, the founder ,leads most of the tours and is an awesome woman!!!
That’s exactly what Heather and She’s the World offers. You can book a tour anywhere in the world and have Heather as your guide.
I traveled solo for my job….and used several of these tips. But traveled with mom in 2008 to Amsterdam, Belgium and Paris. Did pre-trip research and learned not to dress as a tourist. So bought black knit pants and accessorized with colorful tops. Also bought a black cross-body that was reinforced with steel mesh to avoid cut and snatch. And, I guess it didn’t hurt that I had worked in NYC for a number of years
Sounds like a fun trip with you mom! What a lovely memory.
Hi Beth. I can’t believe it’s four years for Mr Style. I commend you on how you have rebuilt your life, it must have been so hard, but you have and I know you miss Mr Style everyday.
Love the advice. I never walk with earpieces in as you don’t know whats going on around you. Love the outfits, you always look great, kind regards Julie x
Thank you, Julie.
Hi Beth,
This was a very informative post. Navigating change is not always easy. Thanks for all your advice…very positive. Btw, I also like that black tunic on you. Very classy.
Beth, first of all all of your outfits are dynamite! Also, you should be so proud of your accomplishments since losing Mr. Style. We have been married for 53 years and have done our share of traveling over all the years. I’m not sure I would travel solo, been so lucky in that regard, but travel is still important at our age. It has changed to exploring our beautiful state, and my favorite -going to spas. I think our role as women has changed over the years in so many ways hasn’t it?
As a newly single woman, this post is so timely. Thank you for showing us that just because you are single doesn’t mean you can’t enjoy the world and your life. Please more posts on being single at a certain age.
Beth, I admire you for your accomplishments and how you have continued to live life to the fullest. My husband passed away 4 years ago also. At that time, my daughter was only 20……my focus turned to making sure her needs were met. Jenna has graduated from college and started a very promising career. Now, I need to focus on me. It’s not always easy!
Thank you, Sharon. And I’m so sorry for your loss. It isn’t easy losing the love of our lives, but life is ever-changing and evolving and we must too. It isn’t easy, but if we take it one day at a time it makes it easier. All the best!
I usually avoid travelling solo. But whenever I do, I always keep my family and friends updated about my whereabouts. Now with your tips, I can be more confident.