My Top 10 Solo Female Travel Tips
I always said the very first thing I would do is travel when I got my first paying job as an adult. I don’t have any close friends and I didn’t always want to travel with my family; I honestly wanted to travel on my own. The number one question I’ve gotten is “how do you do it on your own?” and that was the primary for starting this blog. Doing it on my own in the last five years, I’ve picked up a few tips and tricks that might make the idea of traveling solo a little less scary for a woman that may want to venture out on her own.
1.If there’s somewhere you want to go, book your trip.
You will spend your whole life waiting on other people. It’s easier said than done, but if you know other people are not readily available to travel with you, don’t hesitate about going anyway. Like Nike says, just do it.
2.Be deliberate.
Be very deliberate about your movement when you arrive at your destination. I make an itinerary and 9 times out of 10, I stick to it. I make sure that close family has a copy of it, so that even if they can’t get to me, if they were to suspect something was wrong, they would be able to let authorities know where I might possibly be.
3.Limit movement at night time.
If I do go out at night, I do not ever walk, I catch an Uber. Because you’re alone, you have to pay extra attention to detail, because you don’t have anyone else to fall back on. You want to plan as much as possible, without taking the fun and spontaneity out of traveling solo.
4.Double check rideshare arrangements.
In places that have rideshare, it’s important that you are absolutely sure that the car you are getting in is your car. There are multiple ways to check like making sure they ask your name first instead of giving them your name or making sure the license plate on the car matches the one shown on your app. Some drivers have a light that should light up the same color in the app as on their windshield. Of course, you should check the app to make sure that you are getting in the right make, model and color car as well.
5.Have more than enough money.
Make sure that you have enough money for your entire trip, especially if you’re in a foreign country. Depending on where you are, it can be hard to find currency exchange places or get more money if you need it. It’s also good practice not to carry ALL of your money with you everyday if you have cash. Try to only take as much as you think you’ll need for that day if you’re in a place where you can’t use your card.
6.Book the right accommodations.
Whether you stay in an Airbnb or hotel depends on where you’re traveling. Sometimes it’s safer and more convenient to stay in a hotel, while some locations may not have many hotels so you might go the Airbnb route.
If you’re just starting out, hotels may be a good idea for you, as you can use the concierge as a resource for questions and booking activities. I’ve also stayed in some lovely Airbnbs, where the host is extremely accommodating, offering information about the area that you wouldn’t necessarily find anywhere online, and some of them are even flexible about check-in/check-out times.
7.Consolidate luggage as much as you can.
Try to fit everything into a small suitcase and personal item that you can carry onto your flight. To this day, I have never checked a bag, and for me, that makes it much easier to transfer between connecting flights and quicker when I get to my final destination because I don’t have to go to baggage claim.
8.Be friendly but discreet.
When you travel as a black woman, especially to the islands and alone, you will get catcalled. That’s just the reality of it because tourists seem exotic to locals. Most of the time, it is harmless, and as much as I’ve been catcalled, I’ve still never felt unsafe. Having said that, don’t do anything extra that will make you appear excessively showy or touristy. Even to catcalls, respond in a friendly but firm way and chat when you feel compelled; otherwise, local people are generally minding their own business.
9.Be open-minded.
You have to be open to what could happen. I have met people everywhere that I’ve been just by taking classes, workshops, and tours. People are generally friendly and don’t mind taking pictures with you and of you. Locals can be really good about recommending the best food spots and things to do.
You also have to be willing to immerse yourself in new spaces and cultures. It’s never a bad thing to try to learn basic language (if you’re out of the country) or try local foods. You can learn to shop, order food, and do a number of different things like the local people that live wherever you are.
10.Don’t focus on the fact that you’re alone.
When you first start that can be easier said than done. It comes down to centering yourself and realizing that you and only you made the opportunity happen for you to be where you are, so you may as well make the most of it.
One thing that has made it easier for me as a solo female traveler is that i’ve never been afraid of anything. You may have to work your way up to that mindset, and that’s perfectly fine. The more you do things alone, the less reservation you’ll have about getting out there and going where you want to go. Slowly building up that confidence could mean going to dinner or a movie by yourself. Then you might work your way up to concerts or something along those lines. It can be awkward at first, but you just have to find your rhythm.
You’re only as independent and strong as you think you are, and the only way to measure is to plan a trip and test the waters. I have to admit that I am never disappointed by a travel experience, because it’s what I make of it. I’m always glad that I made the choice to go, and before I leave my destination, I’m already tossing new locations back and forth in my head to keep my travel momentum going.