Solo female travel is one of the most empowering adventures a woman can have. However, if you’ve never gone on vacation alone, you’ll want to check out the tips, tricks, and mindset hacks below.
The 18 solo travel tips in this article come from female travel bloggers who have been on solo vacations and have amazing advice to pass on.
It’s all here, from how to take epic solo travel photos to solo travel safety measures and items to pack.
Let’s get to it, starting with one of the best tips for traveling alone: Listening to your intuition to keep you safe.
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1. Listen to Your Intuition
As a longtime solo female traveler, I believe there’s no greater piece of advice than this: You must listen to your intuition on solo trips (and really, always!).
This is a seemingly easy tip, though so many aren’t in the habit of doing it as much as they think they are.
Does this sound familiar to you? “I had a bad feeling about [something], but I ignored the feeling and I did [that something] anyway — and then [something bad] happened.” For solo female travelers, we must 100% take our intuition as fact.
When your inner voice says “no” to something while you’re vacationing alone, you must listen. A no from your intuition has to become a no as in “No further questions your honor;” not as no as in “No, but um, maybe let’s find out for sure.”
According to author Gavin de Becker in this bestselling book, The Gift of Fear, we humans are the only animal that questions our fear (AKA intuition or inner voice). If you think about it, our intuition’s only job is to keep us alive and safe, so we should listen unconditionally.
2. Plan for Rest Days
Two women on Islas Marietas hidden beach in Mexico
Something I always recommend for solo travelers — and in particular those of us who are neurodivergent and/or have mental health issues — is to allow rest days. This even applies to short trips, like a weekend alone.
While the guilt of “missing out” on a travel day can be frustrating, we must care for our minds and listen to our bodies. This is especially true when it comes to our mental health, and it’s how to avoid the “I need a vacation from my vacation” cliche.
One of my best strategies is always preparing simple activities for myself. I like to download books or movies and make sure I have something comfy to wear in my backpack. For some women, taking care of their mental health can be as simple as being prepared.
Solo travel with ADHD can take its toll on me. When traveling, the pressure of always having to be switched on while in a new completely new destination can wear us down. And that’s OK!
Never feel bad about factoring in time to rest when planning a solo trip. After some quiet time, I feel much better prepared to take on the world.
3. Have a Plan to Cheer Yourself Up
Things go wrong while traveling; flights get delayed, reservations get lost, plans fall through and weather turns bad, etc. When you’re traveling solo it can be harder to bounce back from low moments, because you don’t have your favorite people around to raise your mood.
One of my best solo traveling tips is to plan ways you can pick yourself up if you get low. These ways can include listening to music, calling a friend, practicing mindfulness — whatever works for you.
I learned this the hard way when visiting Auschwitz alone. Like this one, some places to travel solo can be a very emotional experience.
To make matters worse, after leaving Auschwitz I got drenched in a rain downpour. I then had to sit on a bus for hours in wet clothes, and couldn’t reach my husband by phone. During all this, I struggled to shift my low mood.
I found myself wishing I’d had some upbeat music ready to go in a playlist, or even some solo travel podcasts. However, after this experience, I’m now better prepared when taking vacations alone.
4. Plan Ahead When on Vacation Alone
When traveling alone, you’ll want to have a plan in place. Different travelers will vary in how much they plan, but one of the best tips for women traveling alone is to have at least your accommodation booked for the first night or two.
Some travelers want to book their whole stay in advance. This will make your trip easier and more enjoyable since you’ll be able to spend your time sightseeing instead of planning your trip while on your trip.
Beyond a place to stay, identify the top things to do where you’re headed and see what you need to do to ensure you visit them.
Do you need tickets? To book a tour? A dinner reservation? A certain outfit? Have a plan for all your must-do’s, and maybe more.
For some women, a fully planned itinerary works better. One of the best ways to do that is with a trip planning spreadsheet, which can help you with all aspects of your solo trip.
5. Tripod for Solo Photos
If you’re traveling solo and want to get amazing photos of yourself, be sure to bring a tripod to take epic travel selfies. Besides the pictures, a solo photo shoot can be one of the most fun activities to do alone!
There are plenty of small, lightweight, and travel-friendly tripods out there. Manfrotto makes some of the best mini and compact tripods. Pair your tripod with a light mirrorless camera, such as the Sony a7 III—and its many amazing lenses—and you’re good to go.
While asking strangers for help is always an option, you’ll have very little control over how the photos will turn out. If you bring a tripod, though, you can have full creative control over your shots and ensure they turn out exactly as you envisioned them.
If you want your travel shots to look extra magical, get up early and get to your preferred spot before the crowds get there. Better yet, arrive in time for sunrise to catch the most magical lighting — one of the best tips for solo travel photos.
6. Bra Wallet to Hide Money
I used a bra stash on most of my solo adventures, and it’s always at the top of my packing list. When traveling through countries where I didn’t always feel safe, I found it reassuring to know that I had a secret credit card on me.
Most thieves know about money belts, but bra stashes are still uncommon enough that they won’t be discovered. I never got robbed, but even if I did, I would still have access to money.
7. Power Bank to Stay Connected
When it comes to solo travel, one of the best things is always to be connected, and by that, I do not mean continuously spending time on social media.
I mean you’ll want to always have a phone with enough battery life to get through the day.
A power bank (also known as a portable battery, portable charger, or external battery) is one of the best investments you can make when traveling solo.
It will help keep your phone charged so you always have GPS to figure out your location, access to texting and calls, your Google Translate app, and more.
Depending on the capacity and attachments, it may even help charge your camera.
It’s even more invaluable when visiting cold countries like Iceland, as batteries tend to drain faster in the cold.
Since most parts of this country are remote, having a power bank helps; though it’s also one of the best tips for solo travelers visiting any country.
8. Headphones to Ward off Attention
Most solo female travelers hear the tip “wear a fake wedding ring” to ward off unwanted attention from men on their trips. But that’s not the best way to get people to leave you alone.
💍 Men don’t always care if you’re taken unless there’s a man beside you.
Instead, wear non-wireless headphones or ones with the strap showing! They work so much better, and you likely already own a pair.
I used my headphones while exploring the best things to do in Marrakech — a place known for male street vendors calling out to women — and was left completely alone.
They don’t need to be plugged into anything or have anything playing.
9. Don’t Reveal Where You’re Staying
After many solo trips, one of the most important travel tips for women I advise is never to tell anyone where you are staying.
When you travel alone, your hotel, hostel, or vacation rental should be your safe space — and you shouldn’t ever be afraid of being alone.
Most of the time, when someone asks where you are staying, it is truly innocent small talk. However, you never really know people’s intentions. There are times when it’s OK to lie, and this is one of those times.
If you’re not a good liar, give a general answer by just saying the name of the town or area you are staying in. Something like “I’m staying downtown” will work.
Many cities and large towns typically have multiple Marriott or Hilton hotels. If that applies to your destination, you can respond with, “I am staying at the Marriott,” and leave it at that. To be sure of your answer, research the area before you leave and have a response planned.
10. Use Uber Instead of Hailing A Cab
For some women traveling alone, riding in taxis can be frightening. However, private transportation is essential for travel in many parts of the world, so instead of avoiding it altogether, one of the most important tips for traveling solo is to choose your transport wisely.
One of my favorite taxi safety travel tips for women is opting for ride-share apps like Uber, Lyft, DiDi or Careem, whenever possible. Depending on where you’re traveling in the world, there are different rideshare options, though Uber is the most universal platform.
Here are some of the ways rideshare apps are a significantly safer option for solo female travelers than hailing taxis from the street:
They calculate fair prices for you, so you can’t be scammed.
You can track the car’s location on a map to ensure the driver is taking the best route.
It’s easy to report any inappropriate behavior by the driver to the app maker.
You pay via a card connected to the app, so you don’t need to exchange cash.
11. Don’t Be Afraid to Be Rude
Among the best tips for traveling alone as a woman is keeping your personal safety as your highest priority.
As I mentioned in Tip #1, author Gavin de Becker in this bestselling book, The Gift of Fear, says humans are the only animal to question our fear.
What he means here is that we second-guess our intuition and instinct. But why?
Women are taught that they must push their feelings aside and always be nice and polite. While there’s a time and place for being nice, that time is not when you find yourself in a sketchy situation in an unfamiliar country.
When traveling, if you’re somewhere that feels off, leave. If you’re around someone who makes you uncomfortable, get away from them ASAP. During moments you don’t feel safe when traveling, don’t worry about making a politically correct exit — just get to safety as fast as you can.
12. Let Someone at Home Know Your Plans
One of the best safety tips when traveling alone is to plan for regular check-ins. For this, appoint two family members or trusted friends back home as your emergency contacts.
You’ll want to have a regular check-in time and send them regular updates throughout your trip.
These can include your itinerary for the day, accommodation information, transportation (flight number, screenshot of your Uber driver’s info, etc.), who you’re meeting with, and even your live location.
If you’re going off-grid for a certain period, tell them when you expect to get back in touch.
Should anything untoward happen to you, at least they have the details of your last known location and the last person who saw you.
For convenience, add those contacts to a private Facebook group or group chat to update them all simultaneously. This will be helpful in an urgent situation if any of them cannot attend to you immediately.
13. Pretend You’re Not Alone
One tip that I always follow while I am traveling solo is never to act like I’m traveling solo.
One of the best ways to act that way is by paying attention to your body language. There are many ways to indicate that you are familiar with the place.
For example, if you are waiting alone at a train or bus stop, you could simply pick up your phone and pretend to be talking to someone about something urgent that needs to get done before you reach your destination.
Another way is that if someone approaches you and asks you if you are traveling alone and need any help, just confidently thank them and tell them that your friends have gone to a shop nearby to pick something, and you are waiting for them.
14. Ask Local Women for Tips
Whenever traveling solo to a new location, especially where safety is a concern, always ask a local woman for help identifying areas to avoid and any potential scams.
If you’re unsure about approaching a stranger, consider checking with someone working the front desk at your hotel or hostel, your Airbnb host, a barista at a cafe, or even someone running a local shop.
Even if a place seems fine or has a good reputation, it’s always worth double checking because there are always unsafe or less safe areas in every travel destination.
When I visited Asheville, NC, one of the best places to travel alone in the U.S., I still consulted with my Airbnb host. She was great; giving me information on the safe places to go alone, and also which streets I should avoid when out at night by myself.
Women tend to be more in tune with what’s safe. Not only do local women know what they’re talking about, they also now know you’re by yourself and you’ve got an additional person looking out for you.
15. Use Apps to Meet the Locals
If you’re feeling lonely, one of the best ways to overcome it is by meeting local people. One of the most important travel lessons I’ve learned after visiting 50+ countries is that your trip will be much more fulfilling if you make friends at your destination.
It sounds overwhelming if you’re just starting to travel solo, especially if you’re shy, but fear not!
In most places people will be happy to get to know the brave foreign lady who ventures there on her own. The insights that meeting locals will give you make the effort absolutely worth it.
If you aren’t an extrovert, sign up for an app that will get you in contact with locals, like the ones listed below. The Host A Sister Facebook group is another way to both meet local females, and also have a free place to stay with a woman. It is similar to Couchsurfing, but for women only.
MeetUp: A great way to find local activities and events going on
Bumble: Use the Bumble BFF function; not the dating function
Tourlina: An app with verified women looking for travel companions
Travello: A social network for travelers, used in 180+ countries
16. Online Networking in Facebook Groups
Members of Facebook groups for your travel destination can usually offer great solo travel ideas and insights. When taking a vacation alone, you may want to consider joining some, even if just temporarily.
For travelers of historically marginalized and persecuted communities, including those based on ethnicity, religion, sexuality and/or gender, joining a Facebook travel group can be extremely helpful. Within the group, you can ask about discrimination or harassment in that destination.
While profiling and discriminatory practices can happen anywhere, even in your home destination, being caught off guard can be devastating to the mood of an entire trip or experience, especially while traveling solo.
Facebook travel groups can be helpful for general travel advice, such as road trip safety tips for Black travelers, but you can also find destination-specific groups for a sense of community.
17. Immerse Yourself in Local Culture
One of the best ways to immerse yourself in the local culture is to eat local food.
One of the benefits of travel is the opportunity to have new experiences and witness different cultures. But as a solo female traveler, you may face some barriers, including how to get around, not speaking the language, or not knowing where or what to eat.
By immersing yourself in the local culture, you’ll have the chance to learn new skills, make new friends, become more understanding of different people and learn more about yourself.
Sharing a culture is also a way of preserving it. While travelers benefit by learning something new, the locals are also preserving their customs and traditions.
Some ways to get in touch with local culture while traveling include, eating and drinking local cuisine, learning a new language, taking a cooking class, purchasing locally made goods and even just talking to locals.
18. Eat at the Bar or Communal Table
Just because you’re traveling solo doesn’t mean you have to ask for a “table for one.” An easy way to navigate how to eat alone while traveling, is to find restaurants with communal tables or have a seat at the bar.
This seating will not only shake off some of the solo feeling but also make striking up a conversation very natural. When eating with locals or other travelers, you can ask around for tips on the city and maybe even discover some of its hidden gems.
Talk with the bartender if you’re sitting at the bar and no one else is there.
You can ask if they can recommend something to order, where’s the best breakfast place, bookstore, hike, or whatever you’re interested in. If you’re exploring outside of the city, ask about the best day trips to take alone. You never know what you’ll find out from a local!
I’ve visited incredible villages in Tuscany, eaten at amazing restaurants in Paris, and made some long-term friends in Malibu wine country, all because I ate next to strangers.
Final Thoughts: How to Vacation Alone
Many people—even veteran solo travelers—are afraid of being alone, at least from time to time. Though we’re sometimes labeled as “fearless,” the truth is we’re really just people who may be scared to travel alone but act in spite of fear.
While some of the tips in this article about the best places to vacation alone, the activities you can do alone, etc., likely resonated with you, some might not have. Just as all solo travelers can’t be described as fearless, there’s also not a one-size-fits-all approach to traveling alone.
For those new to solo travel, the tips in this article offer great guidance so you can travel confidently. After determining your best places to go alone, the only thing left is to take that first solo trip and see if you love traveling alone as a woman as much as we do!