Traveling solo for the first time can seem overwhelming, so we gathered advice from some of the best female travel bloggers to share their top tips for solo travel. Check them out below!
1. Don’t Let Loneliness Get in the Way!
“Flying solo can get lonely. A couple of ways to combat this is to join group tours and pub crawls. More than often you meet like-minded people on city tours so it's easy to say, let's grab lunch or dinner after. Pub crawls are organised for you. All you need to do is show up, enjoy a tipple and get chatty.”
Gemma from Two Scots Abroad
2. If You’re Feeling Self-Conscious, Try Dining in Hotel Bars
“Eat in hotels and specifically at hotel bars, where possible, if you're self-conscious about eating alone. They tend to have more solo diners than restaurants, you get to have casual conversation with bar staff if you want, or alternatively you can just eat your meal in peace with a book. With your back or side to whatever else is happening behind you, you can feel less "on show" as a solo diner while also feeling safe and part of a lively atmosphere, if that's what you want. Oh, and you're also likely to get prompt service when you need your next drink or dessert! ;-)”
Frankie from As the Bird Flies
3. Be Prepared and Download Maps in Advance
“Always have offline maps downloaded beforehand. This way you can hardly get lost and will not bring unwanted attention to yourself. If you don't have maps or your smartphone died, don't just ask any stranger to guide you as they may happen to have bad intentions. Go to a closest store and ask there. The seller is most likely local and can easily help you with directions. Safety first!” Juliet from Live Your Dream TODAY
4. Tips for Joining Free Tours
“Many European cities have free walking tours. Joining one of these is a great way to orient yourself to the city, meet fellow travelers, and talk with a local guide, who will have great insights into how to enjoy the city safely. Some of these tours need to be scheduled ahead of time and some you can just show up and join the group. There are often different themes to the tours so you can choose the one that interests you most Do a little research online ahead of time to figure which tour will be the best one for you in each city.”
Betsy from Euro Travel Coach
5. Join Facebook Groups
“Join Facebook Groups for your destination before going there. Both expat and travelling groups, they’re a great way to meet people and often plan events and meet-ups on the ground in the destination too!”
Tanya from Can Travel Will Travel https://www.cantravelwilltravel.com
6. Be Mindful About Sharing Too Much Information
“Always let someone close know where you are headed and do not give excessive details of your trip such as where are you staying to anyone you step across during your travels unless your gut feeling is that you can really trust them.”
Inma from A World To Travel https://www.aworldtotravel.com
7. Stay in Hostels
“When you travel solo, it doesn't mean you have to always be alone! A great way to meet other solo travelers is by staying at hostels. There are options to stay in a private room, but dorms are good for budget travelers. For women, it's always best to stay at female-only dorms for safety reasons. The best thing is the atmosphere in hostels. There are common areas to meet others, and most organize activities meant to bring guests together. There are different kinds of hostels, too, for the party goer and those looking for rest and quiet. I would always recommend it to solo travelers.” Aleah from the Solitary Wanderer https://www.solitarywanderer.com
8. Tips for Travels in Italy
“If you're travelling in Italy, a stay in a convent or monastery is a great option for solo travelers. They're centrally located, safe, welcoming and economical.”
Michele from A Taste of Travel
9. Check for Meet Up Groups
“Use Meet Up when you travel alone. This platform is ideal for solo female travellers who are unsure of what to do in the evenings alone. You can join yoga classes, go on wine tastings or even join a group for hiking if you are in a city on a weekend. It's a great way to meet others even if you are just passing though. Having been to 100 countries solo, I use this as much as I can.”
Lisa from Girl About the Globe
10. Invent a Fake Husband!
“For countries where female travelers might experience more than tolerable male attention: wear a fake wedding ring. It’s a pretty international symbol and this will stop most of the unwanted attention.”
Lisanne from Africa Originals
11. Consider Airbnb’s Private Rooms
“Using Airbnb's option to stay in a private room at a local's home is a great solution if you don't want to stay in dorms yet still want to find a budget-friendly accommodation. It's important to feel comfortable and have privacy, but that doesn't mean you need to spend a lot of money on a single hotel room.”
Or from My Path in the World https://mypathintheworld.com/
12. Stay Central
“Choose a centrally located accommodation when you travel solo, no matter if you are staying in a hotel, hostel or privately. Having all facilities and attractions, including restaurants within a short walking distance is priceless; you can safely walk around at night too, without worrying to get a taxi back to your place. Having travelled solo for +30 years, this has become one of my habits when planning my solo adventures.”
Michela from Rocky Travel
13. Use A Ridesharing App
“If you want to reduce your solo transportation costs use a ridesharing app, this saves me around 50% on my travel costs! Before travelling, I plan all the places I want to visit in advance on Google Maps. Using this strategy dramatically affects my budget, and you don’t need to pay any waiting charges. Just visit where you want, and when you’re done, book another car for your next destination.”
Ruma from Holiday Story https://www.holidaystory.in/
14. Bring a Travel Tripod!
“Bring a travel tripod with you for capturing memories yourself and/or if you're in a place with people around and you see someone to ask that you think you can trust with your phone/camera - set up the shot first and show them exactly where you will stand so all they have to do is press the button (best ways to avoid terrible photos taken by strangers).”
Summer from Traveling Summer TravelingSummer.com
BONUS TIP: If you’re traveling solo – try downloading the Oody app – a female friendly social dining app that will connect you with other likeminded women in the cities you’re visiting to meet in local restaurants!