Awakened by her alarm clock, Betty Price strolled to the window of her hotel room, enjoyed the view of the Eiffel Tower beneath a departing airplane, and climbed back into bed.
Alice Beers made a different early morning decision. Because she was enjoying her stay in Hawaii so much, she opted to spend several more days lolling on its beaches rather than flying to the next destination on her itinerary.
Price and Beers have the luxury of doing what they want, when they want, without taking into account the preferences of anyone else. They’re two of the large and growing phalanx of people who travel on their own, either for business or—in their case—pleasure.
Women make up the majority of these go-it-aloners. The Travel Industry Association has reported that an estimated 32 million single American women traveled during a recent year, and about 30 percent of them made tracks five times or more.
Granted, solo travel isn’t for everyone. Some folks worry about feeling lonely, cost can be a factor, and personal safety is a concern of some women. For those who take the plunge or are considering doing so, there are plenty of resources for information and assistance.
Pack lightly. Take a scarf or two. Arrive early. Those words of wisdom are among “101-Plus Tips for Solo Women Travelers” compiled by Overseas Adventure Travel (OAT). That tour company offers “small group adventures on the road less traveled” to 80 countries around the world. It bases its advice upon experience gained since OAT was founded in 1978.
While many of the suggestions in the booklet apply equally to men, most are targeted specifically to the large and growing number of women who are taking to the road, sea, and sky on their own.
They suggest taking clothes and shoes you no longer want and leaving them along the way for hotel staff who might appreciate them, thus lightening your bag. A scarf can dress up an outfit and be used as a placemat, seat or pillow cover, eyeglass lens cleaner, and more. Arriving a day early at your destination allows time to catch up on sleep and adjust to the new time zone.
The book also discusses the advantages of traveling on your own. For example, you can go where you want and do what you wish. If you'd like to spend a day lounging around your hotel room, no problem.
Whatever your hobby or interest, you can indulge yourself as much as you like. No one will drag you to shops, restaurants, or activities that don’t interest you. If a sudden impulse prompts you to change plans, feel free to do so. Take off on a whim, backtrack, or stay somewhere longer than you originally planned.
Learn to love the locals. When you’re on your own, you’re more likely to meet and mingle with residents of a destination and learn about their culture. A number of times, whether traveling solo or venturing out from an organized group, I have been invited into people’s homes, where I learned about their way of life, and they learned about mine.
Perhaps you love to visit art museums, enjoy the thrill of whitewater rafting, or prefer to relax on a cruise ship deck chair with a good book. The list of opportunities well-suited to folks traveling alone is long and varied.
Cruises combine a long list of shipboard activities with opportunities to explore port cities. In winter, some ski resorts have plans and packages that cater to singles of all ages. Group tours that focus on a hobby or activity bring together people with a shared interest.
It’s also possible to enjoy many benefits of individual travel while taking advantage of the ease of going with a group. Many people who take trips with tour groups are alone, most of them women. Solo travelers on small group adventures can tailor how much time they would like to spend on their own and with others. Many accommodations geared to solo travelers don’t impose an added single supplement charge; some others are still affordable.
Top destinations for singles include Africa, Japan, New Zealand, Iceland, and Australia.
Another company, Road Scholar, is a leader in educational travel for “baby boomers and beyond.” It also reports that African sojourns are among its more popular programs with solo travelers. Domestically, many are heading for Florida, especially Key West.
Road Scholar has observed an uptick in the number of people traveling independently since COVID-19 vaccines became available. First among adults older than 50 who signed up for trips were single women who say they yearned to be back out in the world enjoying life.
