By Briana Seftel
While traveling alone can be incredibly rewarding, you may want to take a few extra precautions if you're traveling abroad as a solo female. Keep these tips in mind to help you stay safe and happy on your next vacation!
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Stay in a B&B
If you’re traveling solo, staying in a bed and breakfast can make your experience more comfortable and personable. B&B owners are often willing to offer advice or suggest must sees in the area, making your vacation that much more special. As a precaution, it's a good idea to send the location and contact information of the B&B to someone you trust.
Book a group tour
A good way to see a new city is through a guided group tour. Sandemans offer free walking tours in major European cities like London, Paris, and Dublin with enthusiastic and knowledgeable guides. Going on a group tour is also a great way to meet new people and even make a friend or two!
Travel during the day
Safety is a top concern for many solo female travelers. To ease worry, it’s recommended to travel during the day rather than at night. As with any traveler, keep your belongings within sight and stay vigilant of your surroundings at all times. Don't have headphones in your ear, and try to keep to busy areas if you can. If you must travel at night, stay in well-lit areas and take city-approved taxis to your destination rather than public transportation.
Pack light
There’s almost nothing worse than lugging a 60-pound suitcase on your own. If you're traveling for one week or less, pack a small carry on suitcase with no more than two pairs of shoes, one purse, and a few interchangeable items of clothing. Packing light means you’ll have more room for souvenirs!
Find restaurants with bar seating
There’s no reason not to book a 5-star Michelin restaurant when you travel alone, but a two-hour-long meal can get a bit lonely. Instead, look for restaurants with bar seating or outdoor terraces so you won't be sitting at a table alone. In Europe, bringing a book to dinner is perfectly acceptable behavior.
Stay connected
Stay in touch with friends and family (and keep them from worrying) by checking your international service with your phone company. You can also download messaging apps like WhatsApp, which allows you to call anyone for free as long as you're connected to WiFi. As previously mentioned, keep your location shared with someone you trust, and keep friends updated with where you are and who you're staying with.
Consider an escorted vacation
If the idea of traveling solo gives you the goosebumps, you may want to book an escorted vacation. You'll be traveling with a group and one or more guides at all times, and everything from accommodations to transfers are included. Almost everything is pre-planned, so there's less time for you to stress and more time for you to enjoy your vacation!
