Michelle L. Jensen (Travel HerStory) smiling beside the towering bow of the 17th-century Vasa warship at the Vasa Museum in Stockholm, Sweden, with the ornately carved and preserved wooden hull rising dramatically overhead inside the multi-level museum hall.

Greetings from the Vasa Ship!

Solo Travel

Solo travel can be a bit daunting at first.

But as the incredible Carrie Fisher said, “Stay afraid, but do it anyway. What’s important is the action. You don’t have to wait to be confident. Just do it and eventually the confidence will follow.”

My first solo trip was across the US when I was in middle school, but I didn’t venture off the continent alone until I was 23. My first stop was Ireland, which is an excellent beginner destination!

I’ve traveled solo to 26 countries, mainly in Europe since then.

Whether you’re planning your first solo trip or your 50th, these solo travel blogs will help you plan epic, budget-friendly trips to solo-friendly destinations.

Quick Answer

Is solo female travel safe?

Yes, solo travel is largely safe and incredibly rewarding for women, provided you use common sense and research your travel destination. Millions of women travel alone worldwide. The key is preparation: know local customs, share your location with a trusted person, book reputable accommodations, take safety precautions such as using an anti-theft purse, and stay aware of your surroundings, especially at night or in remote areas. I’ve solo-traveled since my first trip to Ireland at 23 in 2013, and it remains my preferred way to travel most of the time.

Michelle L. Jensen (Travel HerStory) smiling in a selfie inside the ornate Green Lacquer Room at Charlottenburg Palace in Berlin, Germany, featuring sage green walls with elaborate gilded Rococo stucco work, gold-framed mirrors, crystal chandelier, herringbone parquet floors, and tall garden-view windows.
Michelle L. Jensen (Travel HerStory) posing with a large round red and yellow painted Viking warrior shield and metal nasal helmet with chain mail at a Viking museum interactive exhibit in Stockholm, Sweden, with a runic display panel and wooden wall visible in the background.
Michelle L. Jensen (Travel HerStory) standing on a grassy cliff edge at the Baby Cliffs, with dramatic rock formations and ocean waves below, a scenic stop included on many Paddywagon Tours along the Cliffs of Moher route, in County Clare, Ireland.
Michelle L. Jensen (Travel HerStory) in a yellow shirt poses before the ornate golden Temple of the Emerald Buddha (Wat Phra Kaew) within the Grand Palace complex in Bangkok, Thailand, dark stone lions on either side of her and the Emerald Buddha visible in the background.

My Favorite Hostels

I’ve Stayed in While Solo

Get my top hostel tips here!

Common area in the Loft Hostel of Budapest, Hungary, features numerous flags from different countries, including the USA, Portugal, Wales, and Cyprus as well as workout equipment, a desk, tv, and bookshelves.

Loft Hostel Budapest

Vibrant wall mural of Marvel comic book characters and a statue of Iron Man inside the themed common area of Comics Guesthouse, a hostel in Rome, Italy, with brightly colored décor and gaming lounge features.

Comics Guesthouse Rome

A modern hostel bar inside YHA London Central featuring a menu in chalk, ovens, cups, coffee maker, overhead lights, and a colorful row of international flags above the counter in England, United Kingdom.

YHA London Central

A pool table sits beneath a chandelier crafted from green glass bottles in an industrial-style bar and game room with exposed brick arches, a mounted TV, and a well-stocked back bar at Generator Hostel in Dublin, Ireland.

Generator Dublin

Exterior street view of the Drift Inn hostel in San Pedro, Ambergris Caye, Belize, showing a two-storey turquoise wooden building with a wooden balcony, wrought iron chairs, white picket fence, and a sign displaying the name and phone number +501-614-0088

Drift Inn Ambergris Caye

Exterior of SYHA Glasgow Youth Hostel, a historic cream colored building with large bay windows and blue signage in Glasgow, Scotland, United Kingdom.

SYHA Glasgow

Packing Essentials

Michelle L. Jensen (Travel HerStory) wearing a Travelon crossbody bag poses before Florence from the top of the Duomo di Firenze in Italy. The panoramic view includes terracotta rooftops, historic buildings, and distant Tuscan hills under a clear sky.

Travelon Anti-Theft Purse

Michelle L. Jensen (Travel HerStory) smiling outdoors wearing the Insta360 GO Ultra standalone camera on a light blue lanyard as a magnetic pendant mount over her knit top, with sunglasses on her head and lush green trees and a park bench visible in the background at the San Diego Zoo Safari Park, California, USA.

Insta360 Hands-Free Camera

Michelle L. Jensen (Travel HerStory) in three-quarter profile, wearing a grey tweed blazer and plaid trousers, smiling softly with a tan Thafael crossbody bag at her side, beside a red and blue diamond-patterned tiled fountain and Spanish Colonial building with blue awnings.
Thafael

Thafael Anti-Theft Bag

A smiling Michelle L. Jensen (Travel HerStory) with blonde hair wearing a black tank top and olive green wide-leg trousers sitting on a grey linen sofa, holding the Black Voyage travel backpack between her knees in front of her, with a large bold black line-art surrealist wall mural in the background at the Hotel Makaaba Eco-Boutique, in Bacalar, Mexico.

Black Voyage Travel Backpack

Solo Travel Tips

Solo Travel Destinations