Planning a solo trip, particularly as a woman, can feel overwhelming. You’re juggling transportation, figuring out which tours will actually take you, whether you’ll feel comfortable at a hostel alone, and what to do if something goes wrong, with no one else there to help. After planning dozens of solo trips across more than 26…
Planning a solo trip but worried about managing everything with just a smartphone? I’ve been there! During my first solo trip in 2013 through Ireland, England, and France, I arrived with only WhatsApp. Wi-Fi wasn’t as readily available as I expected, and figuring things out on the spot as a solo traveler made me quickly…
Is solo travel lonely? The answer—yes, sometimes. That’s the honest truth. It’s not always about dancing like no one’s watching or feeling like Lara Croft crossing from continent to continent, even if you’ve traveled alone to 26 countries as I have. Sometimes, you feel a little detached from the world and wish you had someone…
Planning a solo trip to Europe and feeling overwhelmed about which city is safe and enjoyable? I see people constantly searching on social media for the best places to solo travel in Europe, especially female travelers, and I’ve asked this exact question myself. It’s a serious concern, as there are a couple of places I’ve…
As a solo female traveler with over a decade of adventures, finding the best camera for solo travel has been one of my biggest frustrations, since I’ve struggled to film and photograph my experiences. Sure, I’ve asked others to take my picture with my iPhone, but it can sometimes be awkward or just plain exhausting,…
Overwhelmed by what you can actually do in one of the most-visited places on earth? Even though it’s the world’s smallest country (0.17 square miles, if you want to get technical), there are plenty of things to do in Vatican City to pack your day full! I spent a full day there during my solo…
Wondering if the Roman Forum is worth visiting when there is so much to see in Rome? That’s totally understandable when the Vatican, Colosseum, and scoops of gelato are vying for your attention, and you may be short on time, as I was. In this guide, I’ll walk you visually through my time visiting the…
If the fear of not speaking the local language has ever made you hesitate to book a trip, I completely get it. I felt that fear during my first solo international trip over a decade ago because I knew my one semester of French wasn’t enough to be fluent in Paris (a city that isn’t…
Trying to decide between Viator and GetYourGuide before your next trip? I’ve spent five years booking through both, and the answer isn’t as simple as ‘one is better.’ When I started planning my travels back in 2006, I wasn’t even aware there were online marketplaces for booking tour guides, excursions, activities, and tickets to tourist…
Before I discovered Google My Maps, my trip planning looked like a Google Doc full of attractions, with no idea whether they were five minutes apart or on opposite ends of the city. I found this not to be the most efficient way to build an itinerary after my first time planning an international trip,…
One of the best things about using Dublin as a home base is how much of Ireland (and Northern Ireland!) you can see without ever getting behind the wheel. If you’re anything like me—nervous about driving on the left side of the road and trying to stretch your travel budget—you’ll be relieved to know that…
One of the best things about visiting London is how easy it is to escape the city for a day. Whether you’re craving countryside charm, ancient history, or literary pilgrimages, there’s a world-class day trip waiting just a train ride away. I’ve been visiting London since I was 16 and have spent nearly 2 months…
So you’ve decided to book a hostel—or you’re seriously considering it. Awesome. Now what? Before I stayed at my first hostel, I had only other people’s stories and movie scenes to go on. But let me assure you, whatever nightmarish scenario is playing in your head is almost certainly worse than reality. Most hostel stays…
Let me address the question you’re probably too polite to ask out loud: “Am I too old for hostels?” I get it. The mental image of staying in a hostel is of gap-year students chugging beers at 2 a.m., 18-bed dorms that smell questionable, and communal spaces where everyone’s discussing which backpacking route through Southeast…
Trying to stay on a budget or meet new people while traveling, and wondering, “Are hostels safe?” Maybe a well-meaning friend or family member has filled your head with horror stories, or maybe you’ve seen one too many movies where hostels are portrayed as terrifying places. I get it, I didn’t exactly know what I…
