9 million American women travel abroad alone each year, according to Budget Travel - one of my favorite travel magazines. I love the freedom of traveling alone with a bag full of little black dresses. On solo trips spontaneity reigns supreme. Do you feel like skipping the museum and prefer to lounge around your hotel room wearing a plush robe and eating a fancy room-service breakfast? Go for it - no traveling companion, no explaining, no guilt.
And, when you feel like socializing, in most places, it is incredibly easy for a woman traveling alone to meet people. Go places that maximize your mingling opportunities - have your meals at the bar so that you can chat with the bartender, sign up for a walking tour, wine tasting or cooking class, or attend a lecture or recital where you can chat about the event with fellow attendees.
However, successful solo travel does require a certain amount of planning. Safety should always be a priority, but don't let Hollywood movies like TAKEN completely frighten you from talking to strangers. Just be careful not to reveal too much to a complete stranger, including where you are staying or even the fact that you are alone. If pressed by someone creepy, I have fibbed and said that I am traveling with a group and just decided to take a little break. Follow your intuition - if it doesn't feel safe, don't do it! Some experts even suggest that single women wear a simple gold wedding band. Also, make sure that someone back home knows your itinerary and update them with any major changes.
A financial downside of traveling alone has been those ridiculous single supplement charges. According to Budget Travel, "solo travelers are effectively charged twice as much in hotels because most places automatically base their room rates on double occupancy. One way around this surcharge, called a single-supplement fee, is to simply ask for a discount: Point out that you're the only person staying in the room and that you'll be using less electricity and water and eating less breakfast than two guests."
However some smart companies are catering to single travelers by offering reduced rates - no need to haggle. Good resources include Solo Cruise Resource and Connecting: Solo Travel Network. For more great tips on traveling alone, read the Budget Travel article 6 Most Common Solo Travel Questions - Answered.
image: Theresa Tibbetts/iStock
