Debunking Solo Travel Misconceptions for Women

Have you ever looked at a solo traveler with a mix of curiosity, concern, or even pity? Those reactions reveal the powerful misconceptions surrounding solo travel, especially for women over 50. As a freedom traveler and coach who's ventured solo across continents, I'm pulling back the curtain on these limiting beliefs that might be keeping you from one of life's most empowering experiences.

Safety concerns top most people's list when discussing solo travel. While being informed is crucial—researching current conditions and avoiding regions experiencing unrest—countless destinations welcome solo women travelers with open arms. Resources like Safe Expat offer daily safety updates, and thorough preparation eliminates most risks. The world offers abundant safe havens for the solo adventurer.

Beyond safety myths lies the assumption that solo travelers are lonely souls without companions. This perspective misses the mark entirely. Many women, myself included, actively choose solo travel for its unparalleled freedom. There's a special kind of empowerment that comes from navigating foreign streets on your own terms, making spontaneous decisions, and discovering your own resilience. Paradoxically, solo travelers often find themselves more socially engaged than those in groups, striking up conversations and forming connections that might never happen otherwise.

I still experience fears during my travels—like my recent worry about breaking down in remote parts of Iceland without cell service. But courage isn't the absence of fear; it's moving forward despite it. With each journey, that courage muscle strengthens, building confidence that extends well beyond travel into everyday life. Solo travel becomes not just a vacation choice but a transformative practice in self-reliance and presence.

Ready to dispel these myths through your own experience? Whether you're considering your first solo adventure or seeking to expand your horizons, I'm here to help. Connect with me for personalized guidance on creating your perfect solo journey. Don't wait for the "right" companion or the "perfect" time—your adventure is calling now. What destination will be your first solo story?

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Chapters

• 0:00 Common Misconceptions About Solo Travel
• 1:36 Myth: Solo Travel Isn't Safe
• 3:40 Myth: Solo Travelers Have No Friends
• 5:10 Myth: Solo Travel Is Lonely
• 6:33 Myth: Can't Have Fun Alone
• 7:49 Myth: You Need to Be Fearless
• 10:03 Final Encouragement for New Travelers

Transcript

Speaker 1: 0:00

What do you think about? When you see somebody solo traveling or you hear of someone who's going on a solo trip. What goes through your mind? Do you think they're crazy? Do you think, oh, it's not safe? Or you wish you could do that?

Speaker 1: 0:17

Well, today's episode, we're going to talk about the misconceptions or myths about solo travel. Misconceptions or myths about solo travel. Welcome to Solo Travel Adventures for women 50 and older. I'm Cheryl S, your host, solo travel advocate, freedom traveler and coach. This is your passport to adventure.

Speaker 1: 0:40

As a solo traveler, I hear all kinds of things some. As a solo traveler, I hear all kinds of things, some misconceptions, some judgment from people when they hear that I solo travel, and so that I share some of that with you and also dispel all of that. So, of course, the number one top of list that old, old, I would say it's not something to be too concerned with now, but it's still a concern for many women, especially women is the misconception is that solo travel is not safe. Well, I do always recommend you do your research First of all. It's not true, and if you do your research, you're going to feel prepared and safe for your travels. And when I say research, for example, you definitely want to research what's happening in the country that you are planning to go to. For example, right now, at the time of this recording, going to places in the Middle East like Iran or Israel or even the Jordan places in that vicinity would not be recommended and, as a matter of fact, many airlines, because they have to fly over that airspace, are canceling flights. So even if you were considering going somewhere in that surrounding area, obviously if you did it before any of this happened, because a lot of times civil unrest and wars are just unpredictable, of course. So just making sure you're staying on top of that, but outside of that, doing your research to find out you know more about the country that you're going to. What is the culture like?

Speaker 1: 2:19

Look on some country websites to see if there's any current threats happening. I always recommend there's a great. It's called Safe Expat. They're constantly. If you follow my Instagram, every day they're going to post kind of what is happening in the world, who's at the yellow level of threat, who's at orange or red, or maybe they've recounted, sort of changed their mind because of what's happening in that country. So always do your research and, believe me, there are plenty of countries that are safe. We have so many to choose from. So don't just think, oh, I'm so limited because these countries are not safe. There are plenty that are safe for solo travelers and for women. So make sure you're doing your research. And it's not true. There's plenty of beautiful places in the world to travel for women.

Speaker 1: 3:19

Number two oh, we get the pity party. We get the judgment of oh well, they must not have anyone to go with. While this may or may not be true, it may be that they were traveling with a friend, or planned to travel with a friend, and that friend backed out at the last minute and they're still going anyways, which kudos to them, I definitely say. Do it if that happens to you. But there are many women that choose to solo travel for whatever reason, and so do not pity them to solo travel for whatever reason, and so do not pity them, do not look on them as though. Well, it's because they didn't have any friends or they didn't have a spouse to go with, and that's why they're solo traveling. That is not always the case. Matter of fact, many women who have solo traveled in the past actually revel in the fact that they get to solo travel again, and there's some empowerment. That happens when you solo travel. So if you've never experienced that, I of course always encourage you to have that experience so you can understand why many of us prefer solo travel. And so there's many benefits to solo travel. But do not feel bad for them. Do not have a pity party, and it could be either way, so it's not always true.

Speaker 1: 4:40

Number three oh, it must be so lonely to solo travel. Well, not necessarily, and maybe their intention for the solo trip is because they do want to be alone or have some self-reflection time, or maybe they are an introvert and so solo travel just sort of fits their personality a little better. It doesn't have to be that way. There are times when it can be lonely, but you have plenty of opportunities to join things like a day tour, a walking tour, anything that might have you encounter or be in a group setting or be around other people. Maybe it's a festival, there are plenty of things to do where you will not be alone, and there are some studies out there on solo travel that when you are traveling solo you are more likely to strike up a conversation and even meet others than if you were on an already built-in sort of group. It's almost like you're forced to have to talk to somebody, you're forced to have to ask somebody for directions, you're forced to, you know, strike up a conversation and see what that person has done or have a recommendation for a restaurant, whatever it may be, it doesn't. You do not have to be lonely, and that's just a misconception about solo travel.

Speaker 1: 6:09

Number four you won't have fun because you don't have anyone to share the moment with. I hear that a lot People say well, wouldn't you want to share that highlighted moment with somebody? Yeah, in a way, but it's a memory I also can keep to myself and you can always have fun again without having being in a group or maybe being with somebody. So that's not always true. And, yes, there are times when I might say, oh, so, and so would really love this. And, as we know, unless you are a professional photographer, when we try to capture a moment, whether it's in nature, but it's hard to also capture a moment when it's maybe an experiential, cultural thing, where you're, you know, immersed in the culture, and so that's not something you can photograph and it's something that can be shared. Yes, that is can be a lovely thing, but you can also look at it as this is a precious moment in my memory and my memory alone, so it doesn't have to be looked on like that.

Speaker 1: 7:19

And number five people often say, oh my gosh, you're going solo travel. You are so brave, I mean, I could never do that. You must be fearless. You have to be fearless in order to travel solo. That is not the case, and most people say, oh, I'm just not courageous enough to do it, enough to do it. Well, I like to look at courage. Courage is not the lack of fear. Obviously, we know that courage is taking a step forward despite the fear. And often, when we keep getting out of our comfort zone and we keep challenging this fear that we might have, we get stronger, stronger in our courage. And courage is like a muscle, so it does need to be, you know, exercised and practiced to get a little stronger.

Speaker 1: 8:10

And I'm not saying that fear completely goes away as you become, you know, more, more gifted in your solo travel, or you have more opportunities to do it, um, but rather you build a little more confidence each time. And so you know there's still certain, you know, fears that might pop up. For me, actually, my most recent one in Iceland, I had a really strange, just a gnawing fear that when I was driving in some of these desolate parts of the country where there may or may not have been cell service, my fear was oh my gosh, what if I break down? There's nobody out here to help me and I have no way to get a hold of anybody, and my family doesn't even know where I'm at. So I'm not saying that the fears go away just because I've been doing solo travel for years now. But you get more courageous, as I like to say, and in kind of just moving forward in this, in your travel, in your trip.

Speaker 1: 9:19

So I want to dispel any kind of myths that you have about solo travel because I want to encourage you to get out there and do it yourself, especially if you have never gone on a solo trip, and I would also love to help you with that. Notes and there should be a link for you to book a call with me if there's. You know not sure where to start on trying to figure out where to go, how to approach the solo travel adventure that you know in your heart and in your gut that you need to experience. Well, sister travelers. As I always say get out there and have that adventure, do not not wait for somebody that's. The other thing is we think we got to wait to do a trip, and this is why solo travel does happen for some people. But don't wait, just get out there and do it.