I was 19 the first time I left the country, and I was alone… at least for the two-hour road trip to Canada, where I visited a friend at college. But a few months later, I boarded a 17-hour flight to New Zealand and spent five weeks solo backpacking 1,000+ miles from Fiordland National Park to Auckland.
Since then, I’ve been to multiple continents and dozens of countries, and I’ve road tripped across the U.S. more times than I can count — almost exclusively by myself.
Solo travel comes with so many benefits, like having the freedom to tailor your itinerary to your pickiest preferences without anyone batting an eye. I love that it opens me up to experiences and connections I might otherwise miss. But I won’t deny that traveling alone comes with some drawbacks, like having to be extra cautious about safety.
After nearly two decades of solo traveling, these are my strategies for staying safe while seeing the world.
Someone always knows where I am
I’m an independent person, but I still let others in on my plans. When I’m traveling alone, I make sure someone — a friend, a relative, my partner — knows where I am at all times. In some situations, I’ll even send a text before heading out for a new activity or visiting a certain spot. I let them know that if they don’t hear from me by a set time, they may need to check on me. I’ve never had things go awry (thankfully), but it’s comforting to know I’d have eyes on me if so. I also share my location with a select few people using my phone’s location services.
I keep my phone charged
Technology is a huge boon for solo travelers like me, but devices only help if they’re powered up and functioning. I make sure to keep my phone charged at all times when traveling, using a car charger, a power bank or outlet adaptors that let me juice up in other countries.
Ending up with a dead phone while traveling can be scary, especially if you’re somewhere that’s hard to navigate without GPS or if you don’t speak the local language. When I first started traveling, I had an ultra-basic brick phone, and I feel way safer now that I have GPS access in my pocket. This is also why I avoid solo traveling in places without adequate cell reception.
My gas tank is always at least half full
Lots of my trips have involved overseas flights , train journeys and even backpacking on foot, but I’ve also done a ton of road tripping, both here and abroad. Keeping the gas tank topped off may sound like obvious advice, but it’s all too easy to end up on a long stretch of road before realizing you won’t reach another gas station for hundreds of miles. Whenever I’m traveling by car, I stay mindful of where the nearest fueling stations are, and I try not to let my tank dip below half full. I also avoid fueling up in super remote areas, though this isn’t always possible.
I choose my routes and destinations wisely
There are some places I won’t go when traveling alone. Sometimes it’s because an area has a high crime rate, or I might know I’ll feel more comfortable elsewhere. This is why I chose New Zealand for my first-ever solo overseas trip. It’s widely regarded as a safe, welcoming place for young travelers, and knowing I’d be able to speak the language helped the trip feel more approachable.
Some regions are unfortunately just less safe for solo travelers (especially women) than others, so it’s wise to take this into account. But I try to keep an open mind and check my unconscious biases about certain places. I’ve had wonderful experiences in some countries and regions travelers are often told to avoid, and I’ve felt plenty uncomfortable in other places that “should have” felt safe.
I don’t advertise the fact that I’m traveling alone
I don’t relish feeling suspicious of my fellow human beings, but I’m admittedly cautious about what I share when traveling, and with whom. Sometimes it’s unavoidably obvious that I’m flying solo, but I don’t go out of my way to advertise this fact. For all anyone knows, I might be on a short jaunt by myself before heading back to my partner or friend group at the hotel. I’ll even give a friend a call sometimes while walking around a new place alone, just to add to the sense that others know where I am and what I’m doing.
I avoid camping by myself
When I was younger, I did a lot of solo camping, but I’ve grown less comfortable with it as I’ve gotten older. Being in a remote area by myself, far from services and with limited (or no) cell reception, just isn’t conducive to relaxing and having a nice time, in my experience. Instead, I save my camping trips for when I’m with friends, and stick to populated, well-connected areas when I’m alone. This means opting for hotels, bed and breakfasts or even friends’ houses when I need a place to stay. On the rare occasion I do camp solo, I choose car camping over tent camping and stay in places with cell service and access to emergency services.
I save my solo exploring for the daytime
I love a nighttime wander around a new city as much as the next person, but I don’t feel comfortable doing it on my own most of the time. I reserve nighttime for resting and lounging in my room and use the daylight hours for exploring my new locale. This helps me feel as safe as possible, even in places that may be considered a bit more adventurous to explore without a companion.
I trust my instincts
I’m never more aware of my sixth sense than when I’m traveling. If I get an odd feeling about a place, a route or a person, I listen to it and err well on the side of caution. I’ve turned tail midway through hikes after getting an inkling that I wasn’t as alone as I thought, and I’ve even cut my stays in certain places short by several days because I couldn’t get past that nagging feeling of discomfort. The top piece of advice I’d pass along to other solo travelers: Use your best judgment, and listen to your gut. Even if the perceived danger turns out to be paranoia, I’d much rather be safe than sorry.
I’ve learned from past mistakes
When I think back on all my solo adventures over the years, I cringe at some of the more reckless decisions of my younger self. There was the time I spontaneously road tripped for four days with a random guy I met at a library (who luckily turned out to be incredibly nice and harmless). Then there was the time I accidentally ended up in an infamously dangerous area while backpacking through Colombia. I’ve been robbed while traveling, scammed at Airbnbs and approached by a handful of people who simply gave me the creeps. And while none of this sways my belief in the value of solo travel, it has definitely motivated me to get serious about safety.
The way I travel now is not as spontaneous as it once was, but prioritizing safety has allowed me to keep adventuring in a way that suits my current needs and lifestyle. At 36 years old, I’m way less willing to throw caution to the wind in exchange for a (hopefully) good time, but I still get to see the world and feed my wanderlusting spirit.
