Key Takeaways
- Kristin Addis from Be My Travel Muse writes a guest column featuring tips and advice on solo female travel. It’s an important topic I can’t adequately
- I used to ask myself what the archetypal solo female traveler was like. I would wonder, who is out there traveling the world by herself right now?
- Is she braver, stronger, or different in some way than the girl who looks back at me in the mirror?
Kristin Addis from Be My Travel Muse writes a guest column featuring tips and advice on solo female travel. It’s an important topic we can’t adequately cover alone, so we brought in an expert to share her insights. This week she highlights fellow female travelers who are exploring the world independently.
I used to ask myself what the archetypal solo female traveler was like. I would wonder: Who is out there traveling the world by herself right now?
Does she have something special that I don’t have?
Is she braver, stronger, or different in some way than the person who looks back at me in the mirror?
Does she have some kind of background that allows her to travel safely and independently—with nothing but what she can carry?
I wasn’t sure if I was cut out for traveling on my own. I was a bit shy, unsure whether I could handle cramped buses and mosquito net-covered beds in shared dorms—and even questioned whether I was strong enough to carry my backpack. Doomsday scenarios crossed my mind: maybe I wouldn’t meet anyone, I’d get robbed, or I’d hate it and want to come home.
Yet the urge to travel was so strong that I simply had to test the waters and find out.
Once I started traveling, I met women from all walks of life. Some were total scaredy-cats who avoided trying new foods—yet they were out there traveling alone, confronting their fears head-on.
Some were beauty queens who, back home, spent hours in front of the mirror—but there they were, makeup-free, sitting across from me, sweating in the humid Thai sun, loving every minute of it.
Some were only 18, with little life experience—but still boldly conquering the world.
Today, we’re sharing the stories of six women who saved money, faced down self-doubt, and followed their hearts across continents. While Route for Less often shares personal experiences, this feature spotlights real-life examples of solo female travelers whose journeys offer inspiration and actionable insight.
Natalie
Natalie, 28, worked as a fashion designer in New York City and began her travel journey by exploring a new neighborhood of the Big Apple every weekend—later expanding to Washington, Boston, Philadelphia, and other destinations across North America.
Eventually, she transitioned to freelancing for greater flexibility—and in June, she made the bold decision to leave her full-time job entirely to travel full time. Her first stop was her family’s home in northern Germany, where she officially launched her global adventures.
“Living alone in New York City taught me to be a penny pincher. My best advice to save money for a trip—or anything else—is to write down how much you need to save, and add $5–10 USD from each paycheck into a dedicated jar.”
“When I quit my job and sold almost everything in June 2015, I realized how little I actually needed—the proceeds from selling my belongings (keeping only what fit in one suitcase) became my travel fund,” she says.
What we can learn: Solo travel doesn’t require a one-way ticket to the far side of the globe. Starting locally—and gradually expanding your radius—is a grounded, confidence-building way to begin.
Sandy
Sandy, 52, held multiple professional roles in her native Canada before choosing early retirement to travel solo. Her career spanned Air Force technical work, occupational health and safety, and law enforcement.
She’d always loved to travel—and when early retirement became possible, she decided the time was now, while her health and energy allowed her to fully embrace adventure.
She began by exploring Western Canada, then moved on to the U.S., and is now learning to surf in Costa Rica.
She sustains her travels on a modest pension, explaining, “It’s about calculating my daily budget and making intentional choices that stay within it. It isn’t always easy—sometimes I delay an activity and shift it to next month’s plan.”
What we can learn: There’s no universal ‘right time’ to begin solo travel—it’s never too late to start.
Cinthya
Cinthya, 25, integrates travel into her education and service—volunteering and interning with nonprofits and NGOs abroad as part of her academic path.
While earning her undergraduate degree in social work, she volunteered and interned in Guatemala and completed a semester-long exchange in Germany.
This fall, she began a nine-month, multi-continent master’s program designed to blend academic study with immersive international experience.
