Travel can be quite daunting for solo women. They can encounter their fair share of challenges – even finding a place to eat or immersing oneself into your tours’s local scene isn’t easy – when you’re alone. But still traveling alone is an experience in itself and can be enriching in many ways.

The freedom is the best part of traveling without anyone in tow. You get to set your own path and pace in the absence of not having to negotiate with fellow travelers.

There are certain cities that are more suited to solo female travelers. New York, San Francisco, London, Amsterdam, and Paris would top any such list. For one thing, they can all be traversed on foot, which is very convenient in that it becomes easy to move around and take in the sights.

In addition, these are cities abundant with late-night events and activities such as theater in New York or art shows in London and museums in Paris – the Palais de Tokyo, which remains open till midnight. With so many options available for entertaining one after sundown, you can have a very fulfilling outing while never feeling alone.

The kind of hotels that solo female travelers look for with safety in mind should be near good public transportation, and in an area that’s preferably busy, not remote. It’s recommended to pick a smaller boutique property where they are familiar with the staff as they will become anonymous in larger properties, with the sense of security and personalized service not as strong.

Tips for dining alone at a high-end restaurant.

Major restaurants have beautifully secluded bar sections — a good and safe option for those who want to enjoy an elegant meal by themselves. And if you don’t want to eat at such a bar and instead crave the full service and detail, you should go for it. While traveling, you’re often tempted to visit high-end restaurants to check out the cuisine. The staff members at such establishments will usually be happy to pick up on your interest and respond with the detail and extra attention.

Women tend to seek out alternatives to dining at their hotel restaurants. They also feel more of a need to adhere to their routines such as yoga/aerobic classes or manicures.

General Advice:

• Always plan ahead and decide what to do in advance.
• Try to look and feel confident at all times.
• Take care not to visit new places at odd hours.
• Never carry more money than you need and try not to look like you’re carrying around a lot of cash.

There’s no reason why women shouldn’t get to enjoy the thrill of solo travel. Women often have anxiety about hitting the road on their own, but only once they actually do it, will they realize that it’s an adventure worth having. They can do so with proper consideration. As long as you plan carefully with common sense, there’s no reason why you can’t have just as much fun as anyone else.