Whether I’m logging miles driving down the highway or racking up air miles flying halfway around the world, as a frequent solo traveler one of my biggest concerns is safety. I’m also an avid outdoorswoman and solo hiker. While nothing is foolproof, following a few safety protocols and being wary of your surroundings will make you a savvier solo traveler. A confident traveler is less likely to be a target than a distracted traveler. These are my solo travel tips for staying safe on the road and around the world.
Solo Traveler 101: The Basics
- Share Itinerary and Check-In – Create an itinerary, even if it’s fluid and share the details with someone before your trip. It’s also a good idea to include any emergency documentation like a copy of your passport and insurance policy numbers. Check in with that person and notify them if your plans change.
- Stay in Hotels – When traveling solo I stay in hotels. Once the cleaning and other fees are added on, vacation rentals aren’t always cheaper when you’re solo. The big reason I stay in hotels is to have a record of my comings and goings on the hotel’s cameras. I also make a point to chat with hotel staff during my stay, so people remember my face.
- Dine During Happy Hour – You’ll not only save a little money if you eat off a happy hour menu, but you’ll also have some daylight to return to your room. Getting back to my hotel or at least within the same block before dark is something I rarely stray from when traveling solo. Unfamiliar surroundings can become disorienting and dangerous after dark. My mom used to tell me, “Nothing good happens after midnight.” When I’m traveling solo, it’s nothing good happens after the sun goes down.
- Talk to People – Whether chatting up hotel staff, talking with a bartender or server, or saying a few words to hikers I pass on the trail, I want people to remember my face. It’s not just because I’m inquisitive, it’s a “just in case” precaution. Plus, the staff can be great travel resources for learning about local gems, dining spots and what to do or see. If you need help, look for someone in a uniform. That uniform could be police on the street or someone in an information booth. I’m a frequent help asker on solo trips, some examples being asking military police in Santiago, Chile when I needed a quick exit from an escalating protest, asking a couple of NYPD officers for directions when I was rushing to catch a train at Penn Station and from an information attendant in the Zurich main station when I had train anxiety about catching the right train to Paris.
- Don’t Have Phone Tunnel Vision but Know Its Emergency Settings – It’s hard not to constantly look at your phone if you’re using it for directions, but that also makes you a target for someone to swipe your phone or pickpocket you. Either put in one earbud or follow directions on your watch instead of walking with tunnel vision looking at your phone. It’s a good idea to be familiar with your phone’s safety features before there’s an emergency. Know how to make an emergency call without the keypad. Make sure crash detection is turned on. Your phone likely has loud and quiet alert emergency services settings. It’s a good idea to be familiar with your phone’s Emergency SOS or emergency notification settings if you ever need them.
- Trust Your Gut – If your instincts are telling you something is off, it probably is. Remove yourself from the situation or area as quickly as possible. The adage “trust your gut” will never fail you when traveling solo.
Pre-Trip Prep
- Be Tracked – After a year of a lot of solo travel, I had a close friend push me to have her track me. She and another friend can now track me 24/7 via the “Find My” feature on my phone. Set up something before your travels where at least 1-2 people you trust can see where you are. A lot of families use Live360 or other apps to track kids. Like the “Find My” feature these are also great for travel. I’ve also personally witnessed how crucial Live360 or something like it can be in a critical medical emergency when family members are separated.
- Be Insured – In addition to keeping my AAA membership, car insurance and health insurance coverages up to date, I carry several additional annual travel policies for domestic and international travel. I have the Beyond the Road coverage from Global Rescue. AAA members get a discount for first-year membership.It covers field rescue and medical evacuation. When traveling internationally you can also get destination reports and leave breadcrumbs in the Global Rescue app, so you are findable. I also carry an annual travel health insurance policy to cover nonlife-threatening medical issues and annual travel insurance to cover trip interruptions, like cancellations. If traveling internationally, especially solo, take advantage of AAA’s partnership with Allianz Travel for trip insurance or an annual policy like I have.
- Research Ready – Do your research on your destination so you are aware of cultural practices including proper etiquette and clothing. You want to blend in and respect the society you are visiting.For example, the Marshall Islands have conservative dress standards and women are typically covered from shoulders to just below the knees with dresses and skirts being the more proper attire.If going into a cathedral in Europe, shoulders need to be covered so take along a lightweight shawl or wrap.For a road trip, I typically map out my route on AAA TripTik. I’ll print out or screenshot directions in case I lose cell service along the way. TripTik also helps me determine how far I want to drive each day since it gives estimated drive times.
- Planned Packing – Be thoughtful in your packing.Take pieces you can wear in more than one outfit and limit shoes. Fabrics like lightweight merino wool are great for travel because they are odor resistant and naturally antibacterial. Take laundry sheets or packets so you can wash clothes in the sink if needed. I follow a pullout, layout and pack in cubes strategy. I’ll pull out what I think I want to take on a trip. When I lay out everything on a bed to fold, I create a maybe pile. I’ll pack my essentials in a packing cube and add the maybes if there is room. You can take more on road trips and I usually take a gear bag with extra layers that stays in the car. The essentials in my roller and backpack are what go into the hotel with me. The one piece of clothing that goes with me on every trip is a lightweight puffy jacket.
On the Road
- Emergency Ready – My car emergency kit is probably over the top but living in Colorado and on the road a lot I’ve learned to be overly prepared for anything. I always keep at least a gallon of water in my car on road trips, preferably in stainless steel jugs and bottles to keep it cool. My emergency kit changes seasonally with wiper fluid, windshield scraper and tire traction covers added in the winter. I always have things like snacks, bug spray, a hat, layers, extra sneakers and flashlights in my kit. I also keep paper maps of states where I frequently drive, like Colorado and Utah.
- Check the Weather - Be weather aware before and during your drive. As a meteorologist, I’m always checking the weather, especially when on a road trip in case I need to take an alternate route or change plans because of severe storms, winter storms, or road closures due to weather. You don’t want to get caught in a weather emergency.
- Fill Up Frequently - When solo road-tripping, I follow a philosophy of if you’re at half a tank of gas, you’re on empty. Instead of driving until you’re in the red on the gas level, use the halfway level as your marker to refuel the tank. Plus, since you’re the only driver, taking a break to stand and stretch every 2-3 hours will keep you alert down the road.
- Drive Dawn to Dusk – Daylight is always safer than driving at night, especially on unfamiliar roads. I follow the “early bird gets the worm” saying and hit the road as the sun is coming up partly because of less traffic in the early mornings.When driving at dawn or dusk, you also need to keep an eye out for wildlife. If I’m on a road trip and not necessarily sure where I’m going to stay that night, I’ll stop and start looking at options by 2-3 p.m. so I don’t get stuck with no availability or having to drive to the next town or out of my way in the dark.
In the Wild
- Text Before Trail – Since cell service can be sketchy in the great outdoors, let someone know your hiking or adventure plans before you get to the trailhead. Include your drive time and estimated time to be back in cell range. If you do spend a lot of time outdoors, invest in a satellite messaging device.
- Hike with Trekking Poles – These are tremendously helpful in rocky and steep terrain. They’re also good for making a lot of noise and even as a weapon if you need to fend off something or someone.
- Carry Protection and Be Ready to Spray or Be Loud – My biggest scares on trails haven’t come from wildlife, it’s been people. Whatever protection means to you, know how to use it and have it easily accessible on your waist belt. Pepper spray is the least lethal option and it is effective against an attacker or small wildlife. Bear spray is a must when hiking in grizzly bear country like Wyoming, Montana or Alaska. With pepper spray or bear spray, it’s a good idea to do a test run in an outdoor space before you must use it in the outdoors. Have a whistle or something that makes a loud noise easily accessible on your pack too.
- Invest in Satellite Messaging – If you spend a lot of time in the outdoors, a satellite messaging device on your pack’s shoulder strap or easily accessible is crucial. These used to be only for extreme adventurers, but price points have come down and technology has improved making these more mainstream.You can leave digital breadcrumbs of your whereabouts and ping messages at set intervals. If you’re not ready for this type of device, at least be familiar with your phone’s features to send an emergency SOS via satellite.
International Travel Tips
- Ditch the Bling – Leave the flashy and expensive jewelry at home. Limit logos on clothing and accessories. I often travel with very little jewelry and only take pieces that go with multiple outfits.Save the statement pieces for when you are home. Plus, jewelry is heavy. I typically limit myself to what fits in a small jewelry pouch I put inside my toiletries bag.
- Dress in Neutrals – You want to blend in, not stand out. Leave the brightly colored patterns and eye-catching or graphic design clothing at home or save for group trips. Neutrals are easier for layering, mixing and matching.
- Wear Bag Across Your Chest in Crowds - Crossbody bags you can wear in multiple ways are popular and great for travel. An adjustable strap gives you the option to shorten the strap while it’s on you. I’ll often shorten my bag strap when I encounter crowds and wear it on my chest instead of on my back, side or waist. Get a bag with several zippered compartments. I always carry local currency but split up where I put it. I always have a small amount of money in a zippered outside pocket. Bigger bills and credit cards go in a zippered compartment on the inside of my bag.You might have to pay to use toilets, especially in Europe, so I always have a small coin bag with my easily accessible cash. I carry my passport on me only when needed. While I will use a hotel room safe, I prefer to stash my passport and extra cash in zippered compartments in my luggage or hidden in packing cubes, especially if I’m only at a place for a night or two. It prevents me from leaving those behind. Have a paper copy of your passport and digital copies on your phone and stored in your email. I created a pinned note on my phone with copies of all of my important documents like my passport and insurance cards.
- Less Luggage is Always More - I’m a carry-on traveler with a roller and backpack and rarely check a bag. Limiting luggage is also crucial for train travel. Less luggage means less to keep up with. Put a business card or something with your name, number, email and city (not full address!) in a zippered compartment in all of your luggage including backpacks. Have the same information in a covered bag tag or card holder on the outside of your luggage. That’s especially important if you must store your bags. I also travel with a packable black backpack I can use for hiking, as a beach bag, or for urban exploration. I make sure the zippers are hidden by my water bottle so someone can’t come up behind me and easily open the pack. It also gives me an extra bag in case I buy too many souvenirs and need a bag for the return trip home.
Happy (and safe) Solo Traveling!