I get a lot of questions from girls wanting to get their feet wet with solo travel about where they should take their first solo trip. I’ve taken several solo trips in the past couple years, and I’ve definitely gotten a good feel for which destinations are perfect for solo travel and which are best shared with family or friends.
For first-timers, here are a few good rules of thumb. Pick a destination with a major airport, plenty of activities that can be enjoyed solo (like museum visits, hiking trails and beaches), and access to easy transportation. You can read my blog post with all my tips for solo female travel here!
1. Washington, D.C.
DC was my first ever solo trip—it truly opened my eyes to the magic of solo female travel. There are endless museums, picturesque neighborhoods and beautiful parks to be enjoyed in the city. Everywhere is so walkable, clean and filled with history. You can plan your Washington, D.C. trip with my DC travel guide and cherry blossom season guide.
2. NYC
What better place to visit on a solo trip than NYC? There’s an overwhelming amount of activities and places to explore in the Big Apple. Plan a trip to the Met, catch a Broadway show and take in breathtaking views in Brooklyn. The city is so easy to explore on foot and so many different neighborhoods lend themselves to solo travel.
3. Orlando
I honestly can’t recommend Orlando enough for solo travelers. Theme parks are some of the best destinations for solo trips! Walt Disney World and Universal Orlando have so many incredible parks to explore that you could honestly spend a week in Orlando and still have so much to see. One of my favorite things to do when I worked for Disney was taking solo trips to Epcot: there’s nothing quite like the feel of that park! You can read my resources to plan out your trip to Walt Disney World and Universal Orlando with my travel guides:
What to Do in Walt Disney World Based on Your Favorite Disney Movie | What to Wear to the Disney Parks | Magic Kingdom Photo Guide | Disney’s Animal Kingdom Photo Guide | Epcot International Flower & Garden Festival Guide | Wizarding World of Harry Potter Guide
4. San Francisco
San Fran is another incredible city for solo female travelers to visit. This is one of my favorite cities and there are so many beautiful sights here that you can easily explore on foot or via cable car. The Bay Area is also a great home base for a little road trip if you want to explore nearby Muir Woods, Carmel-by-the-Sea or Yosemite National Park.
5. Nashville
I recently took a solo trip to Nashville and 100% fell in love with this city. There are so many unique neighborhoods to explore, an incredible food + music scene, friendly locals and beautiful scenery. I also highly recommend visiting here if you love historical sites or pristine parks: Nashville has too many to name. Check out my Nashville Travel Guide for all of my Music City recs!
6. Orange County, California
If a relaxing beach vacation is more your scene, I can’t recommend The OC enough. There are countless beautiful beaches and dreamy seaside towns to choose from. There are also so many scenic hikes and trails to explore for a day in the California sun. If you want to add a little magic to your trip, Disneyland is just a short drive away! Orange County is one of my favorite places, and there is so much to see. All of my OC travel guides are linked below:
Laguna Beach Travel Guide | Huntington Beach Travel Guide | The Best Hike in The OC | Disneyland Photo Guide
7. Naples + Ft. Myers, Florida
Southwest Florida is definitely the most remote location on this list, but it’s one of my favorite places for a reason. Naples is the perfect sleepy beach town. I used to live there when I was younger and absolutely fell in love with it. There are so many perfect powdery beaches, luxury resorts, and divine shops and restaurants to enjoy.
8. Boston
Another great city filled with history and incredible eats, Boston should definitely be on your solo travel list. Try planning a solo trip for fall so you can explore the city + plan a New England fall foliage road trip. Salem would make the perfect October stop!
9. Atlanta
Atlanta has something for everyone—a great food scene, a stunning downtown and plenty of things to do. You could easily make a solo trip out of exploring Buckhead, visiting the Georgia Aquarium or attending Music Midtown in the fall. Atlanta also has one of the biggest airports in the country—super convenient and cheap to fly in direct!
10. Austin
Austin is my hometown, and has so many awesome places to explore for solo travelers. There are so many incredible restaurants, photo spots and hiking trails to discover. You can read up on my favorite Austin photo spots here.
I hope this post inspired you to take the plunge on booking your first solo trip. Have any questions about solo female travel? Ask away in the comments!
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