Even if you don’t buy into that whole “one is the loneliest number” thing, traveling alone does pose special challenges. Without a companion to share the experiences—and the expenses—some locales seem unsafe, while others simply seem too pricey. So it’s important to pick a doable destination. These ten are just right for single women.
1. Let Freedom Ring
One major advantage of vacationing solo is that you’re at liberty to do whatever you please, and what better place to embrace that fact than Boston? America’s “Cradle of Liberty” is compact, walkable, and crammed with enticing sites for every taste. So take a crash course in colonial history along the Freedom Trail, do some serious shopping, then fortify yourself with wicked good food at one of Beantown’s fabled gourmet restaurants.
2. Rock On
The ethereal buttes and mesas around Sedona, Arizona are a magnet for nature lovers and relatively easy access means you can tackle the trailheads alone. If that isn’t your cup of tea, you can always do it with like-minded ladies thanks to locally-based, women-only trip packagers like Adventurous Wench and Canyon Calling. Aside from taking care of all the pesky details, they provide convivial company and, in many cases, money-saving roommates.
3. Lift Your Spirits
While soulful trips are increasingly popular, not all are practical for solo women. So try substituting an arduous Santiago de Compostela-style pilgrimage with a stay at a spiritual retreat—like the Ben Lomond Quaker Center, two hours south of San Francisco. It sits on eighty forested acres and has private rooms costing $23–$48. Lodgings are modest. But if you value rest and renewal over resort-style amenities, the downtime can be divine.
4. Go Totally Tubular
It seems waves are always breaking off Vancouver Island’s scenic west coast, and the all-female staff at Surf Sister will teach you how to ride them. For $195, you can learn the basics of this traditionally male-dominated sport at a weekend clinic. Two-night women-only surf camps are also available. Priced from $450, they include tent accommodations, organic meals, plus daily yoga sessions to help limber up those tired muscles.
5. Bask on a Beach
Looking for sun and sand? Try Isla Vieques, eight miles off the main island of Puerto Rico. Since it is part of a U.S. protectorate, you won’t have to worry about a foreign language or a foreign currency. Moreover, its boutique accommodations are a welcome antidote to the Caribbean’s bland (and isolating) mega resorts. At the affordable Hacienda Tamarindo, for instance, you’ll be treated like a relative rather than just a room number.
6. Take a Peak
Even though much of Europe is obscenely expensive these days, Switzerland proves an exception to the rule—largely because its currency is the Swiss Franc, not the budget-busting Euro. Better yet, this alpine paradise is ideal for women traveling independently. For all its spectacular scenery, Switzerland is still small enough in size to be manageable and its famously efficient rail system makes it easy to get around on your own.
