Solo Travel for Women Over 40: How to Start When You’ve Never Traveled Alone
If you’ve been thinking about taking a trip alone but something keeps stopping you, this post is for you.
I hear from women all the time who say, ‘I would love to do that, but…’ and I want to tell you what I tell all of them: you are more ready than you think.
Solo travel over 40 isn’t about being fearless. It’s about going anyway, and I’m going to show you exactly how to do that, one step at a time.
Why More Women Over 40 Are Finally Traveling Alone
More women over 40 are choosing solo travel than ever before. For some, it begins after a divorce, career burnout, or becoming an empty nester.
Others simply realize they are tired of waiting for the “perfect time” or the “right travel partner.”
Many women reach this stage of life with more self-awareness, more financial stability, and a stronger desire to prioritize experiences that feel meaningful.
Solo travel becomes less about escape and more about rediscovering themselves.
Having More Time and Fewer Obligations
For many women over 40, life begins to open up in ways that make solo travel feel more possible than ever before. Kids are growing up and needing you less. Work schedules may offer more flexibility. And for the first time in a long time, there may be enough financial stability and enough breathing room to consider doing something just for you.
Some women discover they’ve been running on everyone else’s schedule for so long that they’ve lost track of what they actually want. Solo travel becomes the answer to a question they didn’t even know they were asking: Who am I when no one needs anything from me?
If you’ve been waiting for life to slow down before you take that trip, this is your sign that it won’t. The window is right now.
When a Partner Isn’t Interested or Available
Not every woman traveling solo is doing it by choice, at least not at first.
Some have partners who simply aren’t interested in travel, or whose idea of a vacation looks nothing like theirs. Others are navigating life after divorce or the loss of a spouse, suddenly facing a calendar full of free time with no one to fill it alongside them.
Whatever your situation, the result is often the same: a trip that never gets planned because it feels wrong to go without someone. But here’s what I want you to hear: your desire to see the world doesn’t need a travel partner. You are allowed to go anyway.
Having the Means but Still Hesitating
This one is quiet, and it’s sneaky. You have the money. You have the time. And yet the trip stays on the vision board.
For many women, the hesitation isn’t really about logistics; it’s about worthiness. Spending that kind of money on yourself, just yourself, can feel indulgent or even selfish. There’s a voice that asks: Shouldn’t that go toward something more practical? What will people think?
But guilt is not a good travel planner. The women I talk to who finally book that trip almost always say the same thing: I wish I had done this sooner. You have earned this. The question is whether you’re going to let yourself have it.
Realizing You Don’t Want to Keep Waiting
You may find a day when you realize that time is moving way too fast. The goals you had, or destinations you had hoped to explore, are still on your dream list.
Maybe you’ve been trying for years to find someone whose schedule lines up, whose budget matches, whose idea of a good trip isn’t completely different from yours. Maybe you’ve had trips fall through so many times that you’ve stopped suggesting them altogether. And somewhere underneath the patience, a low hum of resentment has started to build, not toward any one person, but toward time itself.
That feeling is information. It’s telling you something important: this matters to you, and it’s time to stop waiting for permission.
The Fears That Almost Stopped Me
I had done many smaller day trips and overnighters, and a few long weekends. These were mostly road trips except if I went for a conference. Driving my kids to out-of-state colleges was another way for me to build the travel muscle, having that time after I dropped them off, or on the way to pick them up, to have some solo travel time.
Fear of Safety
For me, the fear of not being safe was never dramatic or specific; it was more of a quiet background hum. What if something happens and there’s no one there to help? I knew I had AAA. I knew I was a capable adult who had handled hard things before. But that low-level worry has a way of sitting in the passenger seat whether you invite it or not.
What I’ve learned is that this fear doesn’t go away by thinking your way through it. It goes away by going. The more trips I took, the quieter that voice got.
Fear of Loneliness
I won’t pretend every moment of solo travel feels empowering. There are times, like trying to get a good photo at Disney World with no one to hand your phone to, or sitting down at a restaurant as a party of 1, where the aloneness is just there.
But here’s what I’ve also learned: most people are kind. Most people want to help, and fellow tourists will almost always offer to take your photo. A good server doesn’t care if you’re eating alone. The awkwardness lives mostly in our own heads, and the more you travel solo, the quieter it gets.
Fear of Looking Foolish
This one is sneaky because it’s really about what other people think, and spoiler: they’re mostly not thinking about you at all. Everyone at that tourist spot is focused on their own experience. The woman eating alone at the restaurant isn’t a sad sight; she’s someone who decided to show up for herself.
The more I traveled solo, the more I stopped reading into glances or imagining judgments that probably weren’t there. You get better at this. I promise.
What I Did Anyway
I went even when it felt uncertain, even when I was the only one at the table. Even when I wished someone were there to share the moment with.
What I’ve realized is that I’m willing to feel a little uncomfortable if it means I get to take trips I might never take otherwise. The alternative, waiting for the perfect circumstances, the right travel partner, the moment when it all feels easy, means not going at all. And that feels far worse than any awkward moment at a restaurant.
Solo travel hasn’t always been seamless for me. But it has always been worth it. And every trip I take makes the next one feel a little more natural, a little more like exactly where I’m supposed to be.
If you’re willing to feel a little uncomfortable, too, you’re already ready.
How to Start Small
If the idea of a full solo trip feels like too big a leap right now, good news, you don’t have to start there.
Solo travel confidence is something you build gradually. One small ‘yes’ at a time. These three starting points are exactly how I built mine, and they’re a lot more fun than they sound.
Day Trips Alone
One of the easiest ways to build your solo travel confidence is closer to home than you think. Take a day trip, somewhere you can drive to and back in a day, which gives you all the practice of solo travel without the commitment of an overnight stay.
I’ve spent solo days wandering downtown Denver with my camera, grabbing a bite, and setting up my laptop at a coffee shop for a few hours. I’ve done day trips to Estes Park, Boulder, Colorado Springs, Manitou Springs, and Fort Collins, places I planned as mini-vacations, with a loose itinerary and no one else’s preferences to consider.
One of my favorite low-key versions of this is using memberships. I have memberships to the zoo, the botanical gardens, and the art museum. I’ll pick one, make a full day of it, grab lunch nearby, and come home feeling like I actually went somewhere. Even an afternoon at the movies alone counts. The point is to get comfortable being out in the world by yourself, have fun, and discover that it feels pretty good.
Dining Alone Practice
Dining alone is the one activity that stops most women before they even start. The idea of sitting alone in a restaurant feels exposed in a way that’s hard to explain, like everyone is looking at you, wondering why you’re by yourself.
When I dine alone, I bring my backpack, my earbuds, my phone, and sometimes my journal. If it’s a casual place, I might open my laptop. I give myself something to do with my attention, and soon I will completely forget to feel awkward. I just enjoy my time alone!
A few things that may help when dining alone include sitting at the bar if there is one; it’s more social, and the service is usually better. Choose a restaurant where you genuinely want the food, not just the one that feels least intimidating. And remember, the other diners are focused entirely on their own meals and conversations. You are not the main character in their evening.
One Night Hotel Stay
When you’re ready to add an overnight, be intentional about where you stay. Choosing your accommodations is not the place to go cheap or to push yourself into an unfamiliar area just to save money. Your comfort and your sense of safety matter, and they directly affect how much you enjoy the trip.
I tend to book hotel brands I know and trust, so I have a baseline of what to expect. But one of my favorite solo overnight experiences has been a B&B; the food is wonderful, the hosts are genuinely warm, and there’s something about that environment that feels naturally welcoming to a solo traveler. I’d love to do more of them.
Pick a destination within easy driving distance. Plan one or two things to look forward to. Permit yourself to eat in bed, sleep diagonally across the bed, and wake up with absolutely no one else’s schedule to consider. That right there is the beginning of everything.
Planning Your First Solo Trip
Getting to the planning stage is its own kind of milestone; it means you’ve moved from “someday” to “actually doing this.” The good news is that planning a solo trip isn’t that different from planning any other trip. The main difference is that every decision is yours and is one of the best parts. Here’s where to start.
Choosing the Right Destination
Start with somewhere you’ve always wanted to explore. A place that’s been on your list but never quite made it to the calendar because you were waiting for the right person to go with. That place is your starting point.
For your first solo trip, lean toward destinations that are known to be safe and welcoming for women traveling alone. There are many, and a lot of them are right here in the US. If getting on a plane feels like too much for a first trip, don’t. A road trip to a new city or region gives you all the experience of solo travel with the comfort of your own car and the flexibility to go at your own pace.
The goal isn’t the most impressive destination. It’s the one that excites you enough, actually, to book it.
Booking Solo-Friendly Accommodations
Where you stay sets the tone for your whole trip, so don’t cut corners here. Picking the right accommodations for you is worth doing right.
In a larger city, I look for accommodations that are centrally located, close to the things I’ve planned, so I’m not navigating unfamiliar areas alone at night. In a smaller town, I have more flexibility, but I still want somewhere that feels special, not just somewhere to sleep. Nice accommodations are part of what makes a solo trip feel like a real treat rather than just getting through it alone.
Read the reviews for where you want to stay carefully. Not just the star rating, but what people actually say about the neighborhood, the staff, and how safe they felt. B&Bs are worth considering, too. The hosts tend to be warm and attentive, the food is usually wonderful, and the environment feels naturally welcoming to solo travelers.
One more thing: I mostly don’t explore on foot at night when I’m traveling solo. Plan your evenings with that in mind, and you’ll feel much more at ease.
Packing for One
For over a year now, I’ve been traveling with only a carry-on. Not having to wait at baggage claim, not paying checked-bag fees, and not lugging a large suitcase through a hotel lobby by yourself all add up to a smoother, more independent experience.
For road trips, I’ll usually bring a regular suitcase, unless it’s a quick trip. However, if I’m making multiple stops, I keep it to a carry-on, so I’m not wrestling a big bag in and out of the car at every hotel. The lighter you travel, the more freedom you have, and freedom is kind of the whole point.
Learning to pack a carry-on well is its own skill, and one I’ll go much deeper on in my carry-on packing guide.
Building Confidence Through Experience
Solo travel confidence isn’t something you wake up with one day; it’s something you build one trip at a time. Every day trip, every solo dinner, every overnight stay adds another layer of proof that you can do this. And the more you go, the more the fear shrinks, and the excitement takes over.
That said, having support along the way makes a real difference. Working with a solo travel coach means you don’t have to figure it all out alone. Whether you’re still on the fence about your first trip, working through concerns before you go, or want to debrief and plan your next adventure after you’re back, that’s exactly what I’m here for.
If you’re ready to stop waiting and start planning, I’d love to help.
Resources and Next Steps
You don’t have to figure this out all at once. Here are a few ways to take your next step:
Grab the Solo Travel Starter Kit — my free guide to help you plan your first solo trip with confidence. Find it HERE
Book a coaching call — if you’re ready for personalized support, let’s talk. FREE chat HERE
Browse the blog — I have posts and podcast episodes covering everything from packing to destinations to building the confidence to actually go. You’re in the right place.
FAQs
These are the questions I hear most from women who are ready to take their first solo trip, and each one has a fuller answer in the links below.
Is it safe to travel alone as a woman in the US?
Yes, with the right preparation and destination choices, solo travel in the US is very doable for women. I always research the area in advance, book accommodations in safe neighborhoods, and trust my instincts.
What do I do if something goes wrong on a solo trip?
The key is preparing before you go, having AAA, travel insurance, a charged phone, and a loose plan for common scenarios goes a long way toward peace of mind. Most things that go “wrong“ are minor inconveniences that you are completely capable of handling.
How do I meet people when traveling alone?
Solo travel doesn’t have to mean isolated travel. Staying at a B&B, booking a group tour or class, or simply being open to conversation with locals and fellow travelers can make your trip feel surprisingly connected.
How do I tell my family I want to travel alone?
This one comes up more than you’d think—the guilt, the pushback, the worry from people who love you. The short answer is that you don’t need permission, but having an honest conversation about your plans, safety measures, and any arrangements that need to be made while you are away can help ease everyone’s concerns, including your own.
Final Thoughts on Solo Travel for Women Over 40
You now have everything you need to start planning a solo trip that feels right for you. Plan it thoughtfully, share your itinerary with someone you trust, and then enjoy every moment of the adventure you’ve created for yourself.
Your first solo trip probably won’t be perfect, and that’s okay. What matters is that you stop waiting and take the first step. The confidence you gain from traveling alone will stay with you long after you return home.
