My whole blog has been created to promote solo female travel, especially among women of color. Solo Black female travel is an important part of the travel demographic that needs more visibility and I want to provide a bit of that. In this post I want to cover a couple of things. I mostly want to talk about how I got into solo Black female travel, how I make it happen, places that are great for solo travel, and a few tips for women who want to make their own trips.
Let me know what you think in the comments below!
Where My Journey Started
I believe in being honest. My first real trip was as result of pretty bad depression that happened my last year of grad school. I used part of my loan money to drive from North Carolina to the Grand Canyon, which is located in Arizona. I really just needed a break and couldn’t stand to be in my town or really in that state for another day. So I left.
I took 17 days in the month of December and went on a road trip. It was the first time that I was able to even cross the Mississippi River. There is a lot that I learned in that first big trip. I learn a lot from every trip but that first trip showed me how big the world was. It showed me how kind people can be and exposed me to how many opportunities there are to take advantage of.
Traveling Black Internationally
I decided to take my first international trip in 2018. That January I went to Europe for 17 days. I went to Greece, Italy, and Bulgaria. Going abroad, by myself, is one of my greatest showings of strength that I have ever produced. I literally backed a carry-on suitcase and got on a plane for an international adventure.
There are so many things that you can learn from traveling internationally:
- You will gain a wonderful appreciation for the ability to speak English. It is literally spoke almost anywhere and because of that, you can always find help. Whether you are taking the bus, train, or plain, you can find directions in English and get where you need to go.
- The world is not as scary as you think it is going to be. All of the places that I have gone have been safe. I never had felt like I was in danger of being attacked, I haven’t really experience racism that I was concerned about, and it is more affordable than I imagined.
- The world is filled with countries, outside of the Caribbean and Africa, that are safe for Black travelers. Even places were there is a non existent Black population, they are kind and willing to help foreigners regardless of skin color.
How do I make Solo Black Female Travel Happen
The first thing to realize is that travel doesn’t have to be super expensive. A lot of it comes down to learning where to cut your budget and also where you need to spend extra money. There are certain areas where you can almost always save some money. This includes food, lodging, flights, and gifts.
The areas that I always suggest you spend extra money in is trains (especially in europe) and safety. If you are wondering how you save in these categories I can break it down. With lodging you can always try to save money by staying in an airbnb or a hostel instead of staying in a hotel. This can save you hundreds over the course of a whole trip.
If you can stay in a place that has a kitchen you can save on food as you can always make a couple of meals yourself. You can skips the alcohol which can get pricey and add up to big bucks by the end of the trip. It helps if you pick restaurants that are off of the main streets and out of the tourist areas as the prices will be cheaper.
For flights, I actually have a whole post about websites that will save you money and then another on tips to get cheaper flights. This way you can find ways to cut on those ticket prices and put more money in your pocket. I think the best bet on saving money on gifts is not to buy them. They are a luxury and you don’t actually need them.
Where Do I Get the Time From?
I work a full time job, and so do a lot of other women. In addition, I happen to have a job where I get 8 hours of vacation and 8 hours of sick leave every month which gives me 24 days that I can take off. I also get the federal holidays off and if I end up having to work then I get the option of having those 8 hours as comp time that I can use within a year.
There are ways to be strategic. Have you thought of traveling in the middle of the week? If you take off a wednesday-friday and add the weekend that is 5 days of vacation. You only have to take off 3 days. If you get a late flight or leave late and work a full day then that is 5 days off and you only have to take 2 days off. If you have a three-day weekend for a holiday then you can attack that to a weekend. This a great opportunity for a 3 day weekend getaway.
Places That Are Great for Solo Black Female Travel
What are you hoping to get out of your solo travel? Are you looking for adventure? Do you want something that is relaxing? Are you a history buff who wants to explore the past. Does the journey, as opposed to the destination, thrill you most about travel?
These are all important questions that you need to answer. If nothing else, solo travel is a time for you to be selfish. This way you can make sure that you are doing whatever will make you feel best.
- If you are looking for adventure, you can check out this post right here. Adventure comes in a lot of different shapes. You can try the more action packed adventure like rafting, cliff jumping, or skydiving. You can also try the more tame adventure like road tripping.
- If you are trying to relax then you can always hit the beach. Spain and Portugal are two female friendly countries with great beaches. I have found the mountains of Colorado and Vermont to be just as relaxing as an beach could be.
- You always have your Caribbean and African countries. This is a great way to get connected to your roots. It can also be comforting to be surrounded by other people who also look like you. It can be unsettling to always be sticking out.
- My last suggestion is to try a cruise. The benefits of a cruise include scheduled activities, other cruisers who you can do activities with, and cheaper costs. You can also see several countries in a short span of time.
Tips for Women Who Want to Plan Their Own Trip
When you are planing your own trip there are a few things that you want to keep in mind.
- What is the budget that you are working with?
- Will this trip be something long or something short?
- Are you going international or staying domestic?
- What is your mode of transportation?
- Are you eating out for most of your meals or are you willing to cook a bit?
- Can you make it in a carry-on or will you need to check luggage?
- Who is your check in buddy so you can have an extra layer of safety?
- Do you have travel insurance for possible cancellation or medical issues.
- Are you willing to stay in a hostel or Airbnb to save money?
There you have it! Let me know about your trips in the comments.