JULIE STAFFORD
TIPS FOR THE SOLO WOMAN TRAVELER
tip #1
Whether you're jumping headfirst into solo travel or easing into it with a friend, a partner, or even your daughter by your side, there’s something sacred about carving out space for just you.
Not we. Not us. Just you—moving through the world on your own terms.
Let there be a moment when it’s you at a table for one, savoring every bite.
You, gently lost in a new place, trusting yourself to find the way.
You, listening to a language you don’t speak, but somehow still understanding.
Let sunrise eggs be your ritual.
Let wine at sunset be your reward.
Make a wish on a star. Gaze at the moon. Dance in the rain.
And let awe find you—in the smallest, simplest moments.
Solo travel isn’t about being alone.
It’s about discovering how whole you already are.
TIP 2.
Choose places that stir something in you.
You’ll know the feeling—it’s quiet but insistent. A photo in a travel magazine, a scene in a film, a story someone tells... and suddenly, your heart leans in.
Trust that pull.
Don’t chase deals or go where someone else says is “the best.” A cheap hotel or someone else’s favorite beach won't fill your soul if it’s not your place.
When a destination calls you, it comes bearing gifts: moments of clarity, the right people at the right time, stories you didn’t know you needed to live. That place becomes part of your journey—and your journey becomes part of it.
Let it find you.
Because when it does, it’s like going home to a version of yourself you’ve been waiting to meet.
tip #2
tip #3
TIP 3.
Travel isn’t about what you bring with you.
It’s about what you carry home in your heart.
Pack simply. A few well-loved pieces are more than enough—especially when your spirit is open, your smile is genuine, and your presence speaks louder than any outfit.
Trust this: you’ll look radiant in the same dress day after day if you’re living fully in the moment. That favorite shade of lipstick? It becomes your signature. Style is energy, not excess.
Slip in one pair of comfortable flats and a pair of heels that make you feel like the woman you are becoming. You won’t need more than that.
Leave space—in your suitcase and in your life—for what the journey will give you.
Because the most beautiful things you'll bring back aren’t things at all.
TIP 4.
The most beautiful parts of life live just beyond the edge of your comfort zone.
If you do what you've always done, you’ll feel what you’ve always felt. But what if there's more? What if the version of you you're meant to become is waiting on the other side of a new experience?
Take the detour. Start the conversation. Order the dish you can’t pronounce.
Say yes—even when your voice shakes a little.
You get out of life what you give to it. Give it your curiosity. Your courage. Your willingness to try.
And when fear whispers, remember Shirley Valentine.
"Wall, why do we have all this life if we don’t live it? Why do we have all these hopes and dreams if we don’t pursue them?"
This is your life. Go out and meet it—boldly.
tip #4
tip #5
TIP 5.
Leave your preconceptions at the door—and your judgments too. They’ll only blur the beauty of what’s right in front of you.
If you arrive expecting the world to look a certain way, you may miss how it truly is. But if you let go, even just a little, life will surprise you in the best ways. Travel becomes richer when you allow yourself to be changed by it.
Speak with strangers. Listen for the lessons tucked inside casual conversations.
The woman beside you on the bus. The old man offering directions. The child with curious eyes.
If you seek wisdom in unexpected places, it will find you in unexpected people.
Let the world teach you. Let it soften you. Let it expand the way you see.
Because the real journey doesn’t just move you across borders—it moves you inward, toward deeper understanding and greater connection.
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My solo travels ...
I’m deeply passionate about solo travel—not just for the places it takes me, but for what it reveals within me.
Every journey is more than a trip—it’s a quiet, powerful quest to meet myself more fully. Isn’t that the essence of life? To keep uncovering the deeper layers of who we are?
Even through the stillness of the COVID years, when our suitcases gathered dust and borders closed, that quiet fire—the soul of the nomad—never left me.
I’ve wandered through over 30 countries, and the sound of a suitcase zipping still makes my heart race. Every new stamp in my passport is more than proof I’ve been somewhere—it’s a reminder of who I’m becoming.
Travel has taught me that a handshake can bridge cultures, and laughter often speaks louder than words. The most unexpected conversations have introduced me to my global tribe—people who feel like home, even oceans away.
Solo travel is a fierce and faithful teacher. It’s taught me to observe more, judge less, wait patiently, and feel deeply grateful for the tiniest of moments.
And the journey’s not over.
The next path, the next lesson, the next version of me—it's all still waiting out there.
