Solo Female Travel: Road Trip Tips
“#SoloFemaleRoadTrip” is an easy-to-follow hashtag on Instagram filled with beautifully curated shots edited in Lightroom to highlight the sunset and its surrounding glow, directing you to an inspirational caption found below the content.
This is not me ragging on the content that fits that mold, because my content fits that mold. This is me highlighting the reality of living on the road for any duration of time, the challenges that come with it and the necessary precautions to take when traveling solo as a woman.
YEARNING FOR INDEPENDENCE
In the fall of 2022, I was on a trip with my family in Italy, absolutely loving it but oddly yearning for some solo exploration. I was having a once-in-a-lifetime travel experience, but everything in me just wanted to be home, to pack up the car, load up my dog Fern and take off across the U.S. for a little while.
When I got back from Italy, I just assumed it was the post-travel blues pushing me to look up road-trip routes from my home state of Maine to Colorado, Utah, Wyoming and back, but I guess my heart knew I needed this trip more than my brain did. A few days shy of November, I had secured a variety of places to crash, a strategy for fitting my almost-six-foot-frame and my dog in my hatchback and travel plans to reach my favorite states — Colorado and Utah.
As November and December dragged on and people asked what my plans were for 2023, I was met with a record-breaking amount of doubt from others that I would be safe traveling across the U.S., just me and Fern, for a whole month. Maybe it’s my stubborn nature mixed with my need to prove others wrong, or it was just pure drive to make this trip happen, but I didn’t let judgements cloud my hopeful skies.
Doing things “alone” is not something I am unfamiliar with. I find a lot of joy being the life of my own party, following my own path, curating and executing my ideal itinerary. The comments questioning my safety weren’t getting to me but were a solid reminder that I did need to prepare myself for what could happen.
This road trip was a formative period for me as an adult. A time where independence, confidence and resourcefulness were flexed. There were flat tires, transmission issues, white-out snow storms and fender benders, but greeting every challenge as a lesson truly made it easier to keep moving.
TIPS FOR STAYING SAFE WHILE ROAD-TRIPPING SOLO
Be Aware of Your Surroundings
Every gas station, rest stop, restaurant or campsite I pulled into I made sure to be alert. When first arriving at my campsite in the Palo Duro Canyon in Texas, I took mental notes of all the other campers around me. Bathrooms and showers to my left, two women setting up for a birthday party across the way, a couple with a child and two dogs diagonally to the right. I do this with every place I am.
Bringing a Lookout
Having my dog Fern with me was crucial in awareness of my surroundings and feeling safe. She is a great lookout and often sees and hears things far before I do. Having a dog with you is a natural deterrent. I have no problem telling people she isn’t friendly or will bite if approached to create space when needed. Fern wouldn’t hurt a fly but plays a good bluff when the time is right.
Where to Sleep?
I was fortunate enough to spend half the trip staying with friends and family and the other half car camping. On long driving days, I often chose Bass Pro Shops or Cabela’s for an overnight stay off the highway. Most locations allow overnight parking and permit dogs inside the store. I always felt safer at these locations rather than Walmart, as they were well lit, well taken care of lots and often had other RVs parking overnight. Some locations even have water, trash and dump stations. I aimed to get to the store a half hour before closing, allowing me time to convert my car to sleep mode and take a walk around the store with Fern. It’s never a bad idea to let the store employees know you will be staying in the back lot, if permitted.
There were a few occasions where my favorite options weren’t available. One night, I chose to sleep at a Walmart parking lot; the sleeping was minimal, but I felt safe overall. On my only night in Wyoming, I did stay in a hotel. The original plan was to find public land to camp on, but after reading some concerning reviews on the iOverlander app about long-term residents in these areas, I felt the $150 hotel room was worth it. Always have the money to stay at a hotel if you need to!
Where to Shower?
As I mentioned before, I was lucky enough to have friends who allowed me to stay with them for a few days at a time, but there were some periods that I turned to Planet Fitness for a shower. With a super low monthly fee and locations all across the U.S., Planet Fitness is a great option.
Trust Your Gut
Our mind-body connection is much stronger than we think. When you feel any hesitation, pit in your stomach or bad energy — trust it. There is no one else to bounce the plan off of other than you. The practice of trusting yourself in your day-to-day will naturally make you more comfortable the next time you have to rely on your own intuition.
Being familiar with self-defense practices is always a good idea, and if you feel it is necessary, being comfortable with legal methods of protection or having a canine trained in personal protection are all viable options if handled appropriately.
Originally published in the Summer 2023 issue of Spoke+Blossom.