5 Best Places For Black Female First Time Solo Travelers
So you want to get out, you have been waiting for your cousin to get their passport, you have been waiting for your bestie to get her bag up and at this point, time is going faster and faster and you don’t want to watch life pass you by.
No worries, you can still go. Alone.
You can pack a back, buy your tickets, catch an Uber to the airport and go anywhere in the world.
It can be intimidating, the idea of flying to a foreign land, where you don’t know the language, what food will you eat, how will you get around if you can’t read the signs?
I’m telling you, it’s easier than you think.
It’s fun.
It’s liberating.
In this blog post, I’m going to break down five destinations in the world I have actually been that I know would be great ice breakers for the novice traveler.
In all of these cities, I stayed in hostels. I prefer hostels when I travel, especially when I am traveling solo because I am never really alone. I can bunk in an all-female dorm, if I prefer, and I can make friends, book inexpensive, or even FREE tours.
I go more into detail about hostel stays here . If anything you should check that out first. Just to get a feel for that hostel life.
1) London-Museums galore
London is a major transport hub and a huge international city, everyone is here, and while the English language is our common ground you will learn quickly that, if you are from the states, we are not the same.
That’s why its number one on this list
I ended up here for the first time on my way to South Africa. I stayed for a few days and can’t wait to go back.
London is huge, it’s bustling, and there is so much to do.
I didn’t have a problem navigating the Tube(the underground), but I ended up spending the majority of my time walking around the city. I walked across London Bridge, around to the London eye.
Hopped back over the Thames to see Westminister Abbey an amazing gothic church where all the coronations amongst other ceremonies are held, snapped pics in front of Big Ben, wandered up busy streets, in and out of a few amazing parks until I found myself at Buckingham Palace gates.
pic here
That was just day one!
There are parks, museums, and pubs at every turn. I was there for three days and I wasn’t expecting to enjoy it half as much as I did.
I suggest 4 full days if you plan on going for a quick getaway. It is a expensive city, but there are plenty of ways to save a few quid here and there.
2)Berlin-Big City, much history
I feel like Berlin is so slept on. It’s a hustling bustling European city with all the foods, all the alcohol, all the history, super safe, and cheap cheap cheap.
I love Berlin. I can’t wait to stop over in Germany again to steal a few days getting lost in the currywurst and wine. I will say from my chest that being there was the safest I have ever felt in any city.
Between the free walking tours, the cheap museums jam-packed with history and the fact that you can return your empty bottle water to a recycling machine and get store credit to buy your groceries for the next few days, what isn’t there to love?!
It’s hot here during the summer, and air-con isn’t but it’s so cool in the evenings. With an amazing nightlife, all you need is a good hostel where you can meet some new friends and head out for a wild night.
be sure to visit the East Side Gallery to see the remanents of the Berlin Wall and all of the different murals that have been painted directly on it.
If you are wondering about the budget, you can easily live off of $60 a day in Berlin including accommodation.
3) Vancouver-For nature lovers
Vancouver is an easy go for the female solo traveler, the hostels are affordable and clean, everyone is friendly, there is a vast array of international cuisine and nature is all around.
While the weather can be overcast and damp and chilly here, so plan accordingly for your hair. I just let it be curly and do its own thing because I couldn’t be bothered. I am glad I did it drizzled on and off the entire time.
Nature is a huge theme here and its relatively close to the states if you are nervous about hopping overseas for your first solo trip.
I highly recommend going to Capilano Suspension Bridge Park as well as a whale watching tour. I talk about both in detail here.
Vancouver isn’t cheap, but it didn’t break my bank either. I was actively doing something all day each of the three days I was there and didn’t come close to my $300 spending limit.
I also kept to myself on this trip, I didn’t really get to know anyone in my hostel and had a blast just going out and doing whatever I wanted. Never felt unsafe, Just enjoyed my solitude and nature.
F.Y.I. This was the first time in my life I saw a bald eagle(ended up seeing six by the end of my stay), just flying around in the sky free as could be.
4) San Fran-June or July
My second favorite city in the USA.
San Francisco.
There is so much to get into in this city its almost difficult to know where to start.
Booking a good hostel near city center is a must. There are walking tours available through accommodation as well as online, but I highly recommend a bike riding tour. I joined on that rode through DT San Fran and over the Golden Gate Bridge to quaint Bay side town of Sausalito where a friend and I found lunch and caught the ferry past Alcatraz back.
Find your way to the Haight, where all the hippies used to hang out back in the day. eat some lunch and do some shopping at some of the local businesses.
Want to spend a day driving up the California coast? Rent a car here for the low and get lost on the winding roads on the cliffy highway, maybe even find your way to Muir Woods to see the beautiful redwood trees.
This city is not to be missed by any means. I love the vibe and although I wouldn’t recommend walking around by yourself in the middle of the night, I definitely feel that it is more than safe for a first time female solo traveler like yourself.
5) Singapore- A bustling Asian city, but not too overwhelming.
Last but not least. Singapore is a clean safe city. It’s in Asia so it is super different than anything a first-timer would have experienced before.
There are so many different types of foods here, so head down to the closest hawker stalls and grab yourself as many dishes as you can handle from the super clean eatery.
I think I ate more here in my two-day stay than anywhere in the entire world combined.
Visit the Gardens by the Bay, it’s a botanical garden in the center of the city and in the evening be sure to catch the free light show and watch it illuminate the park.
What Do You Think?
Have you been bitten by the travel bug? Is there any place you want to escape to? Leave a comment below! Follow Go Black Girl! on Instagram and sound off in the comments.
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