I went to Hawaii for a few days by myself just a month ago.  It was GORGEOUS.  Generally speaking I don't think any city that a woman cannot feel safe visiting alone is worth visiting at all regardless of sex and regardless of how many people go with you... but perhaps I only feel this way because I haven't travelled everywhere yet.  :) Traveling AloneThe good: you get to do what you want without having to compromise on the places you want to go the way you probably would if you were in a group;  You get to meet new people (and sometimes fellow solo travelers) The bad: There are moments when lonliness can creep in- Like if you go to certain beaches where everyone seems to be in a group but you;  There are certain things that you can't really get away with doing by yourself- (like parasailing in Hawaii is usually meant for two people.) the ugly:  Going to restaurants or a quick drink at the bar often attracts unwanted attention from men who assume any woman eating at the bar is looking for a one night stand;  Depending on where you're traveling to solo females can be seen as prey for sexual harrassment or even violent acts-  (but as a general rule I wouldn't want to give my hard earned money towards any part of the world where a large portion of it's inhabitants feel it's ok violate single women whether or not I'm traveling alone). I think the most important thing is to pick places where you're pretty confident you'll feel safe alone.  All countries no matter how good their reputation have their unsafe areas that the natives themselves steer clear from, but tourists find themselves in because they don't do their homework. - Do your research, ask women online who've been there before what their experience was.  Otherwise you won't get to enjoy it even if nothing bad happens because you'll be too worried & unsure the whole time.

I flew to Costa Rica for a spanish immersion class a couple of years ago.  I stayed with a family for 3 weeks.  It was a spur of the moment decision after a job change and well worth it.  The people were very nice and accommodating.  I learned that I understood more spanish than I thought. 

No all the ladies are single. I intended to say that they are single travelers. Married, single, divorced, whatever! All women are welcome.

Hi,
I've traveled alone, and it went pretty well.  One thing I learned is that it's harder in winter because it gets dark earlier.  I went to San Diego in February, which was a great break from the winter, but I was frustrated by the short daylight hours.  I recommend spending a little more on the hotel.  I didn't feel too safe where I started out, but it was easy to move to a nicer hotel.
 

I met THE nicest lady here on SJ! She took a road trip with me after I flew to St. Louis. It was great!

I've looked at joining some of the travel groups advertised on the web; however, they have a steep price attached to the trips they plan, plus most of the time they never go where I'm interested in going (beach cities and activities; London, Ireland and Scotland).  So I'm here hoping to make new friends and travel buddies.

I know it sounds ADVENTUROUS, but it really wasn't. I chose it because it was a situation that made me feel *safe*. I knew I didn't want a lot of unstructured time for my first trip out of the country alone. The trip consisted of 2 CC Africa camps and 1 camp in Chobe, run by another upscale camp company. I don't mind reading or eating alone (although I was adopted in every camp), but I didn't want to be wandering around relying on my own virtually non-existent foreign language skills. The camps had scheduled drive times and meal times. The only thing I had to do myself was wander across the street to the hotel for a night between flights.

In summary, my advice is define parameters that make you feel safe (an English speaking destination, a schedule, etc) and go for that first. Once you've done it once, you'll be empowered to stretch more the next time. I definitely think at least one trip alone for a woman is a must-do. It's very empowering. You will learn a lot about your own travel preferences. And, yes, I have taken subsequent trips alone.

But I have done it (once) to San Fran it was NICE. I am going to Puerto Rico in July so I dont mind going at it alone. I rather have some friends to kick it with but I am not letting that hold me back :).

Hi.  I've traveled all over the world (but there are MANY places I still want to visit or revisit).  I went with boyfriends, then I took my niece (she's only 3-1/2 yrs younger than I am), then I moved to London for six months and a bunch of my girlfriends came over for a free stay.  My niece is now married, and my friends have grand kids.  No one wants to go with me anymore.  I'm shy at first, but a lot of fun once I get to know people.  I've been looking into some trips, but the single supplement is just outrageous.  In some cases, it rivals the cost of the plane ticket.  Ridiculous.  So, I'm on here hoping to bond with someone who wants to travel, too.  I've traveled by myself, and don't really have too much trouble with it.  It's just not near as fun as it could be with a buddy.  I'm still working (53 yrs old), but have a lot of vacation time.  I want to go to Alaska, to New Zealand, to Portugal and Spain, back to Tuscany and Umbria, to Bavaria for Oktoberfest, back to the Highlands of Scotland and to Ireland, and on and on.  If you are not comfortable going out on your own in a place where you're not familiar with the language, I'd strongly suggest that you join a tour group.  Personally, I don't like them.  I'm the kind of person who always wants to go somewhere else or stay longer than a tour affords.  If you find a buddy, you might want to try some of the drive/B&B packages that CIE Tours or Go-Today offers.  I did one in Scotland, and my best travel buddy (who passed away 3 yrs ago) and I did one in Ireland.  So much nicer to stay in B&Bs where you get to know the people.  Much more warm and friendly than a hotel.  I've said WAY too much here.  Hope you have a wonderful time, whatever you decide.