Solo travel is incredibly exciting, but it can also be really daunting. It’s important to know where to start when planning for your first solo trip, as the reality of solo travel is often completely different from what people may imagine. Although I’m pretty new to solo travel myself, these five tips have allowed my travels to be a more empowering, wonderful experience:
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The most famous place to visit in California’s Sierra Nevada is undoubtedly Yosemite, but did you know there’s equally beautiful places to visit just on the other side of the range? Just over the mountain pass, you’ll find a world of steep peaks, ghost towns and jaw-dropping lakes to explore.
Monterey is a small city nestled into the coastline at the edge of central California, two hours south of San Francisco. It's been getting a lot of attention in recent years as the perfect beachside destination, and it definitely deserves the hype!
There’s so many things to do in this charming seaside town, from walking along Fisherman’s Wharf and Cannery Row, visiting the famous Monterey Bay Aquarium, popping down to Big Sur to admire the coastline, window shopping in Carmel, viewing the sights along 17 Mile Drive, or going out onto the bay. Whatever you end up doing, you’re practically guaranteed to fall in love with this place, just as I and so many other people have.
Miles on miles of coastline equals the perfect way to see some of the best views that California has to offer. From waterfalls and beaches to theme parks and giant trees, there’s something for absolutely everyone! Whether you stretch it out anywhere from a weekend to a few weeks, and head north to south or vice-versa, there’s no bad way to explore California’s coastline.
I’ve talked before about trips not going exactly as I hoped they would (and how, frankly, I don’t believe it’s possible for a trip to go exactly according to plan). We’ve all been there--you plan everything out perfectly, you know exactly what you’re going to do and where and when… and then you hit a road block. Or someone gets sick. Or any other number of things go wrong. And it sucks.
But you can make it back from this! Things not going according to plan is part of life, and we just have to roll with it. I’ve had something go wrong in literally every trip I’ve ever taken--from big to small. These are all of the things I’ve found that always help me bounce back from the missteps and put my trip back on the right track: having fun! "Good Bye, God; I'm going to Bodie."
The ghost town of Bodie’s unofficial slogan pretty much sums up what the town was like in its heyday: a boomtown “known as the most lawless, wild, and tough mining camp in the West.” Today, Bodie State Historic Park contains the few surviving buildings of this once-thriving town, preserved as they were left in a state of “arrested decay.”
Yosemite is one of California's most famous parks, and the sixth most popular national park in the United States. It’s also, you know, incredibly gorgeous. If you decide you want to visit Yosemite, there are a few things you should know, ranging from the practical stuff to the lowdown on all the best hikes and viewpoints:
The Crowley Lake Columns are a strange, otherworldly site in the thin strip of California east of the Sierra Mountain range. These pale, natural columns along the edge of Lake Crowley look almost like the remains of an ancient temple--not the results of a volcanic explosion (check out that link to learn more about how these columns were formed).
Uluru is one of the most spellbinding places in Australia. Also known as Ayers Rock, it’s located in the very heart of the desert, towering above its surroundings and drawing visitors in from all over the world.
Every year, thousands of people attempt the dangerous climb, contributing to erosion of the stone and pollution of local water resources. The rock itself is 95 stories tall--taller than the Eiffel Tower--and at least 35 people have died undertaking the steep, hot climb (Parks Australia). In addition, Aṉangu, the traditional owners of Uluru, have repeatedly asked visitors to respect their law and culture by not climbing the sacred site. Signs have been posted for years respectfully asking tourists not to climb, and now the Australian government, which jointly manages the site, is instituting a ban on climbing Uluru beginning October 26th of this year (New York Times). Nevertheless, the argument over whether or not people should be allowed to climb Uluru rages on. Over the course of my life, I’ve tried my hand at pretty much every type of travel there is, from luxury resorts with family, to city-hopping group tours, all the way to sleeping in the back of my car while solo traveling.
I also get really, really anxious. |
Hi, there! Call me Kris. I’m a world traveler, author and artist working to showcase the world's beauty and inspire you to find your confidence to see the world!
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