Traveling Safely as a Black Woman

Travel, especially female solo travel, can be intimidating, but you don’t want to miss out on opportunities just because you don’t have someone to travel with. So, I have some tips that have kept me safe throughout my travels. 

Save emergency numbers. Remember that if you’re traveling outside your country, the emergency numbers are likely to be different from those at home. You might even think you would remember the number, but think of yourself in an emergency. Nerves might have you calling 911 in Europe, and that won’t help the situation. I save local emergency response, the American embassy or consulate, and health insurance or travel insurance. If something happens, you don’t want to have to go searching online or through your email to find these numbers. Save them before you arrive. Think of it as insurance that nothing will happen because you’re prepared. 

Plan how you will travel from your arrival destination to your accommodation. You should know how far your stay is away from where you arrive and how you will get between the two. If you plan to use public transportation, check the process of taking it before you arrive. I also always have a backup option for getting around. In most places I visited in Europe, Uber was a quick and affordable means of transportation, but every country is different. For example, when I was staying in Mexico, Didi was a cheaper option than Uber. Do your research. 

Bring a portable charger. This was an absolute lifesaver for me. I can’t count the number of times I found myself away from my hotel having an amazing time, but not having a clue how to get back to my accommodation and if not for a portable charger, I would have had to book it back with the last of my battery used on maps to charge my phone for an hour. A portable charger is also great when you’re in an airport and somehow none of the outlets work. Trust me, I’ve been there. 

Book a free walking tour. Every city I visited had free walking tours. These are free tours, but it’s recommended you tip after. People usually tipped around 10 euros. These tours are great for getting your bearings in a new place. They’re typically around an hour to 2 hours long, and different themes depend on what you're interested in. I took general tours and art tours in my first few hours in new cities, and it helped me situate myself as well as hear advice and tips from someone who usually had been living in the city for at least a few years. My walking tour in Nice showed us the market and allowed us 20 minutes to shop and look around before meeting back up. 

Stay in hostels. Before staying in hostels I would have thought this would be the opposite of a safety tip, but I now know that hostels can connect you with other travelers so you don’t have to do things alone or they can even host evens where you can stay up late and drink without worrying about how you’re getting back to your hostel, because you’re already there. Staying in hostels allowed me the security to branch out on my trips more than I would have staying in an Airbnb or hotel. 

Lastly, do your research! This is something that I recommend everyone do, but it has been extremely important for me as a black woman. What are the experiences of other people who look like you in the country or city? Are there things you can do to better secure your safety? Blogs and articles are great places! ;) I also look at social media platforms to see others' experiences. 

Stay safe and get your travel on!