I’m going to start by being really honest with y’all: being a woman is hard. We typically work more than men, get paid less, and take on more responsibilities. In my mind, these things all mean that as women, we deserve a whole bunch of self-care. As a solo travel expert, let me tell you why a solo road trip is self-care.
I’ve taken TONS of solo trips and could talk forever about how much fun I’ve had. If you want to check out a few of my favorite experiences, take a look at:
– My breakdown of the financial aspect of spending 6 weeks on the road
– Watch the video of my week-long drive through the Balkans
– Read about how I make friends while traveling solo
I want to be clear: I LOVE being a woman. I also LOVE traveling solo. AND I know that taking a solo road trip as a woman can be especially daunting.
Self-care isn’t about chocolate and baths – at least not always. Self-care is about the result of what you do. Want to feel more relaxed? a bath might be a great idea. Want to be more independent and confident? Traveling solo might be your jam.
So let me tell you why I think solo road trips are the best form of self care:
Solo Road Trips are Meditative
I have traveled to several countries solo but didn’t take my first solo road trip until last year. Before that, I’d have claimed that I ‘hated driving’ or that it was boring. I even planned my road trip so that my dad would do the last 10 hours of driving with me.
When I set off from Dallas to Amarillo, I made a point to have several audiobooks downloaded, planned to call a few friends to catch up, and brought plenty of snacks. Then, a weird thing happened.
I was enjoying my audiobook, and lost service somewhere in West Texas. I stopped to see a ghost town attraction and took a few selfies with my tripod (classic solo traveler move). Before I knew it, I was in Amarillo. What I thought would be the longest six hours of my life FLEW by.
The next day, I drove to Denver. I made a couple of fun stops on the way, but found that I really enjoyed the solitude. Not only was I proud of how long I’d spent on my own, but I also learned things on my audio books and found that the open road gave me space to think.
And so it went. On that trip, I camped solo for my first time, went hiking for several hours without seeing another soul, attended conferences on my own, and more. My longest driving day was 12 hours from Billings to Minneapolis. The shortest was three hours from Denver to Cheyenne.
All in all, those long driving days became something I looked forward to. I could absorb what I’d learned and felt confident about where I was going.
Solo Road Trips Teach You To Be Resilient
Ok confession: I went 3-4 days without showering on that big road trip last summer.
Why? Because I was camping and the campground’s plumbing was off for the season. Gross? Maybe. Worth it? Definitely. Did it reinforce why I always travel with baby wipes? 100%.
Solo traveling and solo road trips teach you how to pivot when needed, and to employ problem-solving skills. In many cases, it also teaches you to be resilient.
You run out of water and find ways to get it. You get lost while hiking and find a new trail. Solo experiences, especially the mishaps, are empowering. They cause you to be strong, self-reliant, and resilient as a result.
And let me tell ya – once I finally showered, I was ready to take on the world!
Solo Road Trips Are the Ultimate Form of Independence
Oh, man. Just imagine – nobody messing with the Aux cord. Nobody saying when they want to stop. Nobody complaining about the AC, or how the open window hurts their ears.
Solo road trips mean doing what you want, when you want. You get to make all the decisions.
If it starts raining and you want to quit and go find a hotel, then you get to do that. If you don’t want to stay in a hotel and camp instead, then you get to do that, too.
On a solo trip, you have the freedom to explore. You can hike, bike, and chase waterfalls to your heart’s content. Nobody will get on you for sleeping in, and you can interact with strangers at your will. You can stop every five minutes or not at all. You can eat and sleep wherever you’re comfortable, and you get to own the decision whether it goes right or wrong.
Solo Road Trips Will Boost Your Self Esteem
There’s no better way to boost your self confidence and self esteem than to realize that you’ve navigated something challenging all on your own. In this case, it’s driving to a random place and figuring everything out.
We have cell phones, data plans, and the power of simply asking others to help us figure things out, but even so – if you can rock it without someone constantly by your side, you’ll feel so powerful.
Here’s an example: Last summer, I was on a solo road trip from Texas to Florida and back. One of my final stops was in Jefferson, Texas. I went for a run, but was feeling burnt out on having my phone on me, so I went without it.
This is the part where I tell you I’m not all that great with directions. I noticed that the city was divided into two grid patterns. I figured I’d head up the hill in one direction, go over a block, and head back in the opposite direction. Who knows how I did it, but I got SO turned around.
I realized I had two options: run and walk aimlessly, or find someone to ask for directions.
Fortunately, I was running in the opposite direction of a couple taking an evening walk. I asked them for the direction toward downtown, they pointed it out to me, and I was on my way. Once there, I figured out how to get to my B&B. Not so bad.
The point is – I was super proud. I asked for help. By relying on the kindness of strangers, I was able to find new strength in myself (and it’s always good to keep faith in humanity, too!).
A Solo Road Trip is Self-Care in Its Purist Form
So, there you have it, folks. Solo road trips really are a great form of self-care.
Self-care gets a reputation for being all bath bombs and gossip sessions. However, the end goal is what we use self-care for. Self-care isn’t bath bombs, it’s the relaxation we feel as a result. In that same vein, we don’t solo travel because we love the open road, we love the freedom it gives us.