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If you’ve never traveled alone, you don’t know what you’re missing. In case you haven’t noticed by now, solo travel is kinda my jam. It’s changed my life and I will forever advocate for it. Don’t get me wrong, I love traveling with people. Ladies, who knows that there’s nothing like a good girls trip, am I right? But there’s something about stepping out on your own that is empowering and exhilarating.
Traveling alone is the perfect opportunity to fill up on your “me” time and be the boss of your own trip. It’s also ideal for experiencing a slice of the world that you’ve never seen before or unearthing something new about yourself. I would encourage everyone to try it at least once.
However, just like traveling anywhere in the world, figuring out where to go can be difficult. If you’re American, it’s easy to immediately look internationally to get your travel fix, but sometimes we forget about our own backyards. And if you’re not from the US, just look at a map of the country and seeing all the choices can leave you frozen.
The United States is a huge country with so many bucket-list destinations. From Vegas to Miami and mountains to beaches, it has something for everyone. If you’re looking for some solo adventures in the United States, here are some of my favorite picks for the best places to solo travel USA.
Hey Lady! Looking for more info on solo traveling? Check out these posts:
- First Time Traveling Alone? A Guide to Taking Your First Solo Trip
- The Disadvantages of Traveling Alone and How to Combat Them
- The Best Cities for Solo Female Travel in Europe
San Francisco, California
Quirky, vibrant, and some of the best darn views in the United States, San Francisco is a great place for any female to solo travel USA baby! This kooky city is one of a kind and marches to the beat of its own drum. I always find it really difficult to explain what San Francisco is like. Every attempt always comes off as “you just gotta go there.” I don’t think I’ve ever met a person who didn’t like it.
Not only do people love it, but they also go hard for it. I mean, why do you think they’ve got all those dang songs about them. Let’s see, there’s Otis Redding’s “Sittin’ On the Dock of the Bay,” Arctic Monkey’s “Fake Tales of San Francisco,” oh and of course this famous little ditty from Scott McKenzie that’s stuck in my head as we speak. “If you’re going to San Francisco, be sure to wear some flowers in your hair!” I digress. The point is, people in this world, love them some San Francisco.
Sure San Francisco is one of the most expensive cities to live in the US, but there are always tons of free events in the summer like concerts and festivals. Plus, it may be pretty populated, but it’s only twice the size of Manhattan, which means uh, it’s pretty small. This also means that wandering through it solo isn’t actually that overwhelming. You can do all the touristy things like touring Alcatraz, walking across the epic Golden Gate Bridge, taking a selfie in front of The Painted Ladies, and gorging on little chocolates from heaven, aka Ghirardelli chocolates. Or you can chill out and treat yourself like a local.
Read more about San Francisco:
Treat Yourself in San Francisco: 4 Ways to Treat Yourself Solo in San Francisco
Nashville, Tennessee
No one ever believes me, but I’m a southern gal. I guess I get it, I don’t have a southern accent, I hate sweet tea, and I don’t care about SEC college football. But with all that said, I love a nice, sweet Southern city. And that’s exactly what Nashville is: A nice, sweet Southern city. The people are kind, the city is easy to get around, and it’s fun. Like really fun. Fun like you’ll feel 23 when you’re really 30 and wanna go to bed at 10 pm.
You’ve gonna come hungry and pack accordingly because the food in Nashville is deeeeelicious. From hot chicken to picture-perfect southern biscuits, you’ll want to squeeze it all in, trust me. Besides eating yourself into the perfect food coma, you can spend your days soaking up history at the Tennessee State Museum or walking the Civil Rights Tour and spend your nights dancing away at any number of music joints in the city.
York, Maine
York, Maine. A small, quaint city in the south of Maine about an hour’s drive from Boston and your new favorite town. It is a great choice for solo travel USA. Y’all, no exaggeration, but York looks like someone plucked it from a Netflix show and put a pristine bow on it. Y’know the kind of show I’m thinking of. One of those ridiculously addicting ones, where the main characters are pretty much the perfect American family that lives in the perfect American town before their perfect American life goes awry and secrets are unraveled. Yeah, that one. Well, York is one of those towns.
It’s like a movie set. And not only is it one of the oldest cities in the US, but it’s also one of the most flawless you may ever see. There’s a beautiful beach with a Fun-O-Rama to fill you with nostalgia, tons and tons of lobster rolls (hmm yum, lobster rolls), and the most charming lighthouse (The Cape Neddick Light). I’m from Atlanta, so yes, a lighthouse makes me gitty! It’s just the right size for a weekend getaway and there are lots of seasonal events to check out like Christmas in July and the Harvestfest which happens mid-October. And if you’re there anytime between April and October you may even spot a whale…a whole friggin’ whale! See, told ya? York is awesome!
Austin, Texas
Go ahead and start collecting boxes now cause after one visit to Austin, you’ll want to move there. Everyone wants to live in Austin. According to the 2018 Census, Austin was one of the fastest-growing metro cities in the United States. And it just keeps booming.
I can see the appeal. Austin is mesmerizing. And this is exactly why I love it for solo travel USA. It’s as charming as a small town but as adventurous as a major metropolitan city. One thing you’ll want to make sure you pack is your elastic waistband pants cause lemme tell you: The food is off the charts. I would go there just to eat if I could. They have some of THE BEST barbecue in the country and you’ve really never had a proper food truck experience until you’ve been to Austin.
The people are so effortlessly cool and love to let their freak flags fly. The entertainment is also world-class. If you’re a music fan, you’re in luck. Austin has the largest number of music venues per capita, not to mention the endless music festivals like the popular SXSW. So in summary, Austin has it all.
New York, New York
The city that never sleeps. The Big Apple. The city so nice, they named it twice. No matter what you call it if you love big cities, New York is your ultimate solo travel destination. As someone who lived there for 10 years I gotta say though, this city isn’t for the faint of heart. This one is for my ladies who are a bit rough around the edges and don’t mind getting a little dirty.
One could live in this city their entire life and still never repeat an event or attraction. With five boroughs, the city is massive and the very best thing is that there’s so much to do, you can make it whatever you want it to be…at any price point.
Eat your way through the boroughs and make it a food trip or deep dive into one specific neighborhood and get to know the ins and outs. Between the stunning views, the people watching, and the memorable Broadway shows, whatever you choose to do, you’ll have fun because… it’s New York City.
Seattle, Washington
Seattle is Washington’s largest city and in my humble opinion, I think it’s highly underrated. Aside from being the home to Starbucks (love em or hate em) and the famous Pike Place Market, this west coast city is extremely diverse and has the perfect balance of local originality and touristic charm.
Seattle’s diversity makes it a great place for solo travel USA because it’s easy to blend in with the locals. You could spend the day downtown checking out all the awesome museums or marveling at the classic Space Needle. Or if you’re more of a nature person, you hardly have to step out of the city to go hiking. Check out Mount Rainier National Park or take a stroll through the city’s largest public park: Discovery Park.
If you’re on a budget, be sure to check out the teriyaki scene. This may sound strange, but teriyaki is to Seattle what cheesesteaks are to Philadelphia. It’s a local specialty and there are tons of great places to check out like Toshi’s Teriyaki Grill. Whatever you do, don’t forget to pack your umbrella.
Did I miss your favorite city? What are some other US cities that you would recommend for solo travel? Let me know in the comments!
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