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(CNN) — The highly anticipated, jam-packed summer travel season proved to be challenging, to put it nicely. Makes you yearn for a nice autumn vacation, huh? Perhaps a little less crowded, maybe less expensive, definitely less hot (in the Northern Hemisphere). And hopefully less chaotic. …
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For some people, the idea of traveling alone can sound less than ideal. But for those who have found themselves waiting on friends, family and loved ones to save enough money, have enough PTO or to just simply get serious about that group trip you’ve been talking about for years, a solo trip can sound like the only option to ensure you’re not held back from seeing the world.
Still, traveling alone can sound scary if you’ve never done it before, and it could certainly be rough if you’re not properly prepared. That’s where Keem Smith comes in.
Weary of waiting on others to experience dreamy destinations, Smith, known as The Passport Abuser, started traveling by herself in 2017. She has since created a workshop that helps other women learn the ins and outs of solo vacations, how to do it often without losing all your PTO, ways to book a photographer to capture your favorite moments, and most importantly, tools to do it safely. She’s managed to make millions through her masterclasses.
These days, she works with Teachable, the leading online course platform for creators. She is the most popular solo travel creator, and solo travel courses have become significantly popular on the site due to the pandemic. In the spring alone, they were close to 15 percent of all travel course enrollments for the site.
Smith shared with ESSENCE the reason she got into solo travel, why so many others are flocking to it since Covid began, as well as tips to keep in mind if you too are ready to hit the friendly skies on your own. Learn more and enjoy images of her on her own adventures.
What was your first experience with solo travel?
I took my first solo trip to Paris in the summer of 2017, after being stranded on vacation by two friends. I decided to travel alone because my friends either couldn’t afford to travel with me, had little to no flexibility at work, or had family obligations. Traveling on my own felt like the only way forward—I was either going to live life with regrets, or get out there and pat myself on the back for at least trying if it all failed.
How did that turn into your course(s) and business?
I honestly never thought I could turn my life experiences into a stream of income or an online course. I didn’t think creating a course on the topic of solo travel would be profitable. At the time, it seemed like I was the only person in the world interested in female solo travel. But once I began posting photos and reels of my solo trips, thousands of women inquired about how I was able to prepare, start, and ace my first solo trip. I began teaching women around the world my nine-week system on taking your first solo trip. Within just one year, my course helped nearly nine thousand women from 14 different countries and grossed $1.1 million dollars.
Why do you think we’re seeing such a big spike in solo travel courses recently?
Two words: revenge travel. After surviving a global pandemic that changed the world, cabin fever is at an all-time high and people are in need of a vacation from the past two years. Most new solo travelers are so ready for a vacation that going alone seems like a much better option than waiting a third summer to experience Capri. If you’re someone who has decided they’re traveling solo, the best thing to do is prepare.
In the last year or so, are there any big trends or patterns you hear from your students about what inspired them to take your course, or why they became interested in solo travel?
I get hundreds of calls a day from women who report their biggest reason for choosing to travel solo is that they are fed up with waiting on their friends, or the right romantic relationship to come along, before they experience the world.
Do you see any patterns with who is signing up for your solo travel course? Is it younger people, older people, everyone?
I see people of all ages starting their solo travel journey. From women in their 30s who are tired of waiting on friends to women in their 60s who have retired and are empty nesters. What connects all of the women in my community is that they’re in a space of transition. They know they are not meant to live an ordinary life. They want to see the world. They want to conquer their fears. They want to make themselves proud. But most importantly, they’re looking for one-on-one coaching as they start their process.
What are your top tips for people thinking about embarking on their solo travel chapter?
The most important thing to consider with female solo travel is safety. When traveling abroad, enroll in the Smart Traveler Enrollment Program. The STEP program allows you to enroll your entire itinerary with the local U.S. Embassy in each country you visit. Another thing I’d recommend is to share your location with a friend or family member, and provide them with a copy of your itinerary. That way, they can follow your itinerary and movements throughout the day. Another fun tip is to search on Airbnb, within the Experiences section, for a photographer in each country. This way, you’ll get awesome photos without asking a stranger.
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Summer season is virtually about, but there’s a excellent probability you are going to be traveling yet again quickly: Drop leaf-peeping is upon us and spouse and children-filled vacations are suitable about the corner. While travel is enjoyable and rewarding, it often is not effortless …
While there’s just one more month of summer left, last-minute travel plans are still ramping up. If you’re in the process of planning your next trip, you’ll want to take advantage of Google Maps and Google Flights, which can help make your trip a little less complicated.
Google Flights can help you track prices for any dates you plan on flying out. Also, If you’re going on a trip and don’t know the airport well, Google Maps can easily help you find some food or coffee there.
Keep reading for several more ways Google can help make your vacations go smoothly. For more, check out these three latest Google Maps features.
In May, Google announced a feature that will let you find the best deal on flights heading to your destination. Now you can start tracking prices to find deals for any date, and Google will send you an email if it detects lower than typical prices in the next three to six months.
Just head to Google Flights on your browser and type in your destination. If you don’t have a specific date in mind for traveling, select Any dates to find the best deal.
If you need to quickly find a store in a large mall, Google Maps is expanding its Directory tab for all airports, malls and transit stations. This can help when you’re running around the airport trying to find a place to eat or grabbing a last-minute souvenir before catching your flight. The tab will tell you a destination’s business hours and what floor it’s on. You can look through restaurants, stores, lounges and parking lots.
Google Maps can tell you how busy a restaurant is.
Google added a new feature to its Google Maps’ Busyness tool. Already you could search for a location, like a business, to see a chart that showed how crowded it is in real time. Now a new feature called Area Busyness lets you see when entire map areas are clogged with people.
To use the new feature, you open the Google Maps app on your Android or iPhone (or your computer’s browser) and move around the map to find a general area, say downtown, a riverwalk or a quaint nearby town. The busyness information will now automatically appear on the map, so you don’t need to specifically search for a place to see how crowded it is. Google Maps may say something like “Busy Area” and when you click for more details, it could say, for example, “As busy as it gets.”
Watch this:
Google Maps Immersive View Reveals Building Interiors
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Google Maps can chart your travels, but it can also quickly show you your flight, hotel, car rental and restaurant reservations, saving you the hassle of searching through your email for check-in times and confirmation numbers.
To see your upcoming reservations:
1. In Google Maps, tap Saved in the bottom menu row.
2. Tap Reservations. Here, you’ll see a list of upcoming reservations you’ve made that Maps has pulled from emails in Gmail.
3. Select an item to see more about the reservation, including date and location.
4. You can also search for “my reservations” in the Google Maps search box to see a list of what you’ve booked.
Planning a dinner night out with a large group can be a hassle, especially when you go at a busy hour. Google Maps can help you book a lunch or dinner reservation. Here’s how.
1. In Maps, tap the Restaurants button at the top of the map to see a list of places to eat.
2. Select a restaurant that looks good, and in the window that pops up, reserve a table or join a waitlist, if it gives you that option (not all do).
Remember you can use the busyness feature mentioned above to pick the least packed place. Also, note that some restaurants that are closed to dine-in may still allow delivery, curbside pickup or outdoor seating.
Let friends and family know when you’ll arrive by sharing your location.
Heading someplace remote where you may not have a mobile network connection? Google Maps can still give you directions when you’re offline.
1. Before you head out, search in Maps for the location where you’ll want directions.
2. In the location’s window, pull up the menu at the bottom.
3. Scroll right through the tabs and tap Download, and then in the next window tap Download again. Maps will download a map to your phone for the area you selected.
Now, as you use Google Maps for directions in the area you downloaded a map for, when you lose your cellular connection Maps will switch to the offline map to guide you. Note that because you’re offline, Maps won’t be able to offer real-time traffic info.
If you’re taking your electric vehicle out for shopping, dinner or a vacation, Google Maps can help you find EV charging stations on your route, along with estimated wait times for a charging port. You can also filter your search by connector type — such as J1772, CCS (Combo 1 or 2) and Tesla — to see just the stations that are compatible with your EV. Note you can also search for gas stations by following these same directions. (Here’s how you can save money at the pump.)
1. In Maps, scroll through the tabs on the top of the screen and tap More.
2. Scroll down to the Services section and select Electric vehicle charging.
3. Maps will display nearby charging stations and how many are available.
4. Tap a charging station on the map to have Maps add it as a stop on your trip.
You can also use this trick to search for other places along your route, like a coffee shop.
Is anything more frustrating during a group activity than when the group gets split up and no one can find each other? Google Maps can help bring you all back together.
1. In Google Maps, tap your profile icon in the top right corner and tap Location sharing.
2. Tap Share location and select who you want to share your location with and for how long you want to share it.
3. Tap Share, and Google Maps will send your location to everyone you’ve selected.
4. If you want to see someone else’s location, tap that person’s icon at the top of the window and then tap Request.
For more travel advice, here’s our guide to saving money on travel even as flight costs rise. Check out 18 travel tips for a stress-free summer vacation, plus these must-have travel gadgets for international trips. Also, here’s how to travel without using up your vacation days.