In this episode of the Solo Female Travelers Podcast, Meg and Mar dive into six years of data from the annual Solo Female Travel Trends Survey to uncover what women really want when they travel alone. They challenge some of the most persistent stereotypes around solo female travel, including the idea that women travel alone because they have no one to go with, or that shopping, spas and Instagram-worthy destinations drive their travel decisions.

Using insights gathered from thousands of women around the world, they explore why women choose to travel solo, the biggest barriers they face, how safety concerns change with experience, and the destinations women recommend for a first solo trip. They also look at what actually influences destination and purchasing decisions, from culture, food and nature to price, sustainability, local ownership and supporting female-owned businesses.

Meg and Mar also discuss how women can use their purchasing power to influence the travel industry and why better data and greater representation matter. Ultimately, the episode shows that solo female travelers are not one type of woman, and that understanding what women actually want starts with listening to them.

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In this episode of the Solo Female Travelers Podcast, Mar is joined by Cepee, founder of She Hit Refresh and author of An American’s Ultimate Visa Guide to Living in Europe. Cepee shares her story of moving from the US to Spain at 35 after realizing that the stable life she had built wasn't the life she wanted. Together, they explore what it really takes to turn the dream of moving abroad into a realistic plan.

They talk about finding your “why,” overcoming the fear that you're too old to start over, choosing the right destination, taking a scouting trip, understanding the cost of living and taxes, learning the local language, and figuring out which visa options might work for your situation. Cepee also breaks down digital nomad, retirement, self-employment and work visas, and explains why having a realistic plan for work and income is one of the most important parts of a successful move.

This conversation is for women who have been dreaming about living abroad but aren't sure where to start. Whether you're considering Spain, Portugal, Italy or another European country, you'll come away with practical steps to turn endless research into action—and a more realistic understanding of both the challenges and rewards of starting a new life abroad.

Links mentioned in this episode:

• Website: https://shehitrefresh.com/
• Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/shehitrefresh/
• Membership: https://www.refresherslounge.com/
  
  

www.solofemaletravelers.club

In this episode of the Solo Female Travelers Podcast, Anastasia is joined by Meg Ten Eyck, founder and CEO of Every Queer and a longtime advocate for LGBTQ+ travel and inclusion. Together, they explore what it really means for a destination to be welcoming and affirming to queer travelers, beyond rainbow flags, Pride campaigns, and LGBTQ-friendly marketing.

Meg shares her experience traveling to more than 80 countries and explains how queer travelers often have to make safety and visibility calculations that other travelers may never consider. They discuss researching destinations, deciding when to disclose your identity, traveling with trans and non-binary companions, evaluating whether hotels and tourism businesses genuinely support LGBTQ+ travelers, and the different meanings of Pride around the world. Meg also shares some of the destinations that have surprised her, including Jordan, and highlights welcoming places for first-time LGBTQ+ travelers.

The conversation is ultimately about finding confidence, community, and belonging while traveling. Meg encourages travelers to start small, take manageable steps, use the resources available to them, and remember that there are queer communities and welcoming people all over the world. This episode is especially useful for queer women, trans and non-binary travelers, and anyone who wants to travel more confidently while understanding the realities of LGBTQ+ travel.

Connect with Meg:

• EveryQueer.com
• Instagram.com/EveryQueer
• Instagram.com/MegTenEyck

www.solofemaletravelers.club

In this episode of the Solo Female Travelers Podcast, Mar and Meg Jerrard explore a question that sounds simple but is surprisingly personal: is group travel right for you? Rather than trying to convince everyone to join a tour, they unpack the different types of group travel and why the right choice depends on your personality, expectations, travel style, and stage of life.

They talk honestly about the trade-offs between group and independent travel, from freedom and flexibility to the mental load of planning, cost, access to unique experiences, and the compromises that come with traveling alongside other people. They also discuss what makes someone a great group traveler, including self-awareness, patience, curiosity, kindness, personal responsibility, and the ability to handle things when travel inevitably doesn't go according to plan. Along the way, they share stories from their own tours, including weather disruptions, delayed ferries, unexpected itinerary changes, and the ways a positive group dynamic can turn an inconvenience into a memorable experience.

If you're wondering whether a small group tour, independent trip, or another style of travel is the best fit for you, this conversation will help you think about what you actually need from a trip—and what you're willing to compromise on to get it.

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In this episode of the Solo Female Travelers Podcast, Mar is joined by Marinel de Jesus, a former civil rights attorney turned mountain nomad, filmmaker, tourism equity advocate, and founder of Equity Global Treks and the Porter Voice Collective. Marinel shares her journey from practicing law in Washington, DC, to building a life around hiking, community-led tourism, and advocating for the workers who make some of the world’s most famous treks possible.

Together, Mar and Marinel take a closer look at the realities behind trekking in places like Peru and Nepal, including porter working conditions, wages, overloading, cultural identity, tourism leakage, and the power dynamics between local workers and tour companies. They also discuss the additional barriers women face as guides, and how Marinel’s Himalayan Women Trail Leaders initiative is helping women in Nepal develop not only guiding skills but also leadership and self-advocacy.

The conversation offers travelers practical reasons to ask harder questions before booking a trek and to think beyond the experience they see as tourists. Women who love hiking, trekking, solo travel, or community-led tourism will come away with a better understanding of how their travel choices can support greater equity for the people behind the journey.

Episode resources:

• The Porter Voices Podcast
• Himalayan Women Trail Leaders Initiative
• Equity Global Treks
• KM 82 Film

www.solofemaletravelers.club

In this episode of the Solo Female Travelers Podcast, Mar is joined by Gaby Orozco, a former cabin crew member who spent five years working in aviation and now works with the Solo Female Travelers team. Together, they go behind the scenes of life as a flight attendant and explore what passengers rarely see once they step onto a plane.

Gaby shares the reality of working at 35,000 feet, from crew rest areas and what really happens to leftover food and drinks, to passenger upgrades, gift bags, emergency situations, onboard medical issues, and the unexpected ways cabin crew support solo travelers. She also explains what she learned about managing difficult situations, setting boundaries, working under pressure, and quickly building trust with new teams.

For solo female travelers, the conversation offers practical flying tips as well as reassurance about traveling alone, including why it's worth asking a friendly crew member for help and why preparation and curiosity can make a new destination feel much less intimidating. Anyone who flies regularly—especially women traveling solo—will come away with a better understanding of cabin crew life and plenty of useful insights for their next flight.

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In this episode of the Solo Female Travelers Podcast, Mar is joined by Ellie Hamby and Dr. Sandy Hazelip, better known as the Traveling Nanas, whose adventures prove that there is no age limit to exploring the world. After meeting through a medical mission in Zambia, their friendship grew into decades of independent travel and, eventually, an epic journey around the world in 80 days at age 81.

Ellie and Sandy share some of their most memorable travel stories, from riding the Trans-Siberian Railway and unexpectedly becoming witnesses to a crime to navigating Syria as conflict began and relying on the kindness of strangers along the way. They also talk about how they plan their trips independently, travel on a budget, pack light, choose accommodations, and make active adventures work for them in their 80s.

They also reflect on what makes their friendship such a successful travel partnership, why giving each other space matters, and how their philosophy of simply saying “yes” has opened the door to experiences they never expected. Whether you're 25 or 85, this episode is a reminder that it's never too late to step outside your comfort zone, meet new people, and start your next adventure.

Links:

• www.aroundtheworldat80.com
• www.facebook.com/SandyandEllie
• www.instagram.com/aroundtheworldat80
• www.tiktok.com/@aroundtheworldat80
• www.youtube.com/aroundtheworldat80

Book Here We Go: Lessons for Living Fearlessly from Two Travelling Nanas available on Amazon and other major retailers and audiobook.

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In this episode of the Solo Female Travelers Podcast, Mar is joined by Dr. Vincie Ho, founder and Executive Director of RISE Travel Institute, for a thought-provoking conversation about what it really means to decolonize travel. Together, they explore how colonialism continues to shape the way we travel today, from the maps we use and the passports we carry to the language we choose, the experiences we seek, and the impact our travels have on local communities.

The discussion covers topics such as voluntourism, overtourism, cultural appropriation, community-led tourism, traveler privilege, and the importance of reciprocity when visiting another place. Mar and Vincie also share practical examples of how travelers can make more thoughtful decisions, support local communities more intentionally, and challenge long-held assumptions without feeling guilty or striving for perfection.

Whether you're planning your next adventure or simply want to become a more conscious traveler, this episode offers practical insights that will help you travel with greater awareness, respect, and purpose.

Resources mentioned in the episode:

• Rise Travel Institute website
• Rise Travel Institute Decolonising travel ebook
• Rise Travel Institute programs

Discount for the Solo Female Travelers community

Get $50 OFF by enrolling in The Rise Travelers Pathway Level 1 foundational course with discount code SFTCommunity. If you use this specific link to enrol in the discount code will already be applied.

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