Call us: (910) 742-5324
Call us: (910) 742-5324
There’s something transformative about waking up in a place where no one knows your name. The air feels different, time slows down, and your senses come alive in ways that routine living often dulls. For many women over 50, solo travel isn’t just a hobby it’s a deeply personal, soul-nourishing pursuit. It’s about claiming space, discovering joy, and proving, often to ourselves, that we are far from finished. But what happens when your biggest obstacle isn’t fear, finances, or logistics… but the very people you love?
If you’ve ever mentioned your solo travel plans only to be met with concerned looks, passive-aggressive comments, or outright disapproval, you’re not alone. Many women embarking on solo travel in midlife face resistance from friends and family who don’t understand the “why” behind it or worse, assume they know better than you what’s safe, appropriate, or necessary.
This emotional resistance can feel discouraging. Sometimes it even plants doubt. But here’s the truth: you don’t need permission to follow your own path especially not at this chapter of your life.
When you tell people you’re heading to the Pacific Northwest on your own or booking a solo wine weekend in Sonoma, their initial reactions may come from a place of worry. You’ll likely hear things like, “Aren’t you scared?” or “Is it safe for a woman your age to travel alone?” These responses may sound like concern, but often they stem from internalized fears theirs, not yours.
For decades, women have been conditioned to believe that they are safest when tethered to a husband, to a group, to a role. So when you choose traveling alone as a woman in your 50s or beyond, you’re not just booking a flight you’re rewriting a deeply ingrained script. You’re stepping outside societal expectations, and that can unsettle those who haven’t yet given themselves that kind of freedom.
Friends may feel left behind or even threatened by your independence. Family members, especially adult children or siblings, might worry out of love but express it in controlling or judgmental ways. Whatever the reason, it’s important to remember: their discomfort does not have to become your burden.
One of the most harmful myths women internalize is the idea that seeking time alone or prioritizing personal joy is selfish. But let’s reframe that. After decades of caregiving, working, partnering, and showing up for others, taking time for midlife solo travel isn’t selfish it’s self-honoring. You’re not escaping life’s responsibilities; you’re reconnecting with your own.
Solo travel allows you to make decisions solely for yourself when to eat, where to stay, what to see, how long to linger in a gallery or sit by a lake without explaining yourself. It is, in many ways, a radical act of self-trust. And when you travel alone, especially in your 50s or 60s, you’re not doing it to prove something to others you’re doing it to remember who you are.
You may feel the need to justify your plans, to explain how carefully you’ve researched, how safe your accommodations are, or how you’ve taken every precaution. But over-explaining often comes from a place of guilt and you don’t owe guilt to anyone for living a full, rich, autonomous life.
It’s important to acknowledge that emotional support matters. When friends and family are dismissive or critical of your solo travel plans, it can hurt deeply. These are the people who are supposed to cheer you on, not hold you back.
But support doesn’t always look the way we want it to. Sometimes love comes cloaked in fear, and fear wants to keep things familiar. Growth, however, doesn’t live in the familiar and neither does adventure. You are not responsible for managing the emotional responses of others to your joy.
That doesn’t mean you have to shut people out or be confrontational. It means being firm in your truth. Respond calmly. Share what you’re comfortable with. And if needed, set boundaries. You don’t have to invite negativity into every conversation about your travels.
And if those boundaries require stepping back from certain relationships for a time? That’s okay, too. Solo travel for women over 50 often reveals who truly respects your autonomy and who only supports you when you stay within their comfort zone.
Thankfully, you’re not alone even when you’re solo. There’s a vibrant, growing community of women over 50 who are choosing to travel the world on their own terms. Social media groups, blogs, and women’s only travel groups are filled with kindred spirits who will cheer you on, offer tips, and share in your excitement.
When your immediate circle feels small or stifling, these communities can become a vital part of your journey. There’s something powerful about seeing a photo of a 63-year-old woman hiking through Utah alone or savoring a meal in a cafe in Lisbon and knowing that could just as easily be you.
Over time, you may find that your confidence speaks louder than their concern. When you return home from a solo adventure glowing with joy, self-assurance, and maybe even a little swagger, it becomes harder for others to deny the beauty of what you’re doing.
And you’ll realize that the support you craved from others comes from within.
If you’re dreaming of solo travel and you’re over 50, this is your permission slip not that you ever needed one. You are not too old. You are not irresponsible. You are not chasing a fantasy.
You are brave. You are evolving. You are listening to the quiet, persistent voice inside that says: there’s more waiting for you.
Whether your journey takes you to a quiet cabin on Lake Superior, an art museum in Santa Fe, or a long-awaited European escape, trust that you belong there. And trust that the more you honor yourself, the easier it becomes to navigate the discomfort of others with grace
People may not understand your choices at least not at first. But let your joy, your peace, and your stories be the proof. Let the way you return from your travels more alive, more grounded, more you be your quiet answer to every doubt and every question.
Solo travel isn’t just about the places you go. It’s about the parts of yourself you rediscover along the way.
And if that makes some people uncomfortable? That’s okay. You’re not here to make everyone comfortable. You’re here to live
Who are our Sisters? Well, we’re you! We value old friendships but love making new ones. We’re intellectually curious and love a unique adventure to parts unknown. We may be single, divorced, widowed, or simply have a partner who doesn’t want to travel. Most of all, We’re kind, compassionate women who look forward to cultural immersion, exclusive adventures, lots of laughs, and the magic of Sisterhood.
