The 10 best US cities for solo female travellers you might not have considered

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The US is a various playground for solo travellers, whether or not you wish to hike craggy canyons, drive by massive landscapes, or discover a skyscraper-crowned metropolis. But a metropolis is an significantly interesting place to kick off a wider journey, dropping you straight right into a convivial scene with loads of sights, excursions and alternatives to fulfill folks.

We’ve all heard concerning the highlights of New York, LA and Las Vegas, however different beginning factors are much less trodden by solo female travellers, regardless of being extra manageable, friendlier and cheaper than the largest hitters.

What to look for in a solo-friendly US metropolis? A compact metropolis centre or a number of small, walkable neighbourhoods add ambiance and allow you to discover on foot. A good security report is one other precedence – the US is comparatively protected typically, however crime is a actuality in all massive cities, and a few have higher stats than others. Lastly, look for a relaxed food and drinks scene, wealthy arts and tradition, and low-key, inexpensive lodging.

Read extra on USA journey:

Boulder, Colorado

When you’re a dedicated city-dweller however love the nice open air, what’s a lady to do? Well, head to Boulder, for a begin – the Colorado metropolis that’s swathed in nature, with mountaineering and biking trails and mountain climbing havens in your doorstep. This is a totally fashionable American metropolis with hipster espresso retailers, a meals truck park and must-visit farmer’s market – however teams of journey fans frequently strike out into the State Parks, lakes and mountains simply outdoors for a breath of recent air. It’s an awesome mixture of sociable, protected and welcoming, with craft beer golf equipment and reside music nights if you wish to cross over with different solos, and peaceable nature trails if you simply wish to be with your self.

Get there: Lufthansa and United each fly direct from London to Denver, from the place it’s a 40-minute drive to Boulder.

Flight time: Around 10 hours.

Read extra: Colorado’s best sizzling springs to strive

Huntsville, Alabama

Never heard of Huntsville? You wouldn’t be alone. But this far-south metropolis, 115 miles south of Nashville, was named the best place to reside within the USA in 2022. Women doing a solo journey can expertise the thriving social, eating and buying scene which sprang up round tech firms that settled right here – Lowe Mill Arts centre is your first cease for artwork and reside music, whereas Downtown is meals central. Take to parallel Jefferson and Washington Streets for barbecue, seafood, Mexican and very good cocktails. Historically, this was a giant base for NASA, so STEM followers will take pleasure in visiting Marshall Space Flight Center; you can chat to the retired area engineers who volunteer there.

Get there: British Airways flies direct to Nashville, two hours’ drive away.

Flight time: Nine hours.

San Diego, California

Los Angeles and San Francisco might get nearly all of column inches, however consider San Diego as their extra chilled-out beachfront sibling. It’s famously protected, stacked with nightlife, and eminently LGBTQ+-friendly – Downtown and Pacific Beach are the cool neighbourhoods the youthful crowd tends to remain in. Take to the water to fulfill new folks: e book on to a gaggle surf lesson, whale or dolphin watching tour, or a kayaking tour of La Jolla sea caves, or simply take pleasure in being surrounded by greenery within the 1,200-acre Balboa Park.

Get there: British Airways flies direct to San Diego from Heathrow.

Flight time: Around 11 hours.

Charleston, South Carolina

Clapboard homes, tree-lined avenues, painted shutters, chocolate-box church buildings – this South Carolina metropolis is fairly as an image. And it’s relaxed, pleasant and engaging to wander, too. Stay Downtown, the walkable centre of town’s historic structure, venturing out for raved-about dinner alongside Lower and Upper King Streets. Joining a guided tour may also help you dig into the historical past of this southern stunner. Much of Charleston’s classic splendour was constructed on the again of slavery – don’t go away with out studying about it on the Old Slave Mart museum.

Get there: There are at the moment no direct flights from the UK to Charleston – join in Atlanta or New York with the likes of Delta, Virgin or British Airways.

Flight time: 10-14 hours.

Sedona, Arizona

This petite southwestern desert city is one for free spirits and adventurers. Supposedly infused with mystic vitality, it’s a centre for different spas and healers, the place you can have your chakras realigned earlier than mountaineering into red-rock wonderlands with large rock formations and views for miles. Affordable guesthouses and motels make for quirky bases the place you’ll probably meet different healing-curious of us passing by, keen to utilize the area’s famed “vortexes”. In the rocky panorama throughout, you’ll discover extra earthly pleasures visiting soothing sizzling springs and going kayaking or rafting on close by waters.

Get there: American Airlines flies direct to Phoenix, Arizona, a two-hour drive from Sedona.

Flight time: Around 11 hours.

Read extra: Williams, Arizona metropolis information

New Orleans, Louisiana

The metropolis best identified for spring’s Mardi Gras competition is a pleasure year-round – and extremely welcoming to solo travellers. In reality, you’ll discover it far mellower and slower paced outdoors of the bead-hurling February to March festivities. With a phenomenal, compact outdated city to walk (the French Quarter), in addition to a number of satellite tv for pc neighbourhoods to enterprise to for nice meals, tradition and sightseeing, it’s a pleasure to find on foot. Almost European in its quaintness and French affect, NOLA (because the locals name it) is among the best locations to get into Creole and Cajun meals – try town School of Cooking – hearken to reside jazz, and study voodoo (take the free strolling tour).

Get there: British Airways’ direct hyperlink to New Orleans hasn’t returned for the reason that pandemic; fly by way of Charlotte, Dallas or Washington DC with any variety of transatlantic airways.

Flight time: 12-14 hours.

Read extra: How to spend a day within the French Quarter

Washington, D.C.

The US capital manages to be massively well-known, with out actually being on America’s vacationer path. But it’s bought tons to maintain a solo traveller occupied, from historic, political and as-seen-on-screen excursions to its personal cherry blossom season (finish of March into early April). Cool accommodations like Eaton encourage mingling and neighborhood, whereas inexpensive sightseeing consists of free strolling excursions, self-guided audio excursions and free landmarks, from the Lincoln Memorial to Smithsonian museums. See the White House and the Capitol Building, then head to one of many metropolis’s 14 meals markets for a casual chew with a aspect of people-watching.

Get there: Virgin Atlantic and British Airways each fly direct from Heathrow.

Flight time: Around eight hours.

Honolulu, Hawaii

Set on the world-famous Waikiki Beach, this coastal capital is arguably essentially the most touristy little bit of the wild, distant Hawaiian islands. But for the solo traveller, which means a totally fleshed-out metropolis with museums to discover, buying streets to browse and cafes and eating places to go well with each funds. The teenage house of President Obama was additionally ranked the US’s most secure metropolis in MoneyGeek’s 2023 report. To see extra of its island, Oahu, hop on the 55 bus from town heading east, which circles across the east and north coasts, taking you to key sights and seashores for simply a few {dollars}. Or simply keep on the town and stroll the surf-heaven sands of Waikiki, mountaineering as much as Diamond Head, visiting the superb Bishop Museum, and consuming banana pancakes in its beachside cafes.

Get there: The quickest solution to fly is by way of LA (British Airways, Virgin, Delta) after which on to Honolulu (Hawaiian Airlines, Alaska, United).

Flight time: Around 16-20 hours.

Read extra: The best time to go to Hawaii for a vacation – and how one can keep away from the rain

Austin, Texas

Texas’s enterprise capitals Dallas and Houston are higher identified, however different, hipster-magnet Austin is a uncommon discover for ladies flying solo. Guided excursions of town’s sights, parks and lively pursuits make it straightforward to seek out associates, whereas high quality hostels and funds accommodations begin from simply £70 per evening. Must-dos on the town embody searching for out some reside music (Austin’s identified nationwide for its band scene and venues); making an attempt the native barbecue joints; and, within the hotter months, cooling off within the metropolis’s premier swimming spot, Barton Springs.

Get there: British Airways flies direct to Austin from London.

Flight time: Just over 10 hours.

Seattle, Washington State

Not solely did the Solo Travel Safety Index discover Seattle to be the world’s most secure metropolis for solo travellers in 2023, this metropolis’s sights and meals scene have been delighting its guests for years. Bucket-list meals markets imply casual eating within the metropolis centre, whereas group mountaineering excursions into Mount Rainier National Park imply you can get a straightforward, nourishing nature repair. Zoom up the long-lasting Space Needle constructing for prime views of town, then strive a few of the state’s more and more lauded wines at a vineyard outdoors of city. Stay Downtown or in cool Belltown to be closest to the best eats.

Get there: British Airways and Virgin Atlantic each have direct flights to Seattle from Heathrow.

Flight time: Around 10 hours.

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