The Group Chat
Advice From Your Travel Sisters
Some of the most honest travel advice you’ll ever receive doesn't come from guidebooks — it comes from Black women talking to each other. That's what this page is. Questions we asked, conversations that took off, and the kind of real answers you only get when you're talking to people who actually get it.
The Most Slept on Destinations According to You
We asked, you answered. These are the destinations Black women keep recommending to each other that don't get nearly enough attention.
El Salvador — @redlipsandpassports
Cuba — @ebonyissofly
Guatemala — @cynlimit @onadimetraveler
The Balkans — @thwanderingafro_ @chelseadoestravel
Ireland — @theresa_traveler
Belize — @hibaaroundtheglobe
Zurich — @mrsaesiaadan
Ecuador — @onadimetraveler
Fiji — @dlbennett1908
Honduras — @sheislevelnupn2026 @vic_onthe_verge
The Destinations That Surprised Us
Guatemala
Nigeria
I still hold fond memories. What changed for me—how I viewed life. I went to Iceland and the first thing I said was, "this must be what the earth looked like at the beginning—how Genesis started out.” It literally is the fire and ice island. I straddled two continents, held up a bridge, and experienced a volcanic eruption. I had the time of my life. I even looked into buying property there.
@the.emberhall
Bali
I had zero expectations going, as it was my first solo trip. Two things made it life changing. [I was] embraced by a community who cared for and looked after me as if I was their kin. As an eldest daughter I had not experienced that type of care before. [It] changed my requirements related to care. The second thing was the internal work I was unaware I was doing. Being by the water and immersed in cultural activities aided in guiding me to the version of myself I needed to be for what was to come.
@carter_unbound
Iceland
By the time I left [Lagos], my confidence about my physical self was higher than a giraffe on stilts. I was already confident, and being in a place where women who look like me are the main characters validated me.
I am who I know I am.
@rubydawnintl
Antigua and Lake Atitlan. I had no idea what to expect, but it felt like I was in another world. I also met at least 3 other Black female solo travelers.
@breezyonthego_
Share Your Travel
Stories With Us
Every trip has stories worth telling. Some trips change you. Some surprise you. Some trips you almost don’t take, but you’re glad you did. We want to hear it. Submit your travel story and photos for a chance to be featured on the blog and across social media. Black women's travel stories deserve to be seen and this is the perfect place to share yours.
The Trip That Changed Everything
Something changes when a Black woman decides to solo travel to worlds that are entirely new to her. Ask any woman who has done it long enough and she will tell you about the trip, the one that split her life into the before and after. For some it was standing at Victoria Falls and feeling small in the best possible way. For others it was Accra, where being a Black woman felt like a welcome home. It was the streets of Lisbon, the light in Nice, the warmth of Jamaica, the rhythm of Cuba, and the overwhelming beauty of Tanzania and Zanzibar.
What these places have in common is not a continent or a price point or a vibe. It’s that they gave us all permission—to take up space, be curious, to be alone without being lonely, to see ourselves differently because we were somewhere that didn’t obligate us to show up as anything other than ourselves. Brazil, Thailand, Paris, Lake Como—the destination almost never matters. What matters is that you went, and once you go, you cannot unknow or unfeel all that solo travel gives you.
Packing Secrets From the Group Chat
You probably already know the basics, but Black women who travel solo have a whole other list of items you may not have considered. We asked what solo travelers always pack that most people wouldn't think to bring and over 300 of you came through with answers.
Everything from the practical to the personal, the things that make a trip smoother, safer, and feel a little more like home no matter where you are. We pulled it all together in one place to shop so you don't have to scroll through the whole thread.
Planning Your First Solo Trip: Advice From Your Travel Big Sisters
Engage with locals but never reveal you’re traveling solo. When I’m alone abroad I always say I’m waiting for a friend and never reveal exactly where I’m staying. I also ask for two key cards at the hotel when I’m checking in
@nyasharoyale
Pre-technology in the 70’s and 80’s, you didn’t have to worry about someone rushing back to their hotel room and trying to look you up on the Internet. Now you do. It’s okay to engage in conversations with others, but I definitely limit what I share. I don’t share that I’m traveling alone nor what city and state I live in. No last name. Be cordial, but be general with what you share and be mindful.
@kimslifelessons
I used to think why does it matter, but as I got older, I don't prioritize my independence over the love others have for me, because I know it's a blessing to be loved and cared about; its a balance. I typically share flight and lodging info with folks and my travel planning documents. In the event of an emergency, people will have access to important identifying information.
@tiffinspires
Here’s Where Our Sisters Have Been
Laos
Aruba
St. Martin
Angola
Mozambique
Bonaire
Senegal
Vietnam
Portugal
Guatemala
Bali
Prague
Hawaii
Croatia
Grenada
Peru
Ontario
Laos Aruba St. Martin Angola Mozambique Bonaire Senegal Vietnam Portugal Guatemala Bali Prague Hawaii Croatia Grenada Peru Ontario
If We Could Leave Tomorrow
Some places you visit and you think I could live here. If you've been traveling long enough, you probably know the feeling. We asked where you'd move tomorrow if you could and the answers told us everything about how far the solo travel journey can take you, from your first nervous trip to imagining a whole life somewhere new. These are the places that did that for Black women.
The Emotional Side of Solo Travel
Not enough people talk about the emotional and vulnerable side of solo travel. You may cry unexpectedly or experience moments that catch you completely by surprise.
There is also the feeling of being somewhere beautiful and wanting to bottle it or every now and then wanting to be able to turn to someone else and share in the moment with them.
We asked Black women if they ever get emotional while traveling solo and over 100 of you answered. It turns out we all feel it, we just don't always say it out loud. Here's what a few of you shared, and if you want to read all of it, the full thread is waiting for you.