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traveling alone research

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If you only see travel as a luxury, and a total indulgence that is enjoyed in the moment but ceases to provide benefits once it’s over, think again. Research has found that adapting to foreign cultures can boost creativity, so if you’re looking for inspiration for your next book treatment or business venture, a vacation may be just the ticket.

If you’re feeling overwhelmed and on the edge of burnout, you should know that studies have found that even short vacations can do wonders for reducing stress. Travel is about so much more than just having fleeting fun. It enriches your mind, helps you feel more connected to others, and is an excellent way to spend some of our short time on this earth. Each of these facts make this next fact hard to hear: Americans leave thousands of vacation days on the table, unused, every year.

If you’re guilty of letting your Paid Time Off go to waste, perhaps part of the reason is you can’t find someone to travel with. Between coordinating schedules, budgets, and desired travel destinations, it can be hard to find the perfect travel companion. This could all lead your adventurous spirit to tell you to travel alone. That can actually be a wonderful way to travel, since you aren’t weighed down by the agendas and needs of others. However, if you are a woman traveling alone, there are some realities that can’t be ignored, like safety precautions. A lot of it begins with choosing your accommodations, and on that note, here are hotel safety tips for women traveling alone.

traveling alone research

Source: Charday Penn / Getty

Spring for location

When traveling with a partner or a group, your move may be to look for budget accommodations, even if that means booking something a bit of the ways outside of the city center. The closer you are to the sites, the more expensive hotels become. That being said, the closer you are to the sites, the safer you are, too, as you won’t need to be taking taxis or making long walks by yourself. As a woman traveling alone, it’s worth it to spring for a hotel within walking distance of everything you want to do. It could literally be worth your life. You’re always safer among crowds, and near a city center where there are streetlights, businesses open late and plenty of activity and movement.

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