Solo travel

I got dinner with my best friend’s Mom this last week. Her overall energy and how she carries herself is similar to that of Jennifer Aniston.

She embodies a laid-back, down-to-earth persona, accentuated by her collection of stunning leather crossbody bags. And I remember as a kid wanting to be like her when I grew up. Leather bags and all.

As I've matured, I've loved getting to know my friend’s parents and even my own Mom and Dad as individuals, rather than merely the grown-ups I’d spy on from the kid’s table. And I think growing up is really just a matter of realizing that even as we age, none of us truly have it all figured out. We’re all just navigating life as best we can, learning and growing as we go along.

During our dinner, she shared with me the remarkable journey of healing she underwent at a yoga retreat in Costa Rica.

Retreats (no matter what kind they are) provide you with the perfect container to slow down, introspect, and focus on personal growth. If you're interested in signing up for one yourself, the retreat she attended has another transformative event scheduled in Temecula on July 27-31st.

And if you’re not feeling called to that, consider reaching out to a parent or older friend sometime this week. We often underestimate the profound nature of those relationships.

Hey, this is Kelsey, founder of SiteSee. I’ll send an email like this every Friday where I’ll share my musings from my travels, the latest research undertaken by our travel writers, as well as recommendations for travel products, interesting podcasts, good reads, and more.

I personally believe there are two things everyone should do in their life: wait tables and solo travel at least once.

The first time I went on a solo backpacking trip was throughout the southern part of India. That trip was exhilarating and at the same time, pretty difficult. It was a whole mix of emotions - from thrilling to scary to exciting to lonely at times. Essentially, it was a massive dose of the human experience packed into six weeks of adventure.

But what I loved about that trip was getting to see just many other solo travelers who were on their own adventure - experiencing their own roller coaster of emotions. And in the time since that trip ended, I’ve witnessed more and more people take off on their own solo journeys.

In fact, Google searches for solo travel have tripled between 2015 and 2023.

Our writer, Katie Bauer, delved into the realm of solo travel, exploring its current state, and unearthed some pretty interesting data points along the way.

Here are the three biggest takeaways:

1. 54% of travelers plan to travel solo in 2023

That’s more than half of the people expected to travel this year. And the biggest reason for this? 74% say it’s because they want to see the world without waiting for others.

And we get it. You can only take some much back and forth in the group chat before you decide to just turn your phone on silent and pull the trigger on that one-way ticket. What’s even more interesting is that 9 out of 10 solo travelers choose to join tours or groups during their journeys instead of heading out on their own.

2. 85% of female travelers aged 55+ now travel solo

Cue Beyoncé’s Run the World (Girls). A staggering 85% of women aged 55 and above are embracing solo travel, showcasing the resilience and adventurous spirit that transcends age.

3. Australia is one of the most popular destinations for solo travel

I mean who can resist a morning spent eating Vegemite toast and listening to thick Aussie accents? Between attractions like driving along the Great Ocean Road, visiting the Sydney Opera House, and diving the Great Barrier Reef, it’s no surprise Australia is popular amongst solo travelers.

If you want to dive deeper, you can check out the full article on the latest solo travel statistics here.

And on that note, we’ve got other articles hot off the press for this week:

• Your Passport to Luxury: 12 Top Websites for All-Inclusive Vacation Packages

• Pack More, Worry Less: The Ultimate Guide to 10 Expandable Suitcases

• 10 Best Brands That Offer Customized & Built-to-Order Luggage

• Zoom in on Wildlife: The Ultimate Guide to the 10 Best Binoculars for Safari

Thanks so much for reading, and if you found something useful or interesting in this email, mind forwarding this newsletter to a friend (or having them subscribe here)?

Otherwise, thanks again and feel free to reply here. I open and respond to everything.

Onwards,

Kelsey